Tomorrow, my 2025 Edinburgh Fringe run begins. I arrived in Edinburgh before 7.30am this morning, continuing the tradition started last year and getting the sleeper train up. However, the name is rather misleading as it’s very difficult to actually sleep on it.
Last year, I booked a cabin on the train and was more excited about that than returning to Edinburgh Fringe. I hardly slept at all due to the constant vibrating and tilting of the cramped bed.
As I knew I likely wouldn’t be getting any sleep again if I hired a cabin, I decided to save £200 and get a seat instead. The result was as expected, and very little sleep was achieved.
I’m also staying in the same accommodation as last year. Only, due to Oasis-inflation, prices have gone up by at least £100. I honestly have no idea how this year is going to pan out. But sales are down compared with a year ago.
I have been trying to force myself to stop checking the sales numbers regularly, without much success. Strangely, I have decided not to check at all today and have a surprise or shock tomorrow morning.
My earlier timeslot could be one of the issues. But 11.45am is only 15 minutes earlier than the midday slot that worked so well for four years.
The most likely factor is that accommodation prices are obscene now. Prices have been extreme for a while, but the presence of Oasis over three dates in August has pushed them over the edge. Performers and punters are staying away this year.
Whoever thought it would be a good idea to host three Oasis shows in Edinburgh during the Fringe is a total imbecile. With 70,000 people attending each show, many will have to book accommodation, taking it away from fringe goers at a higher rate. Oasis fans are also less likely to go and see any fringe shows, as they will have far less money to play with after forking out for crazily expensive tickets and accommodation, plus travel.
I am aware that AC/DC are also playing a concert during the same month, but I like them far more than Oasis and am willing to overlook this. ACDC also have several amazing albums, rather than just the two from Oasis.
And yes, I did try unsuccessfully to get Oasis tickets. But I may still lose
thousands of pounds from tickets – by not selling as many.
In terms of my show, I’ve had a couple of previews in July with the new material. There was a sudden burst of new content to coincide with the previews, and it will be tweaked, developed, or dropped as the run progresses.
But who knows? This is the Edinburgh Fringe. It is one of the most unpredictable things there is, and no one can ever truly predict how it’ll go.