92-530: Underbelly is a live events producer and venue operator, known as one of the "Big Four" venue operators at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe . From its roots as a Fringe venue, the company has expanded to include a festival on London 's South Bank and seasonal events in Edinburgh and elsewhere. Underbelly was founded in 2000 by directors Ed Bartlam and Charlie Wood to operate one venue at
184-631: A brand new large box office was created in one of the rooms off the front alley, which freed up the old box office to become a larger and more usable publicity office with a sofa and coffee. The shows at the Underbelly venue won a record number of awards, including the Perrier Award for Jackson's Way ; Fringe First Awards for The Ignatius Trail , Manchester Girl and The Jammer ; Perrier Newcomer Nomination for Joanna Neary in Joanna Neary
276-484: A church building ( Poole 's Synod Hall), which was converted to a cinema, and where the Saltire complex was subsequently built in the early 1990s. The new Traverse Theatre opened here in 1993. It had a 700-seat marquee auditorium, which hosted, among other things, opera, even though the organisers had been told it was no such place for the artform. The venue also took over the nearby Heriot-Watt Students' Association and
368-546: A comedy venue in the former J. & R. Allan's department store on Cowgate . A 3am late licence made it a home for late-night socialising for comedians, and the raucous late-night show Late 'n' Live was started there. In 1988, the Society moved from 170 High Street to expanded headquarters at 158–166 High Street on the Royal Mile , with an extension leading back towards the former Wireworks Building. The basement became
460-546: A converted shop and basement at 170 High Street. The International Festival, now under the direction of John Drummond, became more accommodating towards the Fringe in the late 1970s and some successful Fringe performers transferred to perform works at the Festival. These included Richard Crane and Faynia Williams, who in 1981 produced a sell-out version of The Brothers Karamazov for the Festival, after having been successful in
552-469: A lack of venues, but just as that limit seemed to be being reached, groups began to find more efficient ways of sharing spaces. Venues could be fully utilised from 10am to 2am, with up to seven different groups throughout the day. The sharing led to the rise of bigger, more centralised venues. Rents increased too, with a venue like Heriot-Watt Students' Union doubling their rent in three years. In 1986, promoter Karen Koren established The Gilded Balloon as
644-623: A large, upside-down, inflatable purple cow which serves as one of the venues. In 2015, Underbelly hosted over 130 shows at the Fringe. For many years, Underbelly also co-ordinated "Edinburgh's Christmas" - a funfair, market and events programme in the eastern section of Princes Street Gardens , but stopped in 2022. In 2009, in collaboration with the Southbank Centre in London, the company launched Udderbelly Festival, an eight-week programme of comedy, circus and family entertainment inside
736-405: A list of shows under the title "Other Events" in their omnibus festival brochure, but it was printer C. J. Cousland who was the first to publish a listings guide, in 1954. This was funded by participating companies and was entitled "Additional Entertainments", since the name "Fringe" was still not yet in regular usage. By that year, the Fringe was attracting around a dozen companies, and a meeting
828-451: A major Fringe figure. John Cairney is credited with pioneering the one-man Fringe show with his show based on Robert Burns , There Was A Man , in 1965, although Elspeth Douglas Reid had done her One Woman Theatre as early as 1955. American Nancy Cole played Gertrude Stein in 1969 and continued to do so until 1985. Over the first two decades of the Fringe, each performing group used its own performing space, or venue. However, by
920-456: A new all-year-round multi-arts festival venue, containing ten performance spaces, opened in the former Royal (Dick) Veterinary School under the name Summerhall . City of Edinburgh Council Other parties (52) The City of Edinburgh Council ( Scottish Gaelic : Comhairle Baile Dhùn Èideann ) is the local government authority covering the City of Edinburgh council area. Almost half of
1012-408: A number of locations around the city. The internet began to have an impact in 2000 with the launch of the Fringe's official website, which sold more than half a million tickets online by 2005. The following year, a Half Price Ticket Tent, run in association with Metro newspaper, started offering special ticket prices for different shows each day. This sold 45,000 tickets in its first year. In 2008,
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#17327879244991104-416: A private company to decide how many people they can have in their homes" and warned that it impacted private family events. During the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Edinburgh festival, and the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Hogmanay celebrations, Underbelly have been criticised for exploitation and mistreatment of its staff, with accusations of underpayment and non-payment, poor accommodation for its staff, and poor management. In
1196-548: A separate collection of spaces dedicated to providing support for Fringe participants during their time at the festival. The Fringe board of directors is drawn from members of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, many of whom are Fringe participants themselves – performers or venue operators. Elections are held once a year, in August, and board members serve a term of four years. The Board appoints
1288-463: A show there. The location's and Double Edge's shows won a Fringe First for its critically acclaimed productions of Bent and Marat Sade. The venue now includes a number of different performance spaces, with themed names such as Iron Belly, White Belly and Big Belly. The Belly Laugh (originally the Belly Bar) was also used for late night cabaret as well as the venue's second bar. Space downstairs which
1380-618: A single-tier council area . The council became "City of Edinburgh Council" and provides all local government services within the council area. Today Edinburgh's council remains headed by the Lord Provost of Edinburgh , with six Bailies appointed by the council at large. Many of Edinburgh council ceremonies and traditions date back to the days of the Edinburgh Corporation, such as the Edinburgh Ceremony of
1472-546: A standard to which other companies on the Fringe aspired. The Traverse is occasionally referred to as "The Fringe venue that got away", reflecting its current status as a permanent and integral part of the Edinburgh arts scene. The Pleasance , a venue since the first year of the Fringe, was also important in setting the artistic tone. Christopher Richardson, founder of the Pleasance Theatre Trust , became
1564-522: A state of disrepair by the 1560s, and was cramped, housing both the expanding Town Council of Edinburgh, and the Parliament of Scotland . Queen Mary believed the situation was intolerable, and requested extensive renovations. By 1639 Edinburgh Town Council paid for a new building, called Parliament House , to be constructed nearby for the Parliament to meet in so they would no longer have to share
1656-415: A two-tier system of upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. A new district called "City of Edinburgh" was created, covering the former city and county of the city of Edinburgh as well as the former burgh of Queensferry , the district of Kirkliston and part of Winchburgh (from West Lothian ), and the district of Currie and the parish of Cramond (from Midlothian ). The governing body for the new district
1748-419: A vast free showcase of events held on The Meadows – was cancelled when a sponsor could not be secured. The "Big Four" venues - Assembly , Gilded Balloon , The Pleasance and Underbelly - also decided to market themselves as Edinburgh Comedy Festival , which drew criticism from some quarters. After an interim period, during which Tim Hawkins, formerly general manager of Brighton Komedia took charge,
1840-608: A version of the medieval morality play " Everyman " in Dunfermline Abbey , about 20 miles north, across the River Forth in Fife. These groups aimed to take advantage of the large assembled theatre crowds to showcase their own alternative theatre. Although at the time it was not recognised as such, this was the first Edinburgh Festival Fringe . This meant that two defining features of the future Fringe were established at
1932-607: Is Not Feeling Herself ; and an Amnesty Award nomination for Someone Who'll Watch Over Me . In December 2019, Underbelly came under scrutiny for acquiring the East Princes Street Gardens without planning permission. The markets were marked by safety concerns that were kept secret by the City of Edinburgh Council and for the subsequent damage done to the gardens from their operations, that also included criticism over handling of memorial benches moved to make way for
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#17327879244992024-551: Is designated as green belt , at the north-western and western edge of the main urban area (beyond the River Almond , Cammo estate, West Craigs and Gogar within the Almond ward ), and the council area extends around 4 miles (6.4 km) further west from the urban area, taking in the hamlets of Ingliston and Turnhouse adjacent to Edinburgh Airport , the separate villages of Kirkliston , Newbridge , Ratho Station , and
2116-412: Is no selection committee, and anyone may participate, with any type of performance. The official Fringe Programme categorises shows into sections for theatre, comedy, dance, physical theatre , circus , cabaret , children's shows, musicals , opera, music, spoken word , exhibitions, and events. Comedy is the largest section, making up over one-third of the programme, and the one that in modern times has
2208-623: Is now used for Belly Dance was used to exhibit a film installation by Nick Hornby . In 2002, The Underbelly was renamed The Smirnoff Underbelly. The number of performance spaces was increased to include the Belly Button and Belly Laugh comedy venues and a third bar, the Jelly Belly, to the first floor. The number of shows increased from 18 to over 50. In 2003, the Belly Dancer was soundproofed to ensure that it can be used throughout
2300-431: Is the world's largest performance arts festival, which in 2024 spanned 25 days, sold more than 2.6 million tickets and featured more than 51,446 scheduled performances of 3,746 different shows across 262 venues from 60 different countries. Of those shows, the largest section was comedy, representing almost 40% of shows, followed by theatre, which was 26.6% of shows. Established in 1947 as an unofficial offshoot to (and on
2392-614: The Almeida Theatre , ATC, Cheek By Jowl , Cherub, Cliff Hanger, Entertainment Machine, Hull Truck , Kick Theatre, Lumiere and Son, Medieval Players and Trickster were regulars. In 1983, the Fringe joined with the International Festival, Edinburgh Tattoo and the Film Festival to promote Edinburgh as 'The Festival City' for the first time. Moffatt believed the growth of the Fringe would stop due to
2484-601: The Merchant Company of Edinburgh , the Incorporated Trades of Edinburgh and The High Constables of Edinburgh formed part of the corporation, contributing councillors and law enforcement officers. The Edinburgh Corporation had the power to institute these organisations via the granting of a "Seal of Cause". This empowered the societies as "a legal corporation with power to hold property, make its own by-laws and regulations". Other organisations to receive
2576-636: The Old Tolbooth next to St Giles' Cathedral . A Tolbooth is the main municipal building of a Scottish burgh providing council meeting chambers, a court house and a jail. The Old Tolbooth of Edinburgh was unique in that it housed both the Edinburgh Town Council and the Scottish Parliament. As a Royal Burgh the council was convened by a Lord Provost , who was assisted by a team of bailies . The Tolbooth had fallen into
2668-875: The Rekorderlig Cider Lodge at Southbank Centre's Winter Festival. In 2015, Underbelly produced the official Fanzone at the Rugby Union World Cup in Richmond. Elsewhere, the company produced the Comedy Hullabaloo in Stratford-Upon-Avon (2013–15) and the Udderbelly Festival in Hong Kong . The Underbelly is a venue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe off Cowgate . From 2001 to 2004, Underbelly
2760-572: The University of Edinburgh set up a drop-in centre in the YMCA , where cheap food and a bed for the night were made available to participating groups. Late-night revues, which would become a feature of Fringes, began to appear in the early 1950s. The first one was the New Drama Group's After The Show , a series of sketches taking place after Donald Pleasence 's Ebb Tide , in 1952. Among
2852-433: The "Seal of Cause" include The Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh , who received their seal on 2 July 1800. The history of the corporation lives on elsewhere around the city, for example in the name of the members of Muirfield golf club , who were granted a charter by the corporation in 1800 becoming "The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers". The Corporation also awarded trophies to Edinburgh institutions, such as
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2944-619: The "fringe" of) the Edinburgh International Festival , it takes place in Edinburgh every August. The combination of Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival has become a world-leading celebration of arts and culture, surpassed only by the Olympics and the World Cup in terms of global ticketed events. It is an open-access (or " unjuried ") performing arts festival, meaning that there
3036-668: The 2018 Fringe Festival, Underbelly were criticised for unfair labour practices in the course of the Fair Fringe campaign to ensure the companies paid the minimum wage, observed legal limits on working hours and did not use unpaid volunteers. Edinburgh Festival Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as the Edinburgh Fringe , the Fringe or the Edinburgh Fringe Festival )
3128-720: The Canongate suburb merged into the city of Edinburgh in 1856, and the Canongate Tolbooth was abandoned, the north range of the Royal Exchange became too crowded once again and in 1893 the Council bought back the rest of the old Royal Exchange building and renamed it as the Edinburgh City Chambers. The City Chambers continues to be the council's meeting place and official headquarters. In 2006
3220-500: The City of Edinburgh Council. The first election to the City of Edinburgh District Council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 16 May 1975. A shadow authority was again elected in 1995 ahead of the reforms which came into force on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1975 has been as follows: City of Edinburgh District Council City of Edinburgh Council The leaders of
3312-753: The Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In 2001, Underbelly Limited was formed to turn the Underbelly venue into a professional operation. Over the years, Underbelly's operations have expanded beyond the Cowgate, to include a hub space known as the Udderbelly pasture in George Square and a Circus Hub on The Meadows , as well as a hub in Bristo Square . Each Underbelly venue is recognisable by its purple, cow-themed branding, most notably
3404-553: The Fringe Society's Chief Executive (formerly known as the Fringe Administrator or Director). The Chief Executive operates under the chair. Phoebe Waller-Bridge , whose show Fleabag was performed at the Fringe in 2013 before it was adapted for television, was named the first-ever President of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society in 2021. The planned 2020 Fringe Festival was suspended along with all of
3496-403: The Fringe ascended to its current position as the largest arts festival in the world. This was a deliberate policy by Moffat, who found it difficult to promote the Fringe on merit given the Society's position of neutrality. Increasing show numbers was therefore a way of attracting more attention. At this point, the Fringe operated on only two full-time members of staff. In 1977, the office moved to
3588-489: The Fringe became too big for students and volunteers to deal with. Eventually in 1969, the Fringe Society became a constituted body, and in 1970 it employed its first administrator, John Milligan. He started work in January 1971, originally on a part-time basis, but it became clear after a few weeks that the role would have to be permanent. Milligan was responsible for a number of innovations which remain in place today, such as
3680-566: The Fringe during the '70s. The early 1980s saw the arrival of the "super-venue" – locations that contained multiple performing spaces. By 1981 when William Burdett-Coutts set up the Assembly Theatre in the empty Georgian building Assembly Rooms on George Street (formerly the EIF Festival Club), the investment in staging, lighting and sound meant that the original amateur or student theatricals were left behind. In
3772-456: The Fringe faced its biggest crisis so far when the computerised ticketing system failed. The events surrounding the failed box office software led to the resignation of Fringe Director Jon Morgan after only one full year in post. The resultant financial loss suffered by the Fringe Society was estimated at £300,000, which it was forced to meet from its reserves, although other sources report this at £900,000. These events attracted much comment from
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3864-504: The Fringe had taken the form of student revues. Now stand-up was becoming a feature. According to Alexei Sayle , "The Fringe then was entirely University revues and plays; there was not a single piece of stand-up comedy until me and Tony [Allen] arrived." Comedy began an ascent which would see it become the biggest section of the programme by 2008. Moffat resigned as the Fringe Society Administrator in 1981 and
3956-423: The Fringe head's basic administrative function. A report into the failure was commissioned from accountancy firm Scott-Moncrieff. Several venues now use their own ticketing systems; this is partly due to issues of commissions and how ticket revenue is distributed, but was reinforced by this 2008 failure of the main box office. The same year, other incidents conspired to add to the negative publicity. Fringe Sunday –
4048-689: The Fringe should not have allowed either venue. By 1988, there was, according to former Fringe Administrator Michael Dale, a feeling that "smaller venues may lose out, but this case may be overstated... The episode of the super-venues, the Assembly Rooms in particular, has some way to go yet". Student shows continued to thrive with the National Student Theatre Company, National Youth Music Theatre, Cambridge Mummers, Oxford Theatre Group and Bradford University producing well-received new work. Among professional companies,
4140-562: The Fringe were established by the creators of the Traverse Theatre , John Calder , Jim Haynes and Richard Demarco , in 1963. While their original objective was to maintain something of the Festival atmosphere in Edinburgh all year round, the Traverse Theatre quickly and regularly presented cutting-edge drama to an international audience at both the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe during August. It set
4232-586: The Keys , where the Lord Provost symbolically hands the keys to the City of Edinburgh to the monarch, who hands them back to the Lord Provost proclaiming "that they cannot be placed in better hands than those of the Lord Provost and Councillors of my good City of Edinburgh". The council continues to meet in the Edinburgh City Chambers and also holds and maintains properties from the days of
4324-467: The Little Lyceum. In total, it hosted 38 companies. The next year it became a "tented village", with several smaller tents. Malcolm Hardee made his debut here as part of The Greatest Show On Legs . In 1982 the enterprise lost £28,000, and in 1983 there were further criticisms related to over-charging, over-crowding and inadequate facilities. The Circuit was not repeated, but it had demonstrated
4416-590: The Old Tolbooth. In 1753 Edinburgh Town Council commissioned the construction of a new Royal Exchange as a meeting place for the city merchants, intended to rival the Royal Exchange of London . However the merchants preferred to carry on meeting at the Mercat Cross . Given the conditions of the Old Tolbooth and the underused status of the Royal Exchange, the council moved into the north range of
4508-483: The Royal Exchange in 1811 while a new fit for purpose permanent presence could be planned, and the Old Tolbooth was demolished. The former location of the Old Tolbooth (fully demolished in 1817) is now marked by the Heart of Midlothian , a heart-shaped sett in the paving of Edinburgh's Royal Mile. The only remaining part of the Old Tolbooth is a door which Walter Scott recovered and added to his home Abbotsford . After
4600-513: The UK and world media. More debts emerged as the year went on, and an independent report criticised the Board and the current and previous Fringe Directors for a failure of management and an inability to provide the basic service. The Board eventually decided that the post of "Director" (instituted in 1992 in lieu of "Fringe Administrator") would be abolished and replaced by a Chief Executive, to reinforce
4692-401: The burgh was granted the right to appoint its own sheriff by James III in a charter dated 16 November 1482. This had the effect of making the town a county of itself , separating it from the jurisdiction of the surrounding county of Midlothian (which was formally called the "county of Edinburgh" or Edinburghshire until 1947). The burgh was subsequently described as the "city and county of
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#17327879244994784-456: The bypass. However, aside from the village of Ratho and Riccarton (location of Heriot-Watt University ), the increasingly distant suburbs in this area along the A70 road – Baberton , Juniper Green , Currie and Balerno – are considered to be part of the locality of Edinburgh as their postcodes remain in a 'chain' with the rest of the city. Almond and Pentland Hills are by far the largest of
4876-602: The city of Edinburgh" to distinguish it from the surrounding "county of Edinburgh" (Midlothian). Until 1975 the governing body of the city was formally called the "Lord Provost, Magistrates and Council of the City and Royal Burgh of Edinburgh", but was generally termed "Edinburgh Corporation". As such, the Edinburgh Corporation was responsible for local government services, such as the Edinburgh Corporation Transport Department ( Edinburgh Corporation Tramways until 1928). Bodies such as
4968-526: The city's other major summer festivals. This came as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak in the early months of the year, with concerns of spreading the virus any further. The 2021 festival took place during 6–30 August 2021, though it was much reduced in size, with 528 shows in person and 414 online. The 2022 festival took place from 5–29 August 2022 and marked a return to pre-pandemic levels, with 3,334 shows. Fifty were livestreamed, by NextUp Comedy , for
5060-735: The club also provided a significant space for after-hours socialising at a time when Edinburgh's strict licensing laws meant a 10pm pub closing time. For a time, the main ticket office was in the University Chaplaincy Centre, and then in the Royal Mile Centre on the High Street. Although the Fringe was now associated with the High Street, areas like the New Town , West End and Morningside were also prominent in this period. Problems then began to arise as
5152-770: The corporation, such as Lauriston Castle (which is used to host the Lord Provost's garden party), the Assembly Rooms and the Church Hill Theatre . Although no longer formally part of the City of Edinburgh Council, it retains a relationship with the Merchants Company , Incorporated Trades and High Constables of Edinburgh . The office of Lord Dean of Guild now operates from the Merchant Company of Edinburgh, and continues to issue Burgess tickets to create Burgesses of Edinburgh alongside
5244-469: The council since 1996 have been: Members of the council represent 17 wards . As a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 , multi-member wards were introduced for the 2007 election, each electing three or four councillors by the single transferable vote system, to produce a form of proportional representation . Previously each of 58 wards elected one councillor by the first past
5336-504: The council area is the built-up area of Edinburgh , capital of Scotland . With a population of 514,990 in 2022, it is the second most populous local authority area in Scotland . The council took on its current form in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 , replacing the City of Edinburgh District Council of the Lothian region, which had been created in 1975. The history of local government in Edinburgh, however, stretches back much further. Around 1130, David I made
5428-414: The council borders of Edinburgh, but are considered part of the Edinburgh settlement (urban area). Thus the local authority area cannot be described wholly as an urban environment, whilst parts of the urban area of Edinburgh lie outside the council area. 506,520 10,400 5,280 2,230 1,270 Before 1368 the city was run from a pretorium (a Latin term for Tolbooth ), and later from around 1400 from
5520-433: The council built a new building called Waverley Court at 4 East Market Street to be the council's administrative offices. With the passage of the City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Act 2014, the council can appropriate Portobello Park for educational purposes. The council has been at the centre of several corruption scandals in recent years, including allegations of possible fraud, wrong-doing and incompetence in
5612-417: The council's wards by area due to their low population density balancing against that of inner-city wards. In contrast to the hinterland in the west, the local authority boundary with East Lothian in the east of the city (north of the end of the bypass within the Portobello/Craigmillar ward ) is at the Brunstane Burn at Eastfield ; the adjoining town of Musselburgh , and Wallyford beyond, are not within
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#17327879244995704-420: The day without disrupting other performances. This allowed Underbelly to team up with Forth One 97.3 to host a series of free live music gigs every night in the Belly Dancer, known as the Forth One Fringe. These gigs have included Mark Owen , Ocean Colour Scene and Skin and Keane In 2004, the Delhi Belly space was added. The bars were rearranged to create more space and ease congestion and queuing. Finally,
5796-404: The distinction of second citizen of Edinburgh, after the Lord Provost. Like the Corporation of the City of London , Burgess Tickets were often awarded along with a 'Freedom Casket' – a container to hold the ticket. In 1975, Edinburgh Corporation was abolished under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 , which abolished the counties and burghs of Scotland as administrative areas and brought in
5888-399: The established Edinburgh Book Festival and Fringe manager Kath Mainland was appointed in February 2009 to stabilise the situation, becoming the Fringe's first Chief Executive. Comedy finally surpassed theatre as the biggest section of the programme in 2008, with 660 comedy entries to 599. In 2009, theSpaceUK launched their multi-space complex at the Royal College of Surgeons . In 2011,
5980-449: The first central Fringe ticket office. Not long afterwards came the first complaints that the Fringe had become too big. Director Gerard Slevin claimed in 1961 that "it would be much better if only ten halls were licensed". In the 1960s and 1970s, the Fringe began to establish its reputation for size and variety and the tension between it and the more formal International Festival became of mutual benefit. The artistic credentials of
6072-524: The first time ever since the founding of The Fringe, in an effort to stay true to The Fringe Society's 2022 vision of equality and inclusiveness. The 2025 festival is scheduled from August 1 to 25. The Fringe started life when eight theatre companies turned up uninvited to the inaugural Edinburgh International Festival in 1947. With the International Festival using the city's major venues, these companies took over smaller, alternative venues for their productions. Seven performed in Edinburgh, and one undertook
6164-431: The highest public profile, due in part to the Edinburgh Comedy Awards . The Festival is supported by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society , which publishes the programme, sells tickets to all events from a central physical box office and website, and offers year-round advice and support to performers. The Society's permanent location is at the Fringe Shop on the Royal Mile , and in August they also manage Fringe Central,
6256-541: The late 1960s, the concept of sharing a venue became popular, principally as a means of cutting costs. It soon became common for halls to host up to six or seven different shows per day. The obvious next step was to partition a venue into two or more performing spaces; the majority of today's major venues fit into this category. For many years, the Fringe Club (variously in the High Street from 1971 and at Teviot Row House from 1981) provided nightly showcases of Fringe fare to allow audiences to sample shows. In its earlier years
6348-425: The market. An investigation into the £150,000 damage to the gardens caused by the market has been launched. In response, Edinburgh council agreed to consider moving the markets, and launched an internal investigation into whether correct processes were followed in granting a two-year contract extension to the operator. Further criticism has arisen after the longstanding tradition of the Loony Dook , held annually on
6440-426: The morning of January 1 every year, became a ticketed event which quickly sold out. Underbelly has been criticised for profiteering from a public tradition, as well as raising the price of tickets for profit. Underbelly, in collaboration with Edinburgh city council, came under criticism in 2019 for restrictions on residents during Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebration. The company restricted access to residents and limited
6532-400: The new ticket office. Its current headquarters are at 180 High Street. Acts included The Jim Rose Circus , who performed in 2008, and Tokyo Shock Boys who performed in 1994. The Fringe Club ceased operation in 2004, but various venues still provide "the Best of the Fest" and similar. A computerised booking system was first installed in the early 1990s, allowing tickets to be bought at
6624-446: The number of guests they could invite by providing a limited number of "residents' passes" per household. The company was also accused of passing on resident's details to police for 'security checks'. The claims were disputed by councillors, who stated the arrangements were "just the same as they have been in previous years". Labour party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothian , Sarah Boyack , said that it "should not be up to
6716-545: The numbering system for venues and the Fringe map in the brochure, and he was also credited with establishing the co-operative spirit of the Fringe. He left in 1976. Between 1976 and 1981, under the direction of Alistair Moffat , the number of companies performing rose from 182 to 494, and new venues such as St Columba's in Newington came on board. Moffat also expanded the street performance aspect and brought in sponsorship deals, particularly local breweries. In this way,
6808-487: The post system of election. The last election to the council was held on Thursday, 5 May 2022. Due to an increase in the city's population, five extra seats on the council were added in 2017, along with some minor ward boundary changes. Election results since 1995 have been as follows: The council area borders the Firth of Forth to the north, East Lothian to the east, Midlothian to the south east, Scottish Borders to
6900-640: The potential for temporary venues at the Fringe, which are now a familiar sight. Even with the rise of super venues, there was still theatre done on a shoestring, but several cultural entrepreneurs had raised the stakes to the point where a venue like Aurora (St Stephen's Church, Stockbridge ) could hold its head up in any major world festival. However, in 1982, 24% of the Fringe was housed in The Circuit/Assembly, both of which were being commercially marketed, and this attracted complaints, including from Traverse Theatre founder, Richard Demarco, who felt
6992-673: The same year, the YMCA in South St Andrew Street, which had been an important venue since the early days, closed. However, the subsequent rise in prominence of the Assembly Rooms meant there was now a balance in the Fringe between the Old Town and the New Town, with Princes Street in the middle. Fringe Sunday started in the High Street in 1981 and moved, through pressure of popularity, to Holyrood Park in 1983. Fringe Sunday
7084-409: The second Edinburgh International Festival : Round the fringe of official Festival drama, there seems to be more private enterprise than before ... I am afraid some of us are not going to be at home during the evenings! The word "fringe" had in fact been used in a review of Everyman in 1947, when a critic remarked it was a shame the show was so far out "on the fringe of the Festival". In 1950, it
7176-647: The silver arrow presented as a prize for archery in 1714 to the Royal Company of Archers , and the silver golf club presented to the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers . The Edinburgh Corporation had the power to make Burgesses (freemen) of the City of Edinburgh. The Edinburgh Corporation awarded its Burgess Tickets through the Lord Dean of Guild , an office in the Corporation holding
7268-654: The small town of South Queensferry beside the Forth Bridges . These are all considered to be separate localities in the Scottish Government's statistics on the basis of being separate urban areas. South of this, the Pentland Hills ward has a similar semi-rural profile: its furthest point is over 7 miles (11 km) from the A720, and Wester Hailes is its only component neighbourhood within
7360-530: The south, and West Lothian to the west. About 45% of the council area is the urban area of Edinburgh, which is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth, particularly including the areas north of the A720 City of Edinburgh bypass . Edinburgh's city status attaches to the whole council area, despite the area including more rural parts outside the main urban area. The landscape changes to farmland, much of which
7452-485: The talent to appear in early Fringe revues were Ned Sherrin in 1955, and Ken Loach and Dudley Moore with the Oxford Theatre Group in 1958. Due to many reviewers only being able to attend Fringe events late night after the official festival was finished, the Fringe came to be seen as being about revues. It was a few years before an official programme for the Fringe was created. John Menzies compiled
7544-400: The town a royal burgh and a burgh council, based at the Old Tolbooth is recorded continuously from the 14th century. The council is currently based in Edinburgh City Chambers with a main office nearby at Waverley Court. The date of Edinburgh's formation as a burgh is unknown, but it is referred to as a royal burgh from the reign of David I (reigned 1124–1153). The town council of
7636-732: The upside-down purple cow venue. By 2015, the festival had extended to fifteen weeks. The festival won Best Festival at the London Lifestyle Awards in 2012. In 2012, Underbelly also launched London Wonderground, a programme of circus, cabaret and family entertainment, based in a 1920s Paradiso Spiegeltent . The Wonderground also presents oddities, curiosities and eccentricities such as the 60-metre high Star Flyer which gives views over London's rooftops. Other London events which Underbelly has produced include West End Live in Trafalgar Square, Pride in London (2014–18), and
7728-405: The very beginning – the lack of official invitations to perform and the use of unconventional venues. Originally, these groups referred to themselves as the "Festival Adjuncts" and were also referred to as the "semi-official" festival. It was not until the following year, 1948, that Robert Kemp , a Scottish playwright and journalist, is credited with coining the title "Fringe" when he wrote during
7820-623: Was called "City of Edinburgh District Council" and had responsibilities including town planning, cleansing and libraries. The district was included within the Lothian region, and Lothian Regional Council had responsibilities including water, education, social work and transport. In 1996, under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 , the Lothian Regional Council was abolished and the City of Edinburgh became
7912-402: Was drawn up, in which the policy of not vetting or censoring shows was set out, and the Society produced the first guide to Fringe shows. Nineteen companies participated in the Fringe in that year. By that time it provided a "complete... counter-festival programme" although efforts were still being made to gain publicity through the International Festival programme. The YMCA became established as
8004-580: Was held on the second Sunday of the Fringe when companies performed for free. Having outgrown even Holyrood Park, this showcase took place on The Meadows and continued until 2008. 1981 was a watershed for comedy at the Fringe too. It was the first year of the Perrier Awards , which ran until 2005 and are now known as the Edinburgh Comedy Awards . The alternative comedy scene was also beginning to take shape. Previously, comedy at
8096-430: Was held to discuss creating "a small organisation to act as a brain for the Fringe", or what The Scotsman called an "official unofficial festival". A first attempt was made to provide a central booking service in 1955 by students from the university, although it lost money, which was blamed on those who had not taken part. In 1956, the famous actor Donald Wolfit performed the solo show The Strong Are Lonely . This
8188-579: Was not part of the International Festival, yet nor was it in the Fringe Programme, leading him to question the value of the "Fringe": "Away with the Fringe. To an artist in the theatre there is no such thing as a fringe of art." Formal organisation progressed in 1959, with the formation of the Festival Fringe Society. The push for such an organisation was led by Michael Imison , director of Oxford Theatre Group. A constitution
8280-589: Was still being referred to in similar terms, with a small 'f': On the fringe of the official Festival there are many praiseworthy "extras," including presentations by the Scottish Community Drama Association and Edinburgh University Dramatic Society – Dundee Courier , 24 August 1950 Since it was not yet fully developed, much of the early years of the Fringe has gone unrecorded, except through anecdote. It did not benefit from any official organisation until 1951, when students of
8372-600: Was succeeded by Michael Dale, who changed the programme layout and helped the Fringe consolidate. The following year, 1982, The Circuit became a prominent venue. Run by the Actors Touring Company , it had operated in the south side of the city in 1980 and 1981, but in 1982 expanded into a piece of empty ground popularly known as "The Hole in The Ground" near the Usher Hall. This was once the site of
8464-528: Was the only venue operated by the promoter. Underbelly was first opened in 2000, as a small performance venue for five shows brought to the Fringe by Double Edge Drama. The Double Edge directors had heard of the venue through a production of Gargantua , performed by the Scottish company, Grid Iron in the vaults below the central library of Edinburgh . The site was discovered by Judith Doherty and named 'Underbelly' by Judith and Ben Harrison. Grid Iron staged
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