Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2006
6 – 28 August 2006
In it's 60th year, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is set to once again transform Edinburgh into a heaving hub of activity and innovation with what has become the largest arts festival in the world.
|
60 years since the first Edinburgh Fringe, and at the heart of it remains three defining features – none of the performers are invited to take part, they use small and unconventional theatre spaces and are obliged to take all of their own financial risks, flourishing or failing according to public demand.
The Fringe 2005 presented 26,995 performances of 1799 shows in almost 250 venues. It is increasingly recognized as the launching pad for the careers of aspiring performers, comedians and artists internationally.
(Read more about the background to the Fringe) |
 |
 |
Scotland plays more than just host to the festival, with Scottish productions aplenty. The Scottish Arts Council supports a range of arts organisations and artists appearing at the Fringe. Highlights include:
Drama and theatre
Dance
Music
 |
|
Issues relating to Faith and Religion commonly appear in the theatre programme. Trends are questionable however, as this, the 60th Edinburgh Fringe, is set to be just as huge and diverse as ever.
Companies and performers from all over the world will congregate to Edinburgh to present their theatrical work, but homegrown theatre talent can also be seen at the Fringe. |
As well as Scotland’s community and student acts, professional companies’ productions include The National Theatre of Scotland’s Blackwatch, an unauthorised biography of the Scottish regiment by Gregory Burke - a ‘searing piece of verbatim theatre’.
The Arches Theatre Company restages Beckett’s Krapp’s last tape and Rockaby, as well as presenting Neil Doherty’s potent, award-winning multi-media production Tone Clusters. The Traverse Theatre Company presents Petrol Jesus Nightmare #5 (In the time of the Messiah) by Fringe First winner Henry Adam, about the violent consequences of faith and belief; and Strawberries in January in association with Paines Plough - a UK version of a comedy of love and fate originally by Quebec writer Evelyn de la Cheneliere.
Other professional Scottish acts to look out for include Zendeh’s Khaki Nutshell’s Stars and David Leddy’s Reekie.
 |
|
SDT, Scotland’s leading dance theatre company will perform a brilliantly weird and wonderful work by Belgian choreographer Jan De Schynkel at Zoo Southside at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2006 |
Inspired by Shakespeare’s Sonnet 65 (‘how with this rage shall beauty hold a plea/whose action is no stronger than a flower’), Jan De Schynkel has conjured up another world with No Stronger Than A Flower – one packed to the rafters with high-energy, daring dance as well as tender and funny moments, coloured with an elaborate set and set to the atmospheric and richly dramatic sounds of Tom Waits, John Lurie and The Lounge Lizards.
DANCE ALL SORTS - A pick-and-mix jar full of goodies for your eyes, your mind and your body
Dance Base, National Centre for Dance, has revealed its deliciously tasty programme of performances, workshops and classes for the 2006 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Artistic Director Morag Deyes has handpicked a programme of contemporary, challenging and accessible work from Scotland and abroad with something for every taste, including six world and two UK premieres.
Dance Base also offers an unrivalled selection of classes and workshops for everyone from dance novices and children to professionals.
|
This award-winning building provides a calming, beautiful and focused atmosphere in which to enjoy dance during the hectic Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Start the day with something for all the family; Random Aspekts, Edinburgh’s top b-boy crew present a new hybrid of breakdancing, bodypopping and bedtime stories in Rock-a-Bye B.Boy (suitable for ages 8+). Then enjoy Dance Base’s rotational programme of four distinct selections of contemporary work in our specially created intimate black box studio. |
|
 |
Show 1 is a curious and beautiful selection of delicacies that will touch audiences both intellectually and spiritually. It includes the UK premiere of Iskandar Dance Co’s El Saqiyeh (The Waterwheel) direct from Egypt; Karl Jay-Lewin & Co’s world premiere of It’s about time, challenging conventions of time and space in our accelerating culture of speed.
 |
|
The magnetic Michael Popper’s Unbounded is set to a Judith Weir’s beautiful cello solo played live by William Conway, principle cellist of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. The programme concludes with the Curve Foundation’s world premiere of Beyond Prejudice, the choreographic debut of The Royal Ballet’s Jonathon Watkins. |
Show 2 is a zingy, fast, furious and in-yer-face blend of styles to be enjoyed by all – pure sensory sherbet, sizzling and bursting with flava! It opens with an extract of The Sound of Silence from India’s martial arts influenced contemporary dance theatre company Samudra a duet of ex members of Daksha Seth. Edinburgh’s own X Factor perform Certain shadows on the wall, an intense drum ‘n’ bass fuelled domestic feud taken from their 2001 production Deception and Show 2 ends with Freshmess’ latest offering, direct from its 2006, UK tour; Vinyl Lino is a funny and quirky look at the beginnings of breakdancing.
Show 3 is definitely for grown-ups; a theatrical programme of strong personalities and contemporary issues that gets up close and personal with men and women – not boys and girls. Jem Treays presents Walkie Talkie a magical personal solo satire on masculinity which experiments with the relationship between the voice and the body.
 |
|
Blue by Janis Claxton explores a series of possible truths, potential happenings and nervous dispositions in a piece that shows both Janis’ strength and vulnerability. The programme concludes with the world premiere of Norman Douglas & Co’s To Have and to Hold, a tale of Four Strong Women that examines how recent changes in the roles of women in society have by proxy changed the expectations of men and vice versa. |
Show 4 is a single programme that presents the world premiere of Rosie Kay Dance Company’s dance theatre extravaganza The Wild Party. Suitable for audiences of 14+ this voyeuristic soiree explores the idea that the only way to success is excess. Featuring a live three-piece jazz band The Wild Party follows the story of Queenie and her party lifestyle founded on love and betrayal.
And if the performances aren’t enough, Dance Base also presents an extensive programme of workshops and classes for all ages and abilities. Highlights include:
- Haka & Hula from Polynesia,
- Hip Hop Choreography with ZooNation,
- Hilal Dance with Alessandro El Bascioni (choreographer for Iskander Dance Co) and
- a Kalaripayattu Workshop with Indian dance company Samudra.
Dance Base are delighted to present a series of workshops for Edinburgh’s local and visiting professional dancers with key practitioners including Stephen Pelton, Martin Robinson (RJC & Phoenix Dance Co) and Steve Batt’s legendary Contact Improvisation. Dance Base will also play host to the interactive move-me booth from 9 – 27 August; step inside, follow the moves on screen and record your own move-me dance that will be uploaded to the www.move-me.com website.
Dates: 10 – 27 August
Tickets: 00 44 (0)131 225 5525
 |
|
The full range of musical genres is covered by the fringe, from classical to cabaret, symphonies to solos.
Following on from T in the Park in July, this year’s T on the Fringe features some of the biggest names in rock: |
Belle & Sebastian, Dandy Warhols, Editors, Kasabian, Keane, Maxïmo Park, Muse, Simple Minds, Snow Patrol, Sandi Thom and SXSW hits The Fratellis and Paulo Nutini.
Best of T Break showcases five up-and-coming bands from around Scotland who performed at T in the Park. The Fence Collective, the Fife-based collective of folk-pop talent that launched the likes of King Creosote and KT Tunstall, have three nights on the Fringe. Both Loudon Wainwright III and Martha Wainwright perform on the Fringe this year.
The Scottish traditional folk scene is represented this year by:
| Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham, Bachué, Back of the Moon, Blazin’ Fiddles, Deaf Shepherd, Dougie MacLean, Julie Fowlis, Dick Gaughan, Karine Polwart, Corrina Hewat and Annie Grace, Malinky, Eddi Reader, Shooglenifty, Simon Thoumire and David Milligan, and the Whistlebinkies. There is also a series of Clarsach concerts in the programme, as well as a number of ceilidhs. The Royal Scottish Pipers Society (perform two nights at the Fringe |
|
 |
After the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, there is still a place for jazz on the Fringe, with the Colin Steele Quintet, Orkney Jazz at the Guildford, and busy programmes at The Jazz Bar, The Lot and Henry’s Cellar.
The 27th Festival of British Youth Orchestras takes place at the Fringe, featuring youth ensembles from across the UK. The programme consists of jazz, symphony, brass, traditional and choral ensembles such as the Edinburgh Schools Jazz Orchestra, RSAMD Youthworks Music Orchestra, Moray Concert Brass, Fife Youth Concert Band and the Kingdom Fiddlers, and the National Youth Choir of Scotland Training Choir and National Boys Choir – Changed Voices Section.
Lovers of classical music will enjoy the ROSL Arts series of concerts such as Bach for Breakfast, Beethoven at Teatime, Mozart with Muffins and Schumann with Shortbread. The Edinburgh Quartet plays Hayden, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra Chorus perform Rachmaninov’s Vespers, the Scottish Sinfonia present Tchaikovskey’s Greatest Hits and the Scottish Guitar Quartet perform exciting original music. There is also a Scottish Violin Concert Series and an extensive programme presented by St Mary’s Cathedral. For those who prefer to be more actively involved in their music, there is Ancora: Viva Verdi!, the chance to sing some of Verdi’s best loved opera choruses.
And for something a bit different… Michael Marra and Liz Lochhead present their own review of songs, poems and monologues, In Flagrant Delight; Louis Dé Berniéres & The Antonius Players return with a sparkling new show of poetry and Louis Dé Berniéres’ mandolin; The Really Terrible Orchestra set out to prove that they are improving; The Ennio Morricone Experience returns with The Spaghetti Western Orchestra; and The Spooky Men’s Chorale in Concert make their Fringe debut after being an underground hit of the 2005 Australian festival circuit.
Check out the Festival Fringe 2006 programme for more.
Background to the fringe
The Fringe was born back in 1947 when a handful of performers were denied entry in the Edinburgh International Festival, so set out to gatecrash the event with their own unlisted shows. This year the festival boasts over 26,995 performances of 1799 shows, with an estimated 16,191 performers taking part from all corners of the world. Yet the guiding principles of the first Fringe still stand all these years later, as nobody is invited to the Fringe, and each performer comes on their own steam. |