Hello and welcome to the Mervyn Stutter's 25th 'Pick of the Fringe'.
Mervyn has been bringing this showcase to the Edinburgh Fringe since 1992 which makes 2016 the show's 25th consecutive year. Nicholas Parsons referred to it as "a Fringe institution" whilst The Scotsman printed, "A vibrant, stimulating showcase of talent".
Mervyn has been bringing this showcase to the Edinburgh Fringe since 1992 which makes 2016 the show's 25th consecutive year. Nicholas Parsons referred to it as "a Fringe institution" whilst The Scotsman printed, "A vibrant, stimulating showcase of talent".
"OK, so tell me about this show."
In a nutshell, it is like the Royal Variety Show of the Fringe. A showcase of some of the best talent on the Fringe selected from all the different genres on offer, whether it be Theatre, Comedy, Dance, Clowning, Acrobats, Circus, Opera, Spoken Word, or the indefinable. Each day seven different Fringe shows are invited to perform a five minute extract of their show followed by a five minute interview with Mervyn. This gives the audience a true flavour of each show plus some interesting background information about the performer(s) involved. Armed with these insights, audience members can confidently pick the shows they liked and go to see the whole performance.
PLEASE NOTE: Mervyn's 'Pick of the Fringe' showcase is completely different every day so you can come back more than one time during the Fringe. Over the past 24 years no two PotF shows have ever been the same!
"Is it just 'big names' and 'comedy' like most of the 'Best of...' shows on the Fringe?"
No and no! The focus of the showcase is to find truly talented performers and exceptional shows from all the different genres regardless of their showbiz status. We do pride ourselves in trying to find shows that don’t have the big budgets, management, or PR that the more established acts have, but we do not limit ourselves in any way; if the show is great, we'll invite it to showcase. Of course if we can, we like to find those hidden gems of the Fringe and bring them to the attention of Fringe-goers but the number one criteria is, "it must be really good". It’s a big old Fringe these days and you may have to sit through a lot of the not-so-good-stuff to find the truly amazing. That's where we come in. We filter the wheat from the chaff for you, hopefully saving you money as well.
"How do you find the shows to showcase?"
Each year, Merv puts together three separate teams of Arts professionals who go out onto the Fringe and sit through hundreds of shows. These teams are drawn from all parts of the Arts Industry, each with their own expertise, and each team works for one week of the Fringe. This ensures a wonderful mix of styles and influences, and it keeps the showcases fresh and vibrant for entire run.
"Where, When, and How much?"
Where: This year we are at the Debating Hall in the Gilded Balloon Teviot, Venue 14. It's south of The Royal Mile and the Edinburgh Old Town. It is clearly marked on this Google Map.
When: the show is a lunchtime extravaganza between 1pm-2.30pm (90 minutes) and we start on Saturday 6th August and finish on Sunday 28th August 2016. We have three days off which are Monday 15th August (when we'll be doing our Charity 25th Gala Show), Tuesday 16th August, and Thursday 25th August. Please note: Our last show on Sunday 28th August is our Awards Show, the Mervyn Stutter 'Spirit of the Fringe' Awards.
How much: two different prices: Sun-Fri: £11, Sat: £12. Over the 24 years of doing this show we have kept the prices as competitive as we can. We think we've done it again this year with our top price of only £8 per hour (please remember, unlike so many shows on the Fringe, this is a 90 minute show).
"Can I find out who is on in advance?"
Yes. If you scroll up to the top of this page you will see a row of dates. Just click on the date you are interested in. HOWEVER, please be aware that we rarely know the line-ups until the day before so if there is no information available, please check back again the evening before the showcase date you are interested in. When a show or act is 100% confirmed our Webby will update the website accordingly. Another way to "be the first to know" would be to join our mailing list or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
"Where can I buy tickets?"
There are three ways to buy tickets, you can
1. buy online by clicking here, or
2. book tickets on the telephone by calling the Gilded Balloon Box Office on 0131-622-6552, or
3. buy tickets in person by either going to the Fringe Box Office or the Gilded Balloon Box Office.
"Who should I contact for more information?"
Just send an email to Mervyn and the Team via [email protected].
We wish you a very happy and fruitful 2016 Edinburgh Fringe and we hope to see you at one of our showcases.
Best wishes from everyone at Stutter Towers
In a nutshell, it is like the Royal Variety Show of the Fringe. A showcase of some of the best talent on the Fringe selected from all the different genres on offer, whether it be Theatre, Comedy, Dance, Clowning, Acrobats, Circus, Opera, Spoken Word, or the indefinable. Each day seven different Fringe shows are invited to perform a five minute extract of their show followed by a five minute interview with Mervyn. This gives the audience a true flavour of each show plus some interesting background information about the performer(s) involved. Armed with these insights, audience members can confidently pick the shows they liked and go to see the whole performance.
PLEASE NOTE: Mervyn's 'Pick of the Fringe' showcase is completely different every day so you can come back more than one time during the Fringe. Over the past 24 years no two PotF shows have ever been the same!
"Is it just 'big names' and 'comedy' like most of the 'Best of...' shows on the Fringe?"
No and no! The focus of the showcase is to find truly talented performers and exceptional shows from all the different genres regardless of their showbiz status. We do pride ourselves in trying to find shows that don’t have the big budgets, management, or PR that the more established acts have, but we do not limit ourselves in any way; if the show is great, we'll invite it to showcase. Of course if we can, we like to find those hidden gems of the Fringe and bring them to the attention of Fringe-goers but the number one criteria is, "it must be really good". It’s a big old Fringe these days and you may have to sit through a lot of the not-so-good-stuff to find the truly amazing. That's where we come in. We filter the wheat from the chaff for you, hopefully saving you money as well.
"How do you find the shows to showcase?"
Each year, Merv puts together three separate teams of Arts professionals who go out onto the Fringe and sit through hundreds of shows. These teams are drawn from all parts of the Arts Industry, each with their own expertise, and each team works for one week of the Fringe. This ensures a wonderful mix of styles and influences, and it keeps the showcases fresh and vibrant for entire run.
"Where, When, and How much?"
Where: This year we are at the Debating Hall in the Gilded Balloon Teviot, Venue 14. It's south of The Royal Mile and the Edinburgh Old Town. It is clearly marked on this Google Map.
When: the show is a lunchtime extravaganza between 1pm-2.30pm (90 minutes) and we start on Saturday 6th August and finish on Sunday 28th August 2016. We have three days off which are Monday 15th August (when we'll be doing our Charity 25th Gala Show), Tuesday 16th August, and Thursday 25th August. Please note: Our last show on Sunday 28th August is our Awards Show, the Mervyn Stutter 'Spirit of the Fringe' Awards.
How much: two different prices: Sun-Fri: £11, Sat: £12. Over the 24 years of doing this show we have kept the prices as competitive as we can. We think we've done it again this year with our top price of only £8 per hour (please remember, unlike so many shows on the Fringe, this is a 90 minute show).
"Can I find out who is on in advance?"
Yes. If you scroll up to the top of this page you will see a row of dates. Just click on the date you are interested in. HOWEVER, please be aware that we rarely know the line-ups until the day before so if there is no information available, please check back again the evening before the showcase date you are interested in. When a show or act is 100% confirmed our Webby will update the website accordingly. Another way to "be the first to know" would be to join our mailing list or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
"Where can I buy tickets?"
There are three ways to buy tickets, you can
1. buy online by clicking here, or
2. book tickets on the telephone by calling the Gilded Balloon Box Office on 0131-622-6552, or
3. buy tickets in person by either going to the Fringe Box Office or the Gilded Balloon Box Office.
"Who should I contact for more information?"
Just send an email to Mervyn and the Team via [email protected].
We wish you a very happy and fruitful 2016 Edinburgh Fringe and we hope to see you at one of our showcases.
Best wishes from everyone at Stutter Towers
"Have you seen anything good?"
PICK A SHOW
- Saturday 6th August
- Sunday 7th August
- Monday 8th August
- Tuesday 9th August
- Wednesday 10th August
- Thursday 11th August
- Friday 12th August
- Saturday 13th August
- Sunday 14th August
- CHARITY GALA SHOW
- NO SHOW
- Wednesday 17th August
- Thursday 18th August
- Friday 19th August
- Saturday 20th August
- Sunday 21st August
- Monday 22nd August
- Tuesday 23rd August
- Wednesday 24th August
- NO SHOW
- Friday 26th August
- Saturday 27th August
- Sunday 28th August
BUY TICKETS
