A Preview of the 2009 Edinburgh, Scotland Fringe Festival

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It’s that time of year again, when the city of Edinburgh doubles in size as tourists from around the world arrive for the annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It’s the biggest arts festival in the world, with something for everyone: theatre, comedy, music, dance, exhibitions and much, much more. The Edinburgh, Scotland Fringe Festival is the number-one tourist attraction in the whole of Britain!

There is nothing better than wandering along the Royal Mile enjoying the street performers while mingling with the crowds and getting tips and tidbits on this year’s top shows. If our recommendations don’t suit you, then just head to the 2-for-1 booth on Prince’s Street just next to Waverley Station – bring your program guide with you and see if something else tickles your fancy. You’ll get a bargain regardless!

Here’s a preview of what is on offer this year along with some of our recommendations.

Comedy

In years past, locals have flocked to get a good laugh out of Pam Ann who amazingly has flown so much she’s able to imitate airline stewardesses from around the world.  Although she’s not here this year, you can still get similar rewards from Dixie’s Tupperware Party.

The annual Laughing Horse Free Comedy Festival is back this year and is a guaranteed riot.  And yes, it’s free.

Best of Scottish Comedy will keep you laughing as well as test your lingual skills – can you understand the Scottish accent?

If you spend much time online, then you’ll want to see Facebook Fables or Facebook the Musical where you can hear about other trials and tribulations of online networking!

Serious Plays

A return from last year, Richard Fry’s Bully is dark, poignant, and will leave a lasting impression.  It is probably the only play that will literally keep you on the edge of your seat for 50 minutes!

Crave seems like an ominous opportunity this year, with a tag line of “I want to play hide and seek”. It sounds like the four main characters confront a range of emotions during their performance.

Musicals

It is no surprise that the 2009 lineup includes Blow Up – The Credit Crunch Musical . Funny that the words “credit crunch” weren’t even in our vocabulary a year ago.

Rent, the 1980s Bohemian drama, is coming this year. It will be interesting to see the Edinburgh interpretation on this classic.

Burke and Hare: A Musical Play requires a bit of background Edinburgh knowledge, which you’ll no doubt get on one of your tours here. Burke and Hare were notorious murderers who snatched bodies and sold them back to the local universities to be used as science experiments. They’re Edinburgh legends who appear to be coming back to life on stage.

If You Go

This year’s Fringe Festival is August 7th to 31st. Be sure to book flights and accommodations in advance, as reservations can be difficult if not impossible to find at the last minute. Our Edinburgh Hotels Guide might be helpful if you’re trying to decide where to stay.

Restaurants get pretty busy as well – even establishments that take walk-ins eleven months of the year turn to a queuing system and reservations during August. So if you visit any of our recommended Edinburgh restaurants , you might consider phoning ahead, or inquire at your hotel or accommodation and they can advise you.

Edinburgh is a festival city, so don’t miss any of the other festivals that might strike your fancy, such as the Jazz and Blues Fest, Edinburgh Art Festival, or the oh-so-popular Edinburgh Book Festival , set in the grassy knoll of Charlotte Square.

Check out our Edinburgh Insider Guide for other key Edinburgh, Scotland travel information.