The Pleasance have celebrated their 40th anniversary with an impressive programme of acts from around the world, platforming trailblazing productions from Fringe veterans, highly anticipated newcomers, homegrown talent and incredible international artists with works showcased from 20 countries. With 279 shows across the Courtyard, Dome and EICC, the Pleasance issued over 500,000 tickets to audiences this summer showing that the Fringe remains the place to be in August. On the busiest day of August, 30,000 people came through the Pleasance Courtyard dashing to shows and soaking up the incredible Fringe environment.
Anthony Alderson, director of the Pleasance Theatre Trust, comments, It has been the most incredible 40th festival at the Pleasance. The quality of work has been exceptional with artists joining us from across the globe to delight audiences and tell exciting stories. Once again, the technical teams and support staff have done an extraordinary job and the audiences have come out in great numbers to see an array of brilliant talent. 40 years ago, I don’t think anyone could have imagined the Pleasance would develop into what it has today. We have done this in partnership with Edinburgh University Students Association, the University of Edinburgh and Edinburgh International Conference Centre, without whom our festival would not be possible. Our thanks to everyone over the last four decades. We’re looking forward to the next four.
2024 once again cemented the Pleasance’s commitment to artist support, access and welfare, with the venue continuing to invest heavily in the future of theatre. Pleasance Futures, the artist development strand of the Pleasance Theatre Trust, supported 20 shows with financial support of over £160,000. The Charlie Hartill Fund presented Duck from award-winning playwright maatin, Sierra Sevilla’s Filipa Braganca nominated one-woman show For The Love of Spam and Crying Shame from emerging queer theatre collective, Sweet Beef. The Fund also supported the 20th year of the Pleasance Comedy Reserve, which shone a spotlight on four future stars of comedy: Marty Gleeson, Rohan Sharma, Sam Williams and Sharon Wanjohi. The Edinburgh National Partnerships programme supported fantastic works from all four corners of the UK with In The Lady Garden, I Really do Think This Will Change Your Life, Òran, Polly and Esther, Scaffolding, The Daughters of Róisín and This Town.
The Pleasance has continued to pioneer access as part of the programme with 31 shows offering captioning and 35 with access provisions. The venue also introduced an Audio Description Kit sponsored by Ulverscroft Foundation to aid costs for captioned performances and new hearing loops were introduced, supported by the Edinburgh Airport Community Fund. These were used by Ugly Bucket to provide audio description for every performance of their show Stuffed.
Continuing its valuable Partnership with PlayWell, the Pleasance expanded its Welfare Programme, becoming the first venue at the Fringe to establish a dedicated Welfare Department within the festival’s framework. Providing a comfortable and safe framework for artists to enjoy the festival is vital to the venue and the Pleasance sourced a record number of 182 rooms for artists with hundreds more provided for staff members. The Pleasance also promoted local engagement and better accessibility for those who otherwise are not able to engage with the festival, through its partnership with Edinburgh Primary Schools. The initiative partnered with over 18 primary schools offering access to four shows from the Pleasance’s diverse and exciting programme. 1,190 tickets were subsidised as part of School Funding and Fringe Community Outreach, the latter of which was led by Chatterbox creator, Lubna Kerr.
The Pleasance also offered in person workshops for staff and artists alike, which included a Q&A with Wise Children, ‘Touring in America’, ‘Publishing your Playtext with Methuen’ and ‘TV Demystifier with Simon Nelson’. The production team also delivered workshops to the technical volunteer team to develop fundamental tech and networking skills. This provision demonstrates the Pleasance’s inspiring commitment to development across all backgrounds and departments.
In 2024, The Pleasance also formed part of the new Love the Fringe initiative, a new membership scheme to allow audiences to see more shows than ever before, at the best prices. Love the Fringe membership includes free tickets, exclusive discounts and perks across Edinburgh.
The calibre of the programme has been heralded by numerous awards nominations and wins across the month. The Border from Grotowski Institute & Studio WACHOWICZ/FRET won a prestigious Scotsman Fringe First award; the production oscillates on the edge of performance with ritual and ceremony creating a new field. These awards are presented in recognition of outstanding new writing premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Four incredible Pleasance comedians – Abby Wambaugh, Demi Adejuyigbe, Jack Skipper and Jin Hao Li – were nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer Award category. While at the ISH Comedy Awards, Elf Lyons: Horses picked up the Jones Bootmaker Award for Best Show, which also saw nominations for Colin Hoult and Jordan Brookes. The Best Newcomer Award at the ISH Comedy Awards went to Abby Wambaugh who celebrated with fellow Pleasance nominees Hannah Platt, Henry Rowley, Kemah Bob, Mark Bittlestone and Runi Talwar. Meanwhile, Colin Hoult received another accolade, winning Next Up’s Biggest Award in Comedy. Elf Lyons also won British Comedy Guide’s Comedians’ Choice Award while the shortlist for Best Newcomer named Abby Wambaugh, Hannah Platt and Jin Hao Li. The Malcolm Hardee Award for an Act That Should Make A Million Quid was won by Garry Starr for Classic Penguins. And as if winning wasn’t enough, Garry Starr was nominated for Comic Originality.
At the WoW Awards from Entertainment Now, Neil Delamere won the Comedy Award for the final week and Garry Starr won the Best Children’s Show with Monkeys Everywhere. And, at the inaugural Besties, Lou Wall: The Bisexual’s Lament won The Outwith Award for Best International Production/Artist and Monkeys Everywhere won their new award for Best Kids Show. Pitlochry Festival Theatre supported company Wonder Fools also won a Bestie Debut Award for Òran, part of the Edinburgh National Partnerships programme.
All the Fraudulent Horse Girls and Dee Allum: Deadname were shortlisted for the Binge Fringe Queer Performers Award. And in the second year of the fabulous queer Somewhere: For Us Fringe Awards, Gwyneth Goes Skiing and Kemah Bob were named winners. Meanwhile, the Filipa Bragança Award, which celebrates groundbreaking solo performance, saw a shortlist that included Sell Me: I’m From North Korea, The Daughters of Róisín and For The Love of Spam. The Brighton Fringe Award for Excellence shortlisted In The Lady Garden and The Border while, from Australia, the Holden Street Theatre Awards named The Long Run and Shellshocked on its shortlist. The incredible Ugly Bucket who are performing at the Courtyard with their show Stuffed were named as part of The Stage’s Fringe Five. The Pleasance’s musical theatre programme was recognised by Musical Theatre Review with two shows shortlisted for awards – The Emu War: A New Musical and One Man Musical.
The Book of Mountains and Seas was a runner-up in the prestigious Popcorn Writing Award, presented by Pleasance founder Christopher Richardson at Pleasance’s fabulous cabaret bar. Four Pleasance shows won Theatre Weekly’s Best of the Fest Awards, with Abby Wambaugh: The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows taking home Best Comedy and Sisyphean Quick Fix winning the award for Best Play. Rosie and Hugh’s Great Big Adventure was awarded Best Family Show and All the Fraudulent Horse Girls won Best Ensemble Performance. The important Mental Health Foundation Award recognised an impressive array of shows at the Fringe and shortlisted Flicker.
The Pleasance’s 40th year also marks their 32nd year in their partnership with Waverley Care, Scotland’s leading HIV and Hepatitis C charity. Combining collections made across the Pleasance’s venues and the proceeds from the annual Tartan Ribbon Comedy Benefit, an estimated £56,842 was raised, which amounts to an estimated total of £747, 381.90. Hosted by Mark Watson, 2024’s Tartan Ribbon Comedy Benefit the electric, laughter-charged night of essential fundraising featured performances by critically acclaimed comedians Dara Ó Briain, Nish Kumar, Sophie Duker, Celya AB, Catherine Cohen and Two Hearts.
It’s been another wonderful summer in Edinburgh, and one that wouldn’t have been possible without all the fantastic staff and volunteers at the beating heart who work so tirelessly to deliver the magic of the Fringe. With a year-round home in London, The Pleasance will be back in Edinburgh next August to see their fifth decade packed full of diverse and game-changing programming across comedy, theatre, circus, magic, dance and kids’ shows.
