FESTIVAL —
survival/isssumis
THE FESTIVAL SURVIVAL GUIDE
The List's very own easy-to-follow guide provides the basic information you need to survive (and hopefully enjoy!) Edinburgh’s annual feast of international culture.
The first Edinburgh Festival was in 1947, the brainchild of Hudolf Bing and Harvey Wood. who saw it as a way to repairthe divisions of post-war Europe through a celebration of international culture and creativity. The Festival is now in tact several festivals- lntemational. Fringe. Film. Jan and Television. along with the Tattoo and the bi-annual Book Festival -together incorporating every aspect of the visual and performing arts. It you can't find something to entertain you in Edinburgh during August, you may as well give up trying.
Each Festival has its own venues and procedures for obtaining tickets — details given below.
THE FESTIVAL FRINGE
IO Aug-1 Sept Now the largest arts festival in the world. the Fringe began as a response to the perceived elitism and exclusivity of the official Festival. The difference between the two is that anyone can perform on the Fringe; there is no selection ofany kind. 1990 sees the biggest-ever Fringe. with 537 companies performing 1 100 different shows in 150 venues. Almost everything that can be acted. mimed. danced or sung. is — plus a few things that shouldn't be. With such a bewildering choice. guidance is essential: buy The List. out every Thursday during the Fringe. I INFORMATION Buy The List. Get acopy ofthe Fringe Programme. available free from the Fringe Office. 180 High Street. 226 5257/5259 (information only). open daily 10am—7pm. Companies and larger venues are listed alphabetically. with an index of show titles at the front. The profusion ofdifferent shows makes browsing fairly pointless. especially as the entries are written by the companies themselves. Information in more easily-managed chunks comes in the Daily Diary. a free broadsheet listing every show taking place on a particular day. available from the Fringe Box Office and many other venues around town. Extra guidance is provided by Fringe Find. a simple computer system with terminals located around the city. Many larger venues produce their own more detailed programmes. I TICKETS/BOOKINGS Tickets for all Fringe shows are available from the Box ' Office. which will accept postal and credit card phone bookings. (Access/Visa only. 229 5138). Allow three days for processing. Long queues build up at peak times; if you want to avoid these. there isa handy Next Day Collection service: simply fill out a request for tickets. leave payment. and collect the following afternoon. Most venues also sell tickets on the night; some larger ones (egTraverse. Assembly Rooms. do advance sales as well).
THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
12 Aug-2 Sept The Festival has grown so big that this year it has two themes: one is Czechoslovakia. to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Bohuslav Martinu. one of the most prolific and innovative composers of the 20th century. The other focuses on the arts and culture ofthe
Pacific. with performers from Korea. Japan. New Zealand. Australia and California. There is the usual range of opera. dance. orchestral concerts and theatre. It‘s not all ‘high‘ culture. though: this year the Festival includes the ‘sexiest of circuses‘. the anarchic Archaos. and the Flying Karamazov Brothers. who will juggle with (almost) anything the audience give them.
I INFORMATION A free brochure covering all events can be obtained from the Festival Box Office. 21 Market Street, Edinburgh. 226 4001 (information only) There is a Festival Information Centre at the foot of the Mound by the National Gallery. open 10am—6pm daily. giving information on seat availability etc.
I BOOKINGS/TICKETS The Festival Box Office. 21 Market Street. 225 5756 (Mon—Sat 9am—6pm; Sun 10am-5pm). takes personal. postal. and credit card telephone bookings. The brochure contains a booking form. The box office opened on 28 May. so some events may be sold out by now. There is a returns desk. which is always worth checking. Queues— organised on a numbered ticket basis; collect one when you arrive — tend to get very long. but refreshments are provided.
There is a Half Price Ticket Centre at the foot ofthe Mound. for same-daytickcts. maximum 2 seats per person per event. sold on a first-come-first-served basis. Open 1—5pm daily.
Tickets are also available through Edwards & Edwards ticket agencies. London office. British Travel Centre. 12 Regent Street. SW1. 071 379 5822. Also at many travel agents‘ through Prestel 22021 187; First Call credit card bookings. 071 497 9977; and Keith Prowse Tickets. ()817419999. In Glasgow tickets can be bought from the Ticket Centre. Candleriggs. ()41 227 5511.Mon—Sat 10 . 30am—6 . 30pm.
McEWAN’S INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL
18-27 Aug Of the two Jazz Festivals on offer. this is the more traditional in flavour and by far the bigger. with literally hundreds of shows around town. from free concerts in pubs to more formal concerts in the Usher Hall and Queen‘s Hall.
I INFORMATION A souvenir programme (£1.50) is available from the Fringe Box Office. the Festival Box Office. the Queen‘s Hall and selected newsagents and bookshops. Also from the Jazz Festival Information Point. Royal British Hotel. Princes Street. open 10am—6pm. For more information. phone 557 1642.
I TICKETS/BOOKINGS For the first time. all Jazz Festival Tickets will be on sale from the International Festival Box Office. 21. Market Street. 225 5756. Gold Star. Jazz Pavilion and Queen' Hall tickets from the Queen‘s Hall Box Office. Clerk Street. 668 2019. and from the Fringe Box Office. 226 5257. Tickets will be on sale at venues. 30 minutes before the start of performances. A Gold Star Badge costs £45. and gives access to all events except Queen‘s Hall and Usher Hall concerts and the Farewell Ball.
TDK ROUND MIDNIGHT JAZZ FESTIVAL
2741 Aug Organised by Assembly Direct. who bring jazz to Edinburgh all year round. the Round Midnight festival goes for quality rather than quantity with five prestigious concerts featuring top names on the contemporary scene. Stars this year include Nina Simone and George Melly.
I INFORMATION Enquiries to the Queen‘s Hall. 668 2019. 10am-after evening concert interval. or the Fringe Box Office. 226 5257/5259. 10am—7pm. Concerts listed in Queen‘s Hall and Fringe programmes.
I TICKETS/BOOKING Tickets for all concerts from Queen‘s Hall Box Office. Clerk Street, or Fringe Box Office.
BOOK FESTIVAL
There is no Book Festival as such this year but there is a series of ‘Meet The Author‘ talks with writers such as Hanif Kureishi and Germaine Greer discussing their work. See Books section for details.
FILM FESTIVAL
11-26 Aug The 44th Film Festival is bigger and more diverse than ever. with new awards for animation and new British films. Buffs‘ delights include retrospectives of John Landis and Pupi Avati and a ‘Truth Triumphant‘ series of previously banned films from Eastern Europe. There is also a lunchtime animation programme.
I INFORMATION Full details in the Film Festival Programme (£2.50) from the Filmhouse. 88 Lothian Road. major bookshops and newsagents. Info also from Filmhouse. 228 2688.
I TICKETS/BOOKINGS The F ilmhouse is the box office for all Film Festival events. Tickets can be booked by phone. 2282688. box office open 9am—9pm. later for late films. Access/Visa bookings. 3pm—8pm only. 2299359. Prices: Cinema 1.£1—£4. concessions (before 6.30pm) £1—£2. Cinema 2. £3 (£1.50). Cameo£4(£2).
TV FESTIVAL
Purely an industry event — one of the most important talking shops in the television year — and closed to the public. This year‘s themes are the Broadcasting Bill and defining ‘Quality‘. For more information phone 071 3794519.
MILITARY TATTOO
3—25 Aug With 200.000 annual visitors. the best-attended event in the Festival. The 41st Tattoo. entitled ‘Taking the Castle by Storm‘ features the Australian Police Band and Drill Team. and the Gurkhas.
I INFORMATION AND BOOKINGS From the Tattoo Office. 22 Market Street. not to be confused with the Festival Office. Ring for programme details (225 1188) and postal booking forms. In person go to the Tattoo Ticket Centre. 31/33 Waverley Bridge. 10am-4.30pm ( 12.30 Sat; closed Sun). Access/Visa/Diners bookings 225 3661.
TRAVEL
I Trains Waverley Station. East End of Princes Street. 556 6421. Sleeper reservations 556 5633. Seventeen trains to London daily. last trains around midnight. reservations often esssential — phone first. Half-hourly trains to Glasgow until 11.30pm.
I Planes Regular shuttles to and from Edinburgh airport at Turnhouse. 333 1000; British Airways Reservations 225 2525.
I Buses Season tickets and info. LRT Ticket Centre. Waverley Bridge. 22041 11 Mon—Sat 7am—8pm; Sun 8am—6.30pm. Weekly season ticket £6.50. 4-weekly £22. You need the exact change on LRT (maroon) buses. Night buses cover most parts ofthe city until the wee small hours. Eastern Scottish (green) buses. Bus Station. St Andrew‘s Square. 5568464. Scottish Citylink coaches. Bus Station. 557 5717 (enquiries).
I Cycle Hire Central Cycle Hire. 13 Lochrin Place.ToIlcross. Edinburgh. 228 6333. from £5/day.
I Taxis Taxi ranks: Waverley Station. Bus Station. Caledonian Hotel (West End) Central Radio Taxis 229 2468. lots more in phone book. or hail one in the street.
ACCOMMODATION
I Tourist Accommodation and Information Desk Waverley Market. will help with all budgets. although Edinburgh gets very busy during the Festival. For accommodation in University Ilallsof Residence. contact the Reservations Office. Pollock Halls. 18Holyrood Park Road. Edinburgh. 667 1971.
Hostels
All hostels contacted stressed that they were already very busy. with heavy booking. Don‘t just turn up expecting a bed.
I Scottish Youth Hostels Association Office Warrender Park Road. 229 8660 for information.
I SYNA Hostel 17.Eg1inton Crescent. 337 1120. 186 beds. £5.70/night for over 18s. Open 7am—2am.
I SYNA Hostel 7 Bruntsfield Crescent. 447 ' 2994. 170 beds. £5.70/night for over 18s. Open 7am—2am.
I High Street Hostel (independent) Blackfriars Street. 557 3984. 120 beds. £5.60/night. Open 24 hours. Always very busy.
CARAVAN PARKS AND CAM PSITES
I Mortonhall Park Caravan Site Frogslon Road East. 664 1533. Caravans and tents £8/night. 250 spaces. 0an 8am—9pm. LRT bus no. 11
I Kirfdon Farm Campsite Ratho. 333 4511. £1 per person plus £1 per tent. Caravans £2.50. Bus 37 from St Andrew‘s Square to Ratho village.
24-HOUR GARAGES
I Abbeymount Filling Station 1 1 Montrose Terrace. 661 5593.
I Edinburgh Service Station 69a East London Street. 556 5284.
I Links Service Station Barclay Place. 229 9589.
I Dairy Road Service Station 209 Dalry Road. 337 6857.
CASUALTY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
I Royal lntirrnary of Edinburgh (24 hours) 1 Lauriston Place. 229 2477.
I Western General Hospital Crewe Road South. 332 2525.
LEFT LUGGAGE
I Waverley Station Waverley Bridge. Seven days. 6.30am—1 1 .30pm. £1—£l .50 depending on size.
DISABLED
I Affllllk an organisation making the arts more widely available to disabled people , have produced a leaflet. ‘Festival Venues: A Guide For Disabled People‘ which contains access details on all Festival (not Fringe) venues. Copies available from the Festival and Fringe Offices. Artlink also run a free escort service for arts events. Artlink. 4. Forth Street. Edinburgh. 556 6350. For escort service. 557 3490 Mon—Fri 9am— 1 pm.
74 The List 17— 23 August 1990