More shows than ever for the Fringe

This year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe is to boast more shows than ever before.

The programme is to be launched on Thursday, with a one per cent rise is the number of performances expected, despite fears the Fringe could lose out due to a ten-day overlap with the London Olympic Games.

It is believed the reopening of the Assembly Rooms, the return of the Spiegeltent and extra venues opening in the area around Edinburgh University’s campus have boosted this year’s total.

Last year saw a record-breaking 2542 shows staged while 1,877,119 tickets were sold.

William Burdett-Coutts, artistic director of Assembly Theatre, said: “There is definitely a hope that a lot of people will be wanting to get out of London when the Olympic Games are on and we are hoping many of them will go to the Fringe.

Amongst the shows coming to the Fringe are Dickens’ Women featuring Miriam Margoyles and cabaret show La Clique Royale.