Theatrical Innovations at Fringe Festivals
From Scottish Beginnings to the Stages of Canada and the World
Who would have thought that a few small groups of theatrical performers could start a movement that would spread across Britain and North America? Fringe Festivals have been an exciting alternative to professional productions ever since 8 acting troupes participated uninvited in the Edinburgh International Festival in 1947. As the official history of the Edinburgh Festival indicates, that act prompted the formation of Fringe societies and fringe festivals across North America and Europe.
The Beginnings of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
In Scotland’s capital city, the Festival Fringe Society was formed in 1958 to coordinate the events and to provide tickets and information for playgoers. As the idea gained momentum, fringe festivals began to emerge in other cities and even across the ocean. Soon, many major cities were holding open art festivals to allow local talent to flourish.
The idea behind fringe festivals has always been to provide a venue for alternative and amateur performances, without artistic constraints from committees or societies. Anyone can apply to perform, and participants include professional actors, amateurs, and everything in between. Classics such as Shakespeare or Ibsen can be part of the festival, as well as children’s plays, juggling acts, comedy, and more. The quality of performances can vary considerably, but each one has its own special character.
The format of fringe festivals is unique. In the Canadian city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, participants are chosen by a non-juried lottery to stimulate innovation among performers. Ticket prices are substantially lower than at traditional performances, allowing audiences to take in a variety of shows, with some free entertainment available at a central location.
The Growth of Fringe Festivals
Over the years since the first unofficial Fringe Festival, the idea has gained in popularity. The 2008 festival in Edinburgh featured over 2000 different shows in 247 venues, showing everything from opera to children’s plays, according to the festival’s official website. In all, 31,320 performances were staged that year, making the Edinburgh festival the largest in the world.
Canada is one of the countries to pick up on the idea of fringe festivals. With 18 festivals across the nation, Canada hosts the largest number of fringe events of any country. Edmonton, Alberta, was the first to hold a fringe festival, and other cities soon followed. According to the official Fringe website, the second largest fringe event in North America is in Winnipeg, Manitoba, which held its first festival in 1987.
The Winnipeg Fringe Festival in the Heart of Downtown
The Winnipeg Fringe is based on the same principals as its Edinburgh model, with amateur and semi-professional acts from around the country and the world. Free events are held in Old Market Square, a space in the heart of downtown, and the majority of plays are in venues nearby, in an area known as the Exchange District.
The many ornate early twentieth century buildings in the surrounding area give the festival a feeling of history, while the flurry of activity during the week-long festival has a modern feel as vendors sell jewellery, books, scarves, and much more. Theme tours of the area, such as a visit to some of the city’s ecologically green buildings, highlight Winnipeg’s character and add to the whole experience of the Fringe Festival.
From their earliest beginnings, fringe festivals have shown a unique side of theatrical life in many different cities around the world. With cultural events, special dramas, and much more, these festivals help residents and visitors alike to gain a new understanding of the artists and musicians in their midst.
Fringe Festival Performer
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