Edinburgh Fringe Festival | August 3-25 2008
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is probably the UK’s best known festival, recognised worldwide for both its comedy and its leftfield approaches to music and theatre. This year is of course no different with both famous performers and newcomers from countries as far flung as the Czech Republic, Japan and South Africa.
Comedy and the Perrier Award are at the heart of the Fringe with previous winners, among them Steve Coogan, Al Murray, Lee Evans and the League of Gentlemen, going on to very big things. This year sees everyone from Clive James, Joan Rivers, Brit Ekland, Bill Bailey and Jimmy Carr, as well as Jason Byrne, Ed Byrne, Ruby Wax and Simon Callow, and the list goes on.
There are just too many comedians to name taking part in the Fringe so, as ever, it really is pot luck what and who you see and it isn’t fair for us to make recommendations as we haven’t seen all the acts.
It’s not all about the laughs at Edinburgh though. Theatre is very much an integral part of the Fringe with some of the most imaginative stage plays starting out here. There’s serious shows (a new take on Racine’s Phaedre, Outside In Theatre’s Darkness Within), laugh out louders (the touching Teenage Kicks, which follows John Peel’s story), classics (Macbeth) and hilarious cabaret (Ladyboys of Bangkok return and Effing and Blinding Cabaret takes performance to new levels of the absurd).
Dance, music and art exhibitions are also in place for the Festival with musical performances from the likes of Foo Fighters, Happy Mondays, The Magic Numbers, Kanye West and Seasick Steve as part of T on the Fringe. So if you’re missing your iPod fear not – there’s plenty to listen to.
The Fringe is notorious for it’s diversity and it’s bravado in backing the most controversial and unusual acts but kids are also catered for with theatre and musical performances such as Nightingales, Elephants and Alexander Beetle with Louis de Bernieres and the Antonious Players, Silly Bum Breath Strikes Back and James Campbell’s Comedy 4 Kids, that will enthral and be remembered for years to come by adults and children alike, particularly those who find words relating to one’s posterior amusing.
This is really a festival that needs to be seen to be believed, the listings go on and on ranging from well-loved comedians to obscure installation art exhibitions. Wander in off of the streets of Edinburgh in to a theatre, comedy club or music venue any time over the season and prepare to be amazed.
Edinburgh Fringe Festival
3-25 August 2008
for more information see website
www.edfringe.com
Read more:
Edinburgh Art Festival | July 26-September 2 2007
Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival | July 27-August 5 2007
Edinburgh Military Tattoo | August 3-27 2007
Edinburgh International Festival | August 10-September 2 2007
Edinburgh Book Festival | August 11-27 2007
Edinburgh Film Festival | August 15-26 2007
Edinburgh Mela | September 1-2 2007
Special Offers
