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The Edinburgh Fringe 2000 - A PreviewDateline: 18th June, 2000 The 2000 Fringe approaches. It runs from 6th to 28th August and, as usual, I'll be there to bring readers news of the best and worst of this always exciting festival, the biggest in the world. We'll start with some basic facts. There will be:
Although the number of shows in the theatre category is down, after rising for three consecutive years, theatre still accounts for 35% of all performances, just 3% less than in 1998. Is the Fringe shrinking? On the basis of these figures you might be tempted to wonder if the Fringe is losing its popularity with performers. The fact is, however, that it is amazing that there are as many shows as there are, considering the problems which have faced two of the "big three" venues. It did look for a while as though it was going to be impossible to programme the Assembly Rooms because of Edinburgh City Council's dispute over unpaid bills with William Burdett-Coutts. As it is, the Assembly programme is a very respectable one but it isn't as overloaded as last year when Burdett-Coutts was trying to pack 'em in to make as much money as possible! Karen Koren's Gilded Balloon venues (another one of the big three) have shrunk in number this year, but this is more than counterbalanced by the overall increase in the number of venues: 198 as against last year's 167. And among the new venues is yet another for the third of the big three, the Pleasance, which not only has a new venue, but also has a bus! Theatre Workshop has gone as a Fringe venue, as has the University's George Street Theatre, which is being refurbished, and the Famous Grouse House, but the magnificent Dynamic Earth is now being used. I haven't yet had a chance to do an analysis of the number and origin of foreign companies - although my impression is that the number of US companies has remained pretty constant - but I suspect that the strength of the pound against other European currencies may have something to do with what seems to me to be a smaller European (particularly Eastern European) contingent. I hope, however, that the real reason for the decrease in the number of shows is that venues have learned the lessons of last year. Too many tried to cram in too many shows, leaving insufficient time for a proper change-around, so that each show started late and, by the end of the day, delays were as much as half or even three-quarters of an hour. In fact, one show I attended was over an hour late, and that is not a happy situation when it's due to finish after midnight anyway! And, of course, even a delay of fifteen minutes can destroy a carefully planned day. Next page: What's On: Shakespeare and Musicals Articles Indices:
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