free the fest

with hours to go till all the madness kicks off distinct camps are forming..

- the first time flannies (the sashaying armies of drama school divas getting fleeced in exchange for hefty egos taking a bashing)
- the free fest and the rest of the fringe (where it seems all the real edge sawing diversity is these days)
- the mcfest of apollo wannabe's in the unholy clutches of the "comedy fest"

I find myself agreeing a LOT with Stewart Lee's article on the evils of the latter camp. Even in the time I've been in Edinburgh I've witnessed the comedy festival dominate so much marketing, reviews and airtime that it threatens to turn the whole fantastic lunatic asylum into a bland TV pilot audition show with the same shows year in year out. It's also just not a good vibe - at worst loutish and drunken without much thought, never mind thought-provoking or unnerving.

There is good stuff out there in dem dere streets. I can't afford much of it this year but will be heading to a lot of inky fingers events as they are FREE (might even be performing in 1 or 2) , the Edinburgh book fringe at word power books (James Kelman, China Melville, Tom Leonard all appearing again FREE), some mad stuff at summerhall, Daniel Kitson (thanks to friend R's extra ticket!) and Elspeth's idiot at the wall play at Bedlam.. there's plenty out there. Hope you find some too