The Edinburgh Fringe has officially launched its programme for the 70th anniversary.

This year’s event features 3,398 shows – up almost four per cent on last year.

And comedy has increased its share of the programme even further, representing 35 per cent of all shows. The second biggest section is theatre, with 28 per cent.

There has been a huge explosion in ‘pay-what-you-want’ shows, up 31 per cent to 215. Under that model, pioneered by Bob Slayer’s Heroes Of Fringe venues, punters can buy a ticket in advance to guarantee entry or make a contribution at the venue.

Free shows that rely only on bucket collections are also on the rise – up 6.7 per cent to 686. However, this figure is like to be an under-estimate, as many free shows do not register for the official Fringe programme. Other shows can also register later, but not be included in the official printed programme.

Also up is the total number of performances, up 5.9 per cent to 53,232, and venues, up 2 per cent to 300.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe has come a long way since 1947 when eight theatre companies turned up uninvited to perform at the inaugural Edinburgh International Festival. The companies were refused entry to the programme but decided to perform on the fringe of the Festival anyway.

The theme of this year’s Fringe is that it is an ‘Alliance of Defiance’ continuing its marketing message of ‘defying the norm’.

Shona McCarthy, chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said: ‘This is a very special year for the Fringe as we celebrate 70 years of defying the norm, of championing artistic freedom and providing a platform for artists around the world to come and present their work in a truly unique environment that is inclusive, inspiring, and often life-affirming.

‘The fringe movement has circled the globe and inspired a worldwide network of over 200 sister fringes, with fringes now taking place on every continent except Antarctica. In the current climate of global uncertainty, fringes are more crucial than ever, continuing to provide artists with a space to express themselves without fear of censorship.

‘The 2017 Fringe Programme reflects the principles that guide the fringe movement, it is diverse, topical, challenging and of course, exciting. I hope that as many people as possible will join us here in Edinburgh for the 70th anniversary edition of the Fringe, to witness and participate in this joyous international celebration of arts and culture.’

• Click here to browse Chortle’s listings of the comedy section.

Published: 7 Jun 2017