More costs for comedians playing the Edinburgh Fringe

The Pleasance has hiked its fees for comedians performing at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.

The venue, the most prestigious hub for comedy shows, will this year be charging an additional ‘facilities fee’ to producers, typically adding an extra £135 for every 1,000 tickets sold. 

Pleasance director Anthony Alderson says the extra cast will support other artists plus the army of staff who work at the venue – but will be an additional burden on productions, many of which already run at a loss.

The venue is largely staffed by volunteers who get daily subsistence, training and their own accommodation during the festival.

However, all venues have been placed under pressure from trade unions and the Fair Fringe campaign to ensure all staff are paid a living wage of £9 an hour.

The Pleasance has vowed to add more paid professional technicians and management staff across their venues this year, but says it needs to raise extra money to pay for it.

Alderson has previously said that the  surplus for the Pleasance in 2018, after paying all costs and salaries – including huge rent to the University of Edinburgh which owns the buildings –  came in at just £2,500. 

In a letter to producers, he said that the charitable trust which runs the Pleasance, ‘with a small amount of support from key partners’, will cover most, but not all, of the new staff costs.

So the shortfall is being made up by expanding a 15p-a-ticket levy, which previously applied only to those sold directly through the Pleasance, to tickets sold via the Fringe Society too, which typically makes up the lions’ share of any show’s box office.

Alderson added: ‘We fully understand that the festival is an expensive exercise for all companies and we have tried very carefully to make any increases as small as possible.’

The Pleasance also takes 40 per cent of all ticket sales or a guaranteed minimum hire fee, whichever is the greater. 

There are already fears the coronavirus might affect audience numbers this summer if potential audiences decide not to travel, adding to the squeeze on performers and producers.

Published: 6 Mar 2020