why is edmonton's fringe such shite this year?

[malkav powermann]

So all who were here for the fest this year,
what can be done to make it better ?

[gazzo osborne]

Yah get rid of the Fat Boy and Dougie.

[Spark]

From all I had heard about the Edmonton Fringe, and the hopes that I had for it, it certainly didn't live up to my expectations. As a newbie to busking it was a very uncomfortable place to spread my wings and learn the ropes.

My perspective on it's faililngs are due mostly to my complaints with it's organization and lack of respect from organizers to performers.

Main Problems
1. Only 1 fire/amplification/height pitch: lack of other areas for these types of performances (which most acts comprise) made the competition fierce and unfriendly at draw time. Having another fire/amplification/height pitch would give more opportunities for performance, and ease tension between performers to the Fringe Staff.

2. No on site storage space for show equipment: The staff cited no space to store extra gear... I highly doubt that. If it was the case, the fringe staff could rent a trailer (much like they did for the on stage performers) so that other performers could have it as an option-even if it meant having to pay extra to use it. Lugging my gear back and forth was a deffinite reason for my unhappiness.

3. The fringe staff (perticularly one person I can think of) treated the circle show performers with less than due respect. Circle Show performers are an intigral part of the fringe, providing entertainment for pedestrian traffic and helping to create and maintain the festival atmosphere.

One year's beginner circle show act could be next year's big stage performance. Likewise, an entertainer on the street one year may switch to an indoor stage the next. Both evolutions create beurocratic revenue for the fringe. Every entertainer should be treated with respect for what they bring to the fringe and what they could bring in the future.

Street performers, like all performers, are also guests and patrons. We bring extra revenue to the fringe through indoor show attendance and vendor purchases. All patrons deserve to be treated with courtesy and respect.

-Spark

[Daniel Craig]

Well, take a look at what a Fringe is.

The organizers don't really care whether YOU are there or not, they care if SOMEONE is there. I believe that the basis of a fringe is to have as many performers as possible crammed into ten days...

It's comparable to a factory farm I think. The performers are the meat, smashed together and generally treated unfairly by the higher ups.

Just my two cents.
DC