How the Edinburgh Fringe Made Me (and Almost Broke Me Too)

Ask anyone who’s done a full run at the Edinburgh Fringe and they’ll probably tell you it was one of the best and most exhausting experiences of their life. For me, it was a creative crash course in leadership, producing, promotion and downright grit. It set the foundations for everything I do now as a brand expert and creative. But at the time? It was bed-sharing, prop-schlepping and calling in every favour going to make sure the show was a hit.

In our first year, we had ambition, talent and not a penny to our name. To make it possible for everyone in our cast to come along, we decided cost shouldn’t be a barrier. Myself and fellow society president, Zoe, wanted this to be fully inclusive, so the only thing we asked cast members to pay was a small amount toward food. The rest? We raised it. We were ringing everyone we knew - and being students, our network wasn’t exactly what it is today. But we made it work. We were pitching to bars we were drinking in, taxis that were taking us home… thinking about it, we probably missed a trick not asking our local 1am takeaway. Actually, I think we probably did. And in case you’re wondering - yes, so many came through and were generous enough to support the cast and show. We took our pitches seriously. We sold them the vision - which was crazily bold at the time - as they’d never seen us perform and maybe hadn’t even heard of Sweet Charity, the show we were staging.

For accommodation? We couldn’t afford hotels, so the entire cast stayed at my family home. Beds were shared, floor space negotiated and mornings began with a group breakfast before heading out for a day of flyering. Evenings we cooked dinner together, then got into costume and headed to the venue to perform. It was communal, chaotic and kind of wonderful.

Everything about that first year was very DIY. On get-in day, we transported our set and props on Lothian buses. I remember the side eyes from commuters as we boarded with bits of staging and signage, but we were determined. The Fringe is one of the most saturated creative marketplaces in the world - and we knew we had to stand out.

As an Edinburgh native, I had a few tricks up my sleeve. One was knowing the Royal Mile is prime real estate for exposure. Every visitor walks down it at some point. There were three mini stages set up there and you had to get in early each morning to book a slot. We split up, hit every one and got every one. Then after our first set we would hover around to grab any last minute no-shows. I think the stewards must have been singing Big Spender in their sleep. By the end of the run, I think we might have been banned. But it worked - our performances drew big crowds and our tickets sold out.

We even performed in the John Lewis shop window once, which felt fitting for Sweet Charity, giving a bit of red-light district tease. Another time, we set up in the centre of Jenners department store - right in the middle of menswear where the Christmas Tree used to go. I still remember the confused faces peering over the balconies as we belted out numbers. Better than the usual muzak, I’d like to think. Every moment became a PR opportunity. One of the most unforgettable moments was our parade slot along Princes Street. Our cast of nine performers, a boombox and a whole lot of confidence marched in front of packed pavements. People were singing along. We ran out of flyers that day - but it was definitely unforgettable.

Back at the theatre, things were just as intense. We had 15 minutes to get into the Bedlam Theatre between shows. It’s an old church, so our props were stored up in the balcony. One person operated a pulley system, another sorted light cues, someone else handled the music, props were being laid and costume changes happened at lightning speed backstage. Every second counted. If you overran, you got charged. And we were on a budget, remember?

The reviews came in - thankfully, many were great. But I’ll never forget the night we were out with friends from another show and someone shouted, “We’re in it!” A new review had landed. We all crowded round in a bar. Someone handed me the paper and I stood on a bench to read it aloud. A crowd gathered. I read it… and it was not great. Not awful, just not glowing. The room fell silent, then we burst out laughing. It was very showbiz, very character-building and most certainly mortifying.

It rained a lot. I think we were constantly damp. But we kept going. And when we took our final bow at the end of the run, we knew we’d done something special. Looking back, it was also the ultimate training ground for a creative career. I learnt how to lead a team, stretch a budget, brand something up and promote it relentlessly. I learnt how to improvise under pressure and how to get people to care as much as you do. That’s the foundation of good brand-building too. The Fringe might be all stagey and showbiz on the surface - but behind the scenes, it’s pure determination and creative problem-solving.

So if you’re thinking about doing the Edinburgh Fringe - do it. Be bold, brave and prepared to share a bed with someone you don’t know that well... yet. The Fringe will test your limits, make you laugh, push you to the edge - and if you’re lucky, it’ll only almost break you. But I promise - it’ll absolutely make you too.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Brownlie-Marshall

Designer & Creative

Richard Brownlie-Marshall is a multidisciplinary creative and brand leader whose career spans the worlds of food, lifestyle and entertainment. Currently Head of Creative at Mindful Chef, Richard has led impactful partnerships with brands including LEON, Deliciously Ella and Gymkhana - helping shape the brand’s voice in the highly competitive recipe box market. Previously, Richard has worked globally for Pret A Manger, where highlight projects included the launch of Veggie Pret and the brand’s first foray into supermarkets and retail. He has also appeared on screen as a brand expert on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars and hosted a Disney Parks UK series as the “Go To Guide” for Disneyland Paris. Known for his distinctive blend of commercial and creative, Richard specialises in turning strategy into standout storytelling.

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