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"Fringe Festival"
Among Scots, Edinburgh has a reputation for being decorous, civilized, buttoned-down,
even a little staid—until August rolls around and culture lovers from around the
world converge on its streets for the Edinburgh Festival. During this time, the
city becomes the world capital of the arts, the population doubles overnight, and
the elegant heart of the city, the Royal Mile, becomes thick with entertainers and
round-the-clock comedy shows. Although hundreds of international performers converge
on the city for the main body of the Festival, it's the more adventurous "Fringe
Festival" that is beloved by locals.
It began in 1948, when a few experimental acts couldn't make it into the mainstream
theater venues. By the 1960s, the Fringe had become a British fixture, with comic
masterminds like Peter Sellers, Dudley Moore, and John Cleese making their stage
debuts, and Tom Stoppard putting on his first play. Recent years have seen the discovery
of comedians Rowan Atkinson, Eddie Izzard, Steve Coogan, and Billie Connolly. Academy
Award-winning actress Emma Thompson got her "big break" at the Fringe, as did actor
Hugh Laurie (most famous now for the TV hit House).
Today, the upbeat Fringe Festival overshadows the "official" Festival for many people,
which is rather formal. The trick with the Fringe is to not be overwhelmed by the
sheer number of performances. Visitors have to choose from up to 1,500 different
shows, put on by 700 companies at 200 theaters. Expect anything: stand-up comics
from London, acrobats from Barcelona, Latvians doing vaudeville acts. Venues include
tiny theaters on the Cowgate, the city's medieval market, and stone chambers within
the ancient city walls where water even drips on the audience's heads.
For the entire month, talent scouts scour Edinburgh, with competition as intense
as on Hollywood Boulevard. Occasional acts of genius are discovered among all the
impromptu inspiration, but putting on a low-budget production is still extremely
hard work. Cast members often make their own costumes, create their own scenery,
and hand out their own leaflets. After months of preparation and hard work, one
actor commented "you always end up with 13 pounds ($20) profit. I don't know why."
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