With the Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme now on the streets, we're bound to start hearing more about the fledgling Edinburgh Comedy Festival.  Depending on who you listen to, the new event will revitalise the city's comedy scene... or sound the death-knell for the Fringe.  But with the new Festival now in its second year, what does it actually mean for the paying punter?

Well, truth be known, the new venture has changed very little.  So here's a quick run-down of some hard facts on the 2009 Comedy Festival.

The facts, just the facts

The "Comedy Festival" is not a separate event, in the way the Book Festival or Art Festival are.  It's just a new brand-name, coined by the so-called "Big Four" Fringe venue chains.  All of the shows in the "Comedy Festival" are officially part of the Edinburgh Fringe.

The Comedy Festival includes only those shows being run by the Big Four, so there are plenty of comedy acts it misses out.  For example, Edinburgh's premier year-round comedy venue - the Stand Comedy Club - isn't part of the Comedy Festival.

The Big Four have published a combined programme this year.  It covers all their shows, though comedy events are highlighted in a separate section.  All the Big Four's shows - "Comedy Festival" or not - are listed in the Edinburgh Fringe programme as well.

You'll still be able to buy tickets for the Comedy Festival's shows through the Edinburgh Fringe box office.  You'll also be able to buy them through all of the Big Four venues; there's no change here compared to previous years.  We have a lot more information on the complex subject of Fringe ticketing.

The Udderbelly, perhaps the best-known of the Big Four's venues

Who are the Big Four? 

The Big Four venue chains are, in alphabetical order: Assembly, Gilded Balloon, Pleasance and Underbelly.  George Square Theatre, run by Edinburgh University, also appears in the joint programme.

Most of the chains operate more than one venue, so in total about fifteen venues are included in the brochure.

The Comedy Festival on FringeGuru

We wish the Big Four luck with their new venture, and we're sure their combined programme will be welcomed by the thousands of comedy fans flocking to the Fringe each year.  We appreciate also some of the motivations behind the creation of the new brand.

But we regret the confusion the Comedy Festival has caused - and we're concerned about the implications of allowing a small but powerful group of venues to lay claim to the name.  FringeGuru describes all these shows as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

We have full information on the Fringe programme launch, including the Comedy Festival, here on FringeGuru.

This is an updated version of an article first published in June 2008.