INTERVIEW: Anthony Alderson, Director of the Pleasance Theatre Trust

Anthony Alderson is the director of the Pleasance Theatre Trust. The Pleasance opened as part of the 1985 Edinburgh Fringe with two theatres facing onto a deserted courtyard-come-car-park at an unfashionable eastern end of Edinburgh’s Old Town. Thirty-four seasons later the Pleasance has become one of the biggest and most highly respected venues at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with the Pleasance Islington also being one of the most exciting Off-West-End theatres in London since it opened its doors in 1995. We chat to Anthony about what the pandemic has done to the Edinburgh Fringe and his hopes for the future. 

The cancelation of the 2020 Edinburgh Fringe was a devastating blow but of course, was vital in protecting people’s health. How did it feel to initially cancel the festival? 

So many mixed feelings. It was completely the right thing to do, but it was heartbreaking to know how many shows and performers we would be turning away. 

And of course, the plan is for the festival to come back stronger than ever in 2021! How do you think the work will be affected by the pandemic? 

All shows in the 2020 programme will be invited to return in 2021. It is a great line-up. However, with so many freelancers and independent small theatre companies affected, with long stretches without any income, I just hope they are able to survive to next year. 30% of our fundraising effort on Crowdfunder will go to assist shows doing their debut next year. 

The Pleasance Theatre Trust is such a fantastic organisation who are running a fabulous raffle to raise money where you can win a free pair of tickets to every Pleasance Show at the 2021 Edinburgh Fringe! Can you tell us a bit about the charity and your work with it?

Developing artistic ideas is not only challenging, but it is also expensive. At the Pleasance, we believe it is important to give people affordable space and the freedom to take risks, both on and off stage. From this spirit of innovation springs personal confidence through which they can flourish/ We give great careers a springboard. Giving our audiences the widest possible diversity of performance from the farthest reaches of the cultural spectrum is also central to the Trust’s aim. This spirit has embodied the Pleasance throughout the past 35 years, during which we have become world-renowned for spotting great talent both on and off stage, building an environment that nurtures, encourages and develops the brightest new ideas, raw talent and skill. Providing these opportunities is why we exist.

COMPETITION: Win a pair of free tickets to every show at the Pleasance next August!

The doors to the Courtyard may be closed this summer but the Pleasance Theatre Trust are already thinking ahead to 2021. To mark the first day of what would have been the 2020 Edinburgh Fringe, they are giving one lucky Fringe fan a chance to win a pair of free tickets to every show at the Pleasance next August. All you need to do is enter their extra special raffle, as part of their Crowdfunder campaign, to be in with a chance of winning the Pleasance Golden Ticket!

Enter Here! 

One lucky winner and a friend will have the opportunity to see hundreds of shows next year at the Pleasance in Edinburgh, including their annual Opening Gala. The first-class treatment doesn’t stop there: the winners will even have their own dedicated member of the Pleasance Team overseeing all their reservations and recommendations. The winner will also receive exclusive access to Brooke’s Club for the duration of the festival. This is the ultimate VIP Fringe experience, for only £5!

A chance to unlock the doors and peek behind the curtains, visit all of Pleasance’s amazing venues across Edinburgh: start your day with coffee and breakfast at the Dome then do lunch at the EICC, pop by the Courtyard for drinks and pack in as many shows as you can! This is your opportunity to ensure your Fringe 2021 is as full of pure imagination as it possibly can be.