30/07/2008 01:01:00
2008 sees the launch of the first Edinburgh Comedy Festival (ECF), a celebration of diverse comedic stylings taking place during the Capital's August festivities.
Characterised as a "festival-within-a-festival", the inaugural celebration intends to be a separate institution for comedy within the world-renowned Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Featuring more than 250 acts over 55 stages, the new subdivision of the Edinburgh Fringe is set to become what organisers hope to be the biggest comedy festival in the world. Performances across the entire gamut of comedy will feature, from sketch shows to music and poetry.
Following on from the beginning of the Edinburgh International Jazz Festival last week, the ECF has started the celebrations in style - but has been met with some controversy.
Created by four of Edinburgh's biggest Fringe venues, the event aims to raise the profile of comedy within the Fringe. However, this move has struck chords with excluded rivals that feel the new feature only underscores what was only reticent before - that comedy in the Fringe has its favourites and only certain 'higher-level' shows will be part of the new festivities.
Some have also expressed anger at the feeling that the Edinburgh Comedy Festival has abandoned the Fringe, causing a tear in what is famously seen as a coming together of all styles in the arts world.
ECF organisers claim that they are rebranding in order to attract sponsors. Sponsorship will allow better marketing which will, in turn, draw larger crowds for all Fringe events as well as comedy.
The official start of the Edinburgh Fringe is August 3. The widely-popular festival will run for three weeks until August 25.