Festival Fever
Edinburgh celebrates its 60th year as a festival city with a month-long cultural extravaganza
words: richard bence
Few places undergo such a transformation as Scotland’s capital in the month of August, when the normally cosy, historic city is invaded by thousands of performers and revellers for a month-long cultural binge
EDINBURGH, THE JEWEL in the crown of international festival cities, offers the mother of all cultural menus. The city’s stunning architecture and location make the Scottish capital’s atmosphere unique, together with the large and discerning audiences attracted to its eleven festivals, which contribute over £184 million to the Scottish economy. As it enters its diamond (60th) anniversary as a festival city, we met up with some of the movers and shakers taking part this year to grill them for some insider knowledge.
Vicky Featherstone: Artistic Director
Featherstone, 39, worked for seven years as the artistic director of the Paines Plough Theatre Company in London and was then made first director of the National Theatre of Scotland. In her administrative positions, Featherstone brought many critically-acclaimed productions to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. This year, she’ll be overseeing the National Theatre of Scotland’s productions of Black Watch and Realism.
What will you be doing at the Festival this year?
The National Theatre of Scotland has two shows on: Black Watch by Gregory Burke and Realism by Anthony Neilson. I will be looking after these, seeing other shows and partying with all the interesting people who converge on Edinburgh for the biggest arts event in the world.
How many years have you been involved in the Festival?
I first went to the Festival with a very bad student show when I was 19. We thought we were changing the world. That was 20 years ago.
What has kept you coming back?
It is one of the few opportunities left for theatre to really take risks.
Where would you go for a power lunch?
It has to be Blue. Can anyone explain to me how they make a fantastic fish cake with a soft quail egg in the middle?
Hangover hotspot?
I courted the present Mr Featherstone in the Smoke Stack on Broughton Street, but maybe he was only there for the breakfast.
Your favourite open space in the city?
It has to be Arthur’s Seat, a beautiful surprise so close to the city’s visionary parliament building.
What’s your favourite shop?
Eddie’s Exotic Seafood Market, Roseneith Terrace in Marchmont. Often he has a whole shark.
Where do you go out drinking and why?
The Cumberland Bar in Cumberland Street in the New Town, far away from the Festival mayhem. And the Traverse Theatre Bar – along with everyone else.
What Festival tips would you give?
Make sure you eat something. Wear comfortable shoes as you will never get a taxi. Never say, “I’m tired, I’m going to go home early”. You’ll miss something special.
Richard Herring: Writer and comedian
Herring has been a professional writer and comedian since 1989 and has worked on numerous cult shows, including the multi-award winning comedy series, Little Britain. He has obsessively written his weblog (www.richardherring.com/ warmingup) every single day for the last four years and is currently working on a sit-com called You Can Choose Your Friends for the BBC and a comedy drama called Double Act for Channel 4.
What will you be doing at the Festival this year?
A stand up show called ménage un. It’s loosely themed around loneliness, only-ness and Onanism, but is mainly just stuff that I think is funny.
How many years have you been involved in the Festival?
This is my 15th Edinburgh Fringe and my 21st show.
What has kept you coming back?
I like to come up to experiment and try out new things. It’s also a great opportunity to see what other people are up to.
Where would you go for a power lunch?
Rick’s on Frederick St. It was below my flat one year. I had just got together with a new girlfriend and I often took her down there to eat steak and recoup my strength!
Hangover hotspot?
The City Café on Blair Street does a phenomenal breakfast and it’s also a bar if you want a hair of the dog.
Your favourite open space in the city?
I love looking down over the railway station from George IV Bridge, though at least once a year during the Festival I want to throw myself over the edge with my bad reviews stapled to my clothes.
What’s your favourite shop?
I like walking round Harvey Nichols. If I’m feeling blue, I’ll treat myself to a posh shirt.
Where do you go out drinking and why?
I tend to drink at the venues because I’ll bump into people I know. The Pleasance Courtyard is fun, but the Assembly Rooms performers’ bar is quieter for when you don’t feel like mingling with the audience.
What Festival tips would you give?
Look out for the late-night comedy shows, where you can catch a raft of the best comedians at the Fringe in one show and have a drink at the same time. Don’t get too drunk though or the relatively sober comedians will rip you apart!
Edmund White: Writer
White, 66, born in Cincinnati, Ohio, is most famous for his groundbreaking work A Boy’s Own Story (1982), The Married Man (2000) and most recently a biography of the French novelist and playwright, Jean Genet. Although White is known as a novelist whose work has been widely praised by such writers as Vladimir Nabokov and Susan Sontag, it is as a cultural critic that he has exerted most influence. He returns this year to the Festival with his first play in 10 years.
What will you be doing at the Festival this year?
Watching the world premiere of my new play, Terre Haute, at the Assembly Rooms. It imagines a meeting – and an attraction – between a famous older writer, Gore Vidal, and convicted young murderer, Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh during the latter’s last hours on death row. It’s being produced by a UK theatre company called nabokov, supported by Escalator East to Edinburgh – a scheme run by Arts Council England, East.
How many years have you been involved in the Festival?
Three years. But this is my first in Edinburgh as a playwright. Previously I have been a guest at the Book Festival.
What has kept you coming back?
The chance to launch my books at such a vibrant festival. And this year to see my play being performed for the first time.
Where would you go for a power lunch?
Atrium on Cambridge Street serves a fabulous á la carte lunch menu in a relaxed atmosphere.
Hangover hotspot?
Gosh, I don’t even drink! But Edinburgh has lots of wonderful coffee shops that offer excellent people-watching opportunities.
Your favourite open space in the city?
I haven’t had a chance to explore much beyond the city centre, so I’d say Princes Street Gardens for a stroll. They are beautifully kept and provide a marvellous respite from the chaos of the festivals.
What’s your favourite shop?
The bookshop at the Edinburgh International Book Festival is a marvellous haven. Last year, I’m told, they sold 60,000 books over the course of the fortnight.
What Festival tips would you give?
Immerse yourself in the great variety that Edinburgh has to offer. Visit www.easttoedinburgh.co.uk and catch some other brilliant Escalator East to Edinburgh events. And, of course, come and see my play!
Lucy Porter: Comedienne
Lucy Porter, 32, tackles modern-day issues in her one-woman routine, The Good Life. Questions about today’s culture – cheap air fares, materialism and environmentalism – and how it’ll affect future generations feature in Porter’s show. She’ll perform in the Pleasance Courtyard’s Cabaret Bar from 2-28 August (except 8 August and 15 August), at 9.30pm.
What will you be doing at the Festival this year?
I’ll be presenting my show, The Good Life. It’s stand-up comedy and random chat and basically about being a good person.
How many years have you been involved in the Festival?
The first time I came was as a teenager in 1992. I performed in the Comedy Zone in 1999. In 2002 I did my first solo show.
What has kept you coming back?
The people are very friendly, especially the taxi drivers. They wholeheartedly love the festival – they make a fortune from it.
Where would you go for a power lunch?
The Tower Restaurant at the top of the Museum of Scotland (pictured) has amazing views, really nice food, and big booths to sit in.
Hangover hotspot?
Monster Mash does sausage and mash and all the things you need when you have a hangover.
Your favourite open space in the city?
I like the zoo. Every year I try to see the penguin parade (pictured). It’s on at 2pm daily and it’s one of the cutest, loveliest things ever.
What’s your favourite shop?
Concrete Butterfly, on Victoria Street (pictured), which sells interior design products and clothes.
What Festival tips would you give?
Edinburgh in August is overwhelming. Go down to Leith (on the mouth of the Water of Leith) for a break.
The Edinburgh International Festival runs from 13 August – 3 September. www.eif.co.uk or call +44 (0)131 473 2000 for bookings
