Underbelly's history
How we came to be
Underbelly was first opened in 2000, as a small performance venue for five shows brought to the Fringe by the long running Fringe company, Double Edge Drama. The Double Edge directors, now directors of Underbelly, had heard of the venue through a production of Gargantua, performed by acclaimed Scottish company, Grid Iron in the haunting vaults below the central library of Edinburgh. Whilst Grid Iron staged one show there, the vaults proved the perfect location for all five of Double Edge's shows with the company winning a Fringe First and sell-out houses for its critically acclaimed productions of Bent and Marat Sade.
Underbelly's success
The next few years would see Underbelly rapidly grow into one of the most popular and most written about venues on the Fringe. Its atmospheric setting in the former bank vaults under George IV Bridge presented performers and public alike with wonderfully atmospheric, site-specific spaces and a real Fringe experience.
The combination of dilapidated crumbling walls, a challenging and often provocative programme of shows and a loyal following of Underbelly regulars drew many, including founder of the Traverse, Richard De Marco, to suggest that it was the first venue in years to sum up the true spirit of the Fringe.
Highlights of 2000-2008
2008
123 shows over 13 performance spaces with nearly 158,000 tickets sold.
76 five star reviews with loads of Official Sell Out shows including, The Terrible Infants, Caesar Twins, Jerry Sadowitz, Jim Jeffries, News Revue, Joan Rivers, Barry and Stuart, Motherland, Sammy J in the forest of dreams, Richard Herring, Office Party.
Seven nominations received for The Stage Awards for Acting Excellence with Motherland winning for Best Ensemble Cast.Nominations were Best Actor Jot Davies and Best Actress Kate Donmall for Lough/Rain . Best Actress Helen Embleton for Motherland alongside her cast members (Live Theatre) for Best Ensemble category. Also nominated for Best Ensemble were Big Wow for Dark Grumblings and Kudos for Face In The Crowd. Our final nominee was Cameron Stewart for My Grandfather’s Great War in the Best Solo Performer category.
Out of our 10 shows nominated for the Total Theatre awards Office Party and Wanderlust were shortlisted in the "Experiment and Innovation" category
Edward Aczel wins Malcolm Hardee Award for comic originality
Motherlandwon a Scotsman Fringe First award and well as co-won the Jack Tinker Spirit of the Fringe award
Office Party is the recipient of the FringeReview teapot for Excellent Theatre.
Udderbelly returns to Brighton Fringe Festival and over doubles it’s programme with 78 shows including the hit Tom Tom Club and adding it’s second venue the purple dome Udder Place.
Brett Vincent for Underbelly Promotions wins Fringe report 2008 award for Best Promoter. Underbelly Promotions programmed comedy for The Big Chill, Camp Bestival, Bestival and Abbeyfest as well as nearly every comedy club in the country.
2007
if.comedy Newcomer Award for Tom Basden
Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea cleans up with a Fringe First Award, a Herald Angel, the Carol Tambor Award and the Total Theatre Award for Best Emerging Company
The Container wins a Fringe First Award and the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award
Bridget Christie wins the inaugaural Funny Woman Fringe Award for her show The Court Of King Charles II
Hamell on Trial wins a Herald Angel Award
Elisabeth Gray wins The Stage Acting Award for Wish I Had a Sylvia Plath
25% increase in like-for-like ticket sales (ie excluding new venues) at Edinburgh Fringe
1,000 capacity McEwan Hall becomes Underbelly’s new Fringe venue for Silent Disco and three additional site-specific performance spaces occur in a theatre on a lorry, a container and a portaloo.
Udderbelly goes to Brighton Fringe Festival and hosts a programme of 30 shows including the hit Caesar Twins as well as T4 Transmission gigs
2006
Reginald D Hunter wins the Writers Guild Award,
Two Herald Angel Awards for Taylor Mac and Into the Hoods
Three nominations in The Stage Awards for Insomnobabble, Bitches and Money and Phil Nicol (Talk Radio)
36% increase in like-for-like ticket sales (ie excluding new venues)
New Udderbelly 322-seat venue in shape of upside-down purple cow hits Bristo Square and gains E4 Sponsorship
New Cow Barn venue in Reid Hall
Underbelly Promotions is launched as a new division to promote comedians
2005
Dan Tetsell wins Writers Guild Award for Sins of the Grandfathers
Reggie Watts wins inaugaural Malcolm Hardee Award for comic originality
John Oliver & Andy Zaltzman nominated for Dubble Act Award for Political Animal
17 five star shows and another 58 four star shows
138 shows in 10 performance spaces
New Baby Belly venue in the Caves on Niddry Street sponsored by Smirnoff
2004
Perrier Award for Will Adamsdale in Jackson's Way
Fringe First Awards for The Ignatius Trail, Manchester Girl and The Jammer
Perrier Newcomer nomination for Joanna Neary in Joanna Neary is Not Feeling Herself
Amnesty Award nomination for Someone Who'll Watch Over Me
Free wireless broadband internet access in the venue
New WAP service for mobile browsers.
The Late Show featured Demetri Martin, Adam Hills, Reginald D Hunter, Flight of the Conchords, Jason Byrne, Jerry Sadowitz, Brendon Burns and many other top comedians
13 five star shows and a further 29 four star shows
Stewart Lee himself picked up 4 five star and 6 four star reviews.
2003
Underbelly Live features gigs from Athlete, Keane, The Thrills, Mark Owen, Skin, Ocean Colour Scene and others
Gary Le Strange wins Perrier Newcomer Award for Gary Le Strange - Polaroid SuitcaseFringe First Award for The Echo Chamber
The Late Show featured Dara O'Briain, Daniel Kitson, Danny Bhoy, Adam Hills, Demetri Martin, Jo Caulfield, Dan Antopolski and many other top comedians
Aaron Barschak, the self-styled Comedy Terrorist gains massive media coverage for breaking into Prince William's birthday party in Windsor Castle
Smirnoff became Underbelly, Cowgate venue sponsor
2002
Fringe First Award for 100
The Late Show featured Bill Bailey, Ross Noble, Jimmy Carr, Jerry Sadowitz, Andrew Maxwell and many other top comedians
11 five star shows out of 55 shows
2001
Fringe First Award nomination for Imaginary Prisons
Underbelly's debut year with 18 shows
Ed Bartlam, Charlie Wood and Tom Page establish Underbelly Limited
2000
Ed Bartlam as producer of Double Edge Drama operates Underbelly venue under the umbrella of C Venues
