The Edinburgh Fringe programme landed today with its customary thud. Quantity does not equate to quality, nevertheless Fringe organisers and producers will be confident that we have come out of the doldrums of the Covid era, with an official count of 3,317 shows between this year’s printed covers.
Most of the shows had already been revealed in the staggered online release, with the May announcement of 3,237 shows already putting this year’s total beyond last year’s 3,013 Fringe shows.
However, the launch of the programme, with this year’s slogan/hashtag #UnleashYourFringe emblazoned across the print cover, makes it official.
"Revealing the programme is such an exciting moment for everyone involved in the Fringe," said Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, which is responsible for publishing the Fringe programme and maintaining the Fringe website and app.
Added McCarthy: "The Fringe programme is bursting with every kind of performance, so whether you’re excited for theatre or cabaret, or the best of comedy, music, dance, children’s shows, magic or circus, get ready to unleash your Fringe this August and experience the creativity, excitement and passion artists bring to Edinburgh every year."
As always there is a vast gamut of themes covered, produced by performers working in myriad different genres, from 58 countries, with performer experience ranging from old pros to troupes of enthusiastic schoolchildren.
Old-school fringe-goers, having picked up their hard copies from venues around the city, will now begin the difficult task of rooting out the most promising shows and marking up their diaries for the Fringe in August.