With another Fringe done and dusted, it’s time look ahead as three iconic characters head to the capital’s stages in September
Edinburgh Fringe is dead. Long live the Fringe. Walking the streets of the city centre last month, it was almost impossible to recall just how all encompassing the Festival Fringe had become in the years leading to the pandemic. Gridlocked traffic, crowded pavements, packed venues and bustling bars, it was widely agreed that the draw of the world’s largest arts festival and the over-tourism it attracted had strained every aspect of the capital’s infrastructure.
Even before then, however, the tide had been turning. The greed of larger venue producers ensured many smaller companies, some of which had been regular fixtures at the Fringe for years, could no longer afford to make the annual trip north.
Then came the pandemic and lock down, It should have been a time for the Fringe to regroup, for the bigger producers and the Council to have a rethink, to fix the model… but money talks. Nothing happened. The grants provided by The Scottish Government could have been used for the ‘greater good’, to ease the burden on the companies who are the beating heart of the event. It was loudly suggested those grants allowed registration fees to be waived, but in the end they were allocated to venue producers, mostly bigger venues. Smaller venues expressed their frustration at the time as their bids were turned down.
And so the Fringe returned with no real ‘fix’ in place. Little had changed except the economy and that change wasn’t for the better as we all know. Consequently, post lockdown the Fringe as we came to know it, despite the usual spin, has been in its death throes. This year many companies watched it die with dire audience numbers and empty streets.
Edinburgh in August is unrecognisable these days. The crowds are hugely diminished, tickets sales all around are dramatically low – there will always be the exceptions of course – but the simple fact is the demand is no longer there. That people are not coming to Edinburgh for the Fringe may be partly down to the cost of accommodation, but it’s more than that. For companies it’s the eye-watering cost of venue hire, the cost of advertising on the paid for billboards that litter the city, not to mention the cost of staging the production itself.
Having been a part of the Fringe for 42 consecutive years, it saddens me to say 2025 was likely my last. It’s something I’m hearing from a number of Edinburgh-based professional creatives. It’s just not worth the effort anymore. The playing field is no longer viable for the artists and work it was originally set up to champion. Which is sad.
Anyway, rant over, we’re into September now, so time to look ahead, although as always, the month following Edinburgh’s Festivals is usually a quiet affair, there are two or three must see shows, not to be missed.
The Talented Mr. Ripley
First up is the new stage adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley (16-20 September) at the Festival Theatre. Patricia Highsmith’s iconic psychological thriller invites you into a world of deception, desire, and deadly ambition.
Tom Ripley is a nobody, scraping by in New York, forging signatures, telling little white lies – until a chance encounter changes everything. When a wealthy stranger offers him an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy to bring home his wayward son, Dickie Greenleaf, Tom leaps at the opportunity.
But in the sun-drenched glamour of 1950s Italy, surrounded by shimmering waters and whispered secrets, Tom is seduced by the life Dickie leads – the freedom, the wealth, the effortless charm. Fascination turns to obsession, and as his grip tightens on Dickie’s world, the lines between truth and deception begin to blur. What starts as an innocent opportunity spirals into a chilling game of lies, identity theft, and murder.
Starring The Crown’s Ed McVey as Tom Ripley, the cast also includes Bruce Herbelin-Earle from Netflix’s Free Rein as Dickie Greenleaf and EastEnders regular and Strictly Come Dancing finalist Maisie Smith stars as Marge Sherwood.
Running time 2 hours, including interval. Tickets from £22.50 https://www.capitaltheatres.com/shows/the-talented-mr-ripley/
The Lightning Thief
Staying at the Festival Theatre, a week later it’s the epic adventures of Percy Jackson that unfold on the Nicolson Street stage. Hailed, ‘a thrilling tale for gods and mortals of all ages’, The Lightning Thief (23-27 September) proves that being ‘normal’ is anything but.
When 16-year-old Percy Jackson discovers he is the half-blood son of the Greek God, Poseidon, his life takes a dramatic turn as he is plunged into a world much bigger than he could possibly have imagined. With newly-discovered powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want and a whole mythology textbook’s worth of mythical monsters on his tail, Percy must learn what it means to be a hero.
The future of the world hangs in the balance as Percy and his friends embark on the epic adventure that over the past 20 years has seen Percy Jackson become a worldwide phenomenon. First there was the best-selling series of books, then two incredible films and a Disney TV series. Get ready for the adventures of Percy Jackson bursting onto the stage in Edinburgh.
Running time 2 hours and 10 minutes, including interval. Tickets from £25, https://www.capitaltheatres.com/shows/the-lightning-thief/
Top Hat
Just sneaking into September schedules by the skin off their teeth, The Playhouse brings Top Hat (30 September-4 October) to Edinburgh
Described as ‘the musical equivalent of the finest vintage champagne – effervescent, elegant and exhilarating’, Top Hat is a heady romantic musical laced with sparkling dialogue, stunning choreography, lavish sets and gorgeous costumes. And let’s not forget Irving Berlin’s irresistible score, including Hollywood classics such as Cheek to Cheek, Let’s Face the Music and Dance, Top Hat White Tie and Tails and Puttin’ on the Ritz.
Top Hat is the story of Broadway star Jerry Travers. Arriving in London to open a new show, he crosses paths with model Dale Tremont, whose beauty sleep is rudely interrupted by Jerry tap dancing in the hotel suite above hers. Instantly smitten, Jerry vows to abandon his bachelor life to win her – but the path of true love never does run smooth. Especially as Dale has mistaken Jerry for his hapless producer Horace, who’s trying to avoid the wrath of his formidable wife Madge. And just to make things worse, Dale’s own fiery Italian admirer is planning a trip to Venice for her to showcase his couture gowns…
Based on the 1935 film starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, this stage adaptation’s West End premiere won the 2013 Olivier Award for Best New Musical. It’s time to face the music…
Running time TBC, Tickets from £15 https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/top-hat/edinburgh-playhouse/
Lord of the Flies
Finally if you fancy a theatre break this month, let me suggest Chichester Festival Theatre’s new production of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies (19 September-11 October).
Chichester Festival Theatre
This compelling adventure takes us into the heart of darkness. A modern classic, Lord of the Flies has lost none of its riveting power since its publication in 1954 and is frequently ranked high in lists of iconic novels.
A plane crash on a desert island abandons a group of young survivors to fend for themselves. Quickly, tribal loyalties start to form. Despite attempts by Ralph and Piggy to keep order, school rules are shed along with their uniforms, and friendly alliances fast become ferocious divisions. As the children threaten to turn feral, a deadly struggle ensues between Ralph and his leadership rival, Jack. Will chaos overcome humanity – or, with a world at war beyond the island, can rescue come in time to save them?
Running time TBC, tickets from £10, cft.org.uk
Until next month, happy theatre-going,
Liam
