tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272008603641292743.post584322038894018220..comments2024-03-22T07:38:11.573+00:00Comments on Sitcom Geek: Should I do a free show at the Edinburgh Fringe?James Caryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01315185952705396144noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272008603641292743.post-35317353748808822402011-11-18T23:21:08.445+00:002011-11-18T23:21:08.445+00:00I can't recommend the free Fringe highly enoug...I can't recommend the free Fringe highly enough. Not just for all the excellent reasons mentioned by you and Peter above, but also for financial reasons.<br /><br />I used to do Edinburgh in the 80s and 90s and just about broke even or made a small profit, these days it's almost impossible to do without losing bucketloads.<br /><br />Paradoxically, at least if you do the Free Festival you know exactly how much it will cost you before you go up - so any money you make from the bucket on the door is a bonus.Dave Cohenhttp://www.britainsgotpeople.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2272008603641292743.post-56783850803634497752011-11-14T16:14:32.437+00:002011-11-14T16:14:32.437+00:00I don't believe there's greater screening ...I don't believe there's greater screening and filtering at the money venues than at the Free Fringe. The Free Fringe certainly screens the shows offered to it, as carefully as we can. The one piece of analytical work that has been done on this (Chortle in 2010)shows that the average start rating for Free Fringe shows is higher than many groups of money venues. It is, admittedly, lower than Assembly.<br /><br /><br />There is a pirate operation that puts on free shows and doesn't vet quality, but that's not the Free Fringe.<br /><br /><br />As for producers, I have no more insight into their minds than anybody else, but I'm sure they don't see shows at random. They plan what to see. The only difference is: at the money venues, you know they've been in, because they've been issued a complimentary ticket. At the Free Fringe, there are no tickets, so you don't know they've been in. Unless they tell you.<br /><br /><br />I think you're absolutely right about the rest. And the audience is usually more open to what you give it. Not: I've paid £12 for this; it'd better be good. More: what have I got to lose by giving this show a fair hearing? In fact, more like the attitude of a TV audience, but without the remote.<br /><br /><br />Peter Buckley Hill<br />The Free Fringe LtdPeter Buckley Hillhttp://www.freefringe.orgnoreply@blogger.com