The Fringe - Too Rich For The Commoners?
Ten years ago, when I was a mere slip of a lad at Edinburgh University, I could slip ten pounds into my pocket, go out and see three or four fringe shows, buy a beer, and be back home before midnight. Those nights I would see one “banker” show and experiment with the other three.
This last week, at Fringe 2005, I’ve slipped ten pounds in my pocket, saw three or four shows a night, and be back home after midnight (damm nightbus service), after seeing one “banker” show and three experiments. What’s changed? Well as I’ve been reporting about the Fringe for the Fringe Podcast, the tickets to the shows I’ve been attending have been Press/Complimentary tickets. Of course the unspoken deal is that we give them a review on the site, and maybe if we like them get them onto the podcast, but I digress.
If I had been paying for these tickets, the best part of £40 would have been required. Throw in a beer and a deep fried mars bars, and I might have enough for my busfare home. If Vikki was coming along with me (and quite frankly who wants to go to a couple of comedy shows on their own) and the price of a night out, to try a few acts that may or may not be any good, is astronomical.
So what happens? More and more ‘big’ names come up to the Fringe, plaster their faces on buses, billboard, flyposters everywhere, and generally ensure that people come to see ‘the bloke off the telly,’ and the medium to small performers struggle along with a handful of posters, distributing as many flyers as their budget can afford, to try and get an audience of more than ten people a night. If they can fight through the ‘professional’ flyers from the big groups and monster venues.
It should be possible for a Fringe show to get a venue that will hold 20-30 people, for a month’s run in Edinburgh, and break even with around 50% ticket sales - and the tickets at a maximum of £5 so people will still want to impulse buy. As it is, if people have a dream of attending the Fringe and have a successful act on the variety or alternative circuit, they shouldn’t have to be resigned to loosing countless thousands of pounds just to be at the Fringe.
