The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the world, with nearly 3,500 shows. This year, Playbill is in Edinburgh for the entire month in August for the festival and we’re taking you with us. Follow along as we cover every single aspect of the Fringe, aka our real-life Brigadoon!
Maybe you didn’t hear about a show until it was already making waves at Edinburgh Fringe. Maybe one was on your list, but you hadn’t decided between it and another at the same time slot yet. Maybe you were waiting to hear if a show was getting good reviews. No matter the reason, there’s a crop of shows at the festival every August that end up becoming hot tickets, so in demand that even standing room is sold out. Playbill has already started keeping track of which shows are selling well so you know to buy tickets to them now.
Well, if a show is sold out, here’s how you try to get in.
Keep An Eye Out Before the Festival Begins
Some shows will start selling out before the festival even begins—sometimes these are return shows that met success the year previously. For example: This year, Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder play the Udderbelly after a sold-out run last year at the Fringe. The international musical SIX had the same trajectory with a second Fringe run at the same Underbelly venue.
Sometimes, the shows are new—but they have heavy hitters attached. Hamlet starring Ian McKellen sold out last year well before August arrived. Here’s where following media outlets covering the Fringe becomes useful (like Playbill).
In the months leading up from January to July, show announcements will roll out. Those that get their own articles often become big shows to pay attention to—but the round-ups of shows anticipated to be strong are equally important. In those round-ups, you are likely to discover some gems that will also do well at the festival. Keep an eye out for these in the months leading up and make a list of the ones that interest you. When tickets go on sale, check how they’re selling so you don’t miss out.
Set Up Review Alerts
Maybe you’re not totally sure about a show—or perhaps you want to discover some new ones. One great way to curate your Fringe experience is by setting up alerts for review from the media outlets that dedicate coverage to the festival, like The Scotsma, The List, and Playbill. With the teams of critics that they employ to cover as much of the Fringe as possible, these outlets become serious guides for what could end up being big. Part of that is because the critics often spot shows that really stand-out. The other reason is because reviews can often drive a show from doing well to becoming a hit. If you’re interested in a show and end up reading a glowing review, it’s time to get a ticket as quick as you can.
Set Up Fringe First Alerts
In addition to reviews, The Scotsman also doles out their Fringe First Awards. Released in a series of three Friday ceremonies over the course of the festival, the awards recognize the best new writing at the Fringe. (For returning shows, having a Fringe First Award often also indicates to audiences that great experience awaits.) For the show, earning a Fringe First often triggers a rush for tickets.
Be among the first to know which shows are hot by setting up an alert for when The Scotsman drops its winners.
Check the "Sold Out" Boards at the Big Venues
Across the Fringe, you will find at many of the venues that there is a chalkboard. And in big letters somewhere, it will say: Sold Out. It is worth adding some time into your day to stop by these boards on your walks around the city or while coming in and out of shows to discover what’s already got a following. The "Sold Out" Board is only for that day's performances, so if you see a show on the "Sold Out" board, check to see if there are tickets for other days.
Refresh the Fringe App
Using the new Fringe app, you can save the shows that have caught your interest to a favorites section of the app. Thankfully, this streamlines being able to see how the shows you have an eye on area doing—if you start to notice the red dot and "Sold Out" next to performances in the app (which can be found looking under "Dates" for each show), grab a ticket before the run is gone. The Fringe app is updated frequently and is one of the most up-to-date resources available.
On the day of a sold out show, you can also refresh the Fringe app to see if more tickets have been released.
Ask About the Long Line
Maybe you’re passing a venue on your way somewhere else. Or you’re in line for a different show at the same hub. And there’s a mass of people who have queued at one entrance. Ask one of the nearby venue workers or someone in the line what show it’s for. Then you can open the new Fringe app, check out what it’s about and see if there are anymore tickets for that show!
Listen to the Buzz of the Festival
There’s so much to take in across Edinburgh during the month. But if you can, spare an ear to listen in when people around you are chatting about shows. This is a way to discover how Fringe-goers are reacting, or shows that weren’t on your radar. Feeling a bit more outgoing? Ask the people next to you in line for a drink or for your next show, the people sitting at the other end of the picnic table or on the stool at the pub, what shows they’ve seen and thought were incredible. You’ll quickly build a list of recommendations, and some of these might be gems that won’t sell out. But if you hear a show come up multiple times, that’s a sure sign to check out tickets soon if it’s not already too late.
Follow Shows on Social Media
Maybe their follower count starts to really grow, or they post their first sold-out performance. They’ll post reviews, and all sorts of great feedback. And the traction you see on social media can be a great indicator for how a show’s ticket sales are doing. It’s the equivalent of catching the buzz in person around the festival—if there’s a lot of people talking about a show online, chances are there’s a lot of people talking about it offline. Watch how a show’s online profile grows , and get a ticket when it seems like its popped off.
Hang Out By the Venue
Now, this is a last resort way of really trying to get your hands on a ticket. But sometimes people will give up tickets to a show if they’ve scored tickets to something else they want to see more. Sometimes the venue will release more tickets to a show at the last minute because, for example, the tickets they were setting aside for reviewers weren't scooped up. You might get lucky with people trying to sell or give away their tickets, and hanging out at the venue in the time leading up to the performance might give you a shot at the holy grail.
