“THE BEST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS” • WELCOME • DID YOU KNOW? Festival Fringe is the world’s Since opening its doors with only eight shows in 1985, largest arts festival. Theatre Trust better known as simply The Pleasance, has become one of the most famous festival venues in the world. It stands at the very heart of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and now spans 23 venues across 2 sites.

In 2014, our 30th anniversary on the Festival Fringe, for each of the 27 days throughout the festival the Pleasance presented 240 shows from 12 different countries. We welcomed 500,000 people and sold over 420,000 tickets. The Pleasance is the first destination for anyone seeking the best shows at the Edinburgh Festival.

Our year-round operation with two further theatre spaces and rehearsal room complex in central enables those at the pinnacle of their careers alongside those just starting out, with the facilities to create and AND... develop brilliant new work. 1 in 4 tickets sold on the Fringe is for a Pleasance show. My love of the Pleasance is because it’s “ just got a great vibe. TIM MINCHIN ” • ABOUT US •

As a registered charity in England, and , The has created a powerful platform from which we can discover, nurture and support the best new talent from around the world. Promoters, industry experts, and festival managers from across the Globe come to the Pleasance looking for productions.

The Pleasance receives no public subsidy and all revenue generated is reinvested back into future festivals and the London development programme.

The Pleasance has a spirit of artistic possibility, of youthful enterprise (whatever your age), of good humour and of celebration. The Pleasance embraces new ideas and invention.

A lot of theatres talk about encouraging new“ work and new talent but the Pleasance really does it. They were the only place where and my ridiculous attempts to amuse people were welcomed. Pleasance continues DAVID MITCHELL ” “ to dominate” • SOME PLEASANCE HIGHLIGHTS • 1998 • • Jason Byrne 2010 1985 • 2009 • Peter Kay • Bo Burnham • The Bodgers : Edinburgh 1999 • Kevin Bridges : • English Shakespeare Company • National Theatre of Scotland Comedy Award Nominee Edinburgh Comedy Award • The Mighty Boosh Best Newcomer Nominee (Beautiful Burnout) : • • Gecko Theatre (The Overcoat) “All of the ingredients of a 1997 • Rich Hall knock-out hit” 1986 • The Steven Berkoff Company 2008 HHHH • Alistair McGowan • Greg Davis • Nola Rae MBE & John Mowat • Mitchell & Webb • Tim Minchin • Hoipolloi • Stefan Golaszewski Speaks 2000 About The Girl He Once Loved : 1987 • Brendon Burns Fringe First Winner 2011 • Andy Parsons • Mark Steel 1996 • Julian Sands, directed by • Mackenzie Crook John Malkovich (A Celebration • Mervyn Stutter • Armstrong & Miller : • Puppetry of the Penis of Harold Pinter) : Edinburgh Comedy Award Best 2007 • Steven Berkoff (Oedipus) : Comedy Show Nominee 1988 • Les Enfants Terribles “The bravest, most exciting and • The League of Gentlemen : 2001 (The Terrible Infants) : moving Greek tragedy in years” • Miles and Millner Winner of the Edinburgh “Captivating” THE STAGE HHHH SUNDAY TIMES • • Comedy Award Best Show • NIE : • “The exceptional ensemble • combines exquisite, highly • Dara Ó Briain physical acting and wonderfully 2012 1989 1995 • integrated live music...” • The Boy With Tape on His Face • Kneehigh Theatre • The Reduced Shakespeare • • The Two Worlds of Charlie F Company • Tim Vine • Miriam Margolyes • Arthur Smith & (The Live Bedshow): 2002 Edinburgh Comedy Award 1994 2006 Best Comedy Show Nominee • 2013 • Russell Kane • Cambridge • • Alan Carr • • BLAM : • & HHHHH , THE SCOTSMAN, 1990 2003 THE INDEPENDENT, THE LIST, BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE 1993 • John Bishop 2005 • Theatre de Complicite • Michael McIntyre • Steve Coogan & • • • • • Rhod Gilbert : Edinburgh • Jenny Éclair • Reginald D Hunter Comedy Award Best 2014 1991 Newcomer Nominee Pleasance celebrates 30 years • We Are Klang on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe • Paines Plough : 1992 “The lifeblood of the UK’s theatre ecosystem” • Dum Show: Coogan, Herring, 2004 • Dillie Keane Lee, Marber & Munnery • Russell Howard • Tim Key • PLEASANCE COURTYARD •

Probably the most famous venue in Edinburgh, for many the Pleasance Courtyard is the very heart of the Fringe and few people leave the city without at least one visit, whether it be for theatre, comedy, children’s shows, or simply to take in the irresistible atmosphere.

Surrounding the famous cobbled squares and overlooking the picturesque Arthur’s Seat, the Courtyard houses 17 performance spaces, 6 bars and 3 cafés. Open DID YOU KNOW? from 10am until late into the night, it is one of the only On the busiest day venues to offer the true festival day out. 25,000 people visit the Courtyard On any given day visitors are likely to be brushing shoulders with a mix of journalists, broadcasters, up- and-coming performers and world-famous stars, whilst they consider seeing one of the 200 shows that may take place each day. • PLEASANCE DOME AND BROOKE’S CLUB •

The Pleasance Dome opened in 2000 and since that time it has inspired the arrival and growth of other venues in . This is now the central hub of the entire Festival.

The Dome’s 5 performance spaces surround a central atrium and palm court. As evening falls the space is transformed into one of the festival’s busiest nightspots, with live shows, music, food and drink keeping the crowds buzzing until 5am.

“More exclusive is Brookes Bar situated in the Pleasance The Dome is also home to the infamous Brooke’s Club, Dome ... But don’t just the original VIP bar of the festival. Performers, press and industry professionals share the exclusive membership, turn up expecting to get in. with the stars of tomorrow doing deals over a beer and Admission is by invitation only game of pool. . . . unless you’re a particularly experienced ligger ” • PLEASANCE KIDZONE •

Since its creation in 2009 as part of our 25th anniversary celebrations, the Pleasance Kidzone has grown from strength to strength. The Pleasance remains the only venue in Edinburgh to offer a completely dedicated children’s area.

Located in the heart of the Courtyard, awash with balloons, the Kidzone has taken the form of a gigantic teepee, a floating ark, a haven for puppets and even an alien wonderland.

The fantastic programme, suitable for all ages, includes award-winning music workshops, story hours, face– painting, and a dedicated arts, crafts and play area (with plenty of toys!).

The Pleasance venues “lead the way in terms of children and families.” • PLEASANCE ISLINGTON •

Whilst Edinburgh remains the original home of the Pleasance, our year-round base is in Islington and has rapidly become a vital DID YOU KNOW? part of the Fringe in Central London. Initially Tim Minchin wrote comprising 2 theatre spaces, the Pleasance Matilda at the Islington has since expanded into an even Pleasance in 2009 greater development hub including: production offices, rehearsal rooms, and workshop space.

Over the years, the Pleasance has developed a unique model of self-reliance and productivity, building an environment that facilitates the development of raw talent and creativity. It allows artists a place to create ideas and hone their skills, and all of this without regular public subsidy.

The Pleasance Islington has a two performance spaces; the Main House (180 seats) and the Studio Space (60 seats), with a bar and foyer area and attracts over 40,000 visitors each year. DID YOU KNOW? and Simon Amstell shared a stage for 6 months whilst writing their first stand up shows. Page• CHARLIE title HARTILL SPECIAL RESERVE •

Established in 2004 in memory of Charlie Hartill, this designated fund created by the Pleasance provides complete financial support to artists and companies wishing to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

11 years on, this fund has directly supported 10 theatre companies including PIT and Invertigo alongside 44 new , including , BAFTA winner Daniel Rigby, 2014 comedy award winner John Kearns, Daniel Simonsen and Holly Walsh.

Since it started this fund has provided over £115,000 worth of subsidy for both productions and individual artists. • YOUNG PLEASANCE •

Right at the very heart of the Trust is our award winning theatre company The Young Pleasance.

“YP” was founded in 1995 dedicated to offering young people up to the age of 21 dynamic, excellent and inclusive theatrical opportunities. It is based at the Pleasance Islington where the company regularly performs, together with an annual production at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Children from the local community and throughout London, participate in and experience theatre-making of the highest professional standards through workshops, projects and large-scale productions.

Young Pleasance annually sponsors a young person from Islington to rehearse and perform in Edinburgh.

“Young Pleasance is extraordinary” BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE Page title • PLEASANCE CONNECT •

Distributed throughout our venues and online The Pleasance Times is our very own daily festival newspaper and includes features, photographs, stories, awards and gossip from the centre of the festival. In 2014 20,000 copies were given away and 12,000 editions were viewed online.

Curated by two of the country’s up and coming film makers, Pleasance TV is an online channel that gives viewers an insider’s look at the Pleasance line-up.

It features an array of of short films and interviews taken throughout the festival.

The 2014 season included: ● 20 Unique Short Films (including a Award nominated Short) ● Over 55,000 Views ● Interviews ● Featurettes ● Bespoke Performances The Pleasance is at the ● Event Coverage “very heart of the greatest ● Behind the Scenes show on earth ” • EDINBURGH PICTURE SHOW •

Each year for the past six years the Pleasance has commissioned a rising star of the photographic world and allowed them full access to the entire Pleasance playground and all those that occupy it.

The Pleasance picture show captures the creative energy that seeps out of the walls, shining a spotlight on the stars of the festival. These images are displayed online, as part of a formal exhibition in both Edinburgh and London and the best photographs are projected in large format onto the very walls of the buildings.

Previous Picture Show photographers have included Jamie Gramston, Idil Sukan and Jassy Earl • PLEASANCE COMEDY PODCAST •

The Pleasance Podcast brings the very best of the festival to listeners around the world.

Curated by our acts, the podcast features choice cuts from the festival’s best shows, interviews with special guests and banter from our cobblestone streets.

Since launching in 2011 we have recorded more than 100 hours of unique content and received over 300,000 downloads.

2014 IN NUMBERS ● 38,000 downloads in August 2014 ● 380,000 downloads since 2011 ● 333,000 followers on Soundcloud and counting ● 21 broadcast standard podcasts produced and published DID YOU KNOW? ● 87 hours of unique content 60% of our the listeners to recorded at the Pleasance our podcast were in the 2014, 255 total to date. UK, with 12% from London ● Featured in New and Noteworthy in iTunes. and 4% from Edinburgh. • AWARDS •

In the last 30 years, the Pleasance has hosted the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award (formerly the Perrier Award) 16 times and hosted over 50 Fringe First winning plays.

From our award nominations in 2014, Pleasance’s winners included:

Stage Award ● Awards for Acting Excellence Winner ● Pat Moylan Production ● Beowulf: The Blockbuster Total Theatre ● Shows by an Emerging Company/Artist Winner ● ● Touretteshero ● Backstage in Biscuit Land The Musical Theatre Network Awards 2014 ● Bucket Club/ Farnham Maltings/Pleasance Theatre/Colchester Arts Centre/ Escalator East to Edinburgh ● Lorraine & Alan Fringe First ● Unbound Productions ● Travesti NSDF Emerging Artist Award ● Lost Watch ● KATE Comedy Award Best Newcomer ● Alex Edelman DID YOU KNOW? The League of Gentlemen won the Perrier Award for their show at the Pleasance in 1996 Page title • MEDIA COVERAGE •

Each year the Pleasance reaches a huge In 2014, the Pleasance was featured on: international audience. Outside broadcasts on BBC 1, BBC 2, , STV, BBC News, Sky, Al Jazeerah • The Culture Show and CNN have all used the Pleasance as a back drop • for their broadcasts. • BBC 3 • ITV NEWS “The centre of the artistic universe.” The Scotsman • BBC Breakfast News • BBC Radio 1 “The Pleasance’s credentials are quite beyond • Channel 4’s T4 reproach, its history of success forms an almost • STV News exhaustive list of the best and brightest performers • BBC Scotland in the UK.” • CBBC’s Newsround & • BBC Radio 4 “A very remarkable company.” BBC • Channel 5 News • The Five O’Clock Show “ The best of all possible worlds.” The Observer • All major UK newspapers

“At the Pleasance all you need to do to get on the TV is stand in a queue. Scarcely a round gets bought without a star being interviewed.” The Herald

“The Pleasance is at the very heart of the greatest show on earth.” Edinburgh Festival’s Magazine • 2014 STATISTICS

ABOUT THE VENUE AMOUNT Number of visitors to the Pleasance 500,000 Tickets sales 420,000 Number of productions 247 Number of venues 23 Number of bars/cafes 15 Staff 375 Individual Show Posters w/Pleasance Logo 40,000 Individual Show Flyers w/Pleasance Logo 2m Pleasance brochure print distribution 300,000 Pleasance brochures distribution in Nat press 65,000 Pleasance Kidzone passport distributed 20,000 Pleasance Times readership 5,000 Pleasance TV - total plays 55,000 Pleasance Podcast downloads (2011-14) 380,000 Pleasance Picture Show page views 1,650 Followers 21,700 Facebook Fans 4,400 Email newsletter subscribers 30,000 The Pleasance’s ABOUT EDINBURGH FRINGE credentials“ are quite Visitors to Edinburgh 3m beyond reproach, its Show attendences 2.2m Performances 45,464 history of success forms Fringe Brochures printed 410,000 an almost exhaustive list of the best and brightest performers in the UK. ” • THE EDINBURGH FESTIVALS •

The Pleasance is the largest of all of the venues registered on the Festival Fringe. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival on the planet and attracts visitors from across the globe. The Fringe is one of six other festivals that occupy the city in August. Collectively the festivals attract approximately £250 million worth of revenue for the city of Edinburgh each year.

The Festival Fringe provides one of the largest showcases and export markets for the best new theatrical work in this country.

Edinburgh now welcomes 2.5 million visitors to its festivals each summer.

Record audiences last year made the Fringe a 2 million ticket success, smashing all other UK arts festivals.

Edinburgh hosted 31,320 performances across 247 venues.

In 2014, Pleasance presented work from 15 different countries.

The Pleasance welcomed almost 500,000 visitors, selling 20% of all festival fringe tickets. The Pleasance is the There is no other festival in the world that has this level of “centre of the cultural “ excitement, energy and intensity. ” universe ALAN CUMMING (ACTOR, WRITER AND FILM PRODUCER) ” • THANKS FOR READING •

We hope this document has given you a useful insight into what the Pleasance is all about and what you might expect this August.

We would be delighted to discuss partnership opportunities with you in more detail and to produce a bespoke presentation of our ideas in due course.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Director Anthony Alderson [email protected]

General Manager Hamish Morrow [email protected] Tel: 0207 619 6868

Pleasance Theatre Trust is a registered charity in England, Wales and Scotland. Charity Numbers 1050944 and SC043237.

“The best of all possible worlds”