EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE PROMISES TO BE THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH

This year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe truly promises to be the greatest show on earth with more artists performing more work, in more venues, than ever before.

A 6% increase on last year’s programme will see 2,695 shows take to theatres, pubs, nooks, crannies and gardens all over Scotland’s capital in August.

This 2012 Fringe programme makes space for the introduction of a Spoken Word category.  Everything from poetry to oratory and storytelling to reportage has a place here.  Scotland’s Makar (National Poet) Liz Lochhead will be one of the first 41 shows to be listed in this new category with Liz Lochhead: Making Nothing Happen (Assembly Rooms, p251). Luke Wright - Your New Favourite Poet (Underbelly, p252) returns after a strong reception in 2011.  Mark Grist - Rogue Teacher (Underbelly, p252) became an internet sensation last year after a video of him and one of his pupils in a rap battle went viral.

As well as Spoken Word, this year’s Fringe programme contains the usual heady mix of Cabaret, Children’s shows, Comedy, Dance and Physical Theatre, Events, Exhibition, Music, Musicals and Opera and Theatre.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society has also announced that for the first time ever there will be a box office operating in Glasgow for the duration of the Fringe.  The new box office will, thanks to the support of First ScotRail, be based at Glasgow Queen Street Station and will open on 27 July, selling tickets from 8.00am to 8.00pm every day until 27 August. 

Launching the 2012 programme Kath M Mainland, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said:

“I am delighted to be able to launch the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Programme. This promises to be the most exciting and exhilarating Fringe yet.  This year sees 2,695 shows in 279 venues across the city, which is 6% more than ever before.

“This is the Year of Creative Scotland and it is the year in which the world’s greatest sporting event, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, happens in London while the world’s greatest cultural event takes place in Edinburgh.

“The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is still the first choice for performers, producers, artists and creators to come and tell their story; we are proud that the Fringe is still the place to bring your work, with opportunities to amaze, enthral and excite audiences from both far away and close to home.

“We have a programme that will capture the attention of people all over the world and demonstrate why over the last sixty six years the Fringe has grown into the greatest show on earth. “

Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop MSP said:

“The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest international art festival, extending a warm annual welcome to artists and performers from across the globe and showcasing Scotland’s rich culture, heritage and distinct identity on the world stage. The Festival Fringe promises to deliver an exciting and diverse programme again this year. 

“The twelve Edinburgh Festivals contribute £250 million to Scotland's economy. It makes strong economic sense - particularly during the Year of Creative Scotland - to ensure that Scotland's own exceptionally creative talent is at the heart of Edinburgh's festival activity, and can benefit from the global exposure that this generates.

“That is why, through the Expo Fund, we have awarded £440,000 to support a range of Scottish-based talent to showcase their excellent work at this year’s Festival Fringe."

The Rt. Hon. Donald Wilson, Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, said:

"Yet again the Edinburgh Festival Fringe promises to dazzle, entertain and educate audiences young and old across the city. Scotland's capital truly is the only place to be this August."

As usual the Fringe attracts some well known names to Edinburgh’s stages.  Comedian and former Family Fortunes frontman Les Dennis stars in Jigsy (Assembly Rooms, p288), the story of a comedian with over 30 years in the business; Educating Rita (Assembly George Square, p275) has Matthew Kelly and Claire Sweeney take on the lead roles in Willy Russell’s famous play.  Re-Animator The Musical(Assembly George Square, p313) based on HP Lovecraft’s seminal piece, will see George Wendt, better known as Norm from Cheers make his second trip to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. 

COMEDY FAVES 

Once again the Fringe remains the home of comedy with established names like  Alan Davies - Life is Pain (Venue 150 @ EICC, p34) here for the first time in a decade; Paul Merton's Impro Chums (Pleasance, p141) will see him team up with  Mike McShane, Lee Simpson, Richard Vranch and Suki Webster for an hour of improvised fun.   Phill Jupitus - You're Probably Wondering Why I've Asked You Here... (The Stand Comedy Club, p144) is one of two shows the Never Mind The Buzzcocks team captain will be involved with at this year’s Fringe, the other being his free poetry show Phill Jupitus is Porky the Poet in 27 Years On (Jam House, p143).   Rhod Gilbert: The Man With the Flaming Battenberg Tattoo (Venue 150 @ EICC, p148) sees a brand new show from the Fringe favourite; Sandi Toksvig Live: My Valentine (Pleasance, p153) will see the return of the comedian, novelist, actor, broadcaster, show-off and international treasure.  Canadian favourite Greg Proops makes his return with a regular stand up show and with his well known Greg Proops Podcast: The Smartest Man in the World (Gilded Balloon, p89).

UPAND COMING COMICS 

The Fringe is also known as a place to discover the next comedy superstar.  Some of the up and coming comics at this year’s festival include Michael Workman – Mercy (Gilded Balloon, p126) who won this year’s Best Comedy Award at Adelaide.  AAA Stand-Up Late(Pleasance, p32) will see winner of So You Think You’re Funny 2011 Tommy Rowson return to the Fringe.  The winner of Chortle’s breakthrough act returns with Tony Law Maximum Nonsense (Stand Comedy Club, p172). Harriet Kemsley, the winner of the Funny’s Funny competition is one half of Kemsley and Callaghan: Keeping Their Cool (Laughing Horse @ The Newsroom, p108) and Pat Cahill winner of last year’s AmusedMoose Laugh Off can be seen in The Tim and Pat Show (Cabaret Voltaire, p170).

THEY CAN'T STAY AWAY

Some of the people behind last year’s award winning shows are returning for 2012.  Writer Dave Florez who won awards and plaudits for his 2011 show Somewhere Beneath It All A Small Fire Burns Still, will be reunited with the star of that show Phil Nicol for The Intervention(Assembly Rooms, p287).  The play about alcoholism counts Jan Ravens, Arabella Weir and Mike McShane in its company.   RashDash, whose ScaryGorgeous picked up prizes last year, return with The Ugly Sisters (C venues, p332), a cabaret based on the story of Cinderella.  NOLA (Underbelly, p304) is a piece of documentary theatre about the BP Oil Spill told by Look Left Look Right who won awards for You Once Said Yes.  Belt Up Theatre who won one of the inaugural Broadway Baby Bobby’s, return with their telling of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Little Princess (C venues, p259).

YOUNGER AUDIENCES 

As always at the Fringe there’s plenty for younger audiences including the bona fide celebrities like Elmo, Cookie Monster and Big Bird inSesame Street Live – Elmo Makes Music (Meadows Theatre Big Top, p29).  Dr Brown Brown Brown Brown Brown and His Singing Tiger (Assembly George Square, p22) will see the surrealist take his debut children’s show to Edinburgh.  Kids shows come to the Fringe from all over the world: The American High School Theatre present Dr Seuss I Love You (Church Hill Theatre, p22), whilst Flamenco for Kids (C venues, p23) promises to teach kids how to “Ole” with the best of them.  Huggers – Free Festival Family Fun (Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters, p24) is a cabaret and on the top of a double-decker bus.  Shlomo’s Beatbox Adventure... For Kids! (Underbelly, p29) sees the multi-award winning beatboxer find himself a new sidekick and Fringe favourite The Enormous Turnip (Spotlites @ The Merchants' Hall, p23) is back for a tenth year.

MUSIC As always there’s a wide range of music at the Fringe.  Everything from The Big Fat Electric Ceilidh (Assembly Rooms, p205) fusing traditional music and electronica to Mercury Prize nominated King Creosote (Queen’s Hall, p216) who will be joined by Fence Collective Friends.  Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells For Two (Assembly George Square, p220) is a two man interpretation of the 1973 classic.  Idlewild frontman Roddy Woomble (Acoustic Music Centre @ St Bride's, p228) will be playing from his solo album.  #Unravel Live: The Only Gig You Can Control With Your Phone (Queen’s Hall, p236) is a collection of truly interactive sound installations and is the world premier from Aidan Moffat of Arab Strap and Edinburgh based FOUND. 

The National Youth Orchestra of Iraq (Greyfriars Kirk, p223) make their Edinburgh debut with an original concerto for oud written by Iraqi composer Khyam Allami and Scottish composer, Gordon McPherson.  The orchestra formed in 2009 by 17 year old Zuhal Sultan brings together a mixture of self-taught Kurdish, Arab, Turkmen and Assyrian 16-29 year old musicians.  For the concert, the orchestra will be joined by Julian Lloyd Webber and the Edinburgh Youth Orchestra.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Ltd

180 High Street

Edinburgh

EH1 1QS

United Kingdom

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2012 runs from 03 - 27 August. 

Join the Parade to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe! Go to www.edfringe.com/parade.  The Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme is launched on Thursday 31 May with the box office opening at 12:00, although a number of tickets are on sale now.  For more information please visit www.edfringe.com.