The Fringe Festival in Edinburgh: what you need to know. Edinburgh Fringe Arts Festival Edinburgh Theater Festival

In less than a month, Fringe opens in Edinburgh - the largest theater arts festival in the world (not to be confused with the Edinburgh Theater Festival).

The open theater festival Fringe has been held since 1947 as an alternative to the official festival. The idea was born when, during the first “official” festival, performances by artists from eight outsider companies attracted more viewers than the productions of registered participants in the event. The rest is history, as they say.

This event is often referred to as the "Edinburgh-off" for its historical proximity to the people and accessibility, interpreted by snobs as "marginality". The latter, however, had to change their minds when, in 1966, as part of the Fringe, Edinburgh saw the premiere of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” by Tom Stoppard. This production caused skeptics to take the alternative festival seriously.

This year the largest theatrical review turns 70 years old - this is a whole human life. Anniversary Fringe 2017 starts on August 4th and ends on August 28th.

Fringe in numbers

Last year, Fringe hosted 294 venues with 3,269 shows. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, which has been in existence since 1958, provides year-round support for the festival. She also monitors compliance with the main festival principle - openness and accessibility for all participants.

Neither individually nor as part of a group, no one can forbid a group of artists to perform on the Fringe. The board of the festival does not have an artistic director or director, it often includes people from the Fringe Society or those who once took part in the performances themselves. Board members are elected annually in August, and each member is elected for a four-year term.

On the official page of Fringe 2017, the program of speeches occupies 370 (!) pages. There is also a link to the electronic version of the booklet with the program, which the organizers seriously do not recommend downloading to your phone (a very heavy file). All shows in the Fringe 2017 program are divided into ten categories: Cabaret/Variety, Music, Theatre, Artistic Recitation, Musical/Opera, Comedy, Children's Performance, Dance/Physical Theatre. /circus”, “event”, “exhibition”.

Ours in Edinburgh

First of all, we remind you that you have 11 more days to help the guys from the unique St. Petersburg team “Upsala Circus” make it to Fringe 2017. Not so long ago, we told you that artists literally do not have enough money to buy tickets to Scotland. They were invited by the Pleasance festival site, and many organizational issues have already been resolved, it remains to raise money for the plane. You can read our large material about the Uppsala Circus project itself, and use this link to participate in crowdfunding. Their performance “The Ping-Pong Ball Effect” is already included in the program.

Theater DEREVO, founded in 1988 by an actor, director, screenwriter and musician Anton Adasinsky, will bring his new play "The Last Clown on Earth" to Edinburgh. This year the band will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their first performance at the Fringe. Critics still cannot formulate what Adasinsky is doing on stage. Pantomime? Dance? Clownery? Physical theater? It's better to see it with your own eyes. There are many shows, you can book tickets.

Political stand-up as an alternative to news from distant Russia: a comedian will perform a provocative number “Digital flatulence from neoarchaic Futurland” in Edinburgh Oleg Denisov. How many stand-up comedians with a philosophy degree have you heard? Oleg has it.

A famous Russian puppeteer will also come to Fringe Nikolay Zykov. The repertoire of his theater includes more than 100 puppet musical miniatures. Many of his "artists" Zykov invents and makes himself. The dolls in his performances are very different - from small glove-shaped to radio-controlled structures with illumination. In Edinburgh, Zykov will show The Big Light Show.

cabaret/variety

This is a very diverse category of Fringe artists, there will be comedians, magicians, and half-naked corps de ballet dancers in swimsuits with sequins and feathers on their heads. It is important to decide for yourself whether you are ready, for example, for the fact that a person on stage can at any moment sing in a voice that is not their own, throw a cane at you, or “desecrate your chaste gaze” with some experimental burlesque etude.

Fans of magic tricks and fans of hypnotic tricks can queue up for tickets for Aaron Calvert and his "Awaken". Last year's show was highly praised. Plus, he's good-looking.

For a shock therapy session, please go to Betty Grumble. The number is called: Love and Anger (or Sex Clown Saves the World Again!). Strictly 18+. For starters - video from Betty's official channel:

Elsie Diamond approaches his craft with humor. Her last year's show was a hit, and this year she's back with an ironic new act about the backstage life of a burlesque artist, "The Sensible Undresser."

And with the performance of The Naked Magicians it is quite possible to complete the acquaintance with the Fringe cabaresh selection. Guys undress and show tricks. Let's watch and let's go.

Dance/Physical Theatre, Circus

This is the most versatile and dynamic Fringe segment. Any of the performances in this category can be a revelation and surprise. A millionth interpretation of Shakespeare or a hundred thousandth interpretation of "Uncle Vanya" will be equally difficult for both a seasoned theatergoer and a neophyte who gets to see a performance once every five years. On the other hand, the synthetic effect of the production, which combines dance, acting and acrobatics, sometimes cannot even be predicted by the creators themselves.

For example artists Circolombia, apparently, completely denying the existence of gravity with their stage skills. In Edinburgh they will show their new show "Acéléré". Another performance that defies description is “Batacchio” by Czech circus performers. Cirk La Putyka. Just get ready to forget everything you know about circus art so far.

Another non-trivial setting in our digest - "Caitlin". Only 20 spectators are allowed in the hall. This is an intimate and hysterical story of the wife of the British poet Dylan Thomas Caitlin, who, 20 years after his death, joins the group Alcoholics Anonymous and talks about her life, love and addiction. This work received Best Dance Production, Wales Theater Awards 2015.

Australian ethnographic dance group's hit to premiere in Edinburgh Djuki Mala with elements of traditional dances of the Yolngu tribe.

Choreographer Andrea Walker will show his new work “Skin”. This is a story about gender reassignment and self-acceptance, told in the language of modern hip-hop.

An Argentinean will perform for fans of pantomime Martin Kent, he will bring his show "Slipstick".

Why is Fringe being criticized?

The main claim of some critics of the modern Fringe festival is that there is little theater and a lot of stand-up. Yes, in the Fringe 2017 program, the theatrical category fit on 101 pages, while shows labeled as comedy took up 125 pages. Well, so what? As if the theater is not a living organism, but a museum exhibit behind seven alarms.

Other critics sometimes comment on the low quality of performances.

The position of the festival itself on this matter seems to have been formulated in his book “Sore Throats & Overdrafts” by Michael Dale, who administered Fringe in the 80s: “No one can say what the quality will be. By and large, this is not so important. That's not the point of Fringe. Fringe is a forum for ideas unique to the UK and the world. Where else is this possible?”

And really, where else?

Image copyright Katerina Arkharova

From the 2nd to the 28th of August in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, the annual Fringe theater festival, which turns 70 this year, will be open to everyone. What is its uniqueness, what to look at it and how to become its member? More on that in our short guide.

Fringe in Edinburgh: what is it?

It is very simple to explain what the "Fringe" is: it is when the whole city from morning until late evening turns into a stage for three weeks in August.

Edinburgh is perfect for this. Anyone who has ever been to this city will agree that everything in it is spectacular and conducive to surprises, and this in itself is the key to a good production: landscape, architecture, extremely changeable weather and the musical speech of its inhabitants.

How and why did the Fringe originate?

In 1947, Edinburgh was chosen as the venue for the arts festival not by chance: the city did not suffer from German bombing, it had a sufficient number of theater venues and hotels ready to accommodate actors and spectators.

The International Arts Festival was conceived in those years by the unknown, but today the legendary Austrian opera impresario Rudolf Bing, who came to Britain during the war years and immediately organized the Glyndebourne Opera Festival for a wealthy English patron, which is still taking place and is something like " Opera Ascot" [Royal Ascot is an annual racing festival in the UK, held in Berkshire near Windsor Castle].

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Byng wanted to give the war-weary British and European publics some good spectacle in the form of musical, theatrical and opera productions.

The selection of participants was carried out and the program was determined, when suddenly eight uninvited theater groups rushed into the city with their productions to also show themselves under the festival mute.

They were not driven away, but left out of the program, and so 70 years ago, in the backyards of a large festival, a small one was born - "Fringe" (translated from English - backyards, outskirts).

Over the years, he has had many imitators in other countries - there are now about two hundred of them, but the Edinburgh Fringe still remains the best, both in terms of fame and prestige, and in terms of scale.

What makes these two festivals different?

In modern times, the Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) has been overshadowed by its illegitimate offspring.

It takes place practically on the same days (from August 4 to 28), but it has a serious solid program, which is selected by something like the main repertoire committee.

Take at least the current one: here is the premiere of a new play by the modern classic Alan Ayckbourn "The Divide" ("Watershed"), and Wagner's "Valkyrie" with Bryn Terfel, and the outstanding Japanese pianist Mitsuko Uchida with Mozart and Schumann, and much more.

"Fringe" is an element.

Even though The Fringe Society was formed in 1958, it doesn't really censor anything. Its main principle is that the Fringe is a free field for demonstrating talents and artistic ideas, and anyone who has something to show and tell can perform on it.

• "ProToArt" - an improvisational ark in the St. Petersburg "Manege"
• Who threw Hollywood before Daniel Day-Lewis

In a sense, the Fringe is freer than the Internet today.

How to get involved?

Does it seem to you that everyone within a radius of six meters lies from your sparkling jokes with a friend? Maybe it's time for you to go to the Fringe.

There is no selection, but they won’t pay a performance fee, but you can (if you can) find your own venue, advertise in the festival brochure, buy yourself a ticket to the Scottish capital, find accommodation, and everything else, maybe luck. If he wants.

To help you in all this difficult task, detailed step-by-step tips, which are constantly updated on The Fringe Society website, can help you.

How to become a spectator?

20 years ago there were 600 productions on the Fringe. This includes everything - performances, solo performances, sketches, humoresques, musical numbers, theatrical jokes, etc.

In 2017, 3200 productions and numbers will be shown. Hence the moral: you won’t see everything, and you don’t need to.

You can, of course, like Pinocchio, with the first northern ray, run to stare at the dark semi-basement scaffolding, but it’s better to pick up the “Fringe Bible” (as they call a short guide to everything that will be shown) and calmly choose something that seems tempting to you, not to various critics.

Everyone who somehow finds himself in Edinburgh in August becomes a spectator, even if he does not buy a single ticket - somewhere in some pub, on the street, in the lobby, he will see something like that - well, if he buys a ticket, even more so.

Only one thing must be remembered: "Fringe" - both participation in it and contemplation - does not guarantee anything - neither glory nor pleasure. The viewer can run into (and more than once) outright narcissistic nonsense, and the actor can not achieve either the long-awaited contract or even the clapping of the public.

What is the most important thing on the Fringe?

Laughter. More than a third of everything shown on the Fringe is comedy shows. It is here that the nascent talkers, or as they are called in Britain, stand-up comedians, hone their jokes and slander.

The Fringe has produced such tragicomic talents as Steve Coogan (and his character Alan Partridge), Dylan Moran (and his alter ego bookstore owner Bernard Black), Russell Brand, and most recently Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who received 2013 first Fringe Award for his one-man show, on the basis of which the BBC made the TV series Fleabag (Fleabag).

The jokes of the Fringe's wits then circulate on the Internet like jokes. Here are some of them.

X ohm s standup comedians who performed on " Fringe e" for the last few year s:

• "My dad suggested that I register as an organ donor. That's who took my heart!" - Masai Graham, 2016 First Prize for Best Fringe Joke.

• "I went to a Liverpool pub for a quiz show, had a few drinks and just for fun wrote under each question either The Beatles or Steven Gerrard ... got second place" - Will Duggan, 2016

• Brexit is a terrible name. Sounds like the cereal you eat for breakfast if you're constipated." - Tiff Stevenson, 2016

• "I hear your question: can schizophrenia be mistaken for telepathy?" — Jordan Brooks, 2016

• "Hillary Clinton showed that every woman can become president if her husband has already become president" - Michelle Wolfe, 2016

• "I'm allergic to nuts. That is, if I want to commit suicide, Ferrero Rocher will do it for me" - Harriet Kemsley, 2015

• "Did you know that if you count the number of stars in the sky and compare that to the number of grains of sand on the beach, you can easily ruin your vacation?" — Tom Neenan, 2015

• "I was terribly naive about sex. My boyfriend asked me to take a missionary position, and I dumped in Africa for six months" - Hayley Ellis, 2012

• "I saw a Mission Impossible III poster the other day and I thought, 'How is it 'impossible' if it's already been done twice?" - Mark Watson, 2006

• "No wonder Bob Geldof is such an expert on hunger. He's been feeding off I Don't Like Mondays for 30 years [a 1979 hit by Geldof's Boomtown Rats] - Russell Brand, 2006

The Edinburgh Fringe is the world's largest arts festival. In fact, there are several of them at once: musical, ethnic, film, book and the main two - opera and experimental theater.

In August, the Fringe Festival will bring together the most amazing and, at times, frankly strange artists from seven continents in the Scottish capital. Thousands of street musicians, mimes, dancers, jugglers, magicians, comedians and just freaks will turn the central streets of Edinburgh into a kind of huge traveling fair. For three weeks, the city will be filled with extravagant outfits, bright colors of posters, noisy crowds of onlookers and enchanting shows competing for the attention of the audience of the world's largest art festival.

The history of the Fringe Festival began in 1947, when several theater companies that were not included in the program of the first Edinburgh International Festival decided to organize an alternative event focused on a freer understanding of creativity. They held their festival at spontaneous venues throughout the city and received many rave reviews from critics. Since that time, these two events have been held together, and every year the Fringe comes to the fore. The success of the festival is eloquently evidenced by the fact that today it has become a real international franchise. Copies of the Fringe can be found from as far as New York.

Fringe is not only the largest, but also the most affordable festival on Earth. The scale of the event allows to satisfy the tastes of any spectator. Among the many performances, there is sure to be a lot of interesting things both for fans of high art and for lovers of "folk" entertainment. Not one of the two million attendees of the Fringe Festival leaves the Scottish capital disappointed. Each season, the Fringe Festival offers its guests a grandiose program. It will include more than 3,000 performances of various genres - from ballet and drama to fire shows and stand-up comedy. About 50,000 artists from 50 countries of the world will take part in the festival of arts.

By tradition, the main paid concerts will take place at 4 large open areas of the festival: the Pleasance Theater, the Assembly Rooms ensemble of cultural institutions, the entertainment complex in the Gilded Balloon mini-castle and the Underbelly inflatable stage. The bulk of the free street performances will take place on the most popular tourist street, the Royal Mile, as well as on Mound Hill. Continuous and round-the-clock happening has made Royal Mile the largest platform in the country for discovering new talents. The famous English comedians Monty Python started their careers here, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry and Emma Thompson also performed as students.

Today, Fringe is considered a showcase for British comedy and drama. Performances are so spontaneous that even the festival program does not cover what is happening. Spontaneity and unpredictability are the main highlight of this action.

1. Creative travel grant to the Edinburgh Festival

British Council https://www.britishcouncil.ru jointly with the Union of Theater Workers of the Russian Federation announce grants for reimbursement of expenses under the Creative Mission Project to the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The Edinburgh Festival is the world's largest annual performing arts festival, taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The two original components of the festival are the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe.

The Edinburgh International Festival provides a unique opportunity to see the best performances from around the world - the most successful productions, unexpected collaborations and new adaptations of classics. The organizing committee of the festival invites recognized theatrical masters, renowned performers of classical and contemporary music, opera and dance. The festival also organizes a number of visual art exhibitions, lectures and master classes.

The Fringe Festival, on the other hand, exists as a kind of alternative to the International Festival - it is an “informal”, mostly street festival that brings together the most amazing, and sometimes frankly strange, artists in the Scottish capital. Thousands of street musicians, mimes, dancers, jugglers, magicians and comedians turn the central streets of Edinburgh into a kind of huge traveling fair. For three weeks, the city is filled with extravagant outfits, brightly colored posters, noisy crowds of onlookers and enchanting shows competing for the attention of the audience of the world's largest art festival.

In 2017, the 70th anniversary Festival will be held, and therefore, the program promises to be especially rich and varied.

Who can apply for a grant: young managers and directors.

Working language of a creative business trip: English.

Selection criteria:

1. High motivational component of the application

2. Experience in the theater over 3 years

3. English proficiency

4. The first experience of a business trip to British festivals

The terms of participation:

The grant covers airfare (economy class), theater tickets in the amount of 10 pieces purchased at the average ticket price. Upon additional request, reimbursement of living expenses is possible (type of accommodation - hostel or apartment for 6-8 people).

The participant pays for: visa costs (a letter of support is provided), individual accommodation, meals, local transport, additional theater tickets.

To participate in the competition for a grant, you must:

2. Get acquainted with the Festival program: Edinburgh International Festival - https://www.eif.co.uk/ Edinburgh Fringe - https://www.edfringe.com/

At the end of the Creative Business Trip, you must provide a meaningful report on the results of the trip.

To clarify the possibilities for providing accommodation, you must send a request in a free form to e-mail. address [email protected]

Those who have the desire and financial ability to independently pay all expenses for their stay at the Edinburgh Festival from 21 to 26 August 2017 can be included in the delegation of the Union of Theater Workers. STD RF provides a letter of support.

Contacts:

Manuilenko Alexandra, +79166451529

Grant 2. Grant to visit the Edinburgh Showcase

British Council https://www.britishcouncil.ru together with the Union of Theater Workers STD RF invites producers, heads of theaters, international theater festivals to visit the Edinburgh Showcase - a special program of the British Council, which takes place every two years during the Edinburgh Festival and the Fringe Festival and presents the best new performances of contemporary British theater.

The main goal of the program: establishing international professional contacts, cultural exchange, promoting the development of theatrical art. The showcase's multi-genre program includes performances from visual and physical theatre, interactive and immersive theatre, new drama, as well as live art, installation and dance. In 2017 the Festival celebrates its 70th anniversary, and the British Council Showcase will be held for the 20th time, and the program promises to be rich and interesting.

In addition to viewing productions, the Showcase program includes additional events: business breakfasts, sessions with British companies, receptions on the occasion of the opening and closing of the Showcase.

Work language: English.

Candidates for participation in the Showcase program can be: heads (directors) of theaters, production companies, program managers of theater festivals, actively involved in international activities, collaborations, interested in touring British performances in Russia and cooperation with British theater companies. The delegation of the Union of Theater Workers is formed of 5 people on a competitive basis. The selection decision will be made jointly with the British Council.

The British Council and the Union of Theater Workers of Russia provide support in organizing the trip, cover the cost of an economy class flight to and from Edinburgh, possible accommodation in a double room, and the Showcase registration fee, which allows you to attend up to 20 performances per week.

Participants pay for: visa costs (letter of support provided), accommodation in a private room, meals, local transport.

All Showcase delegates from Russia must be registered through the British Council.

Information about the showcase program can be found here:

If you want to take part in the competition, please send a motivation letter until June 29, 2017 by email address - [email protected]

Program curator from the Union of Theater Workers of the Russian Federation:

Sofia Podvyaznikova, +79154904044

Fringe Festival originated in 1947 when several theater companies were not included in the program Edinburgh International Festival and organized their presentations. Since then, these are two independent cultural events with different programs. Every year "Fringe" becomes more and more popular and comes to the fore.

Edinburgh Fringe Festival - the world's largest arts festival

Thousands of street performers will arrange a real celebration of art on the streets of the city. More than 30,000 performances will satisfy the tastes of any viewer. All genres of creativity are presented here: musicals, opera, ancient Greek and modern tragedies, art performances, children's performances and much more.About two million tourists come to Edinburgh to become part of this grand event.

Both students and recognized actors and performers take part in the festival. The famous English comedians Monty Python started their careers here, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry and Emma Thompson also performed as students.

The Fringe has become a true international franchise, copies of the festival can be found all over the world.

How to get to the Fringe in Edinburgh

The main paid concerts will take place at outdoor venues: the Pleasance Theatre, the Assembly Rooms cultural ensemble, the Gilded Balloon mini-castle and the Underbelly inflatable stage. Free street performances will take place on the tourist street Royal Mile, as well as on Mound Hill.