Get ready for the Fringe

Time to head for the Fringe: For the next three weeks, pop-up shows can be found everywhere on the streets and squares in Scotland's capital, where small stages or setups are installed lickety split. Cheered on by enthusiastic spectators, the circus street performer Reidiculous juggles on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. Let the fun begin!

Ahead of their official performance, acrobats of the group Circa in Jupiter Artland Park show what they are capable of. "The Fringe" was founded in 1947 when eight theater groups wanted to take advantage of the large number of visitors to the Edinburgh International Festival — which was also taking place for the first time — to present their art in an alternative festival.

The Fringe has inspired festivals in cities in Canada, the US, Australia and Europe. The selection process runs without a jury, offering a variety of artists and wide range of thematic content. Here, the acrobats of the show Boom! present their performance at McEwan Hall, presented by events producer Underbelly.

Venue operator Underbelly also hosts the show Dragons and Mythical Beasts, which has been nominated for this year's Laurence Olivier Award. The award is considered the highest award in British theater, comparable to the Tony Awards on Broadway in the US.

The acrobats of the Circus Abyssinia group took inspiration for their program Tulu from the Ethiopian icon Derartu Tulu, the first African woman to win Olympic gold in 1992. One thing is for sure: there are hardly any creative limits at the Fringe Festival, when churches and even living rooms are transformed into show stages.