If Modern Language students travel abroad to immerse themselves in the culture, energy and vernacular of their subject, then what is the equivalent trip for students of theatre? The answer, in my opinion, is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Every August, the ancient capital of Scotland is flooded with every form of theatre one can imagine. Auld Reekie bursts with dramatic energy!
If this trip is your first time attending the festival, or your first time bringing students, I recommend going as a tourist, rather than bringing a performance. Get your feet wet with the festival first and save the production for a later trip.
The decision
Hooray – you and your students have decided to go to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe! Before you begin, make sure there’s money in your account and you have organised basic transportation.
Step 1: Find housing
With Edinburgh’s population nearly doubling during the festival, it’s crucial to secure safe, comfortable lodgings in the centre of the city. Luckily, Edinburgh is a university city with numerous on-campus and off-campus housing options that are largely available during the summer. The University of Edinburgh posts a handy list of private, off-campus accommodations on its website, as well as offering rooms on their own campus. Again, these go quickly so start making enquiries as soon as you know your dates.
Step 2: Plan your meals
A gaggle of teenagers, like an army, travels on its stomach. While there is an endless array of food options in Edinburgh, these are often full at meal times during the festival. Very few establishments will take reservations, especially for large numbers of hungry students. What we found both enjoyable and inexpensive was stocking our flats with groceries from the local supermarket. We made a big group breakfast for half of our kids while the other half munched on their favorite cereals, and a big pasta dinner was a quick, easy and widely appreciated option. Lunch was always the wild card. We allowed the students to venture off on their own in small groups to hunt for local scran. A popular choice was a visit to the food trucks that surround George’s Square in the middle of the University of Edinburgh campus.
© Jane Barlow/ PA Wire
Circus street artist ‘Reidiculous’ performing on the Royal Mile, 2022
Step 3: Plan your shows
The week you choose to attend the Fringe will alter your selection of shows. The early weeks are often more of a gamble, as word of mouth has not yet had its opportunity to build hype for excellent new productions. The later weeks, however, will make exciting new shows nearly impossible to get tickets for. There are a few tips and tricks you can try to make sure you attend the best shows possible.
Check out the online Fringe programme
Log into edfringe.com to see the online programme rollout. The online version updates throughout the spring, starting from February. If there are companies or shows you already know, you can start filling in dates and ordering tickets online. Online ordering is the way to go with paperless ticketing at the venues.
Listen to recommendations and reviews to find out what’s good
Here’s where your students will get the real international experience! With so many theatre lovers in the city most people are willing to swap show stories like Pokémon cards. Online reviews are also helpful and get churned out at breakneck speed. A quick Google search will give you a host of sites saying what’s hot and what’s not.
Leave room for whimsy and be surprised by random selections
One night of each trip, I organise a Magical Mystery Tour where we go to a Fringe venue hotspot like George’s Square, the Pleasance or the New Town Assembly Rooms. There we peruse the show schedule board and choose a show at random that fits our schedule for that evening. ‘Mike!’, one student shouted at me on our 2019 trip. ‘We have to see this show, Police Cops: Police Cops in Space!’. The student insisted on pronouncing the colon in the middle of the title. Knowing nothing about this show aside from the title and the time we purchased tickets and saw one of the most innovative, creative, funny bits of theatre on the Fringe that year. The aforementioned student went on to write two pieces inspired by Police Cops and is currently planning on bringing an original university show to the Festival this summer. As a teacher I would title that show Mission Accomplished!