Your Memories: 'There was something magical on those nights'

Published on Saturday 21 June 2008 12:30

AS the Capital begins to gear up for the start of the Edinburgh's festival season, resident Ruth Shepley recalls her experiences of the world-famous event.

"As I was born in 1944, and the Edinburgh Festival began in 1947; I was not overly interested in the festivities at the age of three. Not until the 60s did I begin to enjoy the August fun.

Edinburgh was different in those days. Still very straight-laced, and mildly disapproving of the August jollity. But there was always something quite magical on these warm summer nights, walking down the Royal Mile in search of the Cambridge Footlights, who used to perform in a hall in St Mary's Street. Or joining the crowds near the top of the Royal Mile as they trudged home after a memorable, moving Tattoo performance, the Castle bathed in dramatic moonlight.

Today with the wonders of technology, the Tattoo crowds are given a fantastic pictorial historical display, projected on the Castle ramparts, with haunting pipe music filtering through the autumnal evening.

One recent display I remember was amazing. A trawl through Scottish history portrayed in colour from the distant past right up to the present day.

There is a chance of course that, like so many times over the years, your Tattoo visit is amid a downpour, and rugs and winter anoraks are the order of the night.

Every August I have bought some tickets for Fringe shows and mostly been fortunate, but of course there is always the chance that you have forked out your hard-earned cash for a flop.

Small audiences are quite common, until the word gets round, and some new, undiscovered talent makes it big on the comedy circuit. Likewise music, drama, art, etc. It's the great variety that makes Edinburgh Festival so appealing. Drama, comedy, one man reviews, music, mime...

When the Royal Bank of Scotland sold tickets at 5 for late night classical concerts a few years ago, it was another great success. Normal tickets for great classical pianists are like gold dust and sell out almost immediately. They can also be rather expensive. Perhaps the powers that be will reinstate the 5 tickets?"