Free Edinburgh Fringe Festival Launches its 2008 Program

The Free Edinburgh Fringe Festival launches its 2008 Program.

Today the Free Festival has launched its 2008 program of shows on its website www.freefestival.co.uk, for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, featuring 2,625 performances of 157 shows – with Comedy, Theatre, Music, Children's and Art shows.

In 2008 the Free Festival shows will be performed in eight venues across Edinburgh, including a new venue 'Espionage' which will serve as the new hub for free shows, featuring over 800 performances of 53 free shows across three performance spaces all under one roof - alongside a free nightclub for fringe-goers and performers every night until 5am. Espionage is located next door to the Underbelly on Victoria Street and Cowgate.

The Free festival starts on July 31st, for the first time running shows during the 'week 0' Fringe preview week, with shows running right up until the end of the Fringe on August 25th. Following the success of running extended shows after the Fringe dates in 2007, three daily shows will run right the way through to the end of the International Festival on August 30th, at the Meadow Bar.

Although comedy is still the main focus of the programme, with shows featuring stand-up, sketch, improv, solo and multi-acts shows, there is an ever-increasing programme across the spectrum of Fringe genres, with the Theatre and Music sections expanded since 2007, alongside Storytelling, Musicals and Cabaret. 2008 will also see the first Free Festival children's shows.

Shows this year come from around the UK, and as far afield as Ireland, Africa, America, Australia, Norway and Iceland.

Highlights this year include:

Fine-Sketchup, a daily sketch show featuring a rotating bill of sketch acts, including if.comeddie nominees 'Pappy's Fun Club'

Daily storytelling show 'Anthology' with Andrew J Leader introducing storytelling form acts including Scott Capurro, Stephen Grant and James Campbell

John Godber's 'Shaker (Re-stirred)' about The lives, loves and loathing's of four cocktail waitresses. A funny and fabulous piece from the man who brought you bouncers and performed by some of the countries leading female comedians.

Solo shows from comedians including Steve Day, Kevin Hayes, Ivor Dembina, Andy White and many more.

A large selection of comedy club shows, including four from Laughing Horse Comedy that will be featuring line-ups similar to previous years, that have included performers such as Pappy's Fun Club, John Gordillo, Janey Godley, Steve Williams, Shazia Mirza, Shappi Khorsandi, Russell Kane and many more.

The return of Anna Victoria's highly regarded debut play 'I kissed a Frog and it gave me Herpes', alongside her new work 'Waxing Cynical'

ComedySportz returns after a highly successful run, with the popular afternoon family-friendly improv show.

The full programme is now available on the Free Festival's website: www.freefestival.co.uk

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