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tickets and information
THIS YEAR, the world's biggest arts festival is going it alone. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has moved its dates forward by one week, run- ning officially Sunday 9-Monday 31 August, so that its final weekend coincides with the
English bank holiday.
Meanwhile, the Edinburgh International Festival, the Edinburgh International Film Festival and the Edinburgh Book Festival have stayed put. All three begin in the middle of August, and the International Festival continues until Saturday 5 September. Some Fringe shows
also run on until this date.
What this means is that the annual explosion of arts in the city has expanded again, running a full four weeks . . . and that's not including 'week zero', when many venues stage pre-
Fringe performances.
August.
In response to all this, we at The List have increased our coverage, and are already putting together our FOUR FESTIVAL SPECIAL ISSUES. These will be published WEEKLY, on Thursday 6, Thursday 13, Thursday 20 and Thursday 27
The List is the only locally-based publication dedicated to arts and entertainment, and with well over a decade of experience, we're ideally 'placed to guide you around.
Over the four weeks, we'll be doing every- thing we can to help you find out where to go, what to see and how to get the tickets.
These pages will have given you a taste of what to expect from the Festival 1998. Below, we'll explain all about the practicalities.
It's already shaping up to be a good year — we i hope you'll enjoy it with us.
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
Sitii l6 Atig Sat 5 Sep. This prestigious arts festival opeits its doors for (lie 52nd tittie. Performances tltis year include the UK prentiere of Balanchine‘s ballet A Mir/.t‘iminit'r Night I.\ Dream. a series of operas based on tlte works of Friedrich Schiller — and tlte plays wlticlt inspired them as well as daitce frotn tlte Netherlands. orcltestral music by Czech composer Sittetana aitd the songs of Hugo \‘l'olf.
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL BOX OFFICE Tickets for all International Festival events can be botigltt front the Festival Box ()ffice. 2| Market Street. lzdinbui‘glt lilll IBW. 0l3l 473 2000. Open Mon-Fri lllam 6pm; Sat noon 3pm (until Fri 7 Atig): Mon ~Sat 9am -7pnt: Stiit l0ant—5pm (Sat 8 Atig Sat 5 Sep). Concessions: Tickets for selected performances are available at Italf price to those uttder IS. students. senior citizens. unemployed people. Stage Pass holders aitd members of liquity or the Musicians' llition. Proof of status will be required when collecting tickets.
Tlte following venues also sell tickets for all International Festival events to personal callers:
Edinburgh Festival Theatre l3/29 Nicolson Street.
Edinburgh Playhouse Greensitle Place. King's Theatre Leven Street.
Queen's Hall Clerk Street.
Ro al Lyceum Theatre (‘irintllay- Street. Us er Hall l.otbian Road.
Observer Assembly George Street. Any tickets unsold on the day of the performance are available on the door of the venue one hour before curtain-tip. Fifty seats for all Usher Ilall concerts attd 5() seats for all opera shows are reserved for sale at £5 on the day of performance. These are available only to personal callers at the Festival I‘lo\ ()ffice aitd are limited to two tickets per customer.
Half-price tickets for some performances are sold — subject to availability - from lpitt oii the day of performance to personal callers at the Festival Box ()ffice. Limited to two tickets per customer.
BANK OF SCOTLAND FIREWORKS CONCERT
Thu 3 Sep. 10.30pm. This grand finale to the Festival takes place in Princes Street Gardens. though it can also be viewed front elsewhere iii the city centre. The pyrotechnics are set to a classical score. performed by the Scottish (‘ltamber
A little light refreshment: Sean Foley and Hamish McCoIl in the AlmeidalRight Size production Mr Puntila And His Man Matti at the Fringe
26 THE lIST 23 Jul-6 Aug 1998
‘ ()i'chestra. This year's programme
features ‘.\|oittagues iv (‘aptilets' front Prokofiev‘s Romeo A'- .lii/i't'l. a wall/. front Sii'iiii Luke and pieces by Kliacltaturian. l)elibes attd Sullivan. The only remaining opportunity to buy tickets giving adtitissiott to Princes Street Gardens is on Stiii l(l Atig front Want at the Festival Box Office -- expect to queue. Tickets are only available to personal callers and are limited to four per person. For those wanting to avoid tlte hassle of the city cetttre. litverleitlt Park is an alternative. faittily-orientated venue. The view is obviously not as good. bill a public address sy stein relays the concert.
FESTIVAL FRINGE
Stiit 9 Sat 3| Aug. Bringing Iidittburgh to life with performances front theatre companies. comedians. dancers. musicians aitd other entertainers front around the world. the Fringe is the largest arts festival iit existence. Venues. front huge theatres to tiny halls. stay open almost round the clock. guaranteeing entertainment for everyone. The Fringe rtttts officially Stiii 9 Sat 3| Aug. biit many shows begin earlier. durittg 'week zero', aitd this year many will run until the end of the International Festival on Sat 5 Sep.
FRINGE BOX OFFICE
Tickets for all shows in the Fringe are available front the Fringe ()ffice. lls’t) lliglt Street. lidinbtii'glt. ()I3l 226 5|3S. ()pen for bookiitgs in person front Mon 27 Jul. ltlant- 7pm; or by phone 9am—9pm t |()ant 6pm tiittil Sat 25 .ltil). Concessions: Discounted tickets are available for ittost shows. btit prices aitd eligibility are decided by individual companies. Many sltows also offer reduced-price tickets for preview performances. liargaiit-ltunlers sltotild keep ait eye on The list's l-‘reeloadet's section for reader offers.
Tickets for Fringe events are also available iit person from:
Scottish Gas Mobile Information Centre Princes Street (iardens. by The Mound. ()pen Sun 9 ‘30” 30 Aug. daily l0am—5.3()pitt.
James Thin Booksellers 53- 59 South Bridge. ()peit froin Tue 4 Aug. Mon—Sat 10am—7pm; Sitit llain --5pm. Waterstone's Booksellers S3 (ieorge Street. ()peit front Fri 3| Jul. Mon Sat l()ant~7pin; Stitt llaitt 7pm.
FRINGE VENUES
The Fringe as a wltole is itot selectively programttted. btit several venues control two or more performance spaces. publish their own brochures and/or operate separate box offices for their sltows: Observer Assembly 54 George Street. ()I 3| 226 2428. Open Mon —Fri
I lam-6pm (tiittil Tltu 6 Aug); daily l().3()am—iniditigltt (Fri 7 Aug-Sat 5 Sep). Tickets for Calder‘s Gilded Balloon and The Pleasance are also sold here. Calder’s Gilded Balloon 233-235 (‘owgate. ()l 3l 226 215 l. ()pett daily ltlam-6pm (froin Mon 27 Jul); daily l()am- ittiditigltt (Fri 7 -Mon 3| Aug). Tickets for events at ()bserver Assembly. The Pleasance and The Palladium (Broughton Street) are also sold here.
Hill Street Theatre 10 Hill Street. ()l.‘~l 226 6522. ()pen daily l().3()ain midnight (Fri 7-Tue IS Aug); ll.3()am midnight (Wed l9~lyloit 3| Aug).
Famous Grouse House 5 Chambers Street. 0| 3| 220 5606. Open daily
l()am ~()pltl (tiittil Thu 6 Aug); daily ‘).3();lltl~‘)pttl (Fri 7 ~Mon 3| Aug). Pleasance 60 The Pleasance. ()l 3| 556 6550. ()peit daily l()ant—lam (front | Aug). Tickets for (‘alder‘s Gilded Balloon attd ()bserver Assembly are also sold here. Queen's Hall (‘lerk Street. ()l 3t ()th 2()l‘). ()pen Mon—Sat l()am—5.3()pm (until Thu 30 Jul); daily |()am--—l()pm (Fri 3| Jul-«Thu 6 Aug); Mon~Sat l0pm -Spm. Sun ttooii 5pm (Fri 7-«Wed l2 Aug): Mon -Sat ltlam —|()pm. Suit noon—10pm (Thu l3~ Mon 3| Aug). The Queen's Ilall is the iitaiit box office for several Fringe venues. as well as for tlte lidinburgh Jazz. Festival attd Flux music festival. Theatre Workshop 34 Hamilton Place. ()I 3| 226 5-125. ()peit Mott-Sat
9.30ant- 5.30pm (tiittil Sat 8 Aug): Mon—Sat ‘).3()ant—l()pin; Stiit llam» Spin (Mon l0—-:'\Iotl 3| Aug).
Traverse Theatre Cambridge Street. ()I3I 228 I404. ()pett Mon—Sat l()~6pm (tiittil Thu 6 Aug); 10am-8pm (Fri 7 & Sat 8 Aug); 4~Hpm (Stiit 9 Aug); Mott “lam—7.30pm. Tue—Sun 10am —l lpttt (Mon I0—Mon 3| Aug).
All venues also sell tickets for their own shows shortly before performances begin.
EVENING NEWS FESTIVAL CAVALCADE Stttt ‘) Aug. This huge parade kicks off in Waterloo Place at approximately 2.l5pm.
journeys west along Princes Street attd
ends tip iii the (irassmarket. If you want to find a good place to watch front. turn up early — the streets will be ittobbed.
FRINGE SUNDAY
Sun l6 Aug. l lain at llolyrood Park. One of the highlights of the Fringe. this free. fainily-orientated event attracts every sort of performer. frottt mime artists to brass bands. as well as crowds of upwards of l50.000 people.
FLUX
Fri l4—Sat 2‘) Aug at tlte Jaffa Cake. 28 King's Stables Road attd tlte Queen‘s Hall. ('lei'k Street. The baby of the lidinburgh festivals. Flux ntade its ltighly successful debut last year. uttder the auspices of the Fringe. with an innovative programme frotn the world of contemporary tttusic. This year's line-up includes ait opening concert featuring Spiritualized aitd contemporary composer Steve Martlaitd. as well as a blast from the past it) the forth of an audience with Merry Pranksters‘Ken Kesey aitd Ken Babbs.
Tickets for Flux events are available in person froin the venues. or by telephone on ()I 3| 667 7776 (Queen's Hall) or ()l3l 226 5 I 38 (Frittge Box Office).
FILM FESTIVAL
Stiii l6—Stin 30 Aug. The Filitt Festival is screening over 300 filtns this year. front the latest cutting edge releases to old. old favourites. plus celebrity appearances. The programme is divided into ten broad categories. which include various talks attd forunts as well as a retrospective on