Following last year's ticketing debarcle where one company actually had to issue tickets from their own arse, the Edinburgh Fringe has again been hit by controversy - this time surrounding accustaions that the popular arts festival has become too big and self-important.
One theatre company who wished to remain anonymous had this to say "It's all very well being part of the biggest arts festival in the world, but what is the point of being here if we get stuck in this bubble and can't see what's going on in the real world."
Criticisms that the Fringe has got too big have been more common in recent years, with rumours that the esoteric Fringe Society are set to introduce their own currency, flag and 'national anthem' for the festival in 2010. In a version of Macbeth in 2006 the actor playing Macbeth complained he could not see Birnam wood approaching Dunsinane Castle during the show as an international touring act doing a silent version of Hamlet had stuck posters over his eyes.
Despite growing year on year, the festival keeps attracting more performers and companies. The predicted size of the 2009 Edinurgh Fringe means that in August there will be a Carol Churchill play for every man, woman and child in the world, with an average audience size of 2.4 children.
However, whether the festival is to become a victim of it's own success or not, we will just have to wait and see.
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