Last Thursday saw the launch for the 2008 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The stage is set for the 2088 shows appearing at the 62^nd Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Across the programme – in Theatre, Comedy, Children’s shows, Dance and Physical Theatre – performers are engaging with topical issues and events that shape contemporary life.

This year’s Fringe features 31,320 performances of 2,088 shows in 247 venues. Highlights include stand-up comedians Jimmy Carr, Joan Rivers and Ruby Wax as well as musical performances from Kate Nash and Dizzee Rascal.

Other shows at the festival include Justin Moorhouse’s Ever Decreasing Social Circle which follows him as his purges his electronic address book and in Death by Chocolate audiences experience an interactive chocolate–tasting murder mystery.

Here is Jon Morgan, Director of the Fringe at today’s launch:

Fringe Facts

Comedy makes up 32% of the programme followed closely by Theatre with 29%. Music is next with 17%. Musicals & Opera are tied with Dance & Physical Theatre with 5% each.

An estimated 18,792 performers will take to the stage at the Fringe in 2008.

350 shows at Fringe 2008 are absolutely free and increase of 46 shows from last year.

40% (838) of the shows are World Premiers and from the remaining 60% of the programme 278 of the shows are European premieres and 52 are UK premiers.

Last year 1.7 million tickets (1,697,293) were sold at the Fringe. 2007 was the second year and second consecutive year that the Fringe past the 1.5 million ticket mark.

Performers have registered shows originating in 47 different countries from Austria to Zimbabwe.

The Fringe has a 75% market share of all attendance at Edinburgh’s year-round festivals and annually generates around £75 million for the Edinburgh and Scottish economy. 

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What do you think of the Fringe? Do you love it and see as much as you can each year or do you find all the people, show and mess a pain as you try and go about your day? Post your comments below