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The Edinburgh Fringe - Too Pricey?

Posted on August 9, 2005
Filed Under Personal Posts |

[Cross post from The Edinburgh Fringe Podcast site]. Ten years ago, when I was a mere slip of a lad at Edinburgh University, I could slip ten pounds into my pocket, go out and see three or four fringe shows, buy a beer, and be back home before midnight. Those nights I would see one “banker” show and experiment with the other three.

This last week, at Fringe 2005, I’ve slipped ten pounds in my pocket, saw three or four shows a night, and be back home after midnight (damm nightbus service), after seeing one “banker” show and three experiments. What’s changed? Well as I’ve been reporting about the Fringe for the Fringe Podcast, the tickets to the shows I’ve been attending have been Press/Complimentary tickets. Of course the unspoken deal is that we give them a review on the site, and maybe if we like them get them onto the podcast, but I digress.

If I had been paying for these tickets, the best part of £40 would have been required. Throw in a beer and a deep fried mars bars, and I might have enough for my busfare home. If Vikki was coming along with me (and quite frankly who wants to go to a couple of comedy shows on their own) and the price of a night out, to try a few acts that may or may not be any good, is astronomical.

So what happens? More and more ‘big’ names come up to the Fringe, plaster their faces on buses, billboard, flyposters everywhere, and generally ensure that people come to see ‘the bloke off the telly,’ and the medium to small performers struggle along with a handful of posters, distributing as many flyers as their budget can afford, to try and get an audience of more than ten people a night. If they can fight through the ‘professional’ flyers from the big groups and monster venues.

It should be possible for a Fringe show to get a venue that will hold 20-30 people, for a month’s run in Edinburgh, and break even with around 50% ticket sales - and the tickets at a maximum of £5 so people will still want to impulse buy. As it is, if people have a dream of attending the Fringe and have a successful act on the variety or alternative circuit, they shouldn’t have to be resigned to loosing countless thousands of pounds just to be at the Fringe.

Comments

3 Responses to “The Edinburgh Fringe - Too Pricey?”

  1. Russ on August 9th, 2005 22:25

    Astounded at the concept of “deep fried Mars bars,” I looked it up. Here’s what the BBC has to say (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/654750.stm):

    “The deep-fried Mars Bar is thought to have originated in Stonehaven, in the north-east of Scotland.

    Its existence may help account for the fact that parts of Scotland have the highest incidence of heart disease, cancer and strokes, the worst teeth and the lowest life expectancy in the developed world.”

    Well, now we know. (And I thought deep fried Twinkies were bad…)

    :-)

    -Russ

  2. lilithenecosse on August 11th, 2005 3:25

    mmh, I know what you mean… I’ve myself taken advantage of the ‘previews’ last week to see a number of shows… but it still is terribly expensive, and besides you may want to see shows over a bit more than a few days… A good tip would be to go and see some of the late night shows, as you get a good sample of a few things… But it’s far from ideal, and besides you don’t feel tempted to have a look at new stuff!
    Lxox

  3. www.gadgetguy.de - The GadgetGuy » Back! on September 2nd, 2005 12:58

    […] The drive back to the ferry across the scottish mainland makes me want to come back to Scotland some day - definitely! Had Edinburgh not been suffering from the Fringe (no rooms available) we would probably have spent the last three days there - sorry Ewan and Martin, maybe next time. […]

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