WillTravel

I found some semi-reasonable airfares for late August, so was considering Edinburgh for my daughter and me. Being theatre buffs, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is of great interest.

But I did a quick check at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival site - http://www.edfringe.com/ - and found no shows that were bookable at all, for any dates. Is it the case that all tickets are booked, more than four months prior to the performances, or are the tickets just not available yet?

Is there any off-fringe theatre happening at the same time that would be of interest?

I know accommodation could be an issue also, but a quick search indicated that hostels are still available, so if we decide to go, that would do if nothing better turned up.

hanl

Hi
It says on the Fringe site that the programme won't be published until 8 June, so tickets aren't even available yet. I think that a lot of the information for 2005 is still on the website, so perhaps that's what made you think that the programme was already available.

The best way to enjoy the Fringe is to wait until it starts to find out what the hot shows are. Read reviews and then book tickets ASAP! The best shows are often the ones you go to on the spur of the moment, not knowing what to expect. I think that's part of the fun of the Fringe. Of course, if there are particular shows you are really keen to see then by all means, book tickets when they become available. But do leave yourself a little leeway so that you can enjoy some of the spontaneity of the festival.

caroline_edinburgh

The Fringe is only one of several festivals on here in August.

hanl has given you good advice about the Fringe. Nothing sells out in advance of the Fringe starting - even shows featuring famous comedians or actors only sell out once it has been going a while. Although if you're not arriving until late August, that sort of thing will have sold out by then. There are c.1250 separate productions; so start browsing when the programme comes out, note any you are keen on & book online then if you want.

The International Festival (www.eif.co.uk) opens for public booking on Saturday. Not much will sell out early on - probably just the Berlin Phil, maybe one or two other concerts & 'The Magic Flute'.

The Book Festival (www.edbookfest.co.uk) & the Film Festival (www.edfilmfest.org.uk) are similiar to the Fringe in that booking doesn't open until June or July. Some events in the Book Festival will sell out straightaway as they are generally one-offs.

The Tattoo is already sold out but I wouldn't personally recommend it anyway.

I generally go to c.50 shows (Fringe + EIF) & book about half to two thirds in advance, based on genre (most staged operas), prior knowledge of venues (the Traverse - www.traverse.co.uk - is always good for serious contemporary theatre), companies, etc, and half based on reviews & word of mouth.

P.S. How late August ? Presumably not post 28th when the Fringe ends ?

P.P.S. Re accommodation - you have already realised that will be the difficult bit as now is very late to book for August. I suggest phoning the tourist board & just asking what they've got. Or stay in Glasgow if all else fails - the Travel Inn on George Street is a good budget choice & handy for the station.

WillTravel

Thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking of something like August 21-26 for the festival visit.

I found that the Edinburgh Metro hostel consists of university student accommodation, which is single rooms with shared bathrooms and kitchen. The cost is 23 pounds per person. It's not booked up yet. It's at
11/2 Robertson's Close Cowgate
which is stated to be a very central location for the festival. But let me know if you think otherwise. The central Travelodge is selling its rooms at 110 pounds - its event rate - and the less central Travelodges are selling at 90 pounds. I didn't check the Travel Inn.

The fact that the link said "Buy tickets" and allowed you to do a search, and then showed nothing available was confusing. I got this email from the Edfringe.com admin:
"Thanks for your email. The Fringe Programme launch is at noon on 8
June 2006 and can be pre-ordered from May. You can start booking tickets
a few days after the programme is out. Please note that, although the
programme itself is free, there is a postage and packing charge."

Now I just have to decide whether to purchase the airfare. So far I've always chickened out this year!

WillTravel

One more question - what's a typical price for a ticket for a production without any known stars?

bardo1

Will,

Best of luck w/ air & lodging. I'm not familiar with those hotels. Book ASAP.

You're going to LOVE Edinburgh during festival season.

Have a list of all the events you're interested in and mark your calendar to pounce the second they go on sale.

caroline_edinburgh

Yes, Roberston's Close is as central as it gets for the majority of Fringe venues - you can walk to just about anywhere. It may be a little noisy as it is right in the Old Town & near several pubs & clubs; but I used to live very near there & it didn't bother me. And during the festivals it all adds to the festival atmosphere ! It will be very safe too as there will always be people about at that time of year. £23pp is very good indeed.

Prices for Fringe tickets vary from about £5 to £15 on the whole. Obviously you pay more for a professional international theatre company somewhere like the Traverse theatre than for a bunch of students in a church hall.

ben_haines_london

About two miles south of the city centre is a big area of student halls, called Pollock Halls, and they often have Festival rooms until June. Their web address is http://www.edinburghfirst.com/accomm...tion-index.asp. Google found it under Edinburgh First Accomodation. You can hire a bicycle in Edinburgh, or use busses.

Ben Haines, London
[email protected]

CotswoldScouser

Overcommitting to Fringe shows in advance deprives you of one of the great pleasures in life: meandering round Edinburgh choosing what to see practically at random.

The thousands of performers in Fringe shows spend most of their non-performing, non-boozing time (sleep is traditionally pretty low on their priority lists) out on the streets handing out flyers, performing snippets or indulging in practically any other stunt they can dream up to whip up an audience.

Whatever reviews or critics may say, there really is no reliable way of predicting which show will rock your particular boat. Ticket availability late in the season merely tells you how good a show's promotional skills are: this has near-zero correlation with its quality and absolutely zero correlation with whether you'll like it.

Take a decent Dayplanner, and just make sure you fill it with 12 shows or so a day. It really doesn't matter much whether they're any good.

WillTravel

Seeing 12 shows per day sounds great. On the other hand, even if we got the 5-pound tickets, that would be 120 pounds per day with two of us, which sounds a bit much. My daughter will be 15 then - is she eligible for any discounts?

caroline_edinburgh

flanner, you have a point when you say "Overcommitting to Fringe shows in advance deprives you of one of the great pleasures in life: meandering round Edinburgh choosing what to see practically at random." On the other hand I do find it tends to reduce the amount of cr*p you end up wasting an hour of your life at.

Good general rule : don't go to anything by students. (I can think of about 2 honourable exceptions in 13 years of seeing at least 50 shows per festival season.

I find 3-4 shows a day enough, on days when I'm not working, although I may have occasionally managed 5 or 6 to take advantage of special offers - e.g. when seeing all of the Traverse's first wave of shows in preview on the same day.

There are preview prices & 2 for 1 on the first weekend, but you won't be there then. Not sure of any discounts for youth - not something that applies to me, sadly But I don't think so.

The International Festival generally has some special deals on, but you haven't said whether you are interested in that ?

Robertson's Close is much more convenient than the Pollock Halls for Fringe venues - you'll be right in the thick of it, & that's what I'd prefer - but Pollock Halls may be posher.

WillTravel

Now we're in for it!

I purchased tickets for Aug. 21 - Sept. 1, SEA-EDI and TXL (Berlin) - SEA, on Continental.

We're going to take EasyJet from Glasgow to Berlin. I'll start another thread about how to divvy up our time between these three places.

I had to pay for the accommodation at Edinburgh Metro upfront at the SYHA site. It is cancellable with a fee of 10%. I chose four nights, with the idea that we'll probably have one night in Glasgow pre-departure for Berlin, and then five nights in Berlin (I really like that city, and I know my daughter will too). Other booking sites that don't require full prepayment had Edinburgh Metro available, but not for all the days.

I also got travel insurance.

caroline_edinburgh

Well done ! Confused, though - I thought you said this was university accommo, but now it seems it's a youth hostel ? Still great location for the Fringe, anyway.

WillTravel

Caroline, it is both. The Scottish Youth Hostel Association rents out this university accommodation every summer, and the only thing on offer for this place is private rooms.

caroline_edinburgh

Ah, I see !