Edinburgh Fringe Festival: Preview

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is on the horizon once again. Culture Whisper looks out what to see, Edinburgh Fringe 2014.

It’s almost that time of year again; as August rolls around, the streets of Edinburgh are taken over by the good, the bad, and the down-right bonkers. Welcome to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

History of the Festival

Founded in 1947, the Fringe was originally intended as an alternative to the city’s International Festival but, after snapping at the heels of its predecessor, the Edinburgh Fringe is now a cultural giant in its own right, featuring some of the UK’s most groundbreaking and experimental theatre, dance, music and comedy. 

What can you find there?

The centre of the festival is the Royal Mile, where performers will go out and sell their wares during the day. From buskers and mimes to people dressed as giraffes and pirates, they all have flyers and they all want to convince you that their show is the one worth seeing. 

A huge part of the joy of the fringe experience is found in wandering up and down the mile, making friends with performers, seeing what catches your eye, and congratulating those who impressed you the day before. Taking a risk on something that seems like fun is what the festival is all about, but with around 2,900 shows available (2,871 in 273 venues last year) it is worth getting a couple of the big ones into your diary before heading up. 

Culture Whisper’s Fringe highlights 2014:

At the Fringe 2012, there was only one show on everyone’s lips: Theatre Ad Infinitum’s uncompromisingly beautiful Translunar Paradise. This year they are returning to the festival with Light, a dark and visually innovative take on surveillance and technology. With their non-verbal storytelling and breathtaking creativity, this company are always a huge presence at the festival. Improv is everywhere at the Fringe, but is at its best with Showstoppers, the improvised musical, with a cast and band who are all making it up as they go along. 

You’ll also find some of what you expect from classical theatre at the festival, but we’d suggest a different angle with fringe favourite Sh*t-Faced Shakespeare, a fully rehearsed play with one randomly assigned drunk performer. Performances have the potential to be a little hit and miss, but when it works it is pure gold. It also tends to sell out pretty quickly. For the more traditional amongst you, head to the Assembly Hall to catch Olivia Poulet (The Thick of It, In The Loop) appearing in a revival of acclaimed writer Mark Ravenhill’s play Product, which had a former life at The Royal Court. 

It's also worth watching out for theatre company Les Enfants Terrible who are taking two of their unique and wacky worlds to the festival this year. Suitable for all the family, outdoor event Dr Longitude's Marvellous Imaginary Menagerie looks fabulously weird and wonderful.

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2014 runs from August 1st- 25th. The full fringe programme is available here and tickets for selected shows are available now.

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