Adam Smith: Father of the Fringe

"A lovely history ... Come for Adam Smith, stay for the portrait of the glorious beast that is the Edinburgh Fringe." Bruce Dessau, arts critic.

A one-hour feature doc, with comedians Jimmy Carr, Al Murray, Shazia Mirza, Henning Wehn and Arthur Smith, telling the extraordinary economic success story of the Edinburgh Fringe, and how it proved the unlikely realisation of everything Adam Smith argued for.

"Excellent, well researched and cogent. Bravo!" Arthur Smith, comedian

"This film is a celebration of what makes the Fringe so thrilling and mad and creative and vast," Steve Bennett, Chortle

The Edinburgh Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the world, and yet it all started by accident in 1947 when 8 groups were told they weren’t good enough to perform at the inaugural Edinburgh International Festival, but decided to come and do their shows anyway.

In 2019 the Fringe attracted 4.5 million visitors from 157 of the world’s 195 countries. It sold over 3 million tickets - only the Olympic Games sells more and they are every four years. It’s an extraordinary success story, entirely, though not deliberately, based on principles conceived by a philosopher who lived in the same city two hundred years earlier: Adam Smith.

Father of the Fringe features many of the nation’s best known comedians, original footage of the first edition of Wealth of Nations shot in the very room where Smith completed it and many more unique surprises. It is shot in scenic locations in and about Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as at Panmure House, where Smith lived for the last 12 years of his life.

Written and presented by Dominic Frisby.
Directed by Alex Webster.
Executive Producer Paul Wedgwood

For licensing or other enquiries, please try frizzers (at) gmail.com

With
Peter Buckley Hill
Jimmy Carr
Caroline Howitt
Shazia Mirza
Al Murray
Arthur Smith
Henning Wehn

Music by Goat
goatnoisephotography.com

With Thanks to
Heather McGregor
Panmure House
Shona McCarthy
Edinburgh Fringe Society
Fiona Payne
Eamonn Butler
Adam Smith Society
The Stand Comedy Club
​​Ian Van Tillo
Sacha Mirzoeff
Ian Wilson
Dr William Zachs
Madsen Pirie
Matt Kilcoyne
Merryn Somerset Webb
Etcetera Theatre
Simon McKay
Fenellafielding.com
Michael Dixon
The British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild
Fentiman Arms

Colourist
Nick Franco , 1185 films

Audio mixed by Matt Ward, sparkandrumble.com

Scottish voiceover
Kenny Blyth

Archive
Getty
Pond5
Kinolibrary

A Frazdom Production ⓒ 2021 All Rights Reserved

For licensing or other enquiries, please contact frizzers(at)gmail.com