Bringing a show to the Edinburgh Fringe? On this page, we're collecting together some of the questions we're most often asked about our coverage of this year's festival. If you haven't yet read our Overview, you might like to take a look at that before diving in.
How do we get listed on Fringe Guru?
We don't publish comprehensive listings in Edinburgh. Aside from buying an advertisement, the only way to be featured on our site is to impress our editors or reviewers, so that we feel able to recommend your show. The first step in the process is to send us a press release - there's more on that in the next question.
How do we invite you to review our show?
The best way is to send us a press release. There's more informaton on that in our Overview.
What if we don't want you to review our show?
Just send us a quick email, and we'll make sure we don't embarrass you by requesting a press ticket.
How do you decide which shows to review?
Although that's an obvious question to ask, we don't have a clear answer to it. We take in a range of factors, including the history of the performing company, whether the show fits into a theme we want to cover, and the balance of material across genres and venues. Scheduling is also an important factor which, sadly, comes largely down to luck. The bottom line is that if you're doing the right things to appeal to the public, you're doing the right things to appeal to us too.
Will you promise to review our show if we buy an advertisement?
One or two people propose this every year, but the answer is always no. Please don't suggest it, because we'll definitely refuse - and it might make it difficult for us to review your show at all. Of course, advertising with us is a great idea for other reasons.
You've reviewed this exact show before. Will you cover it again?
Not usually, but we sometimes make an exception. If you think the show has improved, do send us your press release, and do let us know about any changes you've made since the last time we reviewed it. On the other hand, if we gave you a glowing review, we won't be back because the only way is down; it's perfectly fine to quote our review and star rating from last time.
Will you run a feature on our show?
It's unlikely. We do run a few blog-style pieces during July, but our focus is very much on reviews published during August. If you're looking for feature coverage, then you'll do much better to approach other publications.
Would you like to interview us?
No, our focus is on reviews and editorial recommendations, so we don't carry out interviews for publication. We'll get in touch if we'd like to ask any questions for our own background knowledge.
Can we interview you for on our podcast / vlog / etc.?
Sure! We get a few requests each Fringe, and we'll help out if we can. Similarly, if you want someone to take part in a post-show discussion, drop us a line and we can talk about the options.
How do we know if you're sending a reviewer?
Your venue ought to be able to tell you whether we've booked a ticket. We generally only schedule a few days in advance - so if you haven't heard anything by the start of August, that doesn't necessarily mean we're not going to come.
Are your reviewers all students?
Definitely not. We don't ask our reviewers how old they are but, at a guess, the average is somewhere in the thirties. We try to maintain a balanced team which reflects the diversity of the Fringe (and of society).
How long do reviews take to come out?
Our target is 72 hours. We don't always manage to hit that, but we're trying hard to do better.
Something went wrong (and it wasn't our fault), so could you see the show again?
We're very sorry, but it's extremely unlikely we'll be able to do that. Our reviewers are in high demand, and seeing your show twice would mean some other show didn't get a review at all. But do email us to let us know what happened; we may be able to take it into account in our review.
Why do you use star ratings? Aren't they reductive / unfair / discredited?
There's no right answer to this question, but you can read some thoughts on the matter.
Who decides on the star ratings?
The reviewer decides. Our editors sometimes query the star rating, just like they might comment on anything in a review, but they'll never overrule it without discussion.
Is it true you don't publish reviews with less than three stars?
Nope, that's FringeReview, a completely separate website. We at Fringe Guru publish all reviews, good and bad, unless the circumstances are genuinely exceptional.