The 62nd Edinburgh Festival Fringe, ending today, appears to have survived the wettest August on record and a ticketing fiasco which saw it suspending counter and telephone ticket sales even as preview shows were about to start.
The Fringe Office announced that 1,535,519 tickets were sold at the Fringe 2008. Although the result represents a 9.5% drop on last year's ticket take of 1,697,293, Fringe organisers said they were "pleased" with the number of ticket sales. Fringe Director Jon Morgan suggested that it was a good result in the circumstances.
"This is the third year that the Fringe has sold in excess of 1.5 million tickets signifying another fantastic year for the world's biggest arts festival," said Morgan. "At the start of the festival many were worried about the loss of venues, impact of the Olympics and the economy. In a difficult year, with record rainfall and problems with ticketing, Fringe-goers have come out in force and enjoyed the festival."
Among the ticketing problems experienced by Fringe-goers were delays in receiving tickets, shows that were double-booked and, say some promoters, tickets for shows being erroneously shown as sold out. The Fringe Office also had to
cancel its half-price ticket promotion Fringe Ticket Frenzy on the last
day because of ongoing problems with printing tickets.
In spite of these setbacks there have been successes: new venue The World @ St George's West opened to critical acclaim wining the Jack Tinker Sprit of the Fringe award. The youngest comedian on the Fringe, Eros Vlahos (aged 13) who was performing at Sweet Venues landed a gig with Children's BBC.
Eight, new writing from the Edinburgh University Theatre Company, at Bedlam Theatre, have been invited to New York for a run after winning the Carol Tambor Award. The Tailor of Inverness by Dogstar is heading for the 2009 Adelaide Fringe after scooping the first ever Holden Street Theatres Award.
Mild Dublin comic David O'Doherty won the coveted IF Comedy
Award for Let's Comedy nine years after winning the best newcomer
award at the Fringe. O'Doherty, who performed at the Stand Comedy Club III and IV, has criticised the decision by the "Big Four" venues to create a new Edinburgh Comedy Festival.