Edinburgh Festival of Music and Drama

Edinburgh Festival of Music and Drama, international event presented annually since 1947 for three weeks, opening usually in mid-August. Although the main emphasis is on music, some distinguished theatrical productions have been seen, including those of a number of foreign companies, since it has always been the policy of the Festival's directors to invite visitors from overseas. The first, in 1947, was Jouvet's company. In 1948 and 1957 the Renaud—Barrault company appeared and in 1955 Edwige Feuillère was seen in the younger Dumas's La Dame aux camélïas. Other companies to visit Edinburgh include the Comédie-Française, the Théâtre National Populaire, the Berliner Ensemble, the Piccolo Teatro della Città di Milano, and the Ninagawa Company. Marcel Marceau has also appeared several times, and T. S. Eliot's last three plays were commissioned for performance there. In 1948, 1949, and 1959 Tyrone Guthrie directed the old Scottish morality play by Sir David Lyndsay, Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis, last seen in 1552. It was revived again for the 1973 Festival in a new version directed by Bill Bryden. Other performances have included the Old Vic company in Romeo and Juliet, Jonson's Bartholomew Fair, and Schiller's Mary Stuart, and the Stratford (Ontario) Festival Theatre company in Sophocles' Oedipus the King and Henry V. In 1950 the Glasgow Citizens' Theatre was seen at the Festival, returning in 1968 with Michael Blakemore's production of Brecht's Arturo Ui. Scottish companies performing at the Festival also include the Edinburgh Civic Theatre Company from the Royal Lyceum Theatre and the companies from Perth and Dundee. Other companies to visit the Festival include Birmingham Repertory Theatre, the Bristol Old Vic, the Abbey Theatre, and the Nottingham Playhouse. The English Stage Company has made several visits, presenting the British premières of O'Casey's Cock-a-Doodle-Dandy (1959) and Ionesco's Exit the King (1963), and in 1962 the RSC made its first visit with the British première of Fry's Curtmantle; they returned in 1974 with Marlowe's Dr Faustus. A memorable event of later years was the adaptation of Richard III staged in 1979 by the Rustaveli company from Georgia, and the following year the National Theatre company made its first visit to the Festival.

The term ‘Fringe’ was first coined to describe performances not included as part of the official Festival. From these unofficial beginnings the Fringe has grown to encompass diverse events from every area of the performing arts. The essence of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and every Fringe festival around the world that has sprung from it, is that no artistic control is exerted by the organizers. The Fringe is now the largest arts festival in the world, over 500 groups from many different countries presenting 1,000 productions and giving 9,000 performances. Participation by university groups has always been strong, providing a unique platform for emerging talent. Trevor Nunn, Maggie Smith, Derek Jacobi, Tom Stoppard, and comedians such as Rowan Atkinson and John Cleese all performed on the Fringe in their university days. New work is another strong element, over 300 plays being given their British premières on the Fringe each year. Experimental work, Collective Creation, alternative comedy, and small-scale productions are other important components. The Traverse Theatre, which expands its year-round programme of events during the Fringe, acts as a cultural catalyst to the proceedings.