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Post by adrianics on Apr 1, 2016 15:23:31 GMT
We're spending a week at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August - It's our first time and all very exciting if slightly expensive!
We're huge fans of improv theatre so have packed our week with tickets to improv shows, the priority being Showstopper! which was incredible when we saw it in London.
My main question for anyone who's been before is: Is it better to keep your schedule free so that you can be a bit flexible on the day? We've mainly been using the official websites to book tickets but I'm not sure if every show (particularly the smaller ones) will be on there, but I'm also weary that crowds at venues and ticketing offices will probably be extremely busy at the time. Could someone who has done the Fringe previously advise on their experience and what the best course of action is? |
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Post by charliec on Apr 1, 2016 15:50:03 GMT
Yes definitely keep some free time scheduled in. Primarily because there will be reviews/ word of mouth etc that will mean you might find other shows you want to see but also shows always run over/ start late so try not to schedule stuff back to back unless its at the same venue.
All the shows aren't on the website and on sale yet, that wont be until programme launch which is usually end of May. Generally you can book everything through the Edfringe site then. Free shows are unticketed so schedule time in to queue for them beforehand. Also on the day there is the half price hut where you can get some discounted tickets.
If you book all your tickets through the official site you should be able to go to any frigne box office or ticket machine when you arrive and print all your tickets off at once in an act I like to call "obtaining a ticket scarf"
Hope that's helpful!
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Post by duncan on Apr 1, 2016 19:18:03 GMT
Charlie C is right about the tickets, you can pick them up from the shop on the mile at any time - book shows with different cards so you aint getting the Tom Baker scarf all at once. Book monday on one card, tuesday on another card etc.
I'd only be booking the things that are likely to sell out at this point, the likes of Stuart Lee if that floats your boat, as until the full catalogue comes out in about 5 weeks or so you dont know who or what will be on.
I tend to do a show then leave an hour/45 minutes/30 minutes gap until my next show depending on how far there is between venues, unless you are out in the suburbs at a venue you'll be fine to get between venues within 30 to 45 minutes - that way you can still fit in around 6 or 7 shows in a day. Remember most shows are unreserved seating so if you want a good seat get there early. Bring a pack-a-mack as well, you'll be doing a lot of standing around outside so something that breaths but which also keeps you dry is good to have with you just in case. 2 years ago the Sunday I went was horrendous for rain.
Also leave gaps for the free fringe as there will be plenty of free shows dotted around town.
And most importantly - spend a day at shows about which you know nothing in advance, just book things at random. That can be far more satisfying (or annoying!!) than planning months in advance to see favourites.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2016 19:34:40 GMT
I'd suggest waiting before you book most shows; apart from the Traverse, big name comedians doing a one off gig and if your name's Daniel Kitson, then wait to see what word of mouth or reviews are like (given the number of reviewers they're pretty much the same thing at times). Not really practical if you are going in the first week though.
Added to what Duncan said, you can see plenty per day if that's what you want, my record is eight shows I think. Also, Google maps is your friend, it will give you a rough idea of walking times between venues. I made the mistake of booking a handful of shows either side of Edinburgh once, back and forth, in a completely knackering day. Lesson learned!
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Post by charliec on Apr 1, 2016 19:45:53 GMT
Most shows I've ever managed in one day is 13. If you want to do lots in a day it's totally possible.
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Post by duncan on Apr 1, 2016 19:46:13 GMT
The worst thing I ever did was select 3 consecutive shows at the Stand - it was a case of getting out of one show and joining the rear of the queue for the following show, didnt leave time for comfort stops and as they were around dinner time I was famished by the end.
If you dont want to move far then with some planning you can do a whole day at the Pleasance for example - I think I've been in about 7 different rooms/venues there over the years and it does offer a wide variety of entertainment.
Also you have to star spot, its the law. The more obscure the celebrity you recognise the better.
...and what I'd most certainly avoid is the comedians who are using Edinburgh as a "work in progress" for their next tour. Thats my pet peeve, Juliette Binoche didnt come last year with a "work in progress" Antigone and Boris: World King wasnt a "work in progress" so to see famous comedians advertise their show as a warm up for their more money spinning tour gets my goat.
And you'll love it (aside from the weather)
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Post by Scots UK Theatre on Apr 1, 2016 22:55:38 GMT
The majority of shows haven't been announced yet. I'm from Edinburgh so allows me to see a lot of work but I tend not to book until full schedule is released in case it rules me out of something.
To answer your question all official fringe venue shows will be listed on edfringe, even the small ones. It's only the non official that wouldn't be. I would not that they only get partial allocations so if showing as sold out there doesn't mean it necessarily is.
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Post by adrianics on Apr 2, 2016 20:39:15 GMT
This is all incredibly helpful, thanks everyone - Will hold off on booking tickets for now  |
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Post by Mr Wallacio on Apr 3, 2016 7:59:59 GMT
I'll be considering the same thing. Decided that one thing I wanted to do before I turn 30 (weep) was go to Fringe, so booked accommodation last August for this year.
Need to get a plan together (thinking detailed spreadsheet) of things I definitely want to see and start to semi plan my days once the full schedule comes out.
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Post by charliec on Apr 3, 2016 8:35:08 GMT
I'll be considering the same thing. Decided that one thing I wanted to do before I turn 30 (weep) was go to Fringe, so booked accommodation last August for this year. Need to get a plan together (thinking detailed spreadsheet) of things I definitely want to see and start to semi plan my days once the full schedule comes out. I am a big fan of a detailed Fringe spreadsheet! Last time I laminated it to protect it from the Edinburgh rain |
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Post by anita on Apr 3, 2016 9:40:21 GMT
Yes definitely take a mac. Have fun.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2016 11:01:46 GMT
Honestly, a laminated theatre spreadsheet sounds like one of the most beautiful things on earth.
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Post by charliec on Apr 3, 2016 11:13:38 GMT
Honestly, a laminated theatre spreadsheet sounds like one of the most beautiful things on earth. Ha! It truly is a beautiful thing! |
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Post by Mr Wallacio on Apr 3, 2016 11:24:20 GMT
Honestly, a laminated theatre spreadsheet sounds like one of the most beautiful things on earth. Ha! It truly is a beautiful thing! And colour coded to theatrical perfection |
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Post by stevej678 on Apr 4, 2016 10:37:27 GMT
Laminated theatre spreadsheets are the future!
I usually head up to the Edinburgh Fringe for the first ten days of the festival (Friday to Sunday) and then return for 4-5 days in the final week. From the 224 shows already on sale for this year, however, there’s a few things I want to see in the middle week so I’m planning on going for the first ten days as usual, returning home for a few days, then heading back to Edinburgh on Friday 20th and staying there until some point in the final week, maybe even having another nine or ten days in total if there’s enough things I want to see.
The way I approach the planning is to read through the shows as they’re announced on the website and draw up a shortlist (long list) of things I want to see, grading (and, yes, colour coding) them at three levels – (1) being a must-see, (2) something that looks promising, and (3) shows that I want to keep on my radar but which aren’t a top priority. The latter group are useful fillers when you inevitably end up with too much to choose from at certain time slots and large gaps in your schedule at others!
By the time the programme is published in early June, when the final batch of productions go on sale, I’ll generally have 250-300 shows in total on this initial list so can then build a schedule relatively quickly from there. There’s a filter on the fringe ticketing site that allows you to show results added in the last seven days, two weeks or month so this is great when each batch of productions are announced, particularly when used alongside filtering by show type.
It’s definitely worth leaving some free time in your schedule rather than booking everything before you arrive at the festival. I find a spare day or a free day and a half towards the end of each stay at the fringe strikes the right balance between planning in advance and choosing things on the spare of the moment. It’s interesting to read the reviews of shows I’ve seen or will be seeing but generally I wouldn’t put too much emphasis on letting them determine what you go to see – a very positive review might persuade me to see a show not previously on my shortlist but I wouldn’t not see something that had otherwise looked appealing just because of a terrible review. There have been a couple of times though when I’ve seen the cast from productions out on the Royal Mile and thought better of watching something after seeing an excerpt on one of the Virgin Money stages!
No matter how much planning ahead you do, within half an hour of being on the Royal Mile or browsing the fliers at fringe venues, you’ll have additional things you want to see. It’s also nice to make sure there’s time to simply wander the Royal Mile, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the street performances. A trio called Affordable Chocolate, led by a female violinist, are the pick of the acts I’ve seen there.
As far as deciding how many shows to see each day, this is probably the area that’s most subjective. For me, there’s a balance to be struck between cramming in as many shows as physically possible and actually still being able to enjoy everything – I’ve seen eight productions in a single day before but I think six is a nice amount, seven a maximum, before tiredness starts to take its toll. You reach a point where less is more I think so it’s about finding what works best for you.
Roll on August!
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Post by anita on Apr 4, 2016 10:46:08 GMT
Try to leave time for some of the walks around the city - Mary King's Close for example & Greyfriars churchyard.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 4, 2016 11:15:19 GMT
The more shows you see in a day the more important it is to have variety within them, seeing standup after standup won't be anywhere near as interesting as standup-circus-play-etc.
Also, the programme for the International Festival is announced on Wednesday, if you like international theatre then there's usually something interesting there along with some of the prime Scottish theatremakers.
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Post by boybooshka on Apr 4, 2016 17:05:08 GMT
Glad to read that I'm not the only person obsessed with Edmin on here, I do love myself a good Ed Fringe spreadsheet, I must admit I've never yet laminated mine though lol. With regards to leaving time free for going to see things you come across up there I'm a bit ambiguous about that. We've tried it both ways, and I tend to find that we watch much less if we leave time free because it's much harder to decide what to see when you are up there and faced with all that choice, than it is in the comfort of your own home armed with the brochure and various coloured highlighters . What we did last year, which felt like an happy medium, was to book the things we were definite about and those we felt were likely to sell out, and then plan everything else but not book it until a couple of days before. This allowed us to sack off shows if we heard negative things about them, or something that sounded better came up. If you are going as I a couple I can't recommend becoming a friend of the fringe strongly enough, it's £35 and as well as giving you up to 15 shows at 241 you get to use the dedicated friends box office, which is obviously much quieter, and also has its own Virgin half price hut desk. Not all shows do the friends 241s but a good majority of them do, it's mostly stand ups that don't. |
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Post by camilla on Apr 5, 2016 14:47:21 GMT
Make sure you plan in rest days! It's actually incredibly tiring, especially if you're not eating or sleeping as well as you normally do.
Talk to the people flyering - often they're in the show (unusual in London) and are happy to have a chat.
Remember that if you're planning on walking between venues that it takes FAR longer than it looks on a map... Edinburgh has hills! If you're from London like me, this'll throw inner speed aproximation off and as for your inner GPS? Edinburgh is multi-level so you'll be on top of a bridge and the theatre will be under it! A wrong turning is very tiring so plan carefully. Think about getting a bike.
Get comfortable shoes and blister packs!
As a organisation - it's worth registering for an industry pass - it gets you into networkers and you get special invites to launches, talks and so forth which is actually a great way of seeing shows you would never normally consider. Make sure you offer those who are comping you in something free in return though because there is usually a set number of comps a company can give away.
It's also very easy to get 'stuck' in one part of the Fringe because there are little hubs with many theatres on them, so make sure you go outside the main strip.
Make friends with theatre makers and find out what they like - they will recommend their friends, but hopefully do so critically - this is a great way of getting an 'insider' view because it's incredibly difficult to market a show amid the noise and a good theatre makers doesn't necessarily mean a great marketeer - so do take risks on people with bad flyers.
Also, be happy going to see bad shows. I like the risk element in attending theatre because it highlights what I like a why. Also, free (PBH Free Fringe is the most established) doesn't equate to bad. It just means that the venue doesn't charge the theatre makers thousands and thousands of £££ upfront which means theatre makers can actually bring their show to the fringe if they are strapped for cash. If you go to these shows - make sure you bring some change (or notes) because it is polite to put something in the bucket.
Find reviewers you like before you go - often in small publications. Rather than just looking to see who the Big critics are, find one or two people who have the same likes as you do and sign up to their twitter before you go - twitter is a WONDERFUL way of discovering shows. Also, if you're umming and ahhhing about a show - tweet the company - they'll usually have a twitter account and will be thrilled to try and 'sell' their show to you - this way you can find out who the passionate theatre makers are and who can't be bothered - which is usually a good indicator of how good a show will be.
Best tip of all? Ask the ushers. If you really want an unbiased opinion of what shows are good or not, ushers are usually theatre students who know their sh*t and guess what? They see each show a billion times - they know what's good in their venue, and because they don't care who's show you get tickets for so long as it's in their venue, you get a really honest opinion. Reviewers may only go to shows they get comps for or for whom they have already picked out as being appropriate for their magazine - theatre staff have no such bribery. Tech teams are fantastic too, and at many smaller venues, you can usually talk to them as their booth is just behind the audience.
Hope that helps!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2016 13:16:33 GMT
International Festival programmed has been announced. Personally interested in the Ostermeier 'Richard III' and the new TEAM show but won't be there for the John Tiffany/Cherry Jones 'Glass Menagerie'.
And so the spreadsheet begins, initially with productions put in all possible places then narrowed down so that I eventually get to see most of what I want....
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Post by Laineee on Apr 6, 2016 18:07:35 GMT
I have to admit to being very impressed at the amount of work everyone puts into the planning of an Edinburgh trip. Starting to appreciate how lucky I am to only be a 25 minute train journey away and able to (mostly) just decide to take a trip to see a show on a whim |
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Post by Scots UK Theatre on Apr 6, 2016 19:08:42 GMT
The Glass Menagerie at The Kings is a revival of the American Repertory Theater production and sounds interesting. The Lyceum is hosting some interesting Shakespeare adaptions which are Skake, Measure for Measure & Richard III. Usually i prefer The Fringe offering against The Festival but this year it has some interesting work.
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Post by duncan on Apr 10, 2016 16:27:06 GMT
Just noticed that Radio Active have got their frequency back and will be at the Pleasance!
Anna Daptor, Mike Stand, Mike Flex, Mike Hunt!
....and maybe the opportunity to do the Hospital OB that 4Extra post Savile cut to ribbons.
They'll sadly be one man down but I'm hopeful the 4 remaining members can do his memory proud.
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Post by Mr Wallacio on Jul 31, 2016 10:26:28 GMT
So the Fringe begins.
Who is going?
I am up 15th to 19th August and am currently trying to sort my provisional timetable of what I would definitely like to see. Does anyone have any vital viewing that I simply shouldn't miss? So far I have only actually booked for the Glass Menagerie as everything else still has tickets available and I may be hoping for some half price on the day deals to make the week sightly easier on my purse strings.
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Post by talkstageytome on Jul 31, 2016 11:02:02 GMT
I'm up from the 17th-22nd. Very excited as it's going to be my first time!
No idea what's essential viewing to be honest, so I'll be looking out for recs and playing it by ear once I get there for the rest of the time, I think.
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