(Editor’s note: This is for all you planners. The next Fringe Festival is schedule for 1 August thru 25 August 2025.)
With more than 3,000 productions and 40,000 performers each year, the Edinburgh Fringe Theater Festival, also known as the Fringe, takes place every August and is one of the world’s largest performance arts festivals, causing great excitement in the United Kingdom. The medieval, iconic city of Edinburgh seems to blossom in an almost witch-like act that allows it to welcome the thousands of people, shows, and events that permeate the festival.
For the very first time in my rather innocent life, I was thrown into the frenzy of the Fringe.
This was not only my first Fringe, but also my first time working as a crew member on a performance at the festival. This experience ascertained my confidence in the fact that, as an actor, writer, and everything in-between, I am doing the right thing with my life.
It also opened up new worlds in my appreciation for fringe theater, comedy, and festival survival. Edinburgh in August is truly something everyone should experience at least once in their lives. To prove it, I have come to share my experiences with the good, the bad, and the crazy as well as a few recommendations along the way.
The Fringe experience
The variety of shows you can see is astounding and usually follows a few rules. The shows are often new writings or adaptations that have been shortened to fit a Fringe format, lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. The fringe comedy section of the Edinburgh fringe festival, whether it is sketch comedy or stand-up, is also huge, and Edinburgh becomes a true comedian’s hub during August.
In terms of theater, anything from true-crime drama to comedic musicals about the end of the world and mental health can be seen. Some shows return to Edinburgh year after year as their format is ideal and garners a lot of public attention. Unless they are part of the free festival, which works on a pay-what-you-can basis, most shows will have to pay a hefty sum to secure a space in what is considered one of the “good” venues.
The Edinburgh fringe festival itself can be a financial pit for producers and is usually seen as an opportunity to try out new material, get audience and critics’ reviews and have the work seen by theater programming teams from around the country.
It’s something to keep in mind when visiting the festival, as the mix of beautiful energy and tension felt can sometimes be tough to understand.
The Art of Flyering
One of the founding pillars of a Fringe experience is “flyering,” marketing to the crowds with flyers. Whether you are flyering for your own or someone else’s show, or whether you are getting flyered at (which will inevitably happen – please do not come to Edinburgh during August if you’re not ready to handle the constant nagging, prying and eye-catching contest that is flyering), it will be an integral part of your experience.
When I first arrived, I naively thought I would enjoy the exercise and customer-facing aspect of the act. However, I quickly discovered that the hilly streets of Edinburgh and the sheer volume of shows being advertised make the whole thing quite tiring and stressful.
Although most people are polite about it, having your eager proposals of beautiful entertainment rejected more than half the time can sting.
It’s even more complicated when, as is the case with most shows, your performance’s audience numbers depend on your capacity to convince people to spend an hour sitting in those uncomfortable seats to watch your new, unique, and brilliant show.
On the other hand, it can also feel incredibly overwhelming when one’s steps are constantly followed by flocks of eager marketers trying to sell their show. The reality is actually quite entertaining and participates in the vibrant energy of the city at that time of year, as well as often being funny and almost a performance in its own right.
My advice for any Fringe attendees wondering how to navigate it all is to allow a good chunk of your day to depend on the flyers you get. It’s wonderful and exciting to have a bunch of shows to look forward to and to come to the Fringe prepared. However, the beauty of the experience partly lies in the unexpected gems you will stumble upon unknowingly. People will always be happy to talk about the show they are flyering for, and great encounters do come from these chats, which I strongly encourage you to engage in if you feel inclined.
Exploring the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
The carousel of venues, bars, and even caves in which to see shows, unwind, or socialize is as crazy as the rest of the city at that time of year. My main takeaway from it all is that although Edinburgh has some great restaurants and bars of its own to offer (which you’ll undoubtedly want to try, such as Canny Man’s in Morningside for the quirky vibes and Salt Horse for the crazy-good burgers and beers), the cafes and social spaces associated with the festival are often the most exciting ones.
They’re where you’ll meet artists, directors, actors and like-minded people who have come to enjoy the variety of theater offered throughout the month. Whether you decide to go for a drink in the lovely community space that is Summerhall, try the cocktails at Gilded Balloon Patter House, or relive your university days with a game of pool at the Assembly near George Square, these venues will have your back.
My personal favorites are both the Café at Fringe Central (incredible breakfast) and the cute bar in a hut at Riddle’s Court’s Greenside venues.
Planning your visit
Should the theater bug have taken over you and you’ve decided to head to Edinburgh next August, make sure to plan your trip well in advance to book fun and fairly priced accommodation. Consider the CoDE-Pod hostel on the Royal Mile or, for an upscale and wine-infused experience, L’Hotel du Vin.
While you’re in Edinburgh, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to escape the madness and walk up the iconic Arthur’s Seat or relax at the beach, should the weather allow it.
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Zoé Manset
Zoe Manset is a French actress, writer and producer based in London, UK. After growing up in the Fragrant Harbour otherwise known as Hong Kong, Zoe moved to London in 2018 to pursue a BA in Art History at the Courtauld Institute of Arts. Missing the stage too much, she then completed a two year MFA in drama school and is now living the freelance actor life at full speed. Zoe is a fashion history lover, a great pub amateur, a dancer and a big foodie!
