View source for Edinburgh Festival Fringe

{{short description|Scottish annual arts festival}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox recurring event
| name= Edinburgh Festival Fringe
| logo=
| image= Edinburgh Fringe 037.jpg
| caption= A street performer on the High Street in 2010
| location= [[Edinburgh]], Scotland
| years_active = 1947–present
| founded= {{start date and age|1947}}
| dates= 2025: 1–25 August (exact dates vary each year)
| genre= [[Arts festival]]
| website= [https://www.edfringe.com/ edfringe.com]
}}

The '''Edinburgh Festival Fringe''', often referred to as the '''Edinburgh Fringe''' or simply the '''Fringe''', is the world’s largest performing arts festival. In 2025, it ran for 25 days, selling over 2.6 million tickets, and featured 53,942 performances of 3,893 shows across 301 venues, with participants from 68 countries. 

Established in 1947 as an unofficial offshoot to (and on the "fringe" of) the [[Edinburgh International Festival]], it takes place in [[Edinburgh]] every August.<ref name="edfringeabout" /> The combination of Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival has become a world-leading celebration of arts and culture, surpassed only by the [[Olympics]] and the [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] in terms of global ticketed events.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Thorpe |first=Vanessa |title=The comedians are ready and so are the crowds ... but where are the Edinburgh critics? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/jul/14/edinburgh-festival-media-where-are-the-critics |newspaper=The Observer |date=14 July 2019 |access-date=12 April 2020}}</ref>

It is an open-access (or "[[unjuried]]") performing arts festival, meaning that there is no selection committee, and anyone may participate, with any type of performance. The official Fringe [[Event programme|programme]] categorises shows into sections for theatre, comedy, dance, [[physical theatre]], [[circus]], [[cabaret]], children's shows, [[Musical theatre|musicals]], opera, music, [[spoken word]], exhibitions, and events. Comedy is the largest section, making up over one-third of the programme, and the one that in modern times has the highest public profile, due in part to the [[Edinburgh Comedy Awards]].

The Festival is supported by the [[Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society]], which publishes the programme, sells tickets to all events from a central physical box office and website, and offers year-round advice and support to performers. The Society's permanent location is at the Fringe Shop on the [[Royal Mile]], and in August they also manage Fringe Central, a separate collection of spaces dedicated to providing support for Fringe participants during their time at the festival.

The Fringe board of directors is drawn from members of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, many of whom are Fringe participants themselves – performers or venue operators. Elections are held once a year, in August, and board members serve a term of four years. The Board appoints the Fringe Society's Chief Executive (formerly known as the Fringe Administrator or Director).<ref name="edfringeboard" /> The Chief Executive operates under the chair.

[[Phoebe Waller-Bridge]], whose show ''[[Fleabag]]'' was performed at the Fringe in 2013 before it was adapted for television, was named the first-ever President of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society in 2021.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite web |last1=Street |first1=180 High |last2=Edinburgh |last3=Eh1 1qs |last4=Kingdom +44131 226 0026 |first4=United |title=Phoebe Waller-Bridge is the Fringe Society's first President |url=https://www.edfringe.com/learn/news-and-events/phoebe-waller-bridge-is-the-fringe-societys-first-president |access-date=22 November 2022 |website=Edinburgh Festival Fringe |language=en}}</ref>

The planned 2020 Fringe Festival was suspended along with all of the city's other major summer festivals. This came as a result of the [[Coronavirus disease 2019|COVID-19]] outbreak in the early months of the year, with concerns of spreading the virus any further.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/breaking-edinburgh-fringe-festival-cancelled-21793073|title=Edinburgh Festival Fringe cancelled this summer over coronavirus outbreak|last=Saunders|first=Emmeline|date=1 April 2020|website=mirror|access-date=1 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.edfringe.com/covid-19|title=2020 Fringe announcement from Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive|last=McCarthy|first=Shona|date=1 April 2020|website=Edinburgh Fringe|access-date=1 April 2020|archive-date=20 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200720032039/https://www.edfringe.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The 2021 festival took place during 6–30 August 2021, though it was much reduced in size, with 528 shows in person and 414 online.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://edfringe.shorthandstories.com/review-of-the-year-2021/ |access-date=22 November 2022 |website=edfringe.shorthandstories.com |language=en |title=Review of the year 2021}}</ref> The 2022 festival took place from 5–29 August 2022 and marked a return to pre-pandemic levels, with 3,334 shows.<ref>{{Cite web  |title=The first steps towards recovery as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022 comes to a close |url=https://www.edfringe.com/learn/news-and-events/the-first-steps-towards-recovery-as-the-edinburgh-festival-fringe-2022-comes-to-a-close |access-date=22 November 2022 |website=Edinburgh Festival Fringe |language=en |date=29 August 2022}}</ref> Fifty were livestreamed, by [[NextUp Comedy]], for the first time ever since the founding of the Fringe, in an effort to stay true to the Fringe Society's 2022 vision of equality and inclusiveness.<ref name="NextUp Comedy at The Edinburgh Fringe">{{cite news |title=The best theatre to stream this month: Edinburgh fringe, Jane Eyre and more |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/aug/01/the-best-theatre-to-stream-this-month-edinburgh-fringe-jane-eyre-and-more |work=The Guardian |date=1 August 2022 |first=Chris |last=Wiegand }}</ref> The 2025 festival took place from August 1 to 25.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-12 |title=Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024 invites audiences to #UnleashYourFringe as full programme revealed |url=https://www.edfringe.com |access-date=2024-06-22 |website=edfringe.com}}</ref> The 2026 edition is scheduled from August 7 to 31.<ref>{{Cite web |title=An exciting and energising Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025 comes to a close |url=https://www.edfringe.com/about-us/news-and-blog/an-exciting-and-energising-edinburgh-festival-fringe-2025-comes-to-a-close/ |access-date=2025-08-25 |website=www.edfringe.com |language=en}}</ref>

==History and origins==

[[File:1971 Festival Fringe Club Membership Card.jpg|thumb|1971 Festival Fringe Club Membership Card]]

===Early years===
The Fringe started life when eight theatre companies turned up uninvited to the inaugural [[Edinburgh International Festival]] in 1947. With the International Festival using the city's major venues, these companies took over smaller, alternative venues for their productions. Seven performed in Edinburgh, and one undertook a version of the medieval morality play ''[[Everyman (15th-century play)|Everyman]]'' in [[Dunfermline Abbey]], about 20 miles north, across the [[River Forth]] in Fife. These groups aimed to take advantage of the large assembled theatre crowds to showcase their own alternative theatre. Although at the time it was not recognised as such, this was the [[Edinburgh Festival Fringe 1947|first Edinburgh Festival Fringe]].

This meant that two defining features of the future Fringe were established at the very beginning – the lack of official invitations to perform and the use of unconventional venues.{{sfn|Moffatt|1978|p=15}} Originally, these groups referred to themselves as the "Festival Adjuncts"<ref name=UoG /> and were also referred to as the "semi-official" festival.{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=12}} It was not until the following year, [[Edinburgh Festival Fringe 1948|1948]], that [[Robert Kemp (playwright)|Robert Kemp]], a Scottish playwright and journalist, is credited with coining the title "Fringe" when he wrote during the second [[Edinburgh International Festival]]:

<blockquote>
Round the fringe of official Festival drama, there seems to be more private enterprise than before ... I am afraid some of us are not going to be at home during the evenings!<ref name=Kemp480814 />
</blockquote>

The word "fringe" had in fact been used in a review of ''Everyman'' in 1947, when a critic remarked it was a shame the show was so far out "on the fringe of the Festival".{{sfn|Moffatt|1978|p=17}} In 1950, it was still being referred to in similar terms, with a small 'f':<ref name=DunCour500824/>

<blockquote>
On the fringe of the official Festival there are many praiseworthy "extras," including presentations by the Scottish Community Drama Association and [[Edinburgh University Dramatic Society]] – ''[[Dundee Courier]]'', 24 August 1950
</blockquote>

Since it was not yet fully developed, much of the early years of the Fringe has gone unrecorded, except through anecdote.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=11}} It did not benefit from any official organisation until 1951, when students of the [[University of Edinburgh]] set up a drop-in centre in the [[YMCA]], where cheap food and a bed for the night were made available to participating groups.

Late-night revues, which would become a feature of Fringes, began to appear in the early 1950s. The first one was the New Drama Group's ''After The Show'', a series of sketches taking place after [[Donald Pleasence]]'s ''Ebb Tide'', in 1952.{{sfn|Moffatt|1978|p=39}} Among the talent to appear in early Fringe revues were [[Ned Sherrin]] in 1955, and [[Ken Loach]] and [[Dudley Moore]] with the Oxford Theatre Group in 1958. Due to many reviewers only being able to attend Fringe events late night after the official festival was finished, the Fringe came to be seen as being about revues.{{sfn|Moffatt|1978|p=40–41}}

It was a few years before an official programme for the Fringe was created. [[John Menzies]] compiled a list of shows under the title "Other Events" in their omnibus festival brochure, but it was printer C. J. Cousland who was the first to publish a listings guide, in 1954.{{sfn|Moffatt|1978|p=17}} This was funded by participating companies and was entitled "Additional Entertainments", since the name "Fringe" was still not yet in regular usage.{{sfn|Moffatt|1978|p=17}}

By that year, the Fringe was attracting around a dozen companies, and a meeting was held to discuss creating "a small organisation to act as a brain for the Fringe", or what ''[[The Scotsman]]'' called an "official unofficial festival".{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=20}} A first attempt was made to provide a central booking service in 1955<ref name=edfestpunter/> by students from the university, although it lost money, which was blamed on those who had not taken part.{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=20}}

In 1956, the actor [[Donald Wolfit]] performed the solo show ''The Strong Are Lonely''. This was not part of the International Festival, yet nor was it in the Fringe Programme, leading him to question the value of the "Fringe": "Away with the Fringe. To an artist in the theatre there is no such thing as a fringe of art."{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=12}}

Formal organisation progressed in 1959, with the formation of the Festival Fringe Society. The push for such an organisation was led by [[Michael Imison]], director of Oxford Theatre Group.{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=21}} A constitution was drawn up, in which the policy of not vetting or censoring shows was set out, and the Society produced the first guide to Fringe shows. Nineteen companies participated in the Fringe in that year. By that time it provided a "complete... counter-festival programme"{{sfn|Moffatt|1978|p=43}} although efforts were still being made to gain publicity through the International Festival programme.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=17}} The YMCA became established as the first central Fringe ticket office.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=25}}

Not long afterwards came the first complaints that the Fringe had become too big. Director [[Gerard Slevin]] said in 1961 that "it would be much better if only ten halls were licensed".{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=13}}

===1960s and 1970s===

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Fringe began to establish its reputation for size and variety and the tension between it and the more formal International Festival became of mutual benefit.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=17}}

The artistic credentials of the Fringe were established by the creators of the [[Traverse Theatre]], [[John Calder]], [[James Haynes|Jim Haynes]] and [[Richard Demarco]], in 1963.{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=14}} While their original objective was to maintain something of the Festival atmosphere in Edinburgh all year round, the Traverse Theatre quickly and regularly presented cutting-edge drama to an international audience at both the [[Edinburgh International Festival]] and the Fringe during August. It set a standard to which other companies on the Fringe aspired. 

[[The Pleasance]], a venue since the first year of the Fringe, was also important in setting the artistic tone. Christopher Richardson, founder of the [[Pleasance Theatre Trust]], became a major Fringe figure.{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=14}}

[[John Cairney]] is credited with pioneering the one-man Fringe show with his show based on [[Robert Burns]], ''There Was A Man'', in 1965, although Elspeth Douglas Reid had done her ''One Woman Theatre'' as early as 1955.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=31}} American [[Nancy Cole (actress)|Nancy Cole]] played [[Gertrude Stein]] in 1969 and continued to do so until 1985.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=31}} 
 
Over the first two decades of the Fringe, each performing group used its own performing space, or venue. However, by the late 1960s, the concept of sharing a venue became popular, principally as a means of cutting costs. It soon became common for halls to host up to six or seven different shows per day. The obvious next step was to partition a venue into two or more performing spaces; the majority of today's major venues fit into this category.

For many years, the Fringe Club (variously in the High Street from 1971 and at [[Teviot Row House]] from 1981) provided nightly showcases of Fringe fare to allow audiences to sample shows. In its earlier years the club also provided a significant space for after-hours socialising at a time when Edinburgh's strict licensing laws meant a 10pm pub closing time. For a time, the main ticket office was in the University Chaplaincy Centre, and then in the Royal Mile Centre on the High Street.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=25}} Although the Fringe was now associated with the High Street, areas like the [[New Town, Edinburgh|New Town]], [[West End, Edinburgh|West End]] and [[Morningside, Edinburgh|Morningside]] were also prominent in this period.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=27}}

Problems then began to arise as the Fringe became too big for students and volunteers to deal with. Eventually in 1969, the Fringe Society became a constituted body, and in 1970 it employed its first administrator, John Milligan. He started work in January 1971, originally on a part-time basis, but it became clear after a few weeks that the role would have to be permanent.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=12}} Milligan was responsible for a number of innovations which remain in place today, such as the numbering system for venues and the Fringe map in the brochure,{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=14}} and he was also credited with establishing the co-operative spirit of the Fringe.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=13}} He left in 1976.<ref name=edfestpunter/>

Between 1976 and 1981, under the direction of [[Alistair Moffat]], the number of companies performing rose from 182 to 494, and new venues such as [[St Columba's Catholic Church, Edinburgh|St Columba's]] in Newington came on board. Moffat also expanded the street performance aspect and brought in sponsorship deals, particularly local breweries.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=14}} In this way, the Fringe ascended to its current position as the largest arts festival in the world. This was a deliberate policy by Moffat, who found it difficult to promote the Fringe on merit given the Society's position of neutrality. Increasing show numbers was therefore a way of attracting more attention.<ref name=Venables170606/> At this point, the Fringe operated on only two full-time members of staff. In 1977, the office moved to a converted shop and basement at 170 High Street.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=25}}

The International Festival, now under the direction of John Drummond, became more accommodating towards the Fringe in the late 1970s and some successful Fringe performers transferred to perform works at the Festival. These included Richard Crane and Faynia Williams, who in 1981 produced a sell-out version of ''[[The Brothers Karamazov]]'' for the Festival, after having been successful in the Fringe during the '70s.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=17}}

===1980s===
[[File:180 High Street Edinburgh Fringe Office.jpg|thumb|The Fringe Office at 180 High Street]]

The early 1980s saw the arrival of the "super-venue" – locations that contained multiple performing spaces. By 1981 when [[William Burdett-Coutts (promoter)|William Burdett-Coutts]] set up the [[Assembly (events promoter)|Assembly Theatre]] in the empty [[Georgian era|Georgian]] building [[Assembly Rooms (Edinburgh)|Assembly Rooms]] on [[George Street, Edinburgh|George Street]] (formerly the [[Edinburgh International Festival|EIF]] Festival Club), the investment in staging, lighting and sound meant that the original amateur or student theatricals were left behind. In the same year, the YMCA in South St Andrew Street, which had been an important venue since the early days, closed.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=20}} However, the subsequent rise in prominence of the Assembly Rooms meant there was now a balance in the Fringe between the Old Town and the New Town, with Princes Street in the middle.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=27}}

Fringe Sunday started in the High Street in 1981 and moved, through pressure of popularity, to [[Holyrood Park]] in 1983. Fringe Sunday was held on the second Sunday of the Fringe when companies performed for free. Having outgrown even Holyrood Park, this showcase took place on [[The Meadows (park)|The Meadows]] and continued until 2008.

1981 was a watershed for comedy at the Fringe too. It was the first year of the [[Perrier#The Perrier Awards|Perrier Awards]], which ran until 2005 and are now known as the [[Edinburgh Comedy Awards]]. The [[alternative comedy]] scene was also beginning to take shape. Previously, comedy at the Fringe had taken the form of student revues. Now [[stand-up comedy|stand-up]] was becoming a feature. According to [[Alexei Sayle]], "The Fringe then was entirely University revues and plays; there was not a single piece of stand-up comedy until me and Tony [Allen] arrived."<ref name=Venables170509/> Comedy began an ascent which would see it become the biggest section of the programme by 2008.

Moffat resigned as the Fringe Society Administrator in 1981 and was succeeded by Michael Dale, who changed the programme layout and helped the Fringe consolidate.

The following year, 1982, The Circuit became a prominent venue. Run by the [[ATC Theatre|Actors Touring Company]], it had operated in the south side of the city in 1980 and 1981,{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=20}} but in 1982 expanded into a piece of empty ground popularly known as "The Hole in The Ground" near the Usher Hall.<ref name=Venables170711/> This was once the site of a church building ([[Poole]]'s Synod Hall), which was converted to a cinema, and where the Saltire complex was subsequently built in the early 1990s. It had a 700-seat marquee auditorium, which hosted, among other things, opera, even though the organisers had been told it was no such place for the artform.<ref name=Venables170711/> The venue also took over the nearby Heriot-Watt Students' Association and the Little Lyceum. In total, it hosted 38 companies.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=20}} The next year it became a "tented village", with several smaller tents. [[Malcolm Hardee]] made his debut here as part of [[The Greatest Show On Legs]].<ref name=Venables170711/> In 1982 the enterprise lost £28,000, and in 1983 there were further criticisms related to over-charging, over-crowding and inadequate facilities.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=20}} The Circuit was not repeated, but it had demonstrated the potential for temporary venues at the Fringe, which are now a familiar sight.

Even with the rise of super venues, there was still theatre done on a shoestring, but several cultural entrepreneurs had raised the stakes to the point where a venue like Aurora (St Stephen's Church, [[Stockbridge, Edinburgh|Stockbridge]]) could hold its head up in any major world festival. However, in 1982, 24% of the Fringe was housed in The Circuit/Assembly, both of which were being commercially marketed, and this attracted complaints, including from Traverse Theatre founder, Richard Demarco, who felt the Fringe should not have allowed either venue.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=20}} By 1988, there was, according to former Fringe Administrator Michael Dale, a feeling that "smaller venues may lose out, but this case may be overstated... The episode of the super-venues, the Assembly Rooms in particular, has some way to go yet".{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=25}}

Student shows continued to thrive with the National Student Theatre Company, National Youth Music Theatre, Cambridge Mummers, Oxford Theatre Group and [[Bradford University]] producing well-received new work.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=30}} Among professional companies, the [[Almeida Theatre]], ATC, [[Cheek By Jowl]], Cherub, Cliff Hanger, Entertainment Machine, [[Hull Truck]], Kick Theatre, Lumiere and Son, Medieval Players and Trickster were regulars.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=31}}

In 1983, the Fringe joined with the International Festival, [[Edinburgh Tattoo]] and the [[Edinburgh International Film Festival|Film Festival]] to promote Edinburgh as 'The Festival City' for the first time.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=18}}

Moffatt believed the growth of the Fringe would stop due to a lack of venues,{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=15}} but just as that limit seemed to be being reached, groups began to find more efficient ways of sharing spaces. Venues could be fully utilised from 10am to 2am, with up to seven different groups throughout the day.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=20}} The sharing led to the rise of bigger, more centralised venues. Rents increased too, with a venue like Heriot-Watt Students' Union doubling their rent in three years.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=27}}

In 1986, promoter Karen Koren established the [[Gilded Balloon]] as a comedy venue in the former J. & R. Allan's department store on [[Cowgate]]. A 3am late licence made it a home for late-night socialising for comedians, and the raucous late-night show ''Late 'n' Live'' was started there.<ref name=Venables170802/> 
 
In 1988, the Society moved from 170 High Street to expanded headquarters at 158–166 High Street on the [[Royal Mile]], with an extension leading back towards the former Wireworks Building. The basement became the new ticket office.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=25}} Its current headquarters are at 180 High Street.

===1990s and 2000s===
[[File:Edinburgh_Festival_Fringe,_2011.JPG|thumb|left|Entrance to the High Street, street performances]]
[[File:Antoine on the Fringe.JPG|thumb|left|Street performer in the High Street]]
The ''[[Jim Rose Circus]]'' performed in 2008,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://iaatouring.com/portfolio/jim-rose-circus/|title=Jim Rose Circus|website=www.iaatouring.com|language=en-US|access-date=15 February 2020|archive-date=15 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215161843/http://iaatouring.com/portfolio/jim-rose-circus/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the [[Tokyo Shock Boys]] performed in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2006/04/06/films/tokyo-shock-boys-have-no-fear-but-they-do-have-limits/|title=Tokyo Shock Boys have no fear, but they do have limits|last=Kirby|first=Alicia|date=6 April 2006|website=The Japan Times|language=en-US|access-date=15 February 2020}}</ref>

The Fringe Club ceased operation in 2004, but various venues still provide "the Best of the Fest" and similar.

A computerised booking system was first installed in the early 1990s, allowing tickets to be bought at a number of locations around the city. The internet began to have an impact in 2000 with the launch of the Fringe's official website, which sold more than half a million tickets online by 2005. The following year, a Half Price Ticket Tent, run in association with ''[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]'' newspaper, started offering special ticket prices for different shows each day. This sold 45,000 tickets in its first year.

In 2008, the Fringe faced its biggest crisis so far when the computerised ticketing system failed. The events surrounding the failed box office software led to the resignation of Fringe Director Jon Morgan after only one full year in post.<ref name=Venables170802/> The resultant financial loss suffered by the Fringe Society was estimated at £300,000,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2009/feb/04/edinburgh-fringe-ticketing-system|title=Edinburgh festival: Report slams Fringe ticketing fiasco|last=Carrell|first=Severin|date=4 February 2009|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=16 March 2018}}</ref> which it was forced to meet from its reserves, although other sources report this at £900,000.<ref name=Venables170802/> These events attracted much comment from the UK and world media. More debts emerged as the year went on, and an independent report criticised the Board and the current and previous Fringe Directors for a failure of management and an inability to provide the basic service.<ref name=":0" />

The Board eventually decided that the post of "Director" (instituted in 1992 in lieu of "Fringe Administrator") would be abolished and replaced by a Chief Executive, to reinforce the Fringe head's basic administrative function. Several venues now use their own ticketing systems; this is partly due to issues of commissions and how ticket revenue is distributed, but was reinforced by this 2008 failure of the main box office.

The same year, other incidents conspired to add to the negative publicity. Fringe Sunday – a vast free showcase of events held on [[The Meadows (park)|The Meadows]] – was cancelled when a sponsor could not be secured.<ref name="Guardian090110"/><ref name=Venables170802/> The "Big Four" venues - [[Assembly (events promoter)|Assembly]], [[Gilded Balloon]], [[Pleasance Theatre Trust|The Pleasance]] and [[Underbelly (events promoter)|Underbelly]] - also decided to market themselves as [[Edinburgh Comedy Festival]],<ref name=Venables170802/> which drew criticism from some quarters.

After an interim period, during which Tim Hawkins, formerly general manager of [[Brighton]] [[Komedia]] took charge, the established [[Edinburgh Book Festival]] and Fringe manager Kath Mainland was appointed in February 2009 to stabilise the situation, becoming the Fringe's first Chief Executive.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/inspire-me/festivals/kath-mainland-looks-forward-to-life-beyond-the-fringe-1-3943819|title=Kath Mainland looks forward to life beyond the Fringe|last=Ferguson|first=Brian|date=10 November 2015|work=The Edinburgh Evening News|access-date=16 March 2018|language=en}}</ref>

Comedy finally surpassed theatre as the biggest section of the programme in 2008, with 660 comedy entries to 599.<ref name=Venables170802/>

In 2009, theSpaceUK launched<ref name="test">{{cite web|url=http://www.thespaceuk.com/edinburgh/thespaces-surgeons-hall-v53/ |title=theSpace @ Surgeons Hall (V53) – Edinburgh Fringe Venues |website=TheSpaceUK.com |date=20 June 2014 |access-date=24 September 2016}}</ref> their multi-space complex at the [[Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh|Royal College of Surgeons]]. In 2011, a new all-year-round multi-arts festival venue, containing ten performance spaces, opened in the former [[Royal (Dick) Veterinary School]] under the name [[Summerhall]].

In 2018, an initiative called [[Fringe of Colour]] was founded by Jess Brough in response to what they termed the "overwhelming whiteness" of the Edinburgh Festivals.<ref>{{Cite web|date=29 July 2019|title=Grassroots project addresses Edinburgh fringe's 'overwhelming whiteness'|url=http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/jul/29/grassroots-project-addresses-edinburgh-fringes-overwhelming-whiteness|first=Maya |last=Wolfe-Robinson|access-date=6 October 2021|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref>

===The Fringe today===

In 2016, Shona McCarthy, who had led [[Derry]]'s term as [[UK City of Culture]], took over from Kath Mainland as Chief Executive.<ref name=edfringenewCEO/>
It was announced on 8 October 2024 that Shona McCarthy would step down in spring 2025 after leading the Fringe for nine years. Her successor, Tony Lankester, started in April 2025.

Along with the other Edinburgh festivals, the Fringe could not go ahead as planned in 2020 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.<ref>{{cite news |title=Edinburgh festivals cancelled due to coronavirus |date= 1 April 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-52121586 |access-date=1 April 2020 |work=BBC News}}</ref> The Fringe returned in 2021 with fewer shows and restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite news|date=31 August 2021|title=Edinburgh festivals: No fireworks but many are just happy it happened|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-58394733|access-date=31 August 2021}}</ref> By 2024, the Fringe registered the second highest number of shows in its history, marking a return close to pre-pandemic levels.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Street |first=180 High |last2=Edinburgh |last3=Eh1 1qs |last4=Kingdom +44131 226 0026 |first4=United |title=As the 2024 Fringe closes – an open letter from Chief Executive, Shona McCarthy |url=https://www.edfringe.com/learn/news-and-events/as-the-2024-fringe-closes-an-open-letter-from-chief-executive-shona-mccarthy |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Edinburgh Festival Fringe |language=en}}</ref>

==Venues==
[[File:Assembly Rooms and Box Office, George Street 2013.JPG|thumb|left|Assembly Rooms and Box Office, 2013]]
[[File:The Udderbelly, Bristo Square 2013.JPG|thumb|left|The Udderbelly, 2013]]
[[File:Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Festival 2013.JPG|thumb|left|The Pleasance Courtyard, 2013]]
[[File:Assembly, George Square Box Office, 2013.JPG|thumb|left|Box Office for the Assembly, George Square venue, 2013]]
[[File:Summerhall arts hub.JPG|thumb|left|Summerhall arts hub, 2013]]

{{further|List of Edinburgh Festival Fringe venues}}

Fringe venues come in all shapes and sizes, with use being made of nearly any viable space that is available, from regular theatres (e.g. the Traverse or [[Bedlam Theatre]]), function rooms (e.g. the [[Assembly Rooms (Edinburgh)|Assembly Rooms]]), churches and church halls (e.g. the [[Quaker Meeting House, Edinburgh|Quaker Meeting House]], Paradise in Augustines<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paradise-green.co.uk/2014-programme/|title=Paradise Green|access-date=17 August 2014|archive-date=18 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018201907/http://www.paradise-green.co.uk/2014-programme/|url-status=dead}}</ref>), lecture theatres (including the notable [[George Square Theatre]]), conference centres, other university rooms and spaces, bars and pubs, temporary structures ([[The Famous Spiegeltent]] and the [[Udderbelly]]), schools, a public toilet, the back of a taxi, a double-decker bus and even in the audience's own homes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2000/aug/08/artsfeatures.edinburghfestival2000|title=All the flat's a stage|last=Gardner|first=Lyn|date=7 August 2000|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=26 April 2016}}</ref>

The groups that operate the venues are also diverse: some are commercial and others not-for-profit; some operate year-round, while others exist only to run venues at the Fringe. Some are local, others are based in London and elsewhere and transfer to Edinburgh for August.

From the performers' perspective, the decision on where to perform is typically based on a mixture of cost, location (close proximity to the main Fringe hubs around the university is seen as an advantage), and the philosophy of the venue – some of whom specialise in amateur, school or college productions, some of whom are semi or wholly professional.

In 2019, there were more than 3,800 shows registered in the programme, taking place in 322 different venues.

The main venue operators can broadly be split into four groups:
* '''The Big Four'''<ref name=CTF/> – [[Assembly (events promoter)|Assembly]], [[Gilded Balloon]], [[Pleasance Theatre Trust|The Pleasance]], [[Underbelly (events promoter)|Underbelly]]. The term 'Big Four' being an adopted label. These are in some cases the most long-standing venues (Underbelly being a relative newcomer, having been founded in 1996). They each operate multi-room venue complexes, often across multiple sites. They tend to specialise in comedy, and in 2008, they briefly and controversially tried to re-brand themselves as [[Edinburgh Comedy Festival]]. 
* '''Modern Fringe''' – Besides the Big Four (A term less used at the modern fringe), there are a number of operators running multi-room venues, and again sometimes operating across more than one site. These include theSpaceUK, C venues, Greenside Venues, Sweet Venues, [[Just the Tonic]], ZOO venues, [[The Pauline Quirke Academy|PQA Venues]], [[Monkey Barrel]] and Paradise Green. They may specialise in certain genres or run a programme across all genres (theSpaceUK, C venues, Zoo Venues and Greenside Venues). Although focusing on new writing rather than comedy, one is larger, theSpaceUK hosted over 400 shows at the 2019 Fringe, making it the largest operator by number of shows at the modern fringe.
* '''Free venues''' – Some promoters use a different financial model. Instead of charging performers to hire the room, and audiences to attend, they make their spaces available for free, with audiences making a donation at the end of the show if they have enjoyed it. These promoters tend to operate out of pubs and clubs – the rooms being made free to use as a way of boosting bar takings. The original [[Free Fringe]] was set up by comedian [[Peter Buckley Hill]] in response to the increasing costs to performers of appearing at the Fringe. The other main free promoter is Alex Petty's [[Laughing Horse]] Free Festival. Although the term "Free Fringe" originally referred to Buckley Hill's operation, it is now often used as shorthand for any free venue.
* '''Pay What You Want''' – In 2013, comedian [[Bob Slayer]] introduced a new model to the Fringe, at his [[Heroes of Fringe]] venues, where punters could 'Buy a ticket in advance to guarantee a seat or Pay What You Want (PWYW) on exit'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2013/04/17/17644/the_free_shows_you_can_pay_for |title=The free shows you can pay for... : News 2013 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide |publisher=Chortle |date=17 April 2013 |access-date=24 September 2016}}</ref> The model is a mixture of Paid and Free and enables performers to find a paying audience without risking large marketing spend. [[Phil Kay]], [[Tom Binns]] and [[Miss Behave]] were among the first established acts to embrace this model along with [[Adrienne Truscott]] who won the [[Edinburgh Comedy Awards]] Panel Prize with a PWYW show.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-23808788|title=Bridget Christie wins Foster's Edinburgh comedy award|first=Steven|last=Brocklehurst|date=24 August 2013|website=Bbc.com}}</ref> [[Adam Hess (comedian)|Adam Hess]] was nominated for best newcomer in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comedyawards.co.uk/biogs/Newcomer_AdamHess.html |title=Comedy Awards - Adam Hess |access-date=2 May 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308050340/http://www.comedyawards.co.uk/biogs/Newcomer_AdamHess.html |archive-date=8 March 2016 }}</ref> Other promoters such as Just the Tonic, The Pleasance and C Venues have since introduced the model to some of their venues. In 2016, Gilded Balloon adopted PWYW for the Counting House, which had previously been a Free Festival venue,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2016/02/26/24269/gilded_balloon_to_offer_pay_what_you_want |title=Gilded Balloon to offer 'pay what you want' : News 2016 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide |publisher=Chortle |date=26 February 2016 |access-date=24 September 2016}}</ref> and has since returned to that model.

There also continue to be single, independent venues, sometimes only hosting one show, sometimes only for a limited period.

During the Fringe, the pedestrianised area of the High Street around [[St Giles' Cathedral]] and the Fringe Office becomes the focal point for theatre companies to hand out flyers, perform scenes from their shows, and attempt to sell tickets. These performances run alongside the Fringe Street Events which feature more than 200 street performers and thousands of buskers on the High Street and Mound Precinct. Many shows are "2 for 1" on the first Monday and Tuesday of the festival and different venues operate independent ticket offers throughout the festival.

In February 2025, the Fringe Society acquired the former South Bridge Resource Centre in Infirmary Street for use as their permanent base. As well as administrative offices, the building would provide space for Fringe participants and also serve as Fringe Central during August.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harrison |first1=Jody |title=Fringe Society receives keys for permanent home in Edinburgh |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24910928.fringe-society-receives-keys-permanent-home-edinburgh/ |access-date=5 February 2025 |work=The Herald |date=5 February 2025 |location=Glasgow |page=3 |language=en}}</ref>

==Shows==
===Notable shows===
[[File:Beyond the Fringe original cast.JPG|thumb|right|Original cast of ''[[Beyond the Fringe]]'']]
Many notable original shows originated at the Fringe and it has helped establish the careers of many writers and performers, including [[Rowan Atkinson]], [[Steven Berkoff]], [[Jo Brand]], [[Billy Connolly]], [[Ben Elton]], [[Eddie Izzard]], [[Stephen Fry]], [[Stewart Lee]], [[Tim Minchin]], and [[Tadeusz Kantor]].{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=14}}

In 1960, [[Alan Bennett]], [[Dudley Moore]], [[Peter Cook]] and [[Jonathan Miller]] performed at the [[Royal Lyceum Theatre]] in ''[[Beyond the Fringe]]'', introducing a new wave of British satire and heralding a change in attitudes towards politicians and [[the establishment]]. Ironically, this show was put together by the Edinburgh International Festival as a rebuff to the emerging Fringe. But its title alone helped publicise "the Fringe", especially when it went on to London's [[West End theatre|West End]] and New York's [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] for the next 12 months.<ref name=BTF/>

[[Tom Stoppard]]'s play ''[[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead]]'' was first performed in its full version at the 1966 Fringe.<ref name=Stoppard/> [[Derek Jacobi]] starred in a [[sixth-form]] production of ''[[Hamlet]],'' which was very well regarded.<ref name=Times120224/>

During the 1980s, the Fringe attracted a number of major touring companies. [[Joint Stock Theatre Company]], a leading innovative touring company at that time, brought two productions to the Fringe – ''The Great Celestial Cow'' by [[Sue Townsend]] and ''Fire in the Lake'' by [[Karim Alrawi]].

In 1986, the Fringe saw the break-out performance of [[Craig Ferguson]] as "Bing Hitler", a "parody of all the über-patriotic native folk singers who seemed to infect every public performance in Scotland".<ref name=NYT091001/>

In the 21st century, shows that have debuted at the Fringe and then gone on to wider fame (or notoriety) include [[Stomp (theatrical show)|''Stomp'' (theatrical show)]], [[Black Watch (play)|''Black Watch'']] by the [[National Theatre of Scotland]], and ''[[Jerry Springer: The Opera]]''.{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=14}}

[[2003 Edinburgh Festival Fringe|2003]] saw a production of ''[[Twelve Angry Men (play)|12 Angry Men]]'' staged at the [[Assembly Rooms (Edinburgh)#Edinburgh Festival Fringe|Assembly Rooms]] using established comedians in the roles of the twelve jurors. Directed and produced by [[Guy Masterson]], it starred [[Owen O'Neill]] in the role made famous by [[Henry Fonda]], Juror number eight. [[Stephen Frost]], [[Phil Nichol]] and [[Bill Bailey]] also featured.<ref name=Chortle090518/>

[[File:Fleabag at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2013.jpg|thumb|left|Fleabag at the Fringe, 2013]]
A 2004 version of ''[[One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (play)|One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest]]'' was beset by problems, including the lead actor [[Christian Slater]] contracting chicken pox and the original director, [[Guy Masterson]], quitting the project before it opened. Masterson was replaced by [[Terry Johnson (dramatist)|Terry Johnson]].<ref name=Gardner040819/>

In 2005, a production of [[Neil Simon]]'s ''[[The Odd Couple (play)|The Odd Couple]]'' starring [[Bill Bailey]] and [[Alan Davies]] also directed by [[Guy Masterson]] was staged at the [[Assembly Hall]], the meeting place on the Mound of the [[Church of Scotland]]. This had been taken over by Assembly Theatre and transformed into an 840-seat theatre.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/news/2005/05/12/19262.shtml |title=BBC - Comedy Blog - for Odd's Sake |access-date=20 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060213033722/http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/news/2005/05/12/19262.shtml |archive-date=13 February 2006 }}</ref>{{importance inline|date=June 2020}}

The [[Edinburgh Tattoo|Tattoo]] set-up at [[Edinburgh Castle]] served as the 6,000-seat venue for a one-off performance by [[Ricky Gervais]] of his stand-up show ''Fame'' in 2007. Gervais was accused of greed<ref name=Ferguson090416/> and taking audiences away from smaller shows. Gervais donated the profits from the show to [[Macmillan Cancer Support]].<ref name=Fraser070828 />

''[[Fleabag]]'', which [[Phoebe Waller-Bridge]] first performed as a solo show at Underbelly in 2013, later became a TV series.<ref name=Gardner130821>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2013/aug/21/fleabag-edinburgh-festival-2013-review |last=Gardner |first=Lyn |title=Fleabag – Edinburgh festival 2013 review |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]| date=21 August 2013 |access-date=4 September 2019}}</ref> Phoebe Waller-Bridge was later announced as President of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society in 2021.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

In 2015, the [[Robert J. Sherman|Sherman]]/[[Stewart Nicholls|Nicholls]] original musical production of ''[[Love Birds (Sherman)|Love Birds]]'' made its premiere at [[The Pleasance]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Reviews|url=http://lovebirdsthemusical.com/press-reviews/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151003235022/http://lovebirdsthemusical.com/press-reviews/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=3 October 2015|access-date=24 September 2016|publisher=Lovebirds The Musical}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Vale|first=Paul|date=9 August 2015|title=Love Birds review at Edinburgh Festival Fringe|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2015/love-birds/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810112723/https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2015/love-birds/|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 August 2015|access-date=24 September 2016|website=Thestage.co.uk}}</ref>

[[Hannah Gadsby]]'s show ''[[Nanette (show)|Nanette]]'' won the 2017 Edinburgh Comedy Award and was credited with challenging stand-up comedy convention. It subsequently developed a worldwide audience via [[Netflix]].<ref name="Bennett180620">{{cite web|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/review/2018/06/20/40292/hannah_gadsby:_nanette_on_netflix| last=Bennett |first=Steve |title=Hannah Gadsby: Nanette on Netflix |publisher=[[Chortle]] |date=20 June 2018 |access-date=4 September 2019}}</ref>

In 2017, [[Toby Marlow]] and [[Lucy Moss]]'s musical ''[[Six (musical)|Six]]'' debuted at the Fringe, ahead of a national tour. The show would later go to the West End, then Broadway in 2020.

==People==
[[File:John Bishop performing at Fringe Select.jpg|thumb|[[John Bishop]] performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe]]

===Veteran performers===
[[Arthur Smith (comedian)|Arthur Smith]], [[Paul Merton]], [[Barry Cryer]] and [[Richard Herring]] are among the comedians who have performed at more Edinburgh Fringe festivals than anyone else. Arthur Smith has performed regularly at the Festival for over 40 years (since 1977),<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14444948 BBC News]</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2003/aug/03/edinburghfestival2003.features The Guardian - It’s Hell Without The Drink]</ref> Paul Merton has been performing regularly at the festival since 1985.<ref>[https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/culture/edinburgh-festivals/the-stars-who-made-it-big-at-the-edinburgh-fringe-1-4498598 The Scotsman - The Stars Who Made It Big At The Edinburgh Fringe]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Edinburgh/Pleasance-Courtyard/PAUL-MERTON8217S-IMPRO-CHUMS/13265916/ |title=Skiddle - Paul Merton's Impro Chums |access-date=3 December 2018 |archive-date=27 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327103029/https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Edinburgh/Pleasance-Courtyard/PAUL-MERTON8217S-IMPRO-CHUMS/13265916/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Barry Cryer performed at about 25 Edinburgh Fringes (since the 90s)<ref>[https://broadwaybaby.com/news/the-barry-cryer-extended-interview/507 Broadway Baby]</ref> and Richard Herring has performed at 25 Fringes (since 1987).<ref>[http://www.richardherring.com/journalism/10144/metro_177.html The Metro]</ref> [[Nicholas Parsons]] attended the very first Fringe as a 23-year-old in 1947 and hosted his long-standing ''Happy Hour'' show until his death, aged 96.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23468187|title=The insiders' guide to the Edinburgh Fringe|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=23 July 2013|access-date=18 July 2019}}</ref>

===Officials and administrators===
[[Jonathan Miller]] became chair in 1983, followed by [[Elizabeth Smith, Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill|Elizabeth Smith, Baroness Smith]] (widow of former Labour Leader [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]]). The current chair is Benny Higgins, who succeeded Professor Sir [[Timothy O'Shea]] in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Street |first1=180 High |last2=Edinburgh |last3=Eh1 1qs |last4=Kingdom +44131 226 0026 |first4=United |title=Benny Higgins appointed Chair of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society board |url=https://www.edfringe.com/learn/news-and-events/benny-higgins-appointed-chair-of-the-edinburgh-festival-fringe-society-board |access-date=22 November 2022 |website=Edinburgh Festival Fringe |language=en}}</ref>

The first full-time Fringe chief was John Milligan, who had worked for the [[Arts Council]] and been a researcher with [[BBC Scotland]].{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=12}} He left in 1976 to run the [[Craigmillar Festival Society|Craigmillar Festival]], and was succeeded by [[Alistair Moffat]], who had been involved in running the first [[St Andrews]] Festival in 1971 and had organised a small festival in his hometown of [[Kelso, Scottish Borders|Kelso]] in 1972.{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=14}}

Moffat left in 1981 to become Head of Arts at [[Scottish Television]]. He was replaced by Michael Dale, who had worked with Moffat at the St Andrews Festival and was recommended to apply by him. He had worked at the [[Cambridge Arts Theatre]] and [[Young Vic]].{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=15}}

Dale departed in 1986 to become Head of Events for the [[Glasgow Garden Festival]] and was succeeded by his deputy, Mhairi Mackenzie-Robinson, who left in 1993 to pursue a career in business. Hilary Strong served in the position until 1999, when she then became director of the [[Greenwich Theatre]]. She was followed by Paul Gudgin (2000–2007), Jon Morgan (2007–2008) and Kath Mainland (2008–2016). In November 2015, Mainland announced her decision to step down as Chief Executive to take on the role of executive director of the [[Melbourne Festival]],<ref name="edfringeoldCEO" /> and in early 2016 it was announced that her successor would be Shona McCarthy, who had headed up the 2013 Derry-Londonderry [[UK City of Culture]].<ref name="edfringenewCEO" /> She took up the position in March 2016, and held it for nine years until March 2025; she was succeeded the following month by Tony Lankester.

===Promoters and artistic directors===
The Fringe has made the careers of many on the artistic and organisational side of the Fringe. [[William Burdett-Coutts (promoter)|William Burdett-Coutt]], [[Karen Koren]], [[Pleasance Theatre Trust|Anthony Alderson]] and [[Underbelly (events promoter)|Charlie Wood]] and [[Underbelly (events promoter)|Ed Bartlam]], the directors of the so-called "Big Four" venues have become well known on the cultural scene.{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=14}}

==Ethos==

The Fringe is an open access festival. The role of the Fringe Society is solely to facilitate the festival, concentrating mainly on the challenging logistics of organising such a large event.  Alistair Moffat (Fringe administrator 1976–1981) summarised the role of the Society when he said, "As a direct result of the wishes of the participants, the Society had been set up to help the performers that come to Edinburgh and to promote them collectively to the public. It did not come together so that groups could be invited, or in some way artistically vetted. What was performed and how it was done was left entirely to each Fringe group". This approach is now sometimes referred to as an ''[[unjuried]] festival'', ''open access arts festival'' or a ''[[fringe theatre|fringe festival]].<ref name="edfringe.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.edfringe.com/about-us |title=About us &#124; Edinburgh Festival Fringe |publisher=The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society |access-date=28 February 2012}}</ref>''

Over the years, this approach has led to adverse criticism about the quality of the Fringe. Much of this criticism comes from individual arts critics in national newspapers, hard-line aficionados of the [[Edinburgh International Festival]], and occasionally from the [[Edinburgh International Festival]] itself.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}}

The Fringe's own position on this debate may be summed up by Michael Dale (Fringe Administrator 1982–1986) in his book ''Sore Throats & Overdrafts'', "No-one can say what the quality will be like overall. It does not much matter, actually, for that is not the point of the Fringe ... The Fringe is a forum for ideas and achievement unique in the UK, and in the whole world ... Where else could all this be attempted, let alone work?". Views from the middle ground of this perennial debate point out that the Fringe is not complete artistic anarchy. Some venues do influence or decide on the content of their programme, such as the Traverse and Aurora Nova, who used to run their own venue but are now just a production group.

The Fringe itself at times sprouts a fringe. While the festival is unjuried, participating in the Fringe requires registration, payment of a registration fee,<ref name="costs">{{cite web|title=Costs & Deadlines |url=https://www.edfringe.com/story.html?id=2157&area_id=45 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619095259/http://www.edfringe.com/story.html?id=2157&area_id=45 |archive-date=19 June 2009 }}</ref>
and use of a Fringe venue. For example, the 2008 registration fee was £289.05.<ref>
{{cite web|title=How much will it cost?
|date=8 February 2008
|url=https://www.edfringe.com/story.html?id=345&area_id=27
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080207011349/http://www.edfringe.com/story.html?id=345&area_id=27
|archive-date=7 February 2008}}</ref>
Some outdoor spaces also require registration, notably the Royal Mile.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.edfringe.com/area.html?r_menu=global&id=223 |title=High Street Information |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20091005012257/http://www.edfringe.com/area.html?r_menu%3Dglobal%26id%3D223 |archive-date=5 October 2009 |access-date=13 August 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.edfringe.com/story.html?id=2764&area_id=223 |title=Performers |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20091005035942/http://www.edfringe.com/story.html?id%3D2764%26area_id%3D223 |archive-date=5 October 2009 |access-date=13 August 2018 }}</ref>
Thus some artists perform outside the auspices of the Fringe, either individually or as part of a festival or in association with a venue, either outdoors or in non-Fringe venues.

Started by [[Deborah Pearson]] in 2007, and continuing in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, under the co-directorship of Andy Field and Pearson, a primary "Fringe of the Fringe" festival was held,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forestfringe.co.uk/ |title=Forest Fringe |publisher=Forest Fringe |access-date=28 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2008/may/21/edinburgh
|title=A loss and a gain for Edinburgh's audiences: The Fringe will be a poorer place without Aurora Nova this year, but Forest Fringe could step into its shoes | work=The Guardian | location=London | first=Lyn | last=Gardner | date=21 May 2008 | access-date=1 May 2010}}</ref>
at [[The Forest (social centre)|The Forest]], with support from 2008 to 2010 by the [[Battersea Arts Centre]] (BAC) and support from several organisations including the Jerwood Foundation and Queen's University in Canada. Its aim was to encourage experimentation by reducing costs to performers – not charging for space, and providing accommodation. The same applied to audiences: all shows being "pay what you can".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forestfringe.co.uk/aboutus.htm |title=About Us |access-date=8 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090622071340/http://www.forestfringe.co.uk/aboutus.htm |archive-date=22 June 2009 }}</ref>

In 2022, the festival's 75th anniversary year, the Fringe Society consulted with stakeholders from across the festival – from artists to venues, residents to government bodies – to create a shared vision and set of values. The vision was "to give anyone a stage and everyone a seat". Rooted in equality and inclusiveness, it was designed inspire all Fringe stakeholders to pull in the same direction.

Three values were also established to guide the behaviours and decisions of everyone involved with the Fringe. The Fringe Society said they would "live by them, champion them and uphold them where necessary". The three values are:
* Celebrate performing arts
* Be open to all
* Look out for each other<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Street |first1=180 High |last2=Edinburgh |last3=Eh1 1qs |last4=Kingdom +44131 226 0026 |first4=United |title=Fringe development goals |url=https://www.edfringe.com/about/about-us/fringe-development-goals |access-date=22 November 2022 |website=Edinburgh Festival Fringe |language=en}}</ref>

==Influence==
The concept of [[fringe theatre]] has been copied around the world. The largest and most celebrated of these spawned festivals are [[Adelaide Fringe]] (established 1960 and second biggest in the world), [[National Arts Festival]] in [[Makhanda, Eastern Cape|Machanda]], formerly Grahamstown, South Africa (1973), and [[Edmonton International Fringe Festival]] (1982). The number of such events continues to grow, particularly in the US and Canada. (In the case of Edinburgh, the Fringe is an addition to the Festival proper, being officially known as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  Where there is no pre-existing Festival to be added to, such as [[New York International Fringe Festival]] (est. 1997), the word comes before the word "festival".){{citation needed|date=August 2019}}

In August 2016, the Adelaide Fringe began an official partnership with Edinburgh Fringe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://insidesouthaustralia.com.au/adelaide-partners-with-worlds-biggest-festival/ |title=Adelaide partners with world's biggest festival|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402105359/https://brandsanews.com.au/adelaide-partners-with-worlds-biggest-festival/|archive-date=2 April 2019|website= Inside South Australia|others=website named ''Brand South Australia'' in archived version|date= 16 August 2016|access-date=12 October 2016}}</ref>

In the field of drama, the Edinburgh Fringe has premièred several plays and musicals, most notably ''[[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead]]'' by [[Tom Stoppard]] (1966), ''[[Moscow-Petushki|Moscow Stations]]'' (1994), which starred [[Tom Courtenay]], and most recently ''[[Six the Musical]]'' by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss (2017). Over the years, it has attracted a number of companies that have made repeated visits to the Fringe, and in doing so helped to set high artistic standards.  They have included: the London Club Theatre Group (1950s), [[7:84]] Scotland (1970s), the Children's Music Theatre, later the National Youth Music Theatre under Jeremy James Taylor, the National Student Theatre Company (from the 1970s), Communicado (1980s and 1990s), Red Shift (1990s), [[Grid Iron Theatre Company|Grid Iron]] and [[Fitchburg State University]]. The Fringe is also the staging ground of the American High School Theatre Festival.{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}

In the field of comedy, the Fringe has provided a platform that has allowed the careers of many performers to bloom. In the 1960s, various members of the [[Monty Python]] team appeared in student productions, as subsequently did [[Rowan Atkinson]], [[Stephen Fry]], [[Hugh Laurie]] and [[Emma Thompson]], the latter three with the 1981 [[Cambridge Footlights]]. Atkinson was at Oxford. Notable companies in the 1980s have included [[Complicite]] and the [[National Theatre of Brent]]. More recent comedy performers to have been "discovered" include [[Rory Bremner]], [[Fascinating Aïda]], [[Reduced Shakespeare Company]], [[Steve Coogan]], [[Jenny Eclair]], [[The League of Gentlemen]], [[Flight of the Conchords]], [[Al Murray]] and [[Rich Hall]].{{citation needed|date=August 2019}}

Many performers have spoken highly of the Fringe, and the effect it has had on their career. Magician [[Paul Daniels]] first appeared at the Fringe in the twilight of his career in 2013, and commented: "I've become Edinburgh's publicity agent. I tell everybody, 'You've got to be in it.{{'"}}{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=15}}

==Controversies==

===Subject matter===

The freedom to put on any show has led periodically to controversy when individual tastes in sexual explicitness or religion have been contravened. This has brought some into conflict with local city councillors. There have been occasional performing groups that have deliberately tried to provoke controversy as a means of advertising their shows, and this has led to censorship of sexual explicitness in such shows.<ref>[http://www.richardherring.com/warmingup/08/05/2012/index.html Warming Up]</ref> Organisers continued to defend the festival's role as an open platform when they contacted controversial YouTuber [[Mark Meechan]] to request that he clarify the fact that he had not been banned, which ran contrary to the punch line of one of his jokes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-fringe-hit-back-nazi-16682634|title=Edinburgh Fringe hit back at 'Nazi Pug Man' Mark Meechan's claim he was banned from the festival|first=Hilary|last=Mitchell|publisher=Edinburgh Live|date=1 August 2019|access-date=9 December 2019}}</ref>

===Ticket prices===
[[File:High Street phone booth during Festival.JPG|thumb|160px|Fringe show flyers and posters compete for space on a High Street phone booth.]]
In the mid-1990s, only the occasional top show charged £10 per seat, while the average price was £5–£7; in 2006, prices were frequently over £10, and reached £20 for the first time in 2006, for a one-hour show. Reasons people put forward for the increases include: increasing costs of hiring large venues, theatre licences and related costs—and the price of accommodation, which is expensive for performers as well as for audiences.

In the early 21st century, two organisations — the [[Free Fringe]] and The Laughing Horse [[Free Edinburgh Fringe Festival]] — introduced free entry shows that collect donations at the end of each performance. 22 shows came under this banner in 2005, growing rapidly to over 600 in 2011. There was also the "pay what you can" model of the [[Forest Café|Forest Fringe]], and "Pay What You Want" as introduced by [[Bob Slayer]]'s [[Heroes of Fringe]] discussed above.

===Costs to performers===
Putting on a show at the Fringe with the big venues can be costly to performers,<ref name="costs"/> due to registration fees, venue hire, cost of accommodation, and travel to Edinburgh. In recent years, venue costs and the need for expensive marketing have been increasingly challenged by Free and other Independent venues. There is a change happening at the Fringe and performers can increasingly negotiate with the big venues. The festival is also a networking opportunity, training ground or springboard for future career advancement, and exciting and fun for performers as well as spectators.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.edfringe.com/story.html?id%3D346%26area_id%3D45 |title=Why come? |website=Edinburgh Festival Fringe |access-date=8 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080912225525/http://www.edfringe.com/story.html?id=346&area_id=45 |archive-date=12 September 2008 }}</ref>

===Costs to venues===
Putting on shows is costly to venues as well, due to theatre licence fees which by 2009 had risen 800% in the preceding three years, and were eight times as high as fees in English cities, starting at £824 for a venue of up to 200 people and rising to £2,472 for a venue of up to 5,000 people.<ref>{{cite web |url-status=dead |url=http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/edinburghinternationalfestival/39Pure-greed39-of-80037-rise.5544517.jp |title='Pure greed' of 800% rise in venue fees |first=Tim |last=Cornwell |website=[[The Scotsman]] |date=12 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919125245/https://www.scotsman.com/news/pure-greed-of-800-rise-in-venue-fees-1-764420 |archive-date=Sep 19, 2018 }}</ref> These fees have been cited as punitive to smaller venues and site-specific performances by such figures as [[Julian Caddy]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sweetvenues.com/ |title=Sweet Venues |access-date=24 September 2016}}</ref> which, between 2003 and 2009, featured venues including [[Edinburgh College of Art]], [[University of Edinburgh Medical School]] and site-specific shows in such venues as [[Inchcolm]] Island and a swimming pool at the [[Apex Hotels|Apex International Hotel]].

===Pay-To-Play===
In 2012, there was criticism of the increasing commercialism of the Pay-To-Play fringe venues who charge acts to perform in advance of the Fringe. In many cases venue costs such as: venue rents / guarantees, compulsory marketing and various deductions mean that performers are being charged more than they can make back in ticket sales.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thejohnfleming.wordpress.com/2012/08/04/how-the-edinburgh-fringe-is-financed-the-article-which-you-cannot-read-in-this-mornings-edition-of-the-scotsman/ |title=How the Edinburgh Fringe is financed: the article which you cannot read in this morning's edition of The Scotsman |date=4 August 2012 |publisher=Thejohnfleming.wordpress.com |access-date=18 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Claire Smith |url=http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/scotland/don-t-ask-about-dosh-the-true-cost-of-staging-a-fringe-show-1-2489626 |title=Don't ask about dosh: The true cost of staging a Fringe show – Scotland |work=The Scotsman |date=25 August 2012 |access-date=19 October 2012}}</ref>

Stewart Lee stated in ''The Guardian'': "For decades, the Fringe has been a utopia for artists and performers – but now profit-obsessed promoters are tearing it to pieces."<ref>{{cite web|author=Stewart Lee |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2012/jul/30/stewart-lee-slow-death-edinburgh-fringe |title=Stewart Lee: the slow death of the Edinburgh Fringe &#124; Culture |work=The Guardian |date=30 July 2012 |access-date=18 October 2012}}</ref> Heroes of Fringe (Previously called The Alternative Fringe) was set up by Bob Slayer as a statement against Pay-To-Play venues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/correspondents/2012/03/23/15107/the_edinburgh_fringe_is_the_real_pay-to-play_scandal |title=The Edinburgh Fringe is the real pay-to-play scandal : Correspondents 2012 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide |publisher=Chortle |date=23 March 2012 |access-date=18 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/comedy/fringe_2012/302325-stewart_lee_bob_slayer_how_fringe_escaped_its_certain_fate |title=Stewart Lee & Bob Slayer: How The Fringe Escaped Its Certain Fate |publisher=Theskinny.co.uk |access-date=18 October 2012}}</ref>

Some Fringe commentators agree that the Fringe will have to change and that the independent promoters are leading that change.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.londonisfunny.com/edinburgh/29258/Edinburgh_Fringe_round-up_II_%E2%80%93_will_2012_be_a_turning_point |title=Edinburgh Fringe round-up II – will 2012 be a turning point? &#124; Edinburgh is Funny |publisher=Londonisfunny.com |date=30 August 2012 |access-date=18 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121205032535/http://www.londonisfunny.com/edinburgh/29258/Edinburgh_Fringe_round-up_II_%E2%80%93_will_2012_be_a_turning_point |archive-date= 5 December 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/correspondents/2012/08/28/16039/the_future_of_the_fringe%3F_think_smaller |title=The future of the Fringe? Think smaller : Correspondents 2012 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide |publisher=Chortle |date=28 August 2012 |access-date=18 October 2012}}</ref>

===Domination by comedy===
The comedy section has grown over recent decades to become the biggest section of the programme. The 2008 Fringe marked the first time that comedy has made up the largest category of entertainment.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/20913/comedy-overtakes-theatre-in-edinburgh | title=Comedy overtakes theatre in Edinburgh Festival Fringe first | last=Dibdin | first=Thom | date=5 June 2008 | work=The Staged | access-date=16 June 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907085801/http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/20913/comedy-overtakes-theatre-in-edinburgh | archive-date=7 September 2008 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> This has led to criticism that it has changed the nature of the Fringe, and separated it from its roots. [[Richard Demarco]] has complained of "an infestation of stand-up comics... an epidemic for which there is no cure", which "overwhelms the possibility of serious theatre".<ref name=Chortle141205/> Others have commented that a large proportion of newer audiences are drawn almost exclusively to stand-up comics (particularly to television comedy stars in famous venues), and that they are starting to regard non-comedy events as "peripheral".{{citation needed|date=October 2017}}

=== Work and pay conditions ===
In July 2017, a campaign was set up to raise awareness of and challenge alleged poor [[Outline of working time and conditions|working conditions]] during the Fringe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/edinburgh-festivals/terrible-and-shameful-edinburgh-festival-fringe-work-practices-revealed-1-4972566|title='Terrible' and 'Shameful' Edinburgh Festival Fringe work practices revealed|website=The Scotsman|language=en|access-date=19 August 2019 |date=29 Jul 2019}}</ref> The campaign received support from the [[City of Edinburgh Council]] and [[Unite the Union]], among others.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-41043653|title=Council backs 'Fair Fringe' campaign|date=24 August 2017|access-date=19 August 2019|language=en-GB |website=BBC News }}</ref> In February 2019, Shona McCarthy, chief executive of the Fringe Society, stated that "producers and promoters were being unfairly vilified [by the campaign]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle-2-15039/edinburgh-festival-fringe-chief-says-fair-pay-activists-a-threat-to-event-1-4866711|title=Edinburgh Festival Fringe chief says 'fair pay' activists a threat to event|website=The Scotsman|language=en|access-date=19 August 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819111204/https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle-2-15039/edinburgh-festival-fringe-chief-says-fair-pay-activists-a-threat-to-event-1-4866711 |archive-date=19 August 2019 |date=2 February 2019 |first= Brian |last=Ferguson}}</ref>

==Reviews and awards==

===Sources of reviews===
For many groups at the Fringe, the ultimate goal is a favourable review—which, apart from the welcome kudos, may help minimise financial losses from putting on the show.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}}

Edinburgh based newspaper ''[[The Scotsman]]'' has been integral to the Fringe since the start, and has become known for its comprehensive festival coverage in August. Originally, it aimed to review every show on the Fringe.<ref name=HeraldWrightObit/> Now they are more selective, as there are simply too many shows to cover, although they do see almost every new play being staged as part of the Fringe's theatre programme, because of their Fringe First awards. For many years, the Scotsman's Arts Editor, [[Allen Wright (journalist)|Allen Wright]] was a familiar figure at the Fringe and today, the young critics' award is named in his honour.<ref name=edfringeJournoAwards/>

Other Scottish media outlets that provide coverage include: ''[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]]'', ''[[Scotland on Sunday]]'', ''[[Sunday Herald]]'' and the Scottish edition of ''[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]''. Scottish arts and entertainment magazines ''[[The List (magazine)|The List]]'', ''[[The Skinny (magazine)|The Skinny]]'' and ''[[Fest Magazine]]'' also provide extensive coverage.

From the 1990s onwards, Fringe-specific publications emerged. ''[[ThreeWeeks]]'' was founded in 1996, and ''[[Fest Magazine|Fest]]'' followed a few years later. After the turn of the millennium, these were joined by online publications, some of which specialised in the Fringe, some of which had a broader remit. These include ''[[Chortle (website)|Chortle]]'' (2000), ''[[Broadway Baby]]'' (2004),  ''[[Fringe Review]]'' (2006), ''Fringe Guru'' (2007) and ''[[The Wee Review]]'' (2008 as ''TV Bomb''). The latter two merged in 2019.

The now defunct Festival Media Network was founded in 2010 to act as a trade organisation for these independent media. Its members were ''Broadway Baby'', ''Festival Previews'', ''Fringe Guru'', ''Fringe Review'', ''Hairline'', ''iFringe'', ''ThreeWeeks'', ''The Podcast Network'', and ''WhatsOnStage''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.festivalmedianetwork.com/|title=Festival Media Network Website|publisher=Festival Media Network|access-date=27 February 2012}}</ref>

In 2012, the most prolific reviewers were [[Broadway Baby]] which published over 1900 reviews,<ref>{{cite web|title=Broadway Baby: Edinburgh 2012|url=http://www.broadwaybaby.com/search.php?type=latestreview&term=46&ns=true|access-date=1 September 2012}}</ref> ''ThreeWeeks'', which published 1000 reviews during August,<ref>{{cite web|title=''ThreeWeeks'': All Reviews, Edinburgh 2012|url=http://www.threeweeks.co.uk/reviews/|website=Threeweeks.co.uk|access-date=1 September 2012}}</ref> and ''[[The Scotsman]]'' with 826 reviews. ''[[The List (magazine)|The List]]'' published 480 reviews.<ref name=ListTopRated/> By 2019, ''The Scotsman'' was once again the most prolific reviewer, followed by ''The Wee Review''.<ref name=ListTopRated/>

Most of the London-based broadsheets also review, in particular ''[[The Guardian]]'' and ''[[The Independent]]'', while arts industry weekly ''[[The Stage]]'' publish a large number of Edinburgh reviews, especially of the drama programme.

Since 2010, the [[British Comedy Guide]] has collated comedy reviews from as many publications as possible. In 2018, it gathered over 4,700 reviews from 135 publications,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/fringe/2018/features/best_reviewed_edinburgh_fringe_shows_2018/|title=Best reviewed Edinburgh Fringe shows 2018|website=[[British Comedy Guide]]|date=31 August 2018|access-date=31 August 2018}}</ref> up from 4,300 from 83 different publications in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comedy.co.uk/fringe/2014/features/edinburgh_fringe_best_shows_2014/|title=Best reviewed Edinburgh Fringe shows 2014|website=[[British Comedy Guide]]|date=7 September 2015|access-date=25 July 2015}}</ref>

===Awards===
[[File:GabrielByrne.jpg|thumb|[[Gabriel Byrne]] holding his Herald Angel]]
There are a growing number of awards for Fringe shows, particularly in the field of drama:
* ''[[The Scotsman]]'' introduced the prestigious Fringe First awards in 1973. These awards were established by ''Scotsman'' arts editor Allen Wright to encourage new theatre writing, and are given only to new plays (or new translations), and several are awarded for each of the three weeks of the Fringe – usually by a celebrity at a prestigious ceremony.
* Herald Angels and Archangels are awarded by the team of arts writers of ''[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]]'' to performers or shows deemed worthy of recognition. Similar to Fringe Firsts, they are given each week of the Fringe.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.herald-events.com/heraldangels/ |title=Herald Angels |website=Herald-events.com |access-date=24 September 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809230823/http://www.herald-events.com/heraldangels/ |archive-date=9 August 2016 }}</ref>
* ''[[The Stage]]'' has awarded the [[Stage Awards for Acting Excellence]] since 1995. Around a dozen awards are given out each year, including a Special Award, given for the first time in 2014. Winners of the Special Award to date include [[Chris Goode (playwright)|Chris Goode]] (2014) and [[Pip Utton]] (2015).
*Total Theatre has presented its [[List of Total Theatre Award winners|Total Theatre Awards]] for excellence in the field of physical and visual theatre since 1997. The categories under which these awards are given vary from year to year. A notable addition in 2007 was the inclusion of a Wild Card award chosen by the festival-going public.
* [[Amnesty International]] introduced the Amnesty Freedom of Expression Award in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID%3D17070 |title=AIUK : Scotland: Freedom of Expression Award shortlist announced |access-date=8 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925172818/http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=17070 |archive-date=25 September 2006 }}</ref>
* The [[Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award]] for best drama was introduced in 2004. To be eligible for this award a show must have received a four or five star rating in ''[[The Scotsman]]'' and must not have previously played in New York, as the prize is to put the show on in New York.
* The ''[[ThreeWeeks]]'' Editors' Awards<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edinburgh.threeweeks.co.uk/detail_feature.asp?id%3D3938 |title=UNLIMITED &#124; ThreeWeeks |access-date=8 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513091342/http://edinburgh.threeweeks.co.uk/detail_feature.asp?id=3938 |archive-date=13 May 2009 }}</ref> was introduced in 2005 and are given to the ten things that have most excited the ''ThreeWeeks'' editors each year.
* The Bobby<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadwaybaby.com/bobby.php |title=Broadway Baby Bobby Award |publisher=Broadwaybaby.com |access-date=18 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002223610/http://www.broadwaybaby.com/bobby.php |archive-date= 2 October 2012 }}</ref> was launched by ''[[Broadway Baby]]'' in 2011 and are given to the best shows of the festival as decided by the ''Broadway Baby'' judging panel. In 2012 a second type of Bobby was launched called the Technical Bobby, awarded for technical achievement at the Fringe, such as lighting or set design.
* ''The Edinburgh Musical Theatre Awards'' were introduced in 2007 by [[Musical Theatre Matters]], to encourage the writing and production of new musicals on the Fringe.
[[File:MalcolmHardeeAward.jpg|thumb|Malcolm Hardee Award]]
* The [[Perrier Award]]s for Comedy came into existence in 1981 when the award was won by the [[Cambridge Footlights]]. (Two further award categories have since been added.) [[Perrier]], the mineral water manufacturer ended its long association in 2006 and was succeeded by the Scottish-based company [[Intelligent Finance]]. In 2009 IF also withdrew and could not be replaced for 2010, so the awards were temporarily being funded by promoter [[Nica Burns]] and rebranded as the Edinburgh Comedy awards, or "Eddies". As of 2024, [[DLT Entertainment]] sponsors '''The Donald and Eleanor Taffner''' '''Best Comedy Show''' and '''The''' '''DLT Entertainment''' '''Best Newcomer Award''' while The [[Victoria Wood]] Foundation sponsors '''The Panel Prize'''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guide |first=British Comedy |date=2024-07-25 |title=Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2024 judging panel revealed |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/fringe/news/7991/edinburgh-comedy-awards-2024-judges/ |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=British Comedy Guide |language=en}}</ref>
* The [[Malcolm Hardee]] Awards have three categories - Comic Originality, Cunning Stunt and Act Most Likely To Make A Million Quid<ref name="MH Award">{{cite web | url=http://www.malcolmhardee.co.uk/award | title=The Malcolm Hardee Awards | publisher=The Malcolm Hardee| access-date=26 August 2019}}</ref> They were presented originally for ten years, 2008–2017<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2008/06/02/6853/in_malcs_memory | title=In Malc's memory: New Fringe award set up | work=Chortle | date=2 June 2008 | access-date=2 June 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last=Wolf | first=Ian | url=http://www.sitcom.co.uk/news/news.php?story=000457 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909110839/http://www.sitcom.co.uk/news/news.php?story=000457 | url-status=dead | archive-date=9 September 2012 | title=New Fringe award dedicated to Malcolm Hardee | work=British Sitcom Guide | date=2 June 2008 | access-date=2 June 2008 }}</ref> and again from 2019, when they were taken over by the [[British Comedy Guide]]. An initial one-off Malcolm Hardee Award had been made at the Fringe in 2005, the year of Hardee's death, to American musical comic [[Reggie Watts]].<ref name="Irish Independent Award">{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/arts/and-now-for-something-completely--different-1091538.html|title= And now for something completely different...|work=Irish Independent |access-date=15 June 2008 | date=28 September 2007}}</ref>
* Each year since 2009,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-fringe-funniest-joke-winners-16714610 | title=Here is every single one of the Fringe's funniest jokes for the last ten years | date=7 August 2019 }}</ref> the [[Funniest Joke of the Fringe]] is awarded, along with a list of the top 10. This award is currently sponsored by the TV channel [[U&Dave]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/arts-and-culture/edinburgh-festivals/the-top-ten-funniest-jokes-of-the-edinburgh-fringe-2022-3814340 |title=The top ten funniest jokes of the Edinburgh Fringe 2022|work=The Scotsman|access-date=6 March 2023}}</ref>
* The [[Brighton Fringe]] Award for Excellence<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.brightonfringe.org/brighton-fringe-award-for-excellence-in-association-with-the-rotunda-theatre-winner-announced/ | title=Brighton Fringe Award for Excellence in association with the Rotunda Theatre Winner Announced | date=19 February 2025 }}</ref> has been awarded at Edinburgh Festival Fringe since 2011, in association with Richard Jordan and awarded at the Scotsman Awards ceremony.

==Statistics==
The first Fringe featured eight companies performing in five venues. By 1959, there were 19 companies; by 1969, 57; by 1979, 324. In 1981, there were 494, and the growth of the festival began to slow. But by 1999, there were over 600 companies giving 15,000 performances and in 2010, 1,900 giving 40,000.{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=13}}

Statistics for 2011 Edinburgh Festival Fringe concluded that it was the largest on record: there were over 40,000 performances of over 2,500 different shows in 258 venues.<ref name=Review11/> Ticket sales amounted to around 1.8&nbsp;million.<ref name=Review11/> There are now 12 full-time members of staff.

Of the shows, theatre had been the largest genre in terms of number of shows until 2008, when it was overtaken by comedy, which has been the major growth area over the last 20 years. At the [[Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015|2015 Fringe]] comedy was the biggest artform by number of shows, followed by theatre. The exact breakdown was: 34% comedy, 27% theatre, 14% music, 5% children's shows, 4% each cabaret/variety, dance/circus/physical theatre, spoken word, events, 3% musicals/opera, 2% exhibitions.<ref name=Review15/>

The 2015 Fringe issued an estimated 2,298,090 tickets for 50,459 performances of 3,314 shows in 313 venues over 25 days;<ref name=EndPR15/> the 2016 Fringe issued an estimated 2,475,143 tickets for 50,266 performances of 3,269 shows; and the 2017 Fringe 2,696,884 tickets for 53,232 performances of 3,398 shows.<ref name=EndPR17/>

In addition to ticketed, programmed events, the Fringe Street Events is run each day of the festival, primarily on the [[Royal Mile]] and at the Mound Precinct.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year 
! Venues 
! Companies
! Performers
! Shows
! Performances
! Tickets issued
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1947{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=12}}
| 5
| 8
| 
| 
| 
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1955{{sfn|Moffatt|1978|p=33}}
| 
| 13
| 
| 
| 
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1959{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=12-13}}
| 
| 19
| 
| 
| 
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1963{{sfn|Moffatt|1978|p=67}}
| 
| 39
| 
| 
| 
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1964{{sfn|Moffatt|1978|p=67}}
| 
| 32
| 
| 
| 
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1969{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=12}}
| 
| 57
| 
| c. 100
| 
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1973{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=24}}
| 
| 105
| 
| 183
| 1,386
| 128,900
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1974{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=24}}
| 
| 131
| 
| 260
| 1,645
| 163,600
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1975{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=24}}
| 
| 143
| 
| 284
| 1,971
| 187,150
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1976{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=24}}
| 
| 202
| 
| 426
| 2,928
| 177,360
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1977{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=24}}
| 
| 194
| 
| 416
| 3,561
| 218,000
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1978{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=24}}
| 
| 286
| 
| 472
| 3,852
| 271,500
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1979{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=24}}
| 
| 324
| 
| 625
| 4,180
| 277,000
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1980{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=24}}
| 
| 380
| 
| 663
| 4,963
| 333,000
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1981
| 
| 454<ref name=NYT810831/> or 494{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=13}}
| 
| 739<ref name=NYT810831/>
| 8,868<ref name=NYT810831/>
|
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1982{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=24}}
| 
| 494
| 
| 890
| 7,202
| 460,000
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1983{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=24}}
| 
| 454
| 
| 875
| 6,886
| 425,000
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1984{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=24}}
| 
| 444
| 
| 883
| 7,076
| 430,000
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1985{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=24}}
| 
| 510
| 
| 1,091
| 9,424
| 523,000
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1986{{sfn|Dale|1988|p=24}}
| 
| 494
| 
| 959
| 8,592
| 474,429
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 1999{{sfn|Fisher|2012|p=13}}
| 
| >600
| 
| 
| >15,000
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2001<ref>{{cite web 
 |url=http://www.edfringe.com/uploads/attachments/1020355811Fringe_A._RptFinal.pdf 
 |title=Fringe Annual Report 2001 
 |publisher=edfringe.com 
 |access-date=18 May 2009 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061020154036/http://www.edfringe.com/uploads/attachments/1020355811Fringe_A._RptFinal.pdf
 |archive-date=20 October 2006
|url-status=dead
 }}</ref>
|176
|666
|
|1,462
|20,443
|873,887
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2003<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.edfringe.com/story.html?id=640&area_id=48
|title=Fringe Facts – Annual Report 2003
|publisher=The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society
|date=7 November 2008
|access-date=2 May 2009
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003085612/http://www.edfringe.com/story.html?id=640&area_id=48
|archive-date=3 October 2009}}</ref>
|207
|
|
|1,541
|
|1,184,738
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2010<ref name=Review11/>
| 
| 
| 21,148
| 
| 
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2011<ref name=Review11/>
| 258
| ''not given''
| 21,192
| 2,542
| 41,689
| 1,877,119
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2012<ref name=Review12/>
| 279
| 2,304
| 22,457
| 2,695
| 42,096
| ''not given''
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2013<ref name=Review13/>
| 273
| 2,402
| 24,107
| 2,871
| 45,464
| "almost 2 million"
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2014<ref name=Review14/>
| 299
| 2,636
| 23,762
| 3,193
| 49,497
| 2,183,591
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2015<ref name=Review15/>
| 313
| ''not given''
| 27,918
| 3,314
| 50,459
| 2,298,090
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2016<ref name=Review16/>
| 
| ''not given''
| ''not given''
| 3,269
| 50,266
| 2,475,143
|- style="text-align:center;"
| 2017<ref name=EndPR17/>
| 
| ''not given''
| ''not given''
| 3,398
| 53,232
| 2,696,884
|- style="text-align:center;"
|2018<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.edfringe.com/learn/news-and-events/stage-lights-on-2018-fringe|title=Stage lights come down on the 2018 Edinburgh Festival Fringe {{!}} Edinburgh Festival Fringe|work=Edinburgh Festival Fringe|access-date=29 November 2018|language=en}}</ref>
|317
|
|
|3,548
|50,000+
|2,838,839
|- style="text-align:center;"
|2019<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2019/08/26/44194/edinburgh_fringe_claims_record_box_office_again|title=Edinburgh Fringe claims record box office again|website=[[Chortle (website)|Chortle]]|access-date=26 August 2019|language=en}}</ref>
|323<ref name="Festival 2021">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/11/theater/edinburgh-fringe.html|title=Edinburgh Fringe Is Back. Is a Smaller Festival Better?|work=The New York Times |date=11 August 2021 |access-date=3 September 2022|language=en|last1=Jack |first1=Malcolm }}</ref>
|
|
|3,841+
|
|3,012,490
|- style="text-align:center;"
|2020
|colspan=6|''Festival cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic''
|- style="text-align:center;"
|2022<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2022/08/29/51663/edinburgh_fringe_ticket_sales_down_26.7_per_cent|title=Edinburgh Fringe ticket sales down 26.7 per cent|website=[[Chortle (website)|Chortle]]|access-date=3 September 2022|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timeout.com/edinburgh/things-to-do/75-years-history-of-the-edinburgh-fringe|title='It's a phenomenon': 75 years of the Edinburgh Fringe|website=[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]|access-date=3 September 2022|language=en}}</ref>
| 250+
|
|49,827
|3,334
|
|2,201,175
|- style="text-align:center;"
|2023<ref name="Festival 2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.edfringe.com/learn/news-and-events/a-fresh-brave-and-energising-fringe-2023-comes-to-a-close-with-creativity-and-care-at-its-core|title=A fresh, brave and energising Fringe 2023 comes to a close, with creativity and care at its core {{!}}|work=Edinburgh Festival Fringe|access-date=28 August 2023|language=en}}</ref>
|288
|
|
|3,553
|
|2,445,609
|- style="text-align:center;"
|2024<ref>{{Cite web |last=Street |first=180 High |last2=Edinburgh |last3=Eh1 1qs |last4=Kingdom +44131 226 0026 |first4=United |title=As the 2024 Fringe closes – an open letter from Chief Executive, Shona McCarthy |url=https://www.edfringe.com/learn/news-and-events/as-the-2024-fringe-closes-an-open-letter-from-chief-executive-shona-mccarthy |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Edinburgh Festival Fringe |language=en}}</ref>
|
|
|
|3,746
|
|"over 2.6 million"
|- style="text-align:center;"
|2025<ref>{{Cite web |title=An exciting and energising Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025 comes to a close |url=https://www.edfringe.com/about-us/news-and-blog/an-exciting-and-energising-edinburgh-festival-fringe-2025-comes-to-a-close/ |access-date=2025-08-25 |website=www.edfringe.com |language=en}}</ref>
|301
|
|
|3,893
|55,942
|2,604,404
|}


== See also ==
*[[List of Edinburgh Comedy Award winners]]
*[[Funniest Joke of the Fringe|Joke Of The Fringe]]
*[[List of fringe festivals]]
*[[Melbourne International Comedy Festival]]
*[[Just for Laughs]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name=BTF>{{cite web|url=http://www.edinburgh-festivals.com/viewnews.aspx?id=1960|title=50 years on from Beyond the Fringe: Pete, Dud, Alan, Jon & me|work=The Scotsman|first=Nicholas|last=Leonard|access-date=23 August 2010|archive-date=24 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824200235/http://www.edinburgh-festivals.com/viewnews.aspx?id=1960|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name=Chortle090518>
{{cite web
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<ref name=Chortle141205>
{{cite web
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</ref>

<ref name=CTF>
{{cite web|url=http://www.crackingthefringe.com/fringe-venues.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160214231935/http://www.crackingthefringe.com/fringe-venues.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=14 February 2016 |title=Edinburgh Fringe Venues
|publisher=Cracking The Fringe |access-date=23 March 2016}}
</ref>

<ref name=DunCour500824>
{{cite news|url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19500824/039/0003 |title=Belgian Royalty at Festival |work=[[Dundee Courier]] |date=24 August 1950 |access-date=16 March 2016 |via = [[British Newspaper Archive]]|url-access=subscription }}
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<ref name=edfestpunter>
{{cite web |url=http://www.edinburghfestivalpunter.co.uk/HistoryOfFestivals.html#_The_Fringe | title=History of the Edinburgh Festivals | access-date=2 April 2008| publisher=Edinburgh Festival}}
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<ref name=edfringeabout>
{{cite web |url=https://www.edfringe.com/about-us|title=About the Edinburgh Festival Fringe|publisher=The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society}}
</ref>

<ref name=edfringeboard>{{cite web |url=https://www.edfringe.com/about-us/board-of-directors |title=Fringe Society Board of Directors |publisher=The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society |access-date=16 February 2015 |archive-date=15 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315121801/https://www.edfringe.com/about-us/board-of-directors |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<ref name=edfringeJournoAwards>
{{cite web |url=https://www.edfringe.com/take-part/awards/journalism |title=Journalism Awards |publisher=Edinburgh Festival Fringe |access-date=13 September 2019}}
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<ref name=edfringenewCEO>
{{cite web|url=https://www.edfringe.com/media/news/shona-mccarthy-appointed-as-chief-executive-of-edinburgh-festival-fringe-society |title=Shona McCarthy appointed as Chief Executive of Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society |publisher=The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society}}
</ref>

<ref name=edfringeoldCEO>
{{cite web|url=https://www.edfringe.com/media/news/kath-m-mainland-steps-down-as-chief-executive-of-the-edinburgh-festival-fringe-society |title=Kath M Mainland steps down as Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society |publisher=The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society}}
</ref>

<ref name=EndPR15>
{{cite web|url=https://www.edfringe.com/media/news/what-the-fringe-after-50-459-performances-of-3-314-shows-the-2015-edinburgh-festival-fringe-draws-to-a-close |title=Fringe Society 2015 end of season press release |publisher=The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society}}
</ref>

<ref name=EndPR17>{{cite web|title=Fringe Society 2017 end of season press release|url=https://www.edfringe.com/learn/news-and-events/2017-fringe-draws-to-a-close|publisher=The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society}}</ref>

<ref name=Ferguson090416>
{{cite news
|url=http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Ticket-touts-are-greedy-scum.5174786.jp | archive-url= https://archive.today/20130201235556/http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/top-stories/ticket-touts-are-greedy-scum-rages-ricky-gervais-1-1034465  |url-status=dead | archive-date =         1 February 2013 | title=Ticket touts are greedy scum, rages Ricky Gervais |last=Ferguson |first=Brian |date=16 April 2009 |work=The Scotsman |access-date=18 May 2009 |location=Edinburgh}}
</ref>

<ref name=Fraser070828>
{{cite news |url=http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/festival2007/Going-wild-and-giving-it.3321740.jp
|title=Going wild and giving it up for a good cause
|last=Fraser |first=Gemma |date=28 August 2007 |newspaper=Edinburgh Evening News |access-date=18 May 2009}}
</ref>

<ref name=Gardner040819>[https://www.theguardian.com/arts/critic/review/0,1169,1285926,00.html One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest], Lyn Gardner, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 19 August 2004</ref>

<ref name=Guardian090110>
{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2009/jan/10/edinburgh-festival-fringe-box-office |title=Edinburgh Fringe may seek £600,000 bail-out| last1=Carrell |first1=Severin |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=10 January 2009}}
</ref>

<ref name=HeraldWrightObit>
{{cite news |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12352047.allen-wright/ |title=Obituary: Allen Wright |newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] |last=Fowler |first=John |date=18 November 1997 |access-date=13 September 2019}}
</ref>

<ref name=Kemp480814>
{{cite news|newspaper=[[Edinburgh Evening News]] |last1=Kemp |first1=Robert |title=More that is Fresh in Drama |date=14 August 1948}}
</ref>

<ref name=ListTopRated>{{cite magazine|title=The List's Top-Rated Shows Statistics|url=http://edinburghfestival.list.co.uk/top-rated/ |magazine=[[The List (magazine)|The List]]|access-date=5 September 2019}}</ref>

<ref name=NYT810831>
{{cite news |title=35th Edinburgh Festival On Way To Big Success  |last=Rattner |first=Steven |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/31/theater/35th-edinburgh-festival-on-way-to-big-success.html |date=31 August 1981 |access-date=13 October 2017}}
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<ref name=NYT091001>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/books/review/Borowitz-t.html|title=The&nbsp;Scotsman | work=The New York Times| author= [[Andy Borowitz]]| date=1 October 2009| access-date=6 November 2009}}</ref>

<ref name=Review11>
{{cite web|url=https://www.edfringe.com/uploads/docs/About_Us/Annual%20Review%202011.pdf |title=Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Annual Review 2011 |publisher=[[Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society]] |location=[[Edinburgh]] |year=2012}}
</ref>

<ref name=Review12>
{{cite journal|url=https://www.edfringe.com/uploads/docs/About_Us/FringeAnnualReview2012.pdf |journal=Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Annual Review 2012 |title=Review of Society activities |publisher=[[Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society]] |location=[[Edinburgh]] |year=2013}}
</ref>

<ref name=Review13>
{{cite journal|url=https://www.edfringe.com/uploads/docs/About_Us/Fringe%20Annual%20Review%202013.pdf |journal=Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Annual Review 2013 |title=Review of 2013|publisher=[[Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society]] |location=[[Edinburgh]] |year=2014}}
</ref>

<ref name=Review14>
{{cite journal|url=https://www.edfringe.com/uploads/docs/About_Us/Fringe%20Annual%20Review%202014.pdf |journal=Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Annual Review 2014 |title=Annual Review 2014|publisher=[[Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society]] |location=[[Edinburgh]] |year=2015}}
</ref>

<ref name=Review15>
{{cite journal|url=https://www.edfringe.com/uploads/docs/About_Us/Fringe_Annual_Review_2015.pdf |journal=Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Annual Review 2015 |title=Annual Review 2015|publisher=[[Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society]] |location=[[Edinburgh]] |year=2016}}
</ref>

<ref name=Review16>
{{cite web|url=https://www.edfringe.com/learn/news-and-events/edinburgh-festival-fringe-draws-to-a-close |title=Fringe Society 2016 end of season press release |publisher=The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society}}
</ref>

<ref name=Stoppard>
{{cite web | author= Michael H. Hutchins | title=A Tom Stoppard Bibliography: Chronology | work=The Stephen Sondheim Reference Guide | url=http://www.sondheimguide.com/Stoppard/chronology.html | date=14 August 2006 | access-date=23 June 2008}}
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<ref name=Times120224>
{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article5356211.ece |title=First knight of nerves for Derek Jacobi and A Bunch of Amateurs |work=The Times |date=24 February 2012 |access-date=28 February 2012 |location=London |first1=Roland |last1=Watson |first2=Rachel |last2=Sylvester |first3=Kathryn |last3=Hopkins}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
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<ref name=UoG>
{{cite web |url=http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/specialcollections/collectionsa-z/scottishtheatrearchive/stacollections/edinburghfestivalfringe/ |title=Special Collections: Edinburgh Festival Fringe |publisher=[[University of Glasgow]] |access-date=16 March 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160318151924/http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/specialcollections/collectionsa-z/scottishtheatrearchive/stacollections/edinburghfestivalfringe/ |archive-date=18 March 2016 }}
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<ref name=Venables170509>
{{cite magazine |title=How Comedy Captured the Edinburgh Fringe: Part 1 |last=Venables |first=Ben |magazine=[[The Skinny (magazine)|The Skinny]] |url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/comedy/opinion/how-comedy-captured-the-edinburgh-fringe-part-1 |date=9 May 2017 |access-date=13 October 2017}}
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<ref name=Venables170606>
{{cite magazine |title=How Comedy Captured the Edinburgh Fringe: Part 2 |last=Venables |first=Ben |magazine=[[The Skinny (magazine)|The Skinny]] |url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/comedy/opinion/how-comedy-captured-the-edinburgh-fringe-part-2 |date=6 June 2017 |access-date=13 October 2017}}
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<ref name=Venables170711>
{{cite magazine |title=How Comedy Captured the Edinburgh Fringe: Part 3 |last=Venables |first=Ben |magazine=[[The Skinny (magazine)|The Skinny]] |url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/comedy/opinion/how-comedy-captured-the-edinburgh-fringe-part-3 |date=6 June 2017 |access-date=13 October 2017}}
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<ref name=Venables170802>
{{cite magazine |title=How Comedy Captured the Edinburgh Fringe: Part 4 |last=Venables |first=Ben |magazine=[[The Skinny (magazine)|The Skinny]] |url=http://www.theskinny.co.uk/comedy/opinion/how-comedy-captured-the-edinburgh-fringe-part-4 |date=6 June 2017 |access-date=13 October 2017}}
</ref>

}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book |last=Dale |first=Michael |date=1988 |title=Sore Throats and Overdrafts: An illustrated story of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe |location=Edinburgh |publisher=Precedent Publications |isbn=0-9512-6502-4}}
*{{cite book |last=Fisher |first=Mark |date=2012 |title=The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide: How To Make Your Show A Success |location=London|publisher=[[Methuen Publishing|Methuen]] |isbn=978-1-408-13252-4}}
*{{cite book |last=Moffatt |first=Alistair|date=1978 |title=The Edinburgh Fringe |location=London|publisher=[[Johnston and Bacon]] |isbn=0-7179-4245-7}}

==Further reading==
* Bain, A., ''The Fringe: 50 Years of the Greatest Show on Earth'', The Scotsman Publications Ltd, 1996
* McMillan, J., Carnegie, J., ''The Traverse Theatre Story 1963–1988'', Methuen Publishing, London, 1988

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{official website|https://www.edfringe.com}}
*[http://www.edinburghfestivalcity.com Festivals Edinburgh]
*[https://archives.lib.umd.edu/repositories/4/resources/438 "Follow the Fringe Project" Collection] at the [[University of Maryland Libraries]]

{{Edinburgh Festival Fringe}}
{{Fringe festivals in Europe}}
{{Skeptical conferences}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Edinburgh Festival Fringe| ]]
[[Category:Comedy festivals in Scotland]]
[[Category:Edinburgh Festival]]
[[Category:Busking venues]]
[[Category:Fringe festivals in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Festivals established in 1947]]
[[Category:Royal Mile]]
[[Category:1947 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Arts organisations based in Scotland]]
[[Category:Theatre festivals in Scotland]]