Edinburgh festival 2019

2019 was the festivals 72nd year 

For the month of August Edinburgh’s population doubles in size, and every possible room and hall becomes a venue. Edinburgh’s Royal Mile is the perfect historic backdrop for the players to exhibit their talents. The weather in August may be changeable, but it is also just right. 

The main event is the comedy: and the international main festival, theatre plays, music concerts, dance, cabaret – from world class, to school and university amateurs. It offers an expanding platform for new talent. There is something here for everyone. Edinburgh is also just the right size to walk around the dramatic castle, old town and new town. Its worth taking time to explore Scottish history off the main tourist paths and down the Canongate. 

Many great writers have lived here - Alan Ramsay, Adam Smith, David Hume, Dugald Stewart, Adam Ferguson, James Hutton, Henry MacKenzie, Robert Burns, Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Conan Doyle, Alexander Macall Smith, Ian Rankin.

Edinburgh Festivals 2018!

The fields are golden, the sun getting lower and a chill begins in the evening air as the first leaves are starting to fall. 

 Its dark now late Sunday and the men are busy packing up the large tents on George street. We know the festival must end, and a normal and quieter Edinburgh return – but also the festival lifts us all higher for a short while, and makes the impossible possible, offers new horizons. 

EIF provides a glorious and golden end of summer bash each year celebrating the best of theatre, comedy, music, dance, art and much much more...Edinburgh offers a festival for all tastes – from the intellectual rigour of the book festival, its significant comedy festival, and extensive theatre.  

Under luminous skies, I entered with the book festival with a heady mix of anticipation, bolstered by the beaming exuberance , shared laughter and well rehearsed singers of the high street.  

The sometimes new and tacky mixes with the unique individual histories. Perhaps I might hope for more of the latter. Some worry Edina is turning into a Theme park and moving downmarket – do we want a Butlin’s image or to attract the more sophisticated traveller? 

Edina has a rich seam of authentic heritage - not only the deep stories of the dark rugged castle rock, but the majestic Georgian new town and the hidden alleyways below and beyond its Royal Mile. 

 There were 4.5 million ticket sales, second only to the Olympics – and this festival takes place every year; but the diversity means there is little TV coverage. From the grand Tattoo show on the castle esplanade,  the main international festival and the youthful Fringe shows and offers a platform for new theatre, 

**TALKS EIBF

Paris Riots 68, with Nael Ascherson

Yanis Varoufakis

Karl Ove Knaasgard

Michael Marra: Arrest This Moment

Gina Miller

**SHOWS that caught my attention

The Beggars Opera - The Kings

Mhairi Campbell, Auld Lang Syne, Storytelling centre

The Red Guitar - 

Midsummer - The Hub

Caledonian Soul - Queens hall
Ulster American - Traverse theatre

I managed a few shows, sadly not time for all.

Edinburgh festivals August!

I am looking forward to another great Edinburgh festival  and Fringe - and all the variety, colour, creativity, fun, (comedy, dance, theatre, music, books, more) and inspiration it brings! The weird and wonderful and the celebration of all the arts and culture.

Main venues – The Pleasance, Traverse, Gilded Balloon, Assembly Rooms, 

Each August I visit Edinburgh festival and I’m always amazed how my hometown is both strange and familiar to me. While most of my time is at the EIBF (edinburgh International book festival), I like to make excursions down the Royal mile and to venture through the packed crowds and savour the vibrant atmosphere of the many players performing the great variety of shows to be found here.

It is weird and wonderful, escapist and real, extreme, frivolous and serene.

I enjoy to venture off the main routes and I eat at least once at Bilbos on the corner of Chambers street.

I try to make a time out to shill, to regroup, recharge and re-collect.  And everything in-between.

I take the walk from the Gilded Balloon near the university, down along Forrest Road past the folk bar Sandy Bells, along the Bridges and the national library and then down the busy Mound, on along George street past the statues of Hanoverian kings – and eventually to the reflective hub for those who enjoy books at EIBF.  I also make time for a couple of ART exhibitions and several shows.

I grew up here and never realised how BIG the festival was worldwide! Some favourite photos from Edinburghfestival 2015! TICKETS available at - https://www.edfringe.com

Edinburgh Festival Photos

 LEO performed by Tobias Wegner, directed by Daniel Briere won Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award

Neil Gaiman Edinburgh International Book Festival 2011

Mark Beaumont

Leo

I took photos at 'Leo'  -  performed by Tobias Wegner and directed by Daniel Briere, which won the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award, and will receive a full NYC production at Theatre Row in January.   The award is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe's highest honour, and was presented at the festival's closing ceremonies on August 26.  The production is from the acclaimed German company Circle of Eleven, and considers what happens if the laws of gravity suddenly change. Leo combines stage design and video projections, to create an unexpected environment in which our hero is forced to adapt to this surprising situation.  The award is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe's highest honour, and was presented at the festival's closing ceremonies on August 26.  The production is from the acclaimed German company Circle of Eleven, and considers what happens if the laws of gravity suddenly change. Leo combines stage design and video projections, to create an unexpected environment in which our hero is forced to adapt to this surprising situation.

Edinburgh Festival 2011 (review)

Roland Rivron

I still have hundreds of images to sort...

Edinburgh's theme this year was Eastern colours, dance, and contrasts.  How do we find the joys, the fun in life that gets lost in our everyday realities?  I always pick a theme and my theme this year is fun and what festivals should be for, because after all if life isn't 'fun' what exactly is it for? My main focus is now the 'Edinburgh International Book festival' and I have much less time on the High Street. 

I took photos of the fringe show 'LEO' that is heading to New York and of many authors. Some of my stalking didn't work out. I missed Gordon Brown, David Hasselhoff and Brad Pitt (here Glasgow) - but I did meet Alex Salmond and shook his hand! Cool. 

Stalking!  I missed some stalking opportunities!  I missed my shot of Gordon Brown (ex PM)  who came with his wife Sarah for her talk at the EIBF. It was only a normal Saturday night in Glasgow when Zombies take over the streets!  Tuesday and Brad Pitt media arrived in Glasgow Central station. The pose of photographers were disappointed as he was taken off the back of his train and whisked away.  I later heard that one snapper got the 'shot' for the Sun.  Also a tip that David Hasselhoff would be at the BBC tent at 10pm, and I wasn't able to manage this stalking either!   

FRINGE SHOWS. My first show was 'Rick Hall', as seen on tv show 'Mock the Week'.  Next 'The Dead Philosopher' at the Traverse and the premise was that 'life is a joke' - well if so this show certainly wasn't one!   *
 *LEO.  I took photos at 'Leo' which was a highly creative and wonderful performance and was performed by Tobias Wegner and directed by Daniel Briere. Leo won the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award and will receive a full NYC production at Theatre Row in January. The award is the Edinburgh Festival Fringe's highest honour, and was presented at the festival's closing ceremonies on August 26. 

I was on the phone outside Biblos restaurant on the corner of Chambers Street when 'Gerry' of Martian fame walked past in the rain wearing a long leather coat with his serious deadpan look. Perhaps it is all fleeting odd moments that we have here and nothing is real or as it seems..? Life leads us on strange paths and on these pavements that have seen to many footsteps...

 'Real harmony comes from the heart. Trust, respect and friendship are all essential.' Dala Lama. My Field of Dreams, I search through them as they hover above, Sometimes golden, Sometimes hollow. 

Edinburgh has strong ever changing winds and apparently the rain is connected to the high tides. One photographer has shot Dylan. In our yurt, that one describes as a 'soggy mushroom' the crack at times is fun. I wonder to myself that some young people can't take time to 'smell the roses' - they are so busy constantly plugged in online.

I love the challenge of Photography while sometimes I wonder it is writing I really want to be doing. Sometimes the song is like a gift.   

It has been cloudy quite often and I feel tired and sad it is over for another year. The last day and it feels the posters are tired and sad a little too, as am I. Cultural overload. For the discerning there is much on offer to delight the senses at EIF.  A big Thanks to all at the Edinburgh Book Festival for another top year.  2,500 shows at 250 venues over 3 to 4 weeks, over one million visitors.  

Edinburgh EIF 2009

Edinburgh festival was fun, manic, crowds, too many shows and lots of colour! The book festival and the poetry reminds me why I do this and I met lots of fun people. Absolutely love it!

Sunday 16th August
This is my fourth trip to photograph the EIF. It changes each year and the venues move, yet the festival remains very much the same as it always has been since the forties that I grew up with. The street performers seem more colourful and professional and there is more photographers now. As I walked past some colourful graffiti I decided my trip this year would be about the colours and sounds of the festival.

Monday
I immersed myself in the flurry of sounds. A taxi driver entertained me with tales of the 14 miles of tram track from the Ocean terminal to Saughton – he was not sure what it is for and the work is over six years in the building. Edinburgh puts on a good face though. As I crossed the wide barricaded path over Princes Street to the Mound Art galleries, I noticed the rest of the street is now dug up also. At the book festival I decided to have ice-cream with a flake and sitting on the wooden bench beside the central green statues, I felt a bit like Forrest Gump as I watched a dandelion wishes float up on the breeze. I watched Iain Banks having a photo shoot. I was not entirely sure why only this one photographer is taking the shoot. I had a chat with him and visiting the book festival and reading poetry reminds me of what inspires and motivates my work.


The Broken Records Queen Hall gig Edge festival  was an upbeat dynamic fun gig. Their music makes me feel on a rollercoaster: their songs move from slow to the adrenalin rush of the ride. The are led by two hot suave guys who are brothers and their cello, violin, and trumpet lend a distinct Scottish feel.

Tuesday. I saw some shows today.  Ihayami Indian dance which was graceful. Later a Brazilian show was vibrant, energetic and fun with extremely fit guys! Book festival – Raj Persaud and Mingus Campbell. While music gigs are my favourite thing, I get energy and colour from the dance. There was a wealth of events going on and it is a good idea to visit a few venues and pick up their brochures. Edinburgh is one of the biggest festival in the world.

Wed 19th Aug
Mercy Madonna of Malawi. The Malawi actors, singers and dancers are excellent with their subtle rhythms. No easy answers here? I’m sure Madonna feels she is offering a child a chance of a better life. One answer is to improve the infrastructures and education.  Venezuela Viva! With energetic salsa flamenco… offer all the sunshine colours. If you enjoy hot babes, this show is a definite must!
The Highstreet entertainers: Sadly no Martians this year. Maybe this is a year of creativity rather than performance. Being creative is a wonderful gift and if you believe you have something to offer it’s worth it – I hope!

www.pkimage.co.uk
*Check out my new Dance gallery and Edinburgh festival 2009 gallery.