From stand-up comedy to educational theatre and musical cabaret, Maltese performers are out in force this summer at the largest arts festival in the world.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which runs throughout August in the Scottish capital, features more than 53,000 performances from 62 countries, with audiences treated to a feast of comedy, theatre, dance, circus, cabaret, exhibitions, children’s shows, musicals, opera and spoken-word events.

The Fringe began in 1947 when eight theatre companies turned up uninvited to perform at the inaugural Edinburgh International Festival and retains its ‘open-access’ spirit as it enters its 70th edition, with anyone welcome to perform as long as they can secure a venue – and an audience.

“It’s not for the faint of heart,” said Malcolm Galea, whose children’s play The Complete History of Europe (More or Less), performed with actor Joseph Zammit, is one of several Maltese performances at this year’s festival.

“Pretty much every second person you’ll encounter is a supremely talented performer, writer, musician or whatever, so it’s unimaginably difficult to stand out. Having a family show limits our audience, but there are slightly fewer shows in our category to compete with.”

It’s not for the faint of heart

Famous for giving many new comedians and writers their break, the Fringe is also a notoriously difficult market for performers seeking to draw in an audience while attempting to recoup their financial investment.

All the while, they are performing in venues ranging from pubs and clubs to lecture rooms and even historic churches, usually with only minutes to get their show set up and dismantled between performances.

Mr Galea, also the writer of previous Edinburgh hit Porn: the Musical, said audience reactions for his new show – which has been touring Maltese schools for some time, before its Edinburgh showcase – had been positive, with one reviewer describing it as “bonkers but brilliant”.

“Ticket sales have been modest, currently averaging around 45 people per show, but thanks to the [Arts Council Malta] Cultural Export Fund and some crafty negotiations with the venue, we’re on track to do the unthinkable for a Fringe debut and break even. However, there’s still well over a week left, so there are plenty of opportunities for things to go fantastically wrong.”

Also representing the island in Edinburgh this year is writer and stand-up comedian Steve Hili, performing his one-man show Burning Love to the Ground and hosting a separate comedy event.

“I decided to take the show up to Edinburgh because I thought it was about time I tested it in the biggest arts festival in the world,” Mr Hili said.

“It’s tough. I’m either handing out flyers or performing or running to a showcase gig all day. I haven’t had time to catch my breath – it feels like I’ve been here 20 years! There are so many shows that standing out is difficult, but audiences have been quite good and everyone seems to be loving it.”

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