ThreeWeeks EDINBURGH it’s the biggest festival ever, and this is your guide to it EDINBURGH FESTIVAL PREVIEW GUIDE featuring Allen Barton | Apphia Campbell | Chris Turner | Dan Schreiber | Guy Retallack | Lucy Benson Brown | Nadia Brooks Natasha Gilmore | Potted Sherlock | Ramin Grey | Sarah Campbell | Susan Calman | Zoe Lyons | and loads and loads of show tips START POINT GET THE LATEST NEWS, REVIEWSFor AND all INTERVIEWS the latest festival IN YOUR news INBOX as it breaks DAILY sign up for the free ThreeWeeks Daily email nowwww.ThreeWeeks.co.uk/news at ThreeWeeks.co.uk/signup The A-Z of Edinburgh Festival 2014 Contents ThreeWeeks 2014 wk0 Welcome to Edinburgh paid-for show to award winning glory strand of work celebrating the 20th the agenda of the average Festival- to the biggest stages in the Festival. anniversary of democracy in South goer than normal. START POINT 2014, the biggest And then, if you have any credibility, a Africa. And if you’re inspired to be Caro writes… 04 festival in the second show back in a dingy pub room sporty by Glasgow 2014, book yourself in the Free Fringe, cos that’s how you tickets for a show at the Just The International Festival News 05 world. Actually, it’s keep it real people. Tonic caves and then another at the Few festivals can be as international as several festivals all Pleasance Courtyard with just a five this one. Obviously the International INTERVIEWS minute gap, and enjoy running up that Festival is a global affair, otherwise happening at once. Dance hill. Latecomers will not be admitted. that would be false advertising. But all Apphia Campbell Q&A 06 The programmed Though don’t be thinking it’s just of Edinburgh’s festivals bring together Dan Schreiber Q&A comedy at the Fringe, because there’s people from the world over, with 47 International Festival, Holyrood Susan Calman Q&A 08 so much more. Including a very other countries represented in the the Book, Politics and impressive programme of dance. Pretty much every building becomes Fringe alone. Look out for Tamsin Fitzgerald from a venue during the Edinburgh Festival, COMEDY Art festivals, the Tattoo, ThreeWeeks Editors’ Award winning including the Scottish Parliament, Juniors Chris Turner Column 10 the Mela, and the company 2faced Dance with her tips which hosts the Festival Of Politics Comedy 3 To See 10 for navigating the dance programme from 15-17 Aug. It’s a great event any Yep, there’s plenty of shows for massive unprogrammed on page 23. And don’t forget there year, but this year, needless to say, younger Festival goers too. The Zoe Lyons Q&A 14 ‘everyone’s welcome’, are some grand dance and ballet political debate should be higher on Fringe’s childrens show strand is Sarah Campbell 16 productions in the International brimming with great choices for all Edinburgh Fringe. Festival too. the family, and the Book Festival has Here’s a speedy guide to a brilliant programme for younger THEATRE minds too. Allen Barton Column 17 it all, from A to Z. Exhibitions Lucy Benson-Brown Q&A 18 Yes, you’ll find lots of arty happenings in Edinburgh during August as well. Kabaret Theatre 3 To See 19 August Indeed there’s a whole separate What do you mean I’m starting to Ramin Gray Q&A 22 Edinburgh Art Festival programme to cheat here? So, yes, Kabaret. Such This is when it all happens, of course. peruse. And even if visual arts aren’t a vibrant strand of the Fringe, look With the Fringe kicking off right PHYSICAL usually your thing, you can’t beat a out for some top cabaret tips from at the start of the month, and the chilled morning absorbing some of the ThreeWeeks Editors’ Award winner Tamsin Fitzgerald Tips 23 International Festival keeping things world’s greatest artworks to refresh Sarah-Louise Young on page 25. going to the very end. Though for most Natasha Gilmore Q&A 24 yourself after a night of Fringe excess. people the core ‘three weeks’ of the Festival are from the 1st to the 25th of Literature CABARET this month. Free I’m talking about the Book Festival, of Sarah-Louise Young Tips 25 Doing the Edinburgh Festival need course, taking over Charlotte Square Biggest not break the bank, because of all the Gardens with two weeks of discussion, MUSICALS free shows on offer. There are now talks and debates. It’s got a brilliant The Edinburgh Festival is the biggest three free show strands to choose programme, plus if the sun shines, the Guy Retallack 26 cultural festival on the planet, that’s from - the Free Fringe, Free Festival Book Festival site is another excellent no secret. Indeed, just the Edinburgh Musicals 3 To See 28 and Freestival - and you’ll find freebie place to chill. Though take a book to Fringe on its own is the biggest. Add shows outside of those programmes read won’t you? Oh, and also look out the International, Book, Art and Politics too. Though, as Sam Brady put in on for the Book Fringe at Word Power MUSIC festivals, the Mela and the Tattoo, and the ThreeWeeks website, “remember Books on West Nicolson Street. blimey, big big. And this year is also the Daniel Cainer Tips 28 that ‘free shows’ are only free to get biggest ever Fringe, with 3193 shows in – you are expected to pay to get in the programme. Which makes all out”. In that if you like what you see, Music ART & EVENTS this the biggest cultural extravaganza you should throw a little something 30 ever staged in human history. So yeah, Not always something you think 3 To See in the bucket on exiting. By which I biggest. about when you say “Edinburgh mean money. Festival”, but there’s so much SPOKEN WORD music in the city over August Comedy Games I wouldn’t know where to start Nadia Brooks Q&A 31 telling you about it. Fortunately Perhaps the genre most associated Richard Tyrone Jones 32 I’m talking about the ThreeWeeks Editors’ Award with the Edinburgh Festival these Tips Commonwealth Games people. winner Daniel Cainer does it for days, and the biggest strand of the And while the Glasgow games may me, on page 28, with his picks of Fringe. Indeed the Edinburgh Fringe’s wrap up just at the Fringe begins, the musical Fringe. Meanwhile for comedy section is itself the biggest CHILDREN’S SHOWS the Edinburgh International Festival classical fans, the International comedy festival in the world. For Children’s 3 To See 32 has specifically invited performers Festival is over-flowing with any new comedian, certainly in the from a number of Commonwealth concerts, and we’d also recommend Potter Sherlock Q&A 33 English speaking world, the Edinburgh countries as part of Scotland’s wider the Fringe programme at the Royal Fringe is an annual benchmark for celebrations this summer. And in Over-Seas League. cont> your career, as you move from open FESTIVAL PEOPLE amongst that you’ll find a whole mic to shared-slot to free full-hour to Venue People 34 TW EDINBURGH LONDON TW www.ThreeWeeks.co.uk TW www.ThisWeekLondon.com The Edinburgh Festival sorted | since 1996 Culture in London sorted | all year round WEEK ZERO | WWW.THREEWEEKS.CO.UK | PAGE 03 TW START POINT NEWS & UPDATES VIA TWITTER @ThreeWeeks REVIEW ALERTS VIA TWITTER @TWittique A-Z of the Edinburgh Festival been a great spoken word scene at the Night-Time Festival for years. Take note, some of it X-rated The Edinburgh Festival is very nearly can still be found hiding in the comedy It’s a family affair this Festival, though a 24 hour affair, with plenty of late and theatre programmes. ThreeWeeks some shows are a bit more ‘grown ups night/ early morning drinking haunts Editors’ Award winner Richard Tyrone only’. It used to be the aim of many a on offer. Though Edinburgh nights Jones has the spoken word tips for Fringe producer to create the show are not just about the booze. There’s a you on page 32. that generated enough outrage that a plethora of late night shows to choose boycott would be launched, ensuring ‘Blind Hamlet’ director Ramin Grey. from, our favourites being those that Theatre a sell-out run into September. People CARO WRITES> We also spoke to Natasha Gilmore, bring together performers from across seem less prone to get outraged about the Festival to perform a short ‘spot’. X-rated performances these days. But Aaaaand, we’re back. And choreographer from linked physical How did I take so long to get to Them hoping beyond hope that you’re theatre? Oh yes, I remember, the they’re still there to be enjoyed if that I am not just talking about shows ‘Tiger’ and ‘Tiger Tail’, Guy not yet so drunk that you’ll forget how alphabet. There are some grand rocks your boat. ThreeWeeks, I’m talking Retallack, director of the musical ‘Thrill Me’, the team behind family good they were. Their thinking is you theatrics in the International Festival, about all you performers and show ‘Potted Sherlock’, and spoken might buy tickets for the full show in though it’s the Fringe that is the real Yearly Institutions Festival-going culture-lovers word performer Nadia Brooks. the morning. Sometimes it works. Mecca for theatre fans, with pretty out there, all probably getting And it doesn’t end there; we’ve much every flavour of the dramatic If you’re a Fringe regular you’ll likely into a Festival mood just as I also ceded the floor to a number Opera arts on offer, and plenty of brand new have some moments and events type these very words.