Gilded Balloon Archives - North West End UK

A Shoddy Detective and the art of deception – Gilded Balloon

24Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

A Shoddy Detective and the art of deception – Gilded Balloon

In A Shoddy Detective and the Art of Deception, Mitch Donaldson and Becky Bartram masterfully weave a tangled web of intrigue, deception, and physical comedy, creating a farcical play that will leave audiences guffawing long after they leave the theatre. A testament to its impact was the audience members recounting their favourite lines and gags on the way out. This riotous romp follows the misadventures of the hapless Detective Pidcock, a man so inept he is more likely to solve a puzzle by accident than by design—or so the writers would like you to believe. For fans of The Play That Goes Wrong and Noises Off, this play will feel instantly familiar, yet A Shoddy Detective brings its own unique style and charm. From the moment you enter the theatre space, you’re transported back t...

ShakeItUp: The Improvised Shakespeare Show – Gilded Balloon

20Aug

By Juliette PepinNo Comments

Scotland

ShakeItUp: The Improvised Shakespeare Show – Gilded Balloon

With spontaneous sharp wit, wild rhymes and surprise pop culture references, Shake It Up Shakespeare pokes fun at the classic tragedies in this unpredictable and boisterous romp. We are confronted with our first choice of a comedy, tragedy or history – after a resounding chant for tragedy, we are told to expect that everyone will, in true Shakespearean fashion, die. As we walk to our seats, we are given the option to write phrases and prompts for the cast to select at random throughout the play, with the power to change the entire course of the story. The result is hilarious chaos, with a murder being committed in Aisle 4 of an ASDA, Hamilton lines being freestyled for a 16th century audience ('methinks I am not throwing away my shot’) and Auld Lang Syne celebrations thrown in. The ...

17Aug

By Juliette PepinNo Comments

Scotland

Girl Pop! – Gilded Balloon

Shite Productions' Girl Pop! is a lively, glittery Spice Girls-esque girl band come to life with sparkly costumes, catchy numbers and gossip galore. 'Girl Pop' take to the stage for their first reunion in years, facing eager eyes of their devoted fanbase the ‘Poppers’. We are taken through a play-by-play of the reasons for their split, including relationship dramas and media clashes. The high energy of the cast is radiant as the girls riff off each other, completely in sync. Each has their own personality and reputation; we meet fan and media favourite Hazel, songwriter Ruby, side-lined backing singer Zoe, and competitive Arabella. Jade Leanne is particularly vulnerable as Zoe, reflecting on her sudden grief at the BRIT awards being transformed into a press-fuelled narrative of s...

16Aug

By Triona ScullyNo Comments

Scotland

Living on the Moon – Gilded Balloon

“After experiencing her mother's demise from Alzheimer's, writer-performer Molly McFadden learns how to face the truth and let go in this poignant, yet humorous one-woman show told with music, puppetry and love” The promotional material captures the ambition of this project and I was keen to see how these ideas would translate to a show. I wasn’t disappointed. Molly McFadden is an accomplished performer with a presence. As soon as she enters the room, she engages her audience, sharing a story of her early experiences in the cabaret circuit, complete with belting show tunes and toe tapping rhythm. As her tale continues, something appears to be troubling her when she struggles to remember the words to ‘Fly me to the Moon’. From her first subtle introduction of the concept of memory...

10Aug

By Juliette PepinNo Comments

Scotland

Jackie!!! – Gilded Balloon

The lights dim, shots are fired, and we are jolted to attention. A sombre funeral march puts us in the centre of the bleak aftermath of the day that reset the American political landscape and shook the nation. We prepare for a mourning sequence, until a record-scratch sound effect blares and rosy lights give way to Jackie Kennedy chirping a Ben Shapiro quote.Making a sparkling debut at this year’s fringe, Jackie!!! is an unpredictably hilarious musical surrounding the famed First Lady and the heavy load of the Kennedy name. The Kennedys need no introduction, and tonight's audience seem well-versed in their folklore. The set design is impressive, allowing for swift entries and exits of tantalisingly unpredictable characters. With four White House Doors framing the stage, we glimpse i...

8Aug

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

R/Conspiracy – Gilded Balloon

Merging the real world with the realms of the world wide web, R/Conspiracy - written and performed by Ella Hällgren, directed by Emma Ruse - sees Alex, a young girl in her twenties become fascinated by a thread on Reddit suggesting a man with machete has been spotted in the local area. Clearly distracting herself from problems in her life, she becomes obsessed with investigating the so-called ‘machete man’ leading her further and further into the online mystery. Hällgren, who plays Alex, has a lovely brightness to her performance. It is clear to the audience that she’s really enjoying being on stage and speaking the words she has written. However, R/Conspiracy suffers from a big issue in regard to pacing. There is a lot of rise and fall in the piece’s energy levels, so much so that ...

The Dark Room – Gilded Balloon Patterhoose Doonstairs

4Aug

By Torya HughesNo Comments

Scotland

The Dark Room – Gilded Balloon Patterhoose Doonstairs

Created by Australian comedian John Robertson in 2012 as part of a stand-up routine about videogames, "The Dark Room" has become an international touring sensation. Inspired by the text based video games of the 1980s, the show encourages the audience to choose their own adventure - which inevitably results in failure. It's a simple but effective idea, and one which has gathered a troupe of ardent followers, all called Darren. The audience gleefully chant "Ya Die, Ya Die, Ya Die" as each player fails, before they are gifted a suitably ridiculous consolation prize. The whole show plays out appropriately in the dark, with John lit from below by a hand held torch. Wearing a leather corset and a huge spiked shoulder piece, he bears more than a passing resemblance to a young Richard O'Bri...

Float – Gilded Balloon Patter House, Other Yin

2Aug

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

Float – Gilded Balloon Patter House, Other Yin

Intelligently immersive and creative from the opening, Float landed into Gilded Balloon’s Patter House but there is certainly nothing alien about this production - it is unbelievably human and full of heart. Co-directed by Cora Bissett and Niloo-Far Khan, created and performed by Indra Wilson, Float explores pregnancy loss and its lasting effect through the metaphor of space travel. With delightful use of props, set, colour and sound, Float is sure to have audiences laughing at one moment and crying the next. In this autobiographical play, Indra Wilson, who plays a version of themself, dreams of becoming an astronaut. When their dream comes true, their life skyrockets to infinity and beyond. Wilson’s entire stage presence is electrifying, carrying the entire show themself is no mean...

I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical – Gilded Balloon

26Aug

By Saira KunjuvalappilNo Comments

Scotland

I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical – Gilded Balloon

Alexander S. Bermange’s award-winning I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical, presented by the Seabright Live group, makes a triumphant return to the Fringe, featuring a cast of four actors and a pianist who deliver a spectacular blend of musical comedy and dance. This production is a delight from start to finish, with performers who sing and dance with exceptional skill. Their vibrant personalities, boundless comedic energy, and impressive ability to switch styles and moods seamlessly bring each number to life in a way that had the audience thoroughly engaged. The show cleverly dissects the world of musicals, exploring everything from the high expectations placed on opening numbers to the challenges performers face, like yet another failed audition or dealing with a diva co-star. Each ...

Mhairi Black: Politics Isn’t for Me – Gilded Ballon

16Aug

By Tom ScottNo Comments

Scotland

Mhairi Black: Politics Isn’t for Me – Gilded Ballon

This show is an absolute joy. Tumultuous applause greets Mhairi Black’s entrance. From then until the show ends 70 minutes later, she captivates the audience with her humour, insights and brilliant storytelling. Unsurprisingly the show’s sold out. Try very hard to get a return for one of the best shows at this year’s Fringe. It’s now nine years since Mhairi Black became an SNP MP, overturning a huge Labour majority. Black was part of the SNP landslide in 2015 when the party won 56 of the 59 Scottish seats at the General Election. Aged only 20, she became the youngest MP since the early 1800s. Still a student at Glasgow University, Black took her final exam after the election, gaining a first-class honours degree in Politics. An impressive speaker, she became deputy leader of the SNP at ...