Satirical swipes at the political establishment, apocalyptic visions of the future and more jokes than ever before – visitors to this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe which opens on Saturday will be treated to a typically cynical view of the world.
More than 240 venues in the city will be competing to attract audiences to appreciate ever-more inventive critiques of global capitalism: at the Pleasance Courtyard, The Meeting promises “form-busting comedy installation set in an actual boardroom”.
In The Transaction, at the Space on the Mile@The Radisson, things get more surreal as “disillusioned bankers make off with government money ... until a dying pimp, and philosophical sheep get involved...”
Hundreds of comedy routines will also take their digs at the difficulties facing politicians as they seek to restore public confidence in their handling of the economy.
But the biggest smiles will be on the faces of the festival organisers, as the Fringe defies the effects of worsening economic conditions and prepares to set box office records.
The Fringe has more than doubled its ticket sales over the last 10 years, reaching a peak of 1.7m sales last year. This year it is putting on more shows, 2,088, than before and, despite glitches with a new box office system, hopes to beat that record once more.
Jon Morgan, director of the Fringe, said the effects of the economic downturn could benefit the festival.
“The credit crunch is affecting everyone in the country at the moment but the Fringe still represents fantastic value for people. Many of the shows cost less than £10 and hundreds of shows are free.”
If lots of people chose not to go abroad during August, I think that the Fringe performers might benefit as people will be looking for entertainment closer to home,” he said.
The good news for the Fringe is also good news for the economy of Edinburgh – a study published in 2004 estimated the festival’s contribution to the city to be worth £75m a year.
The Fringe is the biggest, and certainly the brashest, part of the Edinburgh summer festival season.
But the Edinburgh International Festival, which caters for lovers of unashamedly highbrow culture, is also faring well. More than £1m worth of tickets were sold in the first two days of advance ticket sales alone, and organisers say they are cautiously optimistic the festival will make a profit.
Last year’s festival, the first under its new director Jonathan Mills, more than covered its £8.1m costs, helping it to make inroads into a deficit which once stood at £1m but has now been reduced to £196,000.
Sponsorship for the festival is as healthy as ever with Standard Life, one of its principal supporters, renewing its contribution this year with a new three-year deal.
The festival, which opens on Friday, has focused on attracting more young people to its events in recent years. This year it will continue to make tickets for some events available to people aged 26 and under for just £6.
The theme of the festival – “Artists without Borders” – will attract more than 2,000 artists from countries including Bosnia, Georgia, the Palestinian territories, Israel and Iran.
Mr Mills said this year’s festival would reflect on its original mission, as stated in its founding year of 1947, to “rebuild a sense of community in a continent which had torn itself apart.”
The clamour of summer life in Edinburgh – other events include the Military Tattoo, the Book Festival, the Art Festival, the Mela, the International Film Festival, the Jazz and Blues Festival and the Festival of Politics – has spawned a new festival, founded last year: the Festival of Spirituality and Peace, which is this year dedicated to the “well-being of people and the planet” – a welcome refuge for the estimated 500,000 visitors expected to visit the city over the next few weeks.
