About Us
Welcome to the Pleasance
Starting at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1985, Pleasance has gone on to become one of the leading voices in national and international fringe theatre and contemporary comedy. Providing a launch pad for some of the most memorable productions and recognisable artists over the past four decades, our mission is to provide a platform for exciting new and established talent.
Now with three sites in Edinburgh (Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance Dome and Pleasance at EICC) with 30 venues and a year-round home in London, we welcome hundreds of thousands of audiences each year. Our diverse programme of theatre, comedy, dance, circus and children’s shows creates a compelling platform to discover, nurture and support fresh artistic talent from across the globe.
As a not-for-profit organisation, all proceeds from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and our London base are invested back into the development of new people and new ideas.
Edinburgh
Operating across three sites and with the largest programme of any Fringe venue, we present our ambitious programme of theatre, comedy, cabaret, dance and family shows to thousands of audiences each year.
Pleasance Courtyard is often described as the very heart of the Fringe: a large extended cobbled courtyard surrounded by eighteen sub venues, where audiences stop by for a drink, a chat and a show. The Pleasance Dome was the first venue to be established in the now buzzing Bristo Square, with a sunny indoor plaza, five sub venues and the newly added leisure area, Pleasance Plaza, just outside. At Pleasance at EICC we present some of the most technically ambitious shows on the Festival Fringe in their state of the art buildings.
London
Our year-round home in London provides a platform for leading and emerging talent to develop their work, hone their craft and grow new audiences.
The artistic programme at Pleasance London runs in parallel with Pleasance Edinburgh, with a curated comedy, theatre and family programme. Pleasance London has two performance spaces: the unique Cabaret Main House (199) with drinks/table service available, and The Studio (54), an intimate space, perfect for comedy work in progress.
Our spaces are available to hire and we host a range of events and parties in our beautiful bar space and foyer.
Pleasance Theatre Trust Ltd is a registered Charity in England and Wales (Charity No. 1050944) and in Scotland (Charity No. SC043237).
Environmental Policy
The Pleasance is committed to environmental sustainability and minimising the ecological impact of our operations wherever possible. We pledge to take responsibility for our footprint and empower employees to make positive changes within their sphere of control to minimise any adverse effect of the company on the environment.
Access
We hope to make your visit to the Pleasance as enjoyable, straightforward and comfortable as possible, from navigating the website to attending a performance and beyond. You can find accessibility information for London and the Edinburgh Fringe at the links below:
If you are an artist and would like to find out more about the accessibility of our performance and back of house spaces (as well as accessibility more generally), you can find more information at the links below:
Feedback
We welcome feedback to help us improve the experience of all visitors. If you have any feedback, you can do so via this form, at the contact details above, or on Euan’s Guide by clicking here.
Diversity and Inclusion
We are committed to providing opportunities for everyone, regardless of background, gender, race, disability, faith or sexuality, and to ensure that our programme and teams reflect the diversity of our sites in Edinburgh and London.
We’re currently working on a new policy and Action Plan which will lay out how we will achieve these aims, to be published in autumn 2024.
Work With Us
We have a range of exciting opportunities available at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as well as throughout the year. You can learn more about our job and volunteer openings by clicking here.
