Underbelly Venues - Edinburgh Fringe 2006
2006 Highlights
Venues
In 2006, we introduced the world to the new E4 UdderBELLY, our new purpose-built 322-seat venue in the shape of an upside-down cow grazing in the Pasture, otherwise known as Bristo Square - only a two minute walk from our original Smirnoff Underbelly venue. Together with our take over of Reid Hall, now named the Cow Barn, Underbelly has shifted the focus of the Fringe to a new hub based around Bristo Square where UdderBELLY, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance Dome and Spiegeltent are all based.
Programme
2006 was indeed the year of the cow. Underbelly has had it's most successful year to date hosting 140 shows across 12 spaces and selling 36% more tickets than 2005. Featuring a host of sell out shows, award winners and cult hits of this year's festival, Underbelly has maintained it's position as the home of new, exciting and innovative work at the Fringe.
Sizzling Sell outs and Awesome Award Winners
Sunday Times New Playwright of the Year Al Smith has taken audiences to space and back with Radio, Al Seed and Arches Theatre Company explores the fallout from war in their five star physical theatre production The Factory and Talk Radio directed by Stewart Lee and starring Phil Nicol has packed people into UdderBELLY daily. The hottest tickets this year have been for street dance sensation Into the Hoods and sell out Tapeire while the return of ThaTha has filled the Cow Barn every day. Kings and Queens of Comedy at Underbelly include Reg D Hunter, Jim Jeffries, Janey Godley, Demetri Martin and Topping and Butch. Award winners include; Reginald D Hunter for the Writer's Guild Award, Taylor Mac and Into the Hoods with Herald Angel Awards and Insomnobabble, Bitches and Money and Phil Nicol (Talk Radio) all being nominated in The Stage Awards.
No less than 25 shows were awarded at least one five star review, and many of those gained several. A further 51 received at least one four star. That means well over half our entire programme received four or five stars.
