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Is It That Time Already?Dateline: 5th March, 2006 It's the first weekend in March and already we're planning what we'll be doing in August. Yes, we're talking about the world's biggest arts festival, the Edinburgh Fringe (6th - 28th August), and planning is already underway throughout the country. Two weeks ago I had an email asking me to book my accommodation or risk not being able to stay in what is one of the best locations in the city for a reviewer. The Fringe Society's two websites - the general site at www.edfringe.com and the site for venues and performers at www.edfringegroups.com - are up and running with current information for would-be participants and visitors. Venues are being booked and shows planned and/or devised. Please note: the edfringegroups site no longer exists (January 2007) and has been subsumed within the general Edfringe site. Performers simply have a different level of access. Performers have to subscribe to the fringe clicking "subscribe now for 2007". To subscribe, click on: www.edfringe.com/myfringe/subscribe.html and follow the on-screen instructions. It costs £10 to receive/download information by email and £20 to receive information by post. So, a few words of advice. If you're planning to go to Edinburgh as an audience member, the sooner you book your accommodation, the better. Edinburgh fills up alarmingly quickly for August. After all, there's the Fringe, the EIF, the Book Festival, the Film Festival, the Jazz Festival and, of course, the Tattoo. The sooner you book, the more chance of getting decent accommodation you'll have. Leave it too late and, if you do manage to get something, you could end up (as I did once) living in converted walk-in cupboard which didn't even have enough room for a wardrobe, just a couple of shelves along one wall, or having to travel in from miles away. Unless, of course, your budget runs to the Balmoral or the Caledonian where you'll end up paying more per night than I pay for a week! And if you do end up having to stay miles out, forget about using the car to get into the city every day. Parking in Edinburgh is an expensive nightmare! I'm booked, so I'm feeling very smug! If you want to take a show to the Fringe, you'll need to start talking to a venue pretty quickly, particularly is you want to be in a big, central venue. Go to the venue and performers website mentioned above, register your interest and seek advice about venue and accommodation booking. Why should you go, either as audience or performer? Quite simply because the Edinburgh Fringe provides a vast array of theatre from the superb to the appalling, from all over the world, in venues which range from "real" theatres to dank, gloomy dungeons - and everything in between. You'll see big stars and total unknowns - and often the unknowns do a damned sight better job than the stars! You could be in on the ground floor, seeing the next big thing to hit British or world theatre (as when I saw Jerry Springer the Opera at the Assembly Rooms in 2002) and at some stage, unless you are very lucky, you'll also see the worst show you have ever seen in your life. I can mention a few of those but I won't: I prefer to forget them. And if you get sick of theatre - BTG reviewers often see six or even seven shows a day! - there's always comedy, music, exhibitions, the tourist spots, the Tattoo and - something I have been promising to do ever since I started reviewing at the Fringe in 1997 - climbing Arthur's Seat. As to why you should perform there: Edinburgh during August is full of reviewers, talent scouts, theatre bookers and lots of other people who can help your career or your show. They can also, of course, damn it, so make sure what you do is good. But remember: you won't make any money - in fact, it will cost you a considerable amount (which is why members of small theatre companies often sleep on floors). But if you are going, start now!
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