Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2013

With August breezing in, it’s that time of year when the UK are comedy obsessed. With dramatic and comedic hopefuls arriving in Edinburgh in their droves, we take a look at the annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival…

New acts fight for recognition, old acts return, and the strangest acts in the world thrive in this eclectic and thoroughly chaotic atmosphere – it must be Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2013.

From 31st July to 26th August 2013, over 2,500 shows will take place across 250 venues, making this the largest (and best) open-access festival in the world. Overflowing streets are scattered with clowns on stilts, fire jugglers and tightrope walkers; busking musicians play on every corner and roaring cheers can be heard from dawn until dusk as crowds delight in magic shows on the Royal Mile. Street performers travel from all over the world to create a carnival atmosphere in the heart of the city. Catch a comedian in the afternoon, a cabaret in the evening and party on until 5am in Edinburgh’s huge range of clubs, and then do it all again the next day. Sleep is for the weak.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe started life when eight theatre companies boldly invited themselves to the Edinburgh International Festival in 1947 to
take advantage of the crowds, and put on their own alternative performances. In 1951, students of the University of Edinburgh supported the acts by setting up a drop-in centre in the YMCA to provide struggling acts with food and a place to sleep. Since then, the Fringe has become a huge annual sellout event; last year saw 2,695 shows in comedy, theatre, music, cabaret, dance and physical theatre, in addition to a range of acts for children brought to Edinburgh from 47 different countries. The festival unusually remains un-juried – any act with a venue willing to host them is included, meaning that the performances are decidedly more unique, unadulterated and risky than any other festival. However, it also means that whilst standards are high they can also be incredibly low, so make sure you sample a show in the street before signing up to see the full performance.

The absence of a selection committee is a godsend to new performers. The Fringe acts as a platform for comedians, singers, dancers and actors who want the opportunity to be noticed by crowds and reviewed by critics. For instance, in the 1960s, members of the Monty Python team performed in
Edinburgh in student productions. Rowan Atkinson, Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Emma Thompson also appeared at the Fringe before achieving success. What’s more, the Fringe opens up hundreds of jobs to students home for the summer, or simply looking to live and work in Edinburgh during August. The sheer number of tourists and acts generates full-time bar vacancies, box office positions and paid work handing out flyers to snatch up as many viewers to the shows as possible. Many venues offer free accommodation and entry into shows for their staff; it’s no surprise that students apply for work as early as May to grab the best positions. Most vacancies offer only two full days off during the whole of the festival period, but more hours equals more money for drinks when you clock off. The Fringe also provides the opportunity for budding journalists, presenters and producers to sink their teeth into interviewing and reviewing the hugely diverse range of acts; last year saw the appearance of Waffle TV, a brand new online media production company that revealed exclusive footage of the performances.

Venues come in all shapes and sizes, from renowned theatres such as Traverse or Bedlam to castle grounds and lecture theatres, as well as temporary structures such as the Udderbelly. The Udderbelly is a giant, purple, upside-down, cowshaped tent owned and run by the Underbelly event and management company. This concept of the pop-up venue, along with other Fringe features, has been reproduced all over the world. Adelaide Fringe Festival in Southern Australia runs for 24 days and nights from February to March, with shows presented in parks and warehouses. Originating in 1960, the festival began as a response to the exclusion of many artists from the curated Adelaide Festival of Arts.

This year’s Fringe festival promises a range of top comedians including Jimeoin – Ireland’s internationally acclaimed star of Live at the Apollo – and Daniel Sloss, who brings his new stand-up show to Edinburgh after a year of live touring. For up-and-coming comedians, we recommend ‘Jobby Hunter’ in which Cormac Friel – who has recently secured a place in the So You Think You’re Funny semi-final tells of his hilarious attempts to secure a job after university. If you’re into energetic and colourful African dance and song, watch ThaTha at Assembly George Square, or if you really want to get stuck-in, take part in the world’s first interactive drum-theatre experience. Also at Assembly George Square, multi-award winning guitarist Antonio Forcione mixes Latin, authentic African and Jazz vibes in an awe-inspiring and skilful performance. For late night party-goers, head to the number one silent disco in the world at Assembly Checkpoint or step into the sell-out Hot Dub Time Machine and dance to a song from each year, from 1954 to 2013.

By Daisy Savage

Fancy a laugh? Have a read of our funny news stories…