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Everyone is aware that Edinburgh has its demons. Synonymous with body snatchers, gruesome murders and dark, dank alleyways, there are but more ghosts that emerge throughout the summer months. These are the real shows to stick in the mind, long after the more forgettable Fringe shows.
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The Caves Ripper
After his immersive comedy theatre show Toxic bombed in 2010, Alfie Bloom disappeared, and his bloated body was discovered not far from The Caves. He drank himself to death, and legend has it that it’s not the young student volunteer yelling, ‘FREE COMEDY! TEN MINUTES- FOUR STARS IN THE GUARDIAN!’… but really Alfie, forever known as The Caves Ripper. Performers speak in hushed tones of Alfie, not least as his disappearance coincided with a series of grisly murders in and around the Edinburgh area. His ghost seemingly cackles like Krapp imbibing the last of his wine, and ricochets around the venue.
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Kitty Klitter
Subversive Belgian Burlesque/Performance art performer Kitty Klitter’s last show at Summerhall is remembered with a shudder, as a stunt involving razor blades resulted in corrective surgery, which, ironically, went very, very wrong. Her screams were, for once, not part of the act. Some say she wanders the Anatomy Rooms. Well, she limps, really.
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Students from Delaware
After a mean-spirited, one star review of their version of The Pitchfork Disney from a frothing broadsheet critic sent the Delaware massive into a downward spiral, their acting coach killed said critic in Edinburgh at the end of the run, and died soon after in his prison cell. Still deeply traumatised, the students hold a candlelit vigil for him every year, and have decided to do their version of Cats instead.
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