Steve Coogan
Ah ha! That’s right, Alan Partridge himself started his career at the Fringe. Although Steve Coogan, the actor and comedian behind his TV presenter alter-ego, is a well-known face on TV and films today, when he debuted at the Fringe in 1990, he was upstaged by his warm-up act Frank Skinner! However, Coogan returned in 1992 with John Thomson and introduced Partridge for the first time, along with other characters which won them the Perrier Award and launched him into stardom.
Miranda Hart
Never one to give up, the Miranda star performed at the Fringe for 6 years before finding success. Her first show was in 1994 and was called Hurrell and Hart. Miranda was the first to admit that the show was ‘terrible’ and was cancelled most nights due to lack of audience. However, the comedian returned in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 and finally in 2005 with Miranda Hart’s House Party which showcased the beloved style of comedy we’ve seen in her hit TV show Miranda.
Robin Williams
Not just reserved for British talent, did you know that funny man Robin Williams made his name at the Fringe? In 1971, the late American star attended the Fringe with his student theatre company. They were invited to perform their Wild West version of The Taming of the Shrew at the Viewforth Centre, and Williams got to show off his comedic genius playing Tranio. The show won Best Production and they even gave a command performance for Princess Margaret. This opened doors for Williams and allowed him to go on to such beloved roles as the Genie in Aladdin, Mrs Doubtfire in Mrs Doubtfire, and Alan Parrish in Jumanji.
Alan Rickman
Long before he fell off the Nakatomi building or wielded his wand, Alan Rickman made his debut in Edinburgh straight out of drama school in 1976. He had a double bill at the Assembly Rooms playing both Friar Peter in Measure for Measure and Wittipol in The Devil is an Ass. These performances let him to the Royal Shakespeare Company and the BBC which ultimately led him to his famous roles in Die Hard, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and the Harry Potter series...obbbbviously.
Rachel Weisz
The award-winning Mummy actress attended the Fringe in 1991 with Sasha Hails as part of their student drama group they set up in Cambridge University – Talking Tongues. The improv show was called Slight Possession and was so popular that they transferred it to the Gate Theatre in Notting Hill where Weisz was talent spotted.
After 77 years, the Fringe is still providing talented performers with the platform they deserve and is more popular than ever. Finding a place to stay in the city for the month of August can be tricky so get ahead of the game and book your stay now.
