It’s that time of year again – the city of Edinburgh is knee deep in scaffolding, steeldeck, and early tented and portacabin world of Edinburgh Festival Fringe. And for me it is 5th year heading to London to meet a group of 10 Korean commercial producers who will spend 2 weeks gaining a better understanding of the UK scene. 30-40 UK producers, programmers, and venue managers will meet them either to witness their showcase of IP projects, or to share common and very different understandings of how to make theatre in our two countries. They will head home of August 7th and I will begin to immerse myself, back home, in EdFringe26.
This year I also share that exploration with three more delegations. For the 2nd time I am helping to facilitate the Japan Selection, where 10 producers with an interest in bringing work to the UK, present their projects to a gathered audience of UK producers and programmers.
Then for the first time I help to facilitate a gathering of 19 Maltese creatives/producers as they visit Edinburgh funded by Arts Council Malta. Some of these producers will introduce their shows in a Malta Showcase with the aim of exciting programmers and producers to welcome their work to EdFringe27. Others will take part in mass networking sessions such as the Federation of Scottish Theatre and Society of London Theatre annual meet-up.
And finally, after waving the Korean and Japanese delegations ‘fare thee well’, I will welcome a small group of Ukrainian producers and creatives who are making their first visit to EdFringe under the guiding support of the Ukraine Institute. Here together with the British Council, Edinburgh Fringe Society international office, and I hope Creative Scotland, we will give them a rounded view of making work in Scotland, bringing work to the Fringe, and building collaborations between the UK and Ukraine.
This feels a fitting collaboration moment following my first two trips to Kyiv earlier this year, and before I return in October. The open invitation from Ukraine Institute generated 64 applications to visit Edinburgh, and they/we had the incredibly tough task of finding 4 for this first visit. I am hoping when I go back with an offer of workshops in Kyiv, that many of those who wanted to come to Edinburgh will join me. I’m a poor substitute for the world’s largest festival, but hopefully together we can share ideas, ‘tools and rules’ of the producing game.
I’ve never attempted to work with four delegations simultaneously, and the last few weeks of zoom workshops and 1-2-1 surgeries with 19 Maltese, 10 Japanese, 10 Koreans has given me rather square eyes. But, as my train travels down in the sunshine from Edinburgh to London, I feel a sense of impending calm.
The Korean prepare to fly this weekend armed with a Welcome Pack, a list of speakers and topics we will cover, and the knowledge they will see shed loads of West End shows of their own choices. Together we will go and see Phelim McDermott in Tao of Glass, and Michael Grady Hall in the Globe’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. Their choices, but who am I to question their taste – the amazing Improbable Theatre and my equally inspiring son whipping the groundlings up into a storm of Puckish magic.
To all my colleague preparing their theatres, shows, workshops and hospitality spaces across Edinburgh, I wish you a fine glorious August. I’ve booked 47 shows out of my top 100 – a tiny selection from the 3000+ productions on offer. See you all around.
Cheers