Free Festival Venue Information for Performers

Laughing Horse @ The Hive (Venue 313)

HOME OF THE ALTERNATIVE FRINGE 2012

15-17 Niddry Street - Click here for location Map

Venue & Performance Space Specifications

Comedy beigedot.gif (858 bytes) Cabaret
hive5.jpg (27185 bytes)ven1.jpg (8475 bytes)This is the 4th year of Free Festival shows at the Hive, and it is a venue that has the highest technical specification of any free venue (in the Big Cave) - which is also a lot higher specification than most paid for venues! It is also in a very good location situated on Niddry Street, with the venue just three minutes from the Fringe Shop and located between the High Street and the Royal mile, making it a venue that is right in the middle of things, with people passing on their way to the Royal Mile, Cowgate, the Pleasance or the numerous other bars and venues located on Niddry street itself. This is a venue that is very easy to get audiences in for free shows given it's proximity to the Royal mile for flyering!.

In 2012 The venue is home to the Laughing Horse/Heroes of Alternative comedy "Alternative Fringe" - for more info on this click here, and as well as applying through this site you will need to speak to Alt Fringe programmer Bob Slayer - click here. There will be a mixture of paid and free shows in this venue.

Programmed with comedy and cabaret, with two rooms that both have a large seating capacity, yet feel intimate. The rooms are very similar to those found in the Underbelly, with arched ceilings - dark, atmospheric and cave-like.

Performance Space: The Big Cave

The Big Cave is the main performance space of the venue, with an arched ceiling, and perfect sightlines.

Stage - 5m x 3m raised Stage, 0.5m high. With small  backstage area accessible from outside the room, and entrances from the audience areas too. Arched ceiling.

Seating - Capacity is 120 fully seated in rows, plus capacity for 30 people to stand at the back and sides of the room.

Lighting - Lighting rig comprising of 12xPar Cans, 8xMultiple pin spots and multi-lighting controller. Providing stage flood lighting, colour washes, plus disco lighting effects, all controllable from the sound/light control position at the back of the room

Sound - The room is supplied with an 30 channel mixer (multi XLR, Jack, Phono Inputs). The room has 2xCD Players, 2xMicrophones, and 2xmic stand plus MP3 player and computer imputes, with full multi-core to stage. Additional Sound equipment can easily be added to the sound booth. 

Audio Visual - There is a large screen to the back of the stage. There is no projector but this can be supplied and fitted to a cradle on the rigging.

Storage - There is a very small shared storage area at the venue for props and equipment

Bar - There is no bar in the room. Both this room and Room 2 are both located off of the Main Bar.

hive99.jpg (384043 bytes)Performance Space: The Small Cave

Located at the rear of the venue, The Small Cave is smaller than the main Room, the big Cave - with a flat-on-floor stage, and low arched ceiling.

Stage - A flexible stage area, with size dependent on seating layout, an be up to 4m (wide) and 5m (deep).

Seating - Seating capacity is 80, with additional space for standing, giving a capacity of 100.

Lighting - Fixed Spotlights to Flood light the stage.

Sound - The room is supplied with a 6 channel mixer, and has 2xCD Players, 2xMicrophones and 2xMic stands. Any additional sound equipment can be supplied by performing companies and stored at the venue.

Audio Visual - No AV equipment is available, but the room is ideally set-up for use with screens and projectors supplied by the performance group.

Storage - There is a small  storage area at the venue for props and equipment

Bar - There is no bar in the room. Both this room and Room 2 are both located off of the Main Bar.

Click here for overall Free Festival information for Performers

Click here to return to the venues list

Hive Images:

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Performer in the Big Cave The Big Cave

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The Venue Map The Big Cave - looking at back of room
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Using the projector in the Big Cave The little Cave - Looking at stage
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Show in the Big Cave The little Cave - looking from stage (sound booth on Right)
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Magic in the Big Cave Main Bar

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