Frequently Asked Questions...
...and frequently given answers.
- What You Need To Know
- About Us
- Why Choose Underground?
- How It Works
- What It Costs
- Technical
- Our Spaces
- Applying to Underground
- Frequently Asked Questions
Technical and Production
How long can my show be?
Most shows at Underground are 50-60 minutes long. We have found this suits our audiences and the festival atmosphere well. We’ve not previously programmed shows longer than 75 minutes or with an interval - but do get in touch if you want to suggest something. Also be sure to if you will need more than the 15 minutes set-up and 10-minutes strike time, so we can make sure there are no delays.
Does Underground provide a technician?
Full technical support is offered for free during your tech rehearsal, get-in and get-out, and for general advice.
If you do not have anyone to operate your show, our technicians can do this as well – but there is a charge of £15.00 per performance.
For shows which just require lights up and lights down, we offer a reduced rate of £7.50/show to have a technician do this for you.
This money is deducted from your share of the Box Office at the end of your run.
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Applying and The Application Form
What is the 50-word Fringe blurb?
The text which will be used for the Fringe brochure & Fringe website. It will also be the default text used by us to sell your show (on our website etc.) until you provide something else.
When you apply we need a draft of this, though there will be a chance to update it after we've accepted your application. We may also suggest edits to help you maximise the effectiveness of your blurb in Buxton.
This text should both describe and sell your piece. It ought to give audiences an impression of what your show is like but, more importantly, make it sound interesting. See Writing a good fringe blurb.
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What technical information do you need in my initial application?
What you need in terms of lights, sound, projection – and what you’re using in terms of set, props or anything else. Particularly if you need anything outside of our basic capabilities.
If we accept your piece, it will in terms of what is stated here.
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Do I need to sign up to the Buxton Fringe Website?
No. We submit all of your information for you, on acceptance of your contract.
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Are you sure?
Yes.
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What do you mean by 'content information'? Why do you ask for this?
This is any content that audiences may wish to be advised about, for example: nudity, swearing, sex, violence. We make this information viewable to those who wish to see it, when booking, and it is held by our box office staff to inform anyone who enquires.
We don't use age restrictions (eg 16+). The Fringe uses a symbol for shows suitable for a family audience. If your show doesn't have this, it will be clear that it isn't aimed at a family audience. Shows in the Children's Events section use age recommendations (eg 0-2, 6+), but we don't use these in any other category.
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When will I hear about my application?
We make the bulk of our offers in late March, shortly after the deadline. We will contact you to let you know if we can make you an offer by 5 April at the latest. However, we may make additional offers later if there is still space, and can accept late applications.
If you get an offer from another venue and need an urgent answer, do get in touch. See How To Apply.
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Why do you make 'open offers'?
We’ve found this is the best way to offer the most people space at our venue and to meet the scheduling needs of most acts. We schedule all shows, based on their needs, in one go in mid-April.
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Can you give me exact dates and times for my show before I accept?
We can’t do this, but we can be more precise with our 'open offer' if you need. If there are definitely only two days of the Fringe that you can perform, or you absolutely can’t be in town after 5pm on a Sunday, we are happy to consider that. Please be as honest as you can in your availability or what you are able to accept. If we can’t manage it we’ll get in touch to discuss.
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What time will my show be programmed?
We have a festival atmosphere and programme shows all day, every day of the Fringe. Our afternoon audience numbers are the same as evening numbers. We tend to programme theatre more in the daytime and comedy in the evening, though this is not fixed.
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Money and Box Office
How much do your spaces cost?
Our standard deal is a 60/40 box-office split in your favour with a guarantee to Underground. Music and stand-up tend to be a 50/50 split of the box office,
with a lower guarantee (and deposit). Guarantees for our main space start around £90 per performance.
These prices are a guide only, and the offers we make may vary depending on a number of factors.
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Do I need to pay any money upfront?
In order to be included in the Fringe, you must pay their entry fee of £ 77 (£ 88 if after 31 March).
We at Underground also require a deposit to secure your contract. This is usually equal to your guarantee. (See below).
When budgeting, you should also consider costs for printing publicity, which is important to have in advance.
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How do guarantees work? How much are they?
A guarantee is the minimum fee guaranteed to Underground, and is usually payable as a deposit in advance. It's intended to cover the venue in the unlikely event that a show drops out or drastically undersells.
If, for instance, your guarantee was £200, and the split was 60/40 in your favour, this means our overall fee would be either £200 or 40% of your gross box office - whichever is greater. Feel free to contact us for further clarification.
You can see a more in-depth discussion of guarantees by re-reading the How much does it cost? section.
When will I get my settlement?
We will ask for your payment details shortly after the end of the Fringe. If all details are provided and you are happy to be paid by bank transfer, you will receive final settlement by 31st August at the latest.
If notice is given, we can sometime pay people an advance on their payment during the Fringe.
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If notice is given, we can sometime pay people an advance on their payment during the fringe.
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I want to do a full show but can't afford it. Can you help?
Maybe. We sometimes act as producer for other groups' shows in order to help them come to the Fringe, and we host a number of events that accommodate a number of different acts (such as comedy nights, music events, and scratch nights). If you would be interested in this possibility, contact us directly at events@underthefringe.uk
How much are tickets likely to cost?
We will suggest ticket prices to you, consistent with the rest of our programme, though these can be tailored to your individual needs.
Last Fringe, most theatre was £10 and most comedy and music was £8-£9.
It is part of Underground's accessibility policy to offer meaningful reductions to concessions (students, under-18s, over 65s, Friends of the Fringe, anyone on a low income or Universal Credit, and Equity members). We normally give these groups £1-£3 off.
We also offer various promotional prices to encourage sales and increase accessibility. This will be outlined in your contract.
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Will I get a performer disconut to other shows at Underground?
I think you mean 'discount'. And yes.
All of our performers can get half-price tickets for most shows at Underground from five minutes before the start time.
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How many audience will I get?
Okay so no-one has actually asked us that, and of course we don't know the exact answer. But... in recent years 10-20% of shows have had sell-out performances with an average capacity of 50%. We try to focus our attention on those shows not selling so well, to make sure everyone gets decent numbers. We haven’t had any shows with no audience at all.
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