0:00:16 > 0:00:22Welcome to Leith, minutes from Princes Street, but some feel it's a million miles from Festival fever.
0:00:22 > 0:00:28My friends Ros, Brad and I are determined to prove that Leith is the place to be during the Festival.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32We're members of Strange Town Youth Theatre based in Out Of The Blue.
0:00:32 > 0:00:38This year, Out Of The Blue is a venue for Leith On The Fringe and Strange Town is performing here.
0:00:38 > 0:00:44Time to bring out the big guns. In our corner, we have local boy made good,
0:00:44 > 0:00:48Strange Town supporter and world famous author - Irvine Welsh.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51He's always been a big fan of Leith.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54I used to come to the BB's here years ago
0:00:54 > 0:00:58and do my kind of goose-stepping along the sort of floorboards
0:00:58 > 0:01:01and saluting the Queen and all that kind of stuff.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05But it's much better suited to its purpose now.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09Out Of The Blue is a community space run by an educational trust.
0:01:09 > 0:01:15It houses artists' studios, rehearsal rooms, performance and exhibition areas.
0:01:15 > 0:01:20It is a great place to meet, create, experience, learn and relax.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23We spoke to Rob Hoon, its co-ordinator.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28What do you think Out Of The Blue offers people in Leith?
0:01:28 > 0:01:33We work with groups of people to introduce them to photography
0:01:33 > 0:01:37or dance or different creative forms.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40But we tend to not do it in isolation.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43It fits into everything else that we're doing locally.
0:01:43 > 0:01:48On the other hand, there's just things on the programme going on that people come to.
0:01:48 > 0:01:55Some of them are artistic, some of them are just initiatives that fire the imagination like the flea market
0:01:55 > 0:01:57and arts markets and exhibitions.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Some just come in to use the cafe.
0:01:59 > 0:02:05- What are you hoping Leith On The Fringe will achieve? - Sometimes during the Festival,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08you just feel totally detached from the action,
0:02:08 > 0:02:13so this is a chance to be a part of the Festival and use it as a platform
0:02:13 > 0:02:19for people working away in Edinburgh all year round and a chance for them to reach an international audience.
0:02:19 > 0:02:25We decided to ask some locals on Leith Walk what the Festival means to them.
0:02:30 > 0:02:36- What are your thoughts about the Edinburgh Festival?- Mostly the Tattoo. That's all I ever use...
0:02:36 > 0:02:43- That's all you get involved in? - Yeah.- Have you heard of Out Of The Blue?- Who?- At the Drill Hall.- No.
0:02:43 > 0:02:49There's a production by Strange Town Youth Theatre called After You've Gone about the two world wars.
0:02:49 > 0:02:55- Would you consider coming?- Yes, I certainly would because it's local. I'll take one of your programmes.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58The Edinburgh Festival, there's a little bit too much
0:02:58 > 0:03:03to make a rational selection, really. I tend to stay out the way.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08It's good for certain people in Edinburgh, but it doesn't benefit Leith very much.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13It's the city centre, then it might be down on the shore, so this bit in between gets left out.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Publicans and hoteliers do very well out of it,
0:03:16 > 0:03:20but the general person in Edinburgh probably finds it an inconvenience.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24By bus, it takes an extra 30 minutes to get through Princes Street.
0:03:24 > 0:03:29We make lots of money in the month of August and the month after it
0:03:29 > 0:03:32from tourists, from people coming over to buy stuff.
0:03:32 > 0:03:39Poor people can rent out their scummy little flats for vast amounts of money to middle-class tourists.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43I'd like to see the figures about who actually goes to the Festival.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45It's become very expensive.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49My 11-year-old daughter wanted to go and see some shows,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53but she's got to pay £15 for an hour, my wife's got to pay £15,
0:03:53 > 0:04:00so it's £30 for an hour for a kids' show and you don't know what it's like. It's becoming very expensive.
0:04:00 > 0:04:06Dear for £15 to go and see a play in the Traverse? I personally don't think so.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09- What do you think of the Festival? - I've never been to one.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12I think the Festival's for everyone.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16I can't imagine that you'd come here just for the Festival.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20There's so much more in Edinburgh other than the Festival.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Get out there, enjoy it, there's plenty of free stuff.
0:04:23 > 0:04:30There's a great deal of street art going on and the performers in the street. It's for everybody. Enjoy it.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34I'm always slagging off the Edinburgh Festival just because it's like...
0:04:34 > 0:04:40I just think somebody needs to be the kind of bad boy sometimes and just sort of...
0:04:40 > 0:04:43But I think it's great that it's in the city
0:04:43 > 0:04:47and I kind of, you know... I love coming here during the Festival.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52I think the city needs it and it gives the place a buzz and an identity.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56I would just like to see a lot more things going on outside the Festival.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00And that's one of the things that I think is kind of...
0:05:00 > 0:05:02It's been neglected in a sense.
0:05:02 > 0:05:09If everything goes into the Festival, what happens for the other 48 weeks of the year?
0:05:09 > 0:05:13Out Of The Blue is not just a centre for theatre and acrobatics.
0:05:13 > 0:05:19It's also home to craft and design workshops like the Precious Metals Workshop run by Ian Nicholson.
0:05:19 > 0:05:25I've always lived in this area and the opportunity came to take a workspace in Out Of The Blue.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29It's a fantastic unit and it was the right choice for me to move here.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33What can your company offer Leith workshop-wise and product-wise?
0:05:33 > 0:05:36We run evening classes, one-day workshops.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39I push the Precious Metals Workshop
0:05:39 > 0:05:45as Edinburgh's leading independent educational resource workshop for jewellers and silversmiths,
0:05:45 > 0:05:48so we've always got different classes running.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51What are you trying to achieve?
0:05:51 > 0:05:57The ultimate goal for the Precious Metals Workshop is to expand with its resources,
0:05:57 > 0:06:05so that we can accommodate as many different jewellers, silversmiths, crafters and hobbyists as possible
0:06:05 > 0:06:11and get the place up to more of a university grade of tools and equipment.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13How do you feel about the Festivals?
0:06:13 > 0:06:18I love the Festival. It's sort of the month where Edinburgh lets its hair down.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22It's not a good time to try and drive around the city,
0:06:22 > 0:06:27but walking around the place, seeing what happens, it's just a lovely, vibrant change.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34What can a new project called Leith On The Fringe offer the locals
0:06:34 > 0:06:37and will it change people's view?
0:06:37 > 0:06:43This room is home to the organisers of Leith On The Fringe and headed by producer Natasha Lee-Walsh.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46How did you get involved in organising Leith On The Fringe?
0:06:46 > 0:06:51The idea came from a conversation that John and I had in a pub.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53- Are we allowed to say that?- Yes.
0:06:53 > 0:06:59About what we could do to get Leith more involved because it's fast becoming a place where things happen.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03As you guys know, art and everything is starting to take a hold here
0:07:03 > 0:07:07and give people something to do, something to aspire to.
0:07:07 > 0:07:13We wanted to make sure Leith takes its place in the Festival and benefits economically and socially.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16How do you select the acts performing?
0:07:16 > 0:07:20This being Year Minus One, as we fondly like to call it,
0:07:20 > 0:07:25we put a call out to a lot of our friends and people that we know who work in the industry
0:07:25 > 0:07:28and told them about what we were trying to do.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32We specifically wanted it to be more of an aerial and circus venue
0:07:32 > 0:07:37because that's an area of the arts that's coming up in Scotland.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41What inspired you to use Out Of The Blue as a venue?
0:07:41 > 0:07:45It being one of the most established sort of arts complexes here.
0:07:45 > 0:07:50The staff work really hard. They've got a fantastic relationship with the community.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54They've managed to get lots of things happening. It's a great venue.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58It's a huge space with a fantastic roof and it lends itself to aerial,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01as well as the community lilt as it's got that following.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06It was important that the community take a sense of ownership of it
0:08:06 > 0:08:09and they get involved with workshops that we like to offer
0:08:09 > 0:08:15and that we get them onside and make them realise it's as much for them as anyone else.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18I heard something about the cherry picker breaking?
0:08:18 > 0:08:24That just happens. You have to build in contingency. Cherry pickers are a law unto themselves.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28It means that the drapes took two days to hang instead of one,
0:08:28 > 0:08:33but at least no-one was stuck at the top of one over the weekend!
0:08:33 > 0:08:37- Have you got anything else on your to-do list today?- Plenty.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39- An example?- Quite a lot.
0:08:39 > 0:08:45There's still quite a lot to do with making sure that everyone's comfortable when they arrive.
0:08:45 > 0:08:50Jessica, our box office manager, is putting together welcome packs for everyone,
0:08:50 > 0:08:54so they know where to go shopping, where to go to the pub and to eat.
0:08:54 > 0:09:01And we've managed to get a lot of the local traders to sort of put on offers
0:09:01 > 0:09:06for the audience, as well as the participants, to make them realise what's on offer here,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09to encourage people to spend time and money in Leith.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13What are you aiming to achieve by the end of this?
0:09:13 > 0:09:17This year, we hope to have got a set of quantifiable results,
0:09:17 > 0:09:22so from box office ticket sales and through the offers that the local shops are running,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24them keeping a record of that,
0:09:24 > 0:09:30we hope to show how much we've increased footfall in Leith by having the venue here
0:09:30 > 0:09:35and how many of those people we've encouraged to spend their money with local businesses.
0:09:35 > 0:09:41That will help us decide how best to move forward for next year in the areas where we need to work on more
0:09:41 > 0:09:47or where we're better spending our marketing budget to make this a resounding success.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51- What could get in the way of these results?- It's where we are.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54We're under no illusion that we're in Leith
0:09:54 > 0:10:00and we know that because also this year with the closure of the Assembly Rooms on George Street,
0:10:00 > 0:10:04everything is so much more centred up around George Square,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07so we know we're sort of fighting...
0:10:07 > 0:10:10- To get in? - Yeah, we're fighting against that.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15Equally, it works to our advantage because it's a bit of a haven away from all of that
0:10:15 > 0:10:18and the programme offers something slightly different.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22It offers stuff to do and aerial and circus work.
0:10:22 > 0:10:28In fact, I think we're the only Fringe venue that can offer ten metres of height.
0:10:28 > 0:10:34I think that makes us unique and we hope that that and the word of mouth thing will get people to come down.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41Finally, it is time to find out about our theatre group Strange Town.
0:10:41 > 0:10:47We followed them during the read-through, technical rehearsal, first night and last night,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50plus we got to interview our director Steve Small.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56What is Strange Town aiming to achieve?
0:10:56 > 0:11:01Strange Town aims to give children and young people across Edinburgh
0:11:01 > 0:11:03an opportunity to be creative,
0:11:03 > 0:11:09to make shows, to come together, to meet people from different backgrounds, to have a good time
0:11:09 > 0:11:13and to give them an opportunity that we think they need to have.
0:11:13 > 0:11:19What's it like having Out Of The Blue rehearsal space for Strange Town?
0:11:19 > 0:11:22It's really important to us to be based here.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26When Ruth and I set up this second version of Strange Town,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29it was to be based in Leith and we like Out Of The Blue.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32Can you tell us a bit more about the show?
0:11:32 > 0:11:35After You've Gone is a show we've done before. We did it in June.
0:11:35 > 0:11:42It's part of our theme which we've been running since January with all the groups about time and the past
0:11:42 > 0:11:44and about it being all around us.
0:11:44 > 0:11:50It's a collection of stories that are all put together in a period of time
0:11:50 > 0:11:55that runs from 1916, the middle of the First World War, to the start of the Second World War.
0:11:55 > 0:12:02- How are rehearsals going?- It's been quite short and we've had some people drop out at the last minute.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05And we've had some people come and help us out,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08so for some people, it's a real rush
0:12:08 > 0:12:13and hopefully, they enjoy it, and other people, they've done it before.
0:12:13 > 0:12:19Sometimes it's hard with young actors to explain to them that we need to see what they can do in rehearsals,
0:12:19 > 0:12:25not on the night, because we can't risk that they won't pull it out of the bag.
0:12:25 > 0:12:31Also, they struggle a lot of the time with reviving stuff. Their kind of initial energy burst has gone.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35It's a bit chaotic because we've had to re-cast for the Fringe a bit.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39So we're now sorting out all the costumes
0:12:39 > 0:12:46and working out if the people who have been newly cast fit the costumes. A wee bit stressed.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50I'm feeling quite excited to be taking part in the Fringe.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53It's really nice that it's with Strange Town.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57It's all my friends and all the lovely people that I like.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00It's really different to anything we've done before.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03It's really weird sitting down and watching
0:13:03 > 0:13:09because it's the first Strange Town show that I've not been in since it started
0:13:09 > 0:13:11and it's going to be a bit sad.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19It's been re-cast, but with their casting skills, I think it'll go OK.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23It's just nerve-wracking because we have to re-block it, etcetera.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27The question is, will they have learnt their lines
0:13:27 > 0:13:31before they move to Out Of The Blue for the technical rehearsal?
0:13:34 > 0:13:39Have there been any production problems or technical hitches?
0:13:39 > 0:13:44The nature of the Fringe is that all the venues are trying to get lots of different shows in quickly.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46And it's quite tight.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50We are sitting waiting to go into our tech. The last show's been out late.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54We're just waiting. We're all really excited.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58- They're here.- Are they?- Yeah. - Right, everyone...
0:13:59 > 0:14:04We're just sort of setting up with costumes, getting props checked.
0:14:04 > 0:14:09We're then going to go in and go for the opening scene and do sound and light checks.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13These are my props. I supplied most of the stuff here.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Cos my parents love old things.
0:14:15 > 0:14:22I feel a lot of pressure on the lines. There's a lot of them and mine were recently all changed.
0:14:22 > 0:14:29So I hope I don't mess it up. I don't want to ruin it for everyone else. We've all worked really hard
0:14:29 > 0:14:34and I don't want to be messing up. So hopefully that goes well.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38We were supposed to start at five and it's now quarter to six.
0:14:38 > 0:14:44We've only got until seven and we're supposed to squish the whole show into that time.
0:14:44 > 0:14:49- How long do you usually have? - In a perfect world, a whole day.
0:14:49 > 0:14:54But it never does. We're not a professional company working in professional conditions.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56We normally have three hours.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00It's very strange seeing everybody doing this and not being part of it.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04You've set your wheelbarrow on the wrong side, OK?
0:15:04 > 0:15:06I never set my wheelbarrow.
0:15:06 > 0:15:12The previous show finished at five and they had to get their flying stuff out of the way
0:15:12 > 0:15:16and their audience out. So we're doing Fringe time, which is no time,
0:15:16 > 0:15:22- but that's the same for everybody so it's OK. - How long have we got?- Until seven.
0:15:22 > 0:15:28Our problem is if we top and tail from scene to scene, we have costume changes,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31so we have to know if they work.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36But there's no point in getting cross or shouting and screaming.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40There just isn't any point. Oh...that isn't what we want.
0:15:40 > 0:15:45- How was the technical rehearsal? - It went OK. We needed more time.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50It's a very busy venue because it's got a cafe and a lot of noise.
0:15:50 > 0:15:57It's quite difficult to see and hear from up in the box. I'm cuing the lighting guy, who's never seen it,
0:15:57 > 0:16:04and somebody's operating the back projections, who's never seen it, and I'm cuing, so it's quite scary.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09I think it went OK. I would have liked to get through a bit more,
0:16:09 > 0:16:14but everything will be all right on the night, won't it?
0:16:14 > 0:16:16You've already interviewed me.
0:16:16 > 0:16:21- How did it go?- It went OK, I think. - Did it? Honestly?
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Yeah, I was just a bit confused about everything.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29We couldn't hear at the back sometimes, which is a problem.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33People who have done the show before feel like they know it,
0:16:33 > 0:16:39so they're relaxed and mucking up on lines and cues. They think they know it, but they don't.
0:16:39 > 0:16:45It's the first night of After You've Gone and there's quite a lot of people coming in.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49Everybody's quite excited. We didn't expect this many people.
0:16:49 > 0:16:55Everybody's a bit stressed backstage but when they see how many people there are, hopefully it'll boost...
0:16:55 > 0:16:59boost their confidence and it'll be nice and loud and amazing.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03- I've never been to this venue before.- What do you think of it?
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Well, I've just got here. Let me think.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Impressive.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Impressive, yes.
0:17:11 > 0:17:16All I know about Leith is Easter Road happens to be there.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19Home of Hibernian FC.
0:17:19 > 0:17:26Often you don't go up the town and a lot of Edinburgh people are disconnected from the festivals.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31- So probably having local things is better.- It's very good where it is.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36It's bang in the middle of a very working class area. It isnae one of the posher ends of the town.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41You'll get a lot more people from Leith, who wouldn't go up the town.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46It's a very welcoming place. This is the first time I've been to a show.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48I'm very nervous.
0:17:48 > 0:17:54- Why are you nervous? - Because we've only just really got the tech done.
0:17:56 > 0:18:03The cast are unaware that they have a large paying audience waiting to see their first night's performance.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11MUSIC STARTS
0:18:16 > 0:18:20# Rule Britannia Britannia rules the waves
0:18:20 > 0:18:25# Britons never, never, never shall be slaves... #
0:18:25 > 0:18:31They often talk in their own private language, which they invented to exclude Donald and everybody else.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Shirley Temple!
0:18:34 > 0:18:36It's ironic, by the way.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40- We mainly just hang aboot, though, eh?- I go hiking.
0:18:40 > 0:18:46- Yes, we go hiking, don't we, Susan? - We do, Moira.- Get tae...!
0:18:46 > 0:18:47APPLAUSE
0:18:50 > 0:18:52- Whoo!- Thank God it's over.
0:18:52 > 0:18:59Very well acted, eh, historical drama centring around various local families.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02And very enjoyable, I thought.
0:19:02 > 0:19:08All these young people putting so much effort into that. What a contrast to the streets in England.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11- How do you feel after that?- Awful!
0:19:11 > 0:19:15I did this line and totally forgot it. It threw everyone off.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17Oh...can't believe I did that!
0:19:17 > 0:19:21- Do you know you were half an hour more? It's seven o'clock.- Seriously?
0:19:21 > 0:19:26Wow. Seriously? Sorry, I was about to swear there.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30- I don't know why it was so long. - I don't know. Oh, my God.
0:19:30 > 0:19:36I learned it so well, but I forgot the line and we had to walk back and there was a big bit of silence.
0:19:36 > 0:19:41I was like, "Oh, my God! I'm so sorry!" I messed it up for everyone.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45And then I cut off Donald at the end. Great, Alison(!)
0:19:45 > 0:19:51- But you've still got two nights. - True! I'll be perfect tomorrow! I'll be going, "I was amazing!"
0:19:51 > 0:19:56I thought it was very, very well done. Very talented young people.
0:19:56 > 0:20:01I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'd come back to another show.
0:20:03 > 0:20:08Leith on the Fringe has attracted a number of international acts.
0:20:08 > 0:20:15We caught up with Angels Aerials from Germany and were amazed by their Learn To Fly Workshop.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Leith on the Fringe at Out of the Blue is
0:20:20 > 0:20:24just the most beautiful venue that could have happened to us.
0:20:24 > 0:20:31For performing in the air, it's really high and they've made everything we needed possible.
0:20:31 > 0:20:38We have quite weird things that we need - a hook there and a rigging point here.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42And they've done it all. And it's beautiful outside.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47Performing at the Edinburgh Fringe is basically a dream come true.
0:20:49 > 0:20:55It's the last night of After You've Gone and they've almost got a full house. It's really exciting.
0:20:55 > 0:21:01A mix of emotions. Everybody's excited on the last night, but getting a wee bit emotional as well.
0:21:01 > 0:21:08It's a lot of people's last show. It's the first time I've watched and not been in it. I'll get teary!
0:21:22 > 0:21:28It's quite sad. I'm really sad to be leaving the show. We've been with it for eight months now.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Last show. Hopefully a good one.
0:21:37 > 0:21:42"Death was instantaneous and without any suffering.
0:21:44 > 0:21:50"The Company was caught in a counter attack during which your husband was killed.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55"John was a great personal friend of mine and his loss is felt deeply
0:21:55 > 0:21:58"by myself and all in the Company."
0:21:58 > 0:22:02# God save the King. #
0:22:11 > 0:22:15I'm feeling really good. I'm high. Don't do drugs, do theatre!
0:22:17 > 0:22:19It's true!
0:22:21 > 0:22:26It was fantastic. I was, like, in tears.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31- Why were you in tears? - Cos it was so sad! I'm in tears again!
0:22:31 > 0:22:34A total sense of achievement,
0:22:34 > 0:22:40but yeah, it's quite sad that people are leaving, but...I'm sure we'll get over it!
0:22:40 > 0:22:44- OK, that's the show over. How are you feeling?- Tired.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48- Do you want more than that? - Yeah. Relieved or...?- No.
0:22:48 > 0:22:54It doesn't hit you until a day later and you think, "I won't see those people again for a while
0:22:54 > 0:23:00- "and won't work on that script again." You always think of things you'd have done differently.- Yeah?
0:23:00 > 0:23:05But, you know, it's a huge job and they did amazingly well
0:23:05 > 0:23:09- and we got massive audiences for the Fringe.- Absolutely.
0:23:09 > 0:23:14We had 65 on the first day, 86 yesterday and about the same today.
0:23:14 > 0:23:20- Your average Fringe audience is three. So that's pretty good. - That's fantastic, definitely.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- Em...- Any reviews?
0:23:23 > 0:23:25No reviews. We don't need reviews.
0:23:25 > 0:23:33- No, we've had no reviews, but... - You've had a positive reception. - And that's the main thing.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35It's quite an interesting space.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39It's really set up for trapeze stuff,
0:23:39 > 0:23:46so if we do it again, this venue, we'll think about something that fits this a bit better.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50It's the last day of Leith on the Fringe. How successful was it?
0:23:50 > 0:23:52It's been rather marvellous.
0:23:52 > 0:23:58Yeah, we've had quite a few people through the door, lots of comments and lots of compliments.
0:23:58 > 0:24:04The high point was our award. Somebody noticed what we were doing and recognised us for it,
0:24:04 > 0:24:09which is awesome! And something we weren't expecting.
0:24:09 > 0:24:15We were sitting at this very table and Paddy got us in and said, "You have to be here then."
0:24:15 > 0:24:20So we came in and got presented with the world! With a little engraving on it.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24And it nearly made me cry and think, "It's all been worth it!"
0:24:24 > 0:24:31We were so tired and numbers had started to drop off again. "Oh, God! Is no one listening?"
0:24:31 > 0:24:36- What would you do differently next year?- Next year...
0:24:36 > 0:24:40We've got to solve the sound issues with the cafe.
0:24:40 > 0:24:48There's a lot of hard surfaces in here and you can hear quite well everything that's said in the cafe.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50So that's the first thing.
0:24:50 > 0:24:55You started with a set of goals. To what extent have you achieved them?
0:24:55 > 0:25:00They're pretty much there. We've had great press, great interest.
0:25:00 > 0:25:06We've had a lot of exposure and that's reflected in ticket sales and audience feedback.
0:25:06 > 0:25:12We've got figures to collate at the end, which will be whether people took up our offers in the programme
0:25:12 > 0:25:18to benefit the businesses or not. Then we'll meet them and discuss how to do that better next year.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21What does the future hold?
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Onwards and upwards, bigger and better.
0:25:24 > 0:25:31We've had more publicity. We had one and a half million tweets on Neil Gaiman's Twitter thing
0:25:31 > 0:25:38- recommending Hex. I don't know whether that means anything. - A lot. Neil Gaiman's pretty cool.
0:25:38 > 0:25:44Yeah, so I'm told. And we've been hanging out with Irvine Welsh, and he's been amazing, actually.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47A really nice guy, really helpful.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51Why do you think groups like Strange Town are important?
0:25:51 > 0:25:56I think really because if you look at the way things are going,
0:25:56 > 0:26:00employment-wise, over the next 20 years,
0:26:00 > 0:26:06practically the only thing that is expanding is the entertainment industry,
0:26:06 > 0:26:10the cultural industries, if you want to call them that.
0:26:10 > 0:26:17And there's so many more opportunities for people to act and write and direct
0:26:17 > 0:26:20and film and do all that stuff.
0:26:20 > 0:26:26So much more now than there used to be. The media seems to be expanding all the time.
0:26:26 > 0:26:32It's something that used to be regarded as a bit kind of poncey and self-indulgent.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36It's now the most vocational kind of thing you could probably do.
0:26:36 > 0:26:41And even if people don't go on to work in these areas,
0:26:41 > 0:26:46the skills are transferable. Inter-personal skills, communication skills,
0:26:46 > 0:26:50working with other people and getting to know them.
0:26:50 > 0:26:57They're transferable to just about any kind of employment or personal business venture people go into.
0:26:58 > 0:27:05The recent Edinburgh Festivals Impact Study showed that the Fringe annually generates £142 million
0:27:05 > 0:27:11for the Scottish economy. The study also showed that 89% of Edinburgh respondents
0:27:11 > 0:27:15said that the Fringe and other festivals increased local pride.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19Choose life! Choose theatre!
0:27:19 > 0:27:21Choose performing.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Choose the arts.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Choose Leith!
0:27:29 > 0:27:35This programme was made by Grace, Brad and Rosalind of Strange Town Youth Theatre
0:27:35 > 0:27:38in conjunction with The LAB at BBC Scotland.
0:27:38 > 0:27:44If your school or community group would like to learn about filmmaking and are looking for some pointers,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46contact The LAB at BBC Scotland.
0:27:46 > 0:27:52www.bbc.co.uk/labscotland
0:27:52 > 0:27:54And get creative!