Sam Brooks Photo: Supplied
For three weeks in August every year, thousands of artists descend on Edinburgh for the largest performing arts festival in the world. This year, 3317 artists performed at the Fringe Festival across hundreds of venues, including stars such as Miriam Margoyles and Hannah Gadsby.
The Fringe Festival dates back to 1947 when eight theatre groups turned up to the Edinburgh International Festival uninvited. The International Festival was created to celebrate European cultural life post-war. Performing on the fringes of the festival, the theatre groups forged ahead and staged their shows, naming it the Edinburgh Fringe.
With a growing number of performers following the trend each year, the Festival Fringe Society was formed in 1958 in response, giving artists information. But in the spirit of the fringe the festival remains open to all and they don’t vet the programme.
This year, viral moments have provided inspiration for performers. There’s Willy's Candy Spectacular: A Musical Parody, following the infamous and dismal Willy Wonka Experience in Glasgow this year and I Wish You Well: The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski-Trial Musical.
For a festival which takes over the city, accommodation can be hard to find - especially if you’re unorganised. Queen Margaret University is offering a ‘festival campus’ for the first time on the eastern outskirts of the city.
Playwright Sam Brooks has been soaking up the festival at Edinburgh and joins Culture 101 from the ground in Scotland.
