Haloo From Edinburgh

The first Edinburgh Festival Fringe took place in 1947, when eight theater troupes arrived uninvited to perform alongside the inaugural Edinburgh International Festival. Their performances outside the official festival led to the creation of what is now known as the Fringe.

My blog was also born at the Edinburgh Fringe. In about 2015, I wrote the very first installment in my room at the Historic Bonham Hotel, where I was staying with family and friends.

The Fringe festival consists of just about every type of performance you can imagine plays, musicals, improv, circus, comedy acts, puppet shows, spoken word and street performers as well as numerous one-person shows. More than 3,000 acts are featured at venues throughout the city. They take place in every possible space that can hold an audience. They are performed in churches, bars, and vacant offices. Some of the performances are intimate, catering to a few dozen audience members. But the city is also dotted with large brightly colored tents that can hold thousands.

This year, in addition to the multitude of performances, “Oasis” (the rock band) has been performing in concert. Every hotel in the city is sold out, so I’m glad we made our reservation at the Sheraton Grand six months ago

Since many of the Fringe performances are only an hour long, I have seen as many as six performances in a single day even allowing time for meals. Today we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Bertie’s Proper Fish and Chips. Yes, we had the fish and chips, and they were delicious (as well as proper).

During the Fringe, the City, as well as the festival, draws people from all over. Our waitress at Bertie’s was an attentive young lady born near Austin, Texas, who is working her way around the world.

At the table next to ours Daveen struck up a conversation with a woman traveling alone. She said her husband prefers to avoid the crowds attending the fringe and prefers to stay at home.

Every day the papers print reviews of the various shows including lists of shows that shouldn’t be missed. I’m eager to begin reading all the reviews and lists of recommended shows so we can choose the shows we will go to see, starting tomorrow. With so many shows and so little time, it helps to have a plan.

I am especially looking forward to attending the Improv Musicals. In my experience these are an amazing showcase of creativity and talent. They are very entertaining and not to be missed.

But you never know what you will come upon. I saw a one-person show twenty-five years ago called Krishnan’s Dairy. In sixty-five brief minutes it was one of the best theatrical experiences of my life. I understand it is still playing in Australia. Maybe one day I’ll make a trip to see it again. It was truly unforgettable.

I’m looking forward to this week filled with theater and performances at the Fringe in Edinburgh.  Next week, I’ll let you know what I discover.

Alan