Here is the place to write a Show Report for your venue, detailing as much information as you can that might help shows there in years to come. Include things such as dimensions of stage, passing traffic, good spots to flyer, useful promo, tech equipment, ambient noise; anything that will help give shows a good idea of the venue before they arrive. **Please include your show number so we can confirm your show report is in the right venue forum**
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Happiness Anonymous - show number 18 - played 13-19 august at 13.45. Genre: Theatre. Its a solo show with one big set piece, set in the apocalypse, multiple characters set up a support group for happiness. It was me and I had help to flyer by a friend (which saved the show!). Stage dimensions: 1m deepx2.5 meters (two large standard steal decks). There is a further 1.5m either side of the stage with same 1m depth. A fire door to stage right goes directly down to offstage and where all set is stored (in the basement of the bar). Full lighting rig available, full PA available. Neither used by myself. There are also house lights accessible on a dimmer switch by the entrance to the space. The space: it is down two flights of stairs (one level) beneath the main bar. Accessed from the bar through a door near the entrance to the bar. There is a bit of a corridor before the steps - enough to gather about 6-8 people before you go downstairs. There is an (unmanned) bar downstairs when you enter the space (probably 4mx7m ish) with a couple of tables before you go down five stairs into the space. Its open plan without being open plan. There is a little wall you can hide behind between the bar and the space (used by another act as another behind the audience wing.) Capacity is nice. Theres a lighting and sound booth at the back of the space with sight of the stage. There are toilets down there in the bar area too. You get wifi down there - enough to connect a SumUp card reader and take payments. My audience size (run: Saturday through friday, in order): 14, 7, 3, 6, 0, 10, 5. All but maybe 6 of them came through us flyering them. (The 6 came from a cabaret appearance I did). We flyered 11-13.45, starting and mainly staying around the St James mall entrance (though do not flyer in their courtyard as private property. They also tried to claim the sidewalk outside of the mall was theirs also and we couldnt be anywhere near their property (cont.)
They were quite rude even when we were resting, sat on their wall, drinking drinks from Starbucks in the mall. Anyhoo. Nearer the show wed move outside of the Omni and then outside the venue. By far true most successful place was the top by the mall as there was a lot of footfall. There was construction all down the road outside of the venue so flyering across the road was impossible. Footfall near the venue was nothing (literally). We tried the royal mile one morning and there were literally only other flyerers at that time. Those we tried to talk to were not wanting to navigate the (closed) north bridge. It turned the royal mile into a no-go area for us at that time (circa 11-12.30). NB all days were dry weather except one.
The donations were larger than in previous years - more notes and bigger notes. (Maybe my other shows were just crap!) Card reader made up about 15 percent of donations. I let the audience set their price abs they always threw in 10. The staff at the venue were AMAZING and very relaxed, but also entirely on the ball with making sure we had everything we needed. They were lovely. I couldnt rate them higher. There is storage space for your show downstairs. Not a lot; about a 3mx6m room to share with all acts. Access around the room needs to be maintained as its still a working cellar for the bar. The venue is also kid friendly until 8pm, and also well behaved dog friendly. Issues: the entrance to backstage is via the show space (and fire exit mentioned above) or via the back entrance to the building. This entrance is located just below the fire door to the show space (you have to go down 6 stairs then double back on yourself). Some acts come in noisily, and you can see bobbing heads from row 1-2 (more if sat on the opposite side of the space to the fire door). You can pull the fire door closed (I didnt bolt it in place). On windy days, an unbolted fire door will also creak creepily open with the wind (not helpful as ive just said to my audience Ive made this a safe space the zombies cant get into.). All things to bare in mind if youre trying to create an atmosphere. The stage is also half a foot off height of two bay windows that are boarded up so theres no light leak. It does mean you have two makeshift shelves behind you at all times. There is an onstage basic PA control board on stage too. Overall I think my show went well for me and my goals. The venues location and the construction in Edinburgh meant if my goal was big crowds I would have failed. The bar was also empty at performance time so no poaching customers
It was perfect for this run, but if my goal was a full house, without a marketing budget and many flyerers and such I would think twice about booking this slot at this time in this venue again. Especially with a show thats harder to sell than stand up comedy/drag/etc. It doesnt have the footfall to facilitate the risk-it viewers. (This all being said, this year was much harder in general for everyone and it was noticeably maybe a 3rd of usual busy-ness). Couldnt have done it without my friends help. Was an absolute dream of a venue, with the only downside being location with all the construction
(Also if you want to film your show the bar space is AWESOME behind the audience to stick a tripod and forget)
With my set in place. Chairs provided by the venue (these match audience seats). You can see the bay window like shelves. Twas gorgeous (and I see now its 3 stage blocks!)
@Goldilocks Looks incredible. Wish I had caught it.
Thank you Im trying to muddle my way through booking it elsewhere and touring.
@Goldilocks Good luck! I know a lot of the erstwhile Fringe venues (Banshee's, CC Blooms) and the like are available out of Fringe for free, if you think that you could get locals along, but I'm not sure where you're travelling from.
Fringe Report for Science Stories for grown ups. Played last week of August. The venue consisted of a stage, with an audience capacity of ca 50 people. There was a screen on one of the walls that we used and a good sound system. The stage is not very very big, but of sufficient size we were able to dance around a bit. Which was important for our show. The CCBlooms staff were fabulous! Helpful, friendly and professional. We had some tecnical problems the first night, and had to unfortunately cancel our first run. In this case they did their best to help us. PRO TIP: if you are using a Mac laptop for your tech, make sure all of your connecting cables/converters are also Mac. We had a consistent audience number of 20 people every night, with us filling up the room on two nights. This was considering two people flyering, every day before the show, for ca. 2hours. We think the venue was particularly good for us as it attracted audience that were looking for 'non comedy' shows and a wide range of shows were concentrated there. We were very happy with the outcome of our fringe experience.
Aha, Im very happy to hear that
The beauty of being an AD for a small genre is being able to keep track of how everyone did
We have performed at ccs for several years. It is an excellent venue. A good stage, helpful staff and space to prepair and store things. It's also easy to find. We have done the fringe for nine years and this was the best year we have had. If anything we might have to find a bigger venue for next year.
We are The Grumpy Magicians btw
Was here with The Tiny Orange. Apart from the weird step that collapsed on me and the aggressively abrasive walls, I loved doing an improv show here and the staff were amazing.
Hi ANDY'S MOON SHOW here... This was our first year at the Fringe (and hence first at CC Blooms too). We had a very power-point heavy show, so had to rotate all the chairs 90 degrees to face the screen (and rotate them back at the end of the show) the projector/screen is on the left wall, not the stage. Rotating chairs took 2 people about 5 mins pre/post show and it needed 2 people really as moving the 'chains' of chairs is annoying if only one person does it, as the chairs would tend to fall or the faire-safety links break... This stage area was unelevated, but we could see everyone as they were sat and they could see the screen well. It did mean we needed to run long cables into the tech booth, and gaffer tape them down for safety. The actual show went well averaged about 30 people I guess. We thought we'd be nice and do two shows (one on even days, one on odd days), but the Edinburgh Fringe folks (i.e. not the Free Fringe) made us register the show twice as technically it was advertised as different content... The downstairs area is split into a lower level (where the show is) and an upper level (bar area/toilets) this is useful as it allows the outgoing show's audience to be moved to the upper level, whilst the next show sets up. Audience may wish to stay around for a quick chat / donation (we had quite a few after our shows wanting to ask follow-up questions which I guess is more par for the course of a science show)
heya! good to hear that went well, i've been trying to chase up all the first timers that i booked in and see how they went (although I think you dealt more with Ash really)
Show Report for show number 323 - Ava Beaux: Which Witch. This was my third in person show with PBH and I performed a solo theatre and magic show in CC Blooms in the 9.15pm slot. The venue seats around 60 when full and it has a stage which is roughly 1.5m deep by 3.5m wide. The venue staff are incredible - the get-in day was very smooth as the staff helped everyone double check that their tech was working - if you are a first-time venue captain then this is also a great venue to start with, as the amount of tech available means it runs pretty self-sufficiently. It has its own full PA system which can be run from the off-stage tech booth, or you can play music and adjust the mic on stage. The venue also has a good amount of storage space downstairs, the only thing to bear in mind is the importance of keeping it tidy; when the space wasn't tidy it made it hard for acts to get changed or set-up their props in here. The stage is also well equipped for acts who want to go on & off stage during their show, as the side-door allows access to the stairwell which leads to the storage area. Door duty is important as audience members can get confused and come down early if the rope barrier isn't across, and they also may not know where to que unless instructed. This is particularly important on a Sunday evening when the drag show is on upstairs - if you are not on it with directing people into the que, then some people get confused believing that the drag show is the only show on in the building, and will either watch this instead or leave. Because of this, Sunday nights may not be suitable for quiet, atmospheric shows. I found flyering early in the day, on the Royal MIle, quite effective. I know some shows also managed to get people in by flyering outside the venue, but the passing traffic are often people walking purposefully to other places. It can be slightly harder to fill than other venues a bit closer to town, but doable with the right advertising.
Show report for show 196 The venue staff were incredible and offered discounts/free drinks For me at 5:30 it was a difficult time to flyer for the most common reason I got was the distance From 12-4 id flyer the mile, at 4 id move towards CC blooms flyering where it was busy (please note at James quarter wont let you flyer) Best success was outside CC blooms Averaged 10-15 people a night, the final week was quiet and quiet in bar My show clashed with the football twice and the crowds were rowdy walking by Great little venue no sound for me, great staff and you could convince some of the bar patrons to come down Great stage but make sure to keep that outside door closed or there is a wind if ur keeping on off stage door open!
My show was very basic just two seats and a table no tech etc. So unsure about that side
Oh sorry one last thing- great storage space behind stage where we could leave our stuff and one of the staff members set up the lighting and asked if we needed anything which was always appreciated
Show Report for Mistakes Were Made Show 334. We ran 5th-11th Aug, at 11:15am each day. Were a theatre show with a cast of 5 and found that it could be a little tight in the space for all of us but we were still able to do what wed planned without much alteration. There was a small stage of about 1m x 3m, with about 0.5m more in front of it and 2m either side. There was one off-stage space stage right, with a flight of stairs going down to a cellar. The audience space had about 30 folding chairs set out we removed a few of them from the front row to give us a little more space which definitely helped. When we had a particularly busy day more audience members could fit in the back of the space, some standing and some using the chairs wed removed from the front. Tech is pretty minimal sound and lights can be controlled from a DJ booth behind audience, sound can also be controlled from onstage. House lights switches are behind the bar, other side of the room from the booth. Not a huge theatre rig, but great for a Free Fringe space. Being by the Playhouse and Omnicentre theres quite a lot of footfall outside which was great for last minute flyering. We also flyered on the Mile, around Potterrow, Waverley station etc having 8 people in cast and crew definitely helped with moving a lot of flyers and getting good audience sizes in, and we did a lot on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (X?). We did a couple of collabs with other shows doing similar stuff and that definitely helped too. The space is below the main bar and there was a bit of ambient noise coming down through the ceiling, but not a huge amount. If bar staff are going into or moving around in the cellar you can hear that too.The staff were absolutely great, very helpful with getting set up at the get-in and for organising audience-ins.
Report for Sanctified Trash: The Life and Times of Mona Mae. Show 423. Part 1 CC Blooms is a little bit outside of the main Fringe activities, but that distance is compensated by being a great wee venue with amazing support from the staff. I did 15 shows, despite originally being booked for 9.picking up some extra shows to cover some empty slots and some sickness. I averaged 12 people per show.but had a large range (0-40). The night I had 0 was a last-minute, fill in slot early in my run - with absolutely no publicity - so I used it as a dress rehearsal and had a great time! If you decide to do some fill in slots, make sure to agree to do them several days in advance as it can take a day or two for the system to start listing the shows in the app and online. I had also listed in the Ed Fringe system, but they did not add my new shows at allI think that was probably money wasted. My normal slot was 3PM, but I also did 1:15, 8:00 and 9:15. The evening crowds were a rowdier and fun. One really drunk couple one night, but managed them just fine. My biggest crowd was on a Wednesday at 3PM the final week. The stage is small 1metre by 3metres (ish) and 40-50 chairs with plenty of more space if you ever had an overflow crowd. The lights are a bit oddgives a 1970s sort of black light feel. Reminded me of my days in leather darkrooms (LOL). I had to buy new makeup as the lights washed out the lighter pinks and soft reds I was using. Tech was okay as others have said. I did a one person show with several props (make up table, stool, mannequin with lovely dress, several wig stands, etc). There was plenty of storage space in the basement, but having that much stuff to schlep up and down the stairs and set up was a mad dash at times by myself (especially with 2 bad knees and being old and fat), but eventually found a rhythm that worked and didnt stress me out. Will be more minimal next time I do a solo show with no support.
Report for Sanctified Trash: The Life and Times of Mona Mae. Show 423. Part 2 The venue is not wheelchair accessible as there are many steps to get down to the theatre space. I did have two wheelchair users who were able to manage the stairs and their partners carried their chair down the steps. But if someone is unable to ambulate at all, this venue would be off limits for them. I mostly flyered outside of CC Blooms. It worked best when I was in costume and flyered in character and custume It became fun, instead of soul destroying. I also gave away free badges with some nasty catch phrases from the show. The badges helped engage the crowd and created some interest. Also, using the WBB is the ONLY WAY TO FLYER. I gave out so many flyers when I was also offering the WBB at the same time. Much more effective than handing out flyers and having the WBB as secondary. I didnt have much luck on the Mile.but as an old lady with limited energy, I saved my energy for near the venue. Next year I will make the effort to get in costume and do some flyering in the thick of things. As a queer performer I also did some networking with the EdFringe LGBTQ group and made some good connections there.including a guest spot on the Queer Comedy Club show.and now an invitation to perform in London. If you are queer.defo go to that next year. Though there were a few theatre snobs there, most of the people were fab and I made a couple of friends and contacts for future collaborations. The best part of CC Blooms (besides the great staff) was the comradery with the other acts and performers. We supported each other and it was greatespecially for me as a brand new performer. Learned lots from the other acts and felt totally supported. Great experience. Thanks. Big Mona Mae hugs.
Report for Mission Magician 11.15 The venue captain was so helpful and it is a great venue. Great performance space - well maintained. Useful they allow smoke. Staff super helpful. Great lighting booth as Nightclub area so can be dark. Need to flyer day before as not a lot of passing people or all going somewhere. Lovely stage. Storage area. Strict no under 5s. Stage low.
Sorry to add to above. Kids went back so numbers dropped as kids show. Parking hard. Disabled access not possible. We needed to sort flyering better as our numbers were low. Best day 30 people. No really really to park except St James that can be expensive but opp Tram stop.
Report for Richard Duffy is Asleep: A Retrospective - 11.15am 19th - 27th This was my second year in CC's and was quite a bit harder for me this time round. Firstly, the venue set-up is incredible - closed off space with no noise bleed, back stage area and full tech set up with projector. Perfect for my show - a one man comedy documentary with a large reliance on the projector. The projector is set-up at 90 degrees to the stage which can be a little awkward with larger audiences but I always told mine to sit on the right hand side and they can see the projector and stage comfortably without having to crane their necks too much. Projector connected to my laptop and to the sound desk. Tech set up seemed to be different every day as things would change with club nights and other shows but staff were always around to sort out. The staff were brilliant throughout.
Where I really struggled this year was with getting audiences. Last year I was in a more accessible timeslot (6.45pm) and perhaps had a more sellable show along with a co-performer who added to the flyering. We managed at least 20 people every day and sold out the last two shows. I should caveat that by saying that I am Edinburgh-based and probably knew about a quarter of the people that came to see the show. This year, being the first show of the day, it was a much harder task as there was no footfall. Had to rely on flyering people the day before and hoping they would schedule it in. I had the rather unconventional flyering technique of pretending to be asleep with a board attached to my chair with flyers on pegs and a sign reading "please take a flyer quietly". It made perfect sense for the show (which was about a man who makes a career sleeping on stage) and people reacted to it well as a bit of street performance art but it didn't correspond to many people coming. I did most of this flyering on the Mile in the afternoon after the show.
So my conclusion here is that this is a venue that works very well for some shows but not for all. It is perhaps best programmed largely with shows that aren't comedy as people will generally travel further for these shows and this has tended to be the case. I think programming a comedy show at 11.15am was a big ask. If shows are going to be programmed there in the morning I think it's best that they are children's shows or maybe theatre. This was the 20th Fringe show I've been involved with and it was by far the hardest I've had to work for an audience. Having said all this I really wouldn't want to discredit CC's as a venue. I think with the right shows at the right times it's a real asset to The Free Fringe.
Show Report for Ticket To Wonderland (433), 17.30-18.30 wk 1, and Regina Vagina (475), 13.34-14.45 wk 3. Our second year at CCBlooms, first being 2022. Staff were always friendly and helpful. It's a good space as its downstairs from the bar, so no soundbleed (bar bin collections out back) and few people just wandering in and out. We removed a few chairs from the front row for both shows to give our performers space to move in front of the stage as it was otherwise restrictive. We flyered on the Mile and in front of the venue for the hour before the show, which seemed to work, as the later show averaged a full house, and the earlier one about 2/3 full, which was more than in in 2022. 2022 was a longer run than either show, as well as a different show, so the shorter run might have helped our numbers, or maybe this was entirely due to other factors.
Report from Piano Smashers #171 CCBlooms 10th to 16th August. 5.30pm. In short, it was a fantastic experience, the venue was very welcoming, our venue captains were lovely and helped us learn the ropes quickly. The other performers around us were kind, helpful and their shows were cool too. We managed to get audiences in, our best being 24 and our lowest being 3, but thats the gig. The venue suited our show and we smashed up one piano per performance with very little difficulty. Sound was good and lighting functional. We loved it, especially meeting Mona Mae and Clown Fishing. Lovely people. Would love to do it all again but definitely do a longer run, by the time we had a few reviews and an article or two we were finished. Great venue staff, who care and keep an eye out for all of their performers. The short version again, we loved it!
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