Free Comedy at the Edinburgh Festival

Arguably, the real, original fun of the Edinburgh Fringe lies in spontaneity. Picture this: while wandering aimlessly down the Royal Mile you are accosted by a man in 16^th century period dress pointing you towards his comedy on Sir Walter Raleigh at the underbelly, on the way you are given a leaflet to go to a silent movie atop Carlton Hill, live, and complete with a 22 peace orchestra. You couldn’t make it up.

However, over the years prices have sharply risen. Now it’s not unusual to pay £6-£10 per show; and you can add another note onto that if you recognise anybody’s name on the bill. The potential to see 4 or 5 plays a day has been sharply cut, and punters now pick and choose their plays not by random but by reviews; 4 and 5 stars it seems are the dish du jour.

A good comedian’s off-day could well lead to a bad review, thoroughly crippling the ability to pull in crowds. Thank god then for Peter Buckley Hill and his ‘Free Fringe’!

Recognising a vicious cycle of increasing costs, ‘PBH’ (as he is affectionately known by Fringers) set up a free comedy circuit in 1996, absorbing the cost himself. It’s since expanded into a multi-award winning, poly-venue institution: with shows presented by ‘quasi-professional jousters’, Cambridge University’s famous footlights or including the three Great British Traditions: tea, cake and comedy, for free of course – counting pennies is no reason not to make it to the Edinburgh Festival this summer.

The Destiny Scotland group is dedicated to reducing unnecessary costs during the Edinburgh Festival; that’s why we have the lowest fees of all Festival Operators.

For other great ideas on how to do the Fringe on the cheap and to see some superb property offers, see www.destinyscotland.com and www.edinburghfestivalrentals.com