Why the Fringe feels like home
For Judy, the Edinburgh Fringe is much more than a festival – it’s become part of her life. From moving to Edinburgh in 2003 and discovering the joy of lunchtime shows, to meticulously planning each August with military precision, the Fringe has brought laughter, friendships and unforgettable memories. In this story, Judy shares why she keeps coming back year after year, how she balances the excitement with looking after herself, and why this year’s festival is especially meaningful as she helps bring a show to the Fringe for the very first time.
I’m originally from Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands and, as well as going to the Glee Club in Birmingham, I often went to London for comedy gigs with friends. I visited family in Edinburgh and enjoyed shows at the Fringe as I grew up, and eventually moved here at the end of 2003.
My new job, starting in January 2004, was at the University of Edinburgh, based at the Teviot Quad, and wow – when the festival came to town, I could pop out in my lunch hour and just hang out. It wasn’t too long after that my job moved out to the New Royal Infirmary at Little France, and life out there was… different.
I vowed to keep up my involvement by going to shows, and my ‘list’ grew each year. In those days, shows were around £3–£5, so a million miles away from where they are today. If I ever felt lonely or homesick, the month of August felt like everyone was coming up to see me. I felt quite isolated, as it was much trickier to get to London for gigs and it often feels like that’s where everything happens. But then everyone comes here, and it feels great.
I didn’t understand the feelings some locals had towards the festival, but I started to get it when I tried to get around the city for work during August and found it to be a struggle. It would take a lot to put me off, though. The Fringe really makes me happy, and I love taking other people along to shows and making recommendations. I’ve gained a bit of a reputation as a Fringe guru, and I’m often asked for suggestions.
When I had my son 11 years ago, I thought it might slow down or even dry up completely. Every year I swear I won’t go to too many things… but it never quite works out. I look for deals and free shows, and make use of whatever promotions are available.
Organising my timetable and spreadsheet every year is an operation of military precision. It starts with a ‘long list’ of shows that I might like. I then feed those into a spreadsheet so I can sort and filter them by time, date, promotion and location. Finding shows you’re interested in that fit together timewise and are close enough geographically can be really tough.
I’ve made the same mistakes as most people over the years, like only allowing 15 minutes between shows at Bristo Square and Assembly Hall on the Mound, then arriving to find out the show is actually at the Assembly Rooms on George Street. Argh!
I try to group shows together so I’m either in the Old Town or the New Town, rather than traipsing across the city. I’m much better these days at allowing time between shows to eat and rest. There were definitely times in the past when someone asked, “So when are we going to eat?” and I replied, “No time to eat!”
The worst thing I do every year is burn the candle at both ends. I’ll plan full days of shows that run late into the night, then think I can do a full day of work the next day before carrying on again that evening. I admit it can be too much, but that’s the peril of having a timetable in advance. A show can suddenly appear out of the blue, or I discover one I didn’t know about before, and I feel like I just have to fit it in. So my carefully curated timetable, with breaks built in, can quickly become a little chaotic.
I see friends from around the country who come up to enjoy the festival. I’m fortunate to know some performers, so I get to see their shows and sometimes catch up with them too. I’m really proud to live here during the festival (except for the high prices both visitors and performers have to pay to stay here, but that’s nothing to do with me!).
After the festival, I always feel really sad when everyone leaves and all the venues and pop-up structures are dismantled. I’m left with memories and photos from the summer, and I’m usually really happy with both the entertainment I enjoyed and the sense of achievement from fitting so many shows in.
This year is the first time I’ve been involved in organising a show at the Fringe, and wow, there’s a lot to it! Almost as much effort as I put into my yearly timetable! Haha.
I’ve been involved with Harmony Choir since its inception, and now we’re celebrating 10 years by returning to the Festival where it all started. We’d love you to join us at our one-off, free ticketed show at Edinburgh New Town Church on George Street on Saturday 22 August at 7pm.
Do you live and/or work in Edinburgh and want to share your own experiences of mental health and wellbeing and the different ways keep you well? If you would like us to share your story, please email ithrive@health-in-mind.org.uk.