05/06/2008 00:48:00
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is announcing its new programme today - featuring more shows than ever.
In an advance preview, the Scotsman reports that this year's line up features a number of innovative new productions, including a one-man recreation of the Glastonbury festival experience and a drama based on "black box" transcripts of aircraft emergencies.
Irvine Welsh's novel Ecstasy will also be gracing the stage and the US circus performer Jim Rose will return to the central Scotland event for the first time in ten years.
A much debated new comedy event - the Edinburgh Comedy Festival - is another of this year's additions. There have been complaints that the separate comedy entity - featuring big names like Bill Bailey, Ed Byrne and Ruby Wax - would impact the Edinburgh Fringe Festival negatively as a whole, as it is billed as part of the Fringe but has its own brochure.
A new venue in a former bomb shelter will make its debut while the Ocean Terminal site that hosted Fuerzebruta last year will not be utilised.
The controversy that surrounded Ricky Gervais' show at Edinburgh Castle Esplanade in 2007, however, means that the venue will not be used for comedy shows this year, although a number of concerts will be staged there in the run-up to the Fringe.
Additionally, there are no big outdoor shows on the cards, according to the Scotsman. It is expected that DF Concerts will announce that all of their gigs will be held indoors, following their failure to secure sponsorship after being dropped by Tennents.
The Fringe draws tourists and performers from all around the world and is known for its innovative shows. In March, a new fund to boost native talent at Edinburgh's festivals was announced.