Edinburgh Festival Fringe - basically Potterheads unite

The Fringe festival features quite high on many people's bucket list as not only is it the world's largest arts festival but also showcases fantastic new and up and coming talent. Did you know for example that Monty Python, Rowan Atkinson aka Mr Bean/Edmund Blackadder and Graham Norton plus many more household names had their first big break at the Fringe?

The Edinburgh Fringe is now in its 65th year. The first was in 1947; the same year in which the Edinburgh Festival was launched as an act to boost the country's moral after the Second World War. A group of eight theatre groups turned up in the city unannounced and despite not having been invited to the party they decided to perform anyway. Boom the Fringe is born.

Trying to get accommodation in Edinburgh during August is nigh on impossible as with the Festival, Fringe and the Tattoo later in the month the city is what you might describe as chock-a-block. Yet this year we finally managed to go!

My mother and I ventured out on our 3 hour train journey on Tuesday night (4th August) with the intention of spending the whole of the next day in Edinburgh before catching a night train back. The Fringe was to start officially until the Friday (7th) yet there were plenty of preview for us to watch as the whole city prepared for what would no doubt be a memorable month.

We stayed in the Clan Walker Guest House which is located a little bit out of the city whilst still being in walking distance. After a hearty breakfast including haggis ( I mean I'm in Scotland it has to done) we ventured out on the our quest to get to the High Street so that we could collect our pre-paid tickets. I had only booked two shows in advance and I feel that this was probably a good move as it left us with plenty of time to explore and allowed us to spontaneously go to some shows that we hadn't heard about before. Yet I'm getting ahead of myself.

After getting our tickets we ambled up high street, stopping to watch amazing busker Alex Varey

As well as MixIt days; a disabled choir who run workshops to boost confidence and give  those with disabilities the same opportunities as abled people.

The highlight of my morning however was the 'Potter Tour' lead by Mischief Managed.' The city of Edinburgh is home to one and only J.K.Rowling and her inspiration can be found all over the city for example did you know that William Mcgonagall was the name sake for Minerva Mcgonagall. This is however the only trait that these two share as William is remembered as being Edinburgh's worst poet.

A favourite tourist spot for all Potterheads is the Elephant cafe where it is said to be 'The Birthplace of Harry Potter' that however is not actually strictly know as we all know that the idea of Harry Potter and the entire wizarding world came to J.K. Rowling whilst on a train. The author however did tend to write in cafes and it was the Elephant in which she wrote the second and third books. The Philosopher's Stone (or if you are American Sorcerer's) was also written in a cafe yet this one owned by J.K Rowling's brother in law is sadly no longer. It changed into a chinese and ironically then back into a cafe. This cafe/restaurant is called Spoons and we actually went there the first time that we were in Edinburgh without even realising this. 

The lower floor is still owned by J.K.Rowling's Bother in law and we may have stopped here for Ba-na-na-na-na-na-na-na Batman and Back to the Fruiture smoothies.

The graveyard of Greyfriars Kirk with its imposing headstones has a air of foreboding when you walk into it and this must have been what J.K. Rowling must felt to as this is the site that she imagined when writing the graveyard scene in the Goblet of Fire. Indeed Greyfriars is home to another clue in the Harry Potter vein and this also has to do with a particular dark wizard.

Tom Riddle and his family were fashioned after another Tom Riddell yet as you can see that spelling of the last name has been altered slightly and this was so that it fit in with the anagram ' I am Lord Voldemort'. A name is not the only that the real and fictional 'Riddle' share,  indeed Riddell and Riddle's fathers were both rich merchants.

Did you know that the name Voldemort  literally means flight of death.

Edinburgh Castle  has been confirmed as being the inspiration for Hogwarts and with the neighbouring Quidditich pitch...I mean the set up for the Tattoo who are we to argue with this. 

J.K. Rowling has received two degrees from the University of Edinburgh including a masters and honoury degree and this was to be our next stop. By coincidence this was the site of where the city potteries were situated and therefore this where you can find Potterrow - nothing to do with the boy wizard yet Potterrow has another significance as the tunnel that goes under the bridge has an eerie presence in the Order of the Phoenix as the place where Harry and Dudley were attacked by a Dementor.

Dragon Alley


At the end of the tour we went over to the C for Cartography; a poignant devised theatre piece performed the Lincoln Arts group. Using very few props and audience participation the group told the story of map obsessed Sarah who had a hole in her heart. I totally didn't cry at this touching piece.

Backwards Anorak wowed the audiences of last years Fringe with their Game Of Thrones parody Winter Is Coming and this year were back with the hilarious Winter Is Coming Again. The comedic musical parody combined many aspects of pop-culture including Mean Girls, Doctor Who, Harry Potter and even Eurovision that had the audience  in hysterics.

Jon Cozart aka Youtube sensation PAINT was a personal highlight as he told the story of his successes and sang many of his famous videos including 'Harry Potter in 99 seconds' and 'After Ever After.' His one man show including the unveiling of some never before heard songs such as the humorous 'YoutubeCult' and the three songs from the world exclusive 'Hunger Games; The Musical.'