Free Fringe profile picture

Free Fringe

About Me

UPDATE JANUARY 2009:
Expressions of interest from performers for 2009 are now being taken. If you know PBH's email address, email him; if you don't, send a brief myspace message with your email address. Thank you.
If you are a band or some disc jocky chap, please don't send friend requests unless you actually know us. We do not want to be on your mailing list and we won't go to your gigs, especially in America. We have no gigs available for electric bands in 2009. We do Comedy, Theatre and the Spoken Word.
I am the Free Fringe.
I was invented by Peter Buckley Hill in 1996. I tried to give that as my birthdayin my profile, but myspace said I was too young. I'm female in my profile, becauseI'm capable of giving birth to lots of nice and positive things.
I stand for giving performers and public a good deal. By working with venuemanagers who don't charge for the space and are content to take the bar profits, Ioffer free performance space to comedians and others at the Edinburgh Fringe. Thesecomedians mustn't charge for their shows, but they can have collections at the endand the intervals.
These are my core principles:
    No charges to the public, and no excessive or one-to-one bottling No charges to the artists, even voluntary ones To facilitate the above, there shall be minimal central expenditure There shall be co-operation by all the artists involved; everybody shallcontribute according to his/her abilities, rather than relying on a centralorganisation to do things for them. For example, those who have specificorganisational talents, or possess useful equipment, are expected to contributethem. Artists shall help each other with their shows by mutual negotiation. No charges to venue managers. Venue managers shall be satisfied with bartakings. No collaboration with known exploiters of artists. Facilities shall be basic but shall always be in space dedicated to the shows. No behaving like the large organisations whose existence has contributed to thelow status of the artists in the first place.

I had 69 shows in 2006, and 115 in 2008. I was fun.
If you believe in what I do, be my friend.
Website at www.freefringe.org.uk
The Free Fringe has received:
Tap Water Spirit of the Fringe Award 2006
Chortle Award for Innovation 2007
Chortle Award for Best Off-Stage Contribution 2007

My Interests

I'd like to meet:

in August, the audience.Before then, performers. The spaces are booking up now. Please make direct contact. However, the pirate festival organised by the Laughing Horse organisation is not part of the Free Fringe, and if you're a myspace friend of theirs, please don't ask.

My Blog

Where are we now?

Yesterday the cheap deadline for the Fringe programme fee expired.  It seems most of our shows made it.  Readers who don't know the Fringe well: we, unlike most venue providers, don't charge our perfo...
Posted by on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:13:00 GMT

Who the phuque's Phil?

How not to apply to the Free Fringe; a genuine email received today:Phil , I represent a Sketch Comedy group and we are interested in possibly being a part of your free festival during this years frin...
Posted by on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:14:00 GMT

Meetings for people interested in the Free Fringe

Saturday 14th February:The Free Fringe (i.e. PBH) will be present at the Fringe Roadshow at The Young Vic, 66 The Cut, London SE1 8LZ.11am registration, 11.30am panel discussion, 1pm break for lunch, ...
Posted by on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:05:00 GMT

PBH's Annual Birthday: March 3rd

A one-man show extracted from bits of past years' one-man shows and miscellaneous shiteto celebrate PBH's birthday. 8pm Tuesday March 3rdupstairs at the Lamb Tavern, Leadenhall Market, London EC3V 1LR...
Posted by on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:04:00 GMT

Special last minute addition to Free Fringe benefit bill

Well, when we say special, it doesn't mean to imply that the people already on the bill are not special.  Indeed, their specialness is beyond reproach.  They have a track record of being spe...
Posted by on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 06:02:00 GMT

Massive additions to Free Fringe benefit bill

In addition to the acts previously announced, we will also have (in alphabetical order): Wil HodgsonTony LawGavin OsbornLucy PorterWaen Shepherd which is rather splendid, really.    
Posted by on Sun, 21 Dec 2008 18:13:00 GMT

Weekly shows at The Lamb Tavern resume

Glad to announce that the Free Fringe's weekly shows at The Lamb Tavern, Leadenhall Market, will start again on January 12th.  We will be running on Mondays (7pm) and Wednesdays (7.30pm) until t...
Posted by on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 11:19:00 GMT

Dave Gorman and Milton Jones added to Bloomsbury benefit bill

As it says in the headline, Dave Gorman and Milton Jones will both be playing at the 13th January Free Fringe benefit show at the Bloomsbury, in addition to Robin Ince and Sean Lock. Need any more be ...
Posted by on Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:12:00 GMT

Sean Lock, Robin Ince, headline Free Fringe benefit

Tuesday 13th January 2009 at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London WC1H 0AH the FREE FRINGE BENEFIT starring Sean Lock, Robin Ince and more to be announced. Oh, how nice it would be if this were free like th...
Posted by on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:58:00 GMT

Free Fringe Comedy Nights in London

From 15th September every Monday to end November:PBH's Free Fringe comedy night7pm to 9.30pmFrom 17th September every Wednesday to end NovemberPeter Buckley Hill and Some Comedians(admission £5 for Fr...
Posted by on Mon, 08 Sep 2008 01:31:00 GMT