Gilded Balloon Archives - North West End UK

Non-Human Animal – Gilded Balloon Teviot

23Aug

By Christina SchmidtNo Comments

Scotland

Non-Human Animal – Gilded Balloon Teviot

Roisin’s father was murdered. Now she’s left alone to deal with the consequeses – grieving, bingeing on mini Mars-bars and Gilmore Girls, shutting out the outside world, with a Mammy that’s suffering from dementia, and a health system that’s failing her. Writer Kat Woods pulled from her own experiences after the murder of her father which comes through in the confessional tone of the piece. Non-Human animal scratches the surface on many incredibly important topics, but unfortunately loses the actual storyline in this web of problems. What is the play about? The prison system? Trauma? Role-play? The NHS? Grief? Mental Health? Soberiety? Northern Ireland after the Troubles? Class? Social Media? Neurodiversity? Body image issues? Guilt? All of the above? Of course all of these socie...

17Aug

By Torya HughesNo Comments

Scotland

Steak Out – Gilded Balloon

Steak Out is the latest offering from Edinburgh born writer and actor Ruaraidh Murray, providing a dark comedy with a lot of local flavour. Set over two nights before Christmas, the play follows an Edinburgh family as they seek good fortune and revenge. Murray stars as Pilton butcher Archie, who hatches a plan to steal the best cuts from his ex-employer, Smedleys of Stockbridge. Aided by his girlfriend Karen and her out of work actor son Thomas, he finds himself committing a more serious crime than the one he'd originally planned. The performances are excellent. Murray is very believable as the rough and ready Archie, constantly being berated for his language by long suffering girlfriend Karen. Reanne Farley displays range as family matriarch Karen, scolding the men in her life for ...

Endometriosis the Musical – Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose

17Aug

By Torya HughesNo Comments

Scotland

Endometriosis the Musical – Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose

Blending musical comedy with medical commentary, Endometriosis the Musical tackles a global health issues with considerable energy. A musical about menstruation might not appeal to all, but this seven strong company make it a relatable and funny experience. Written by Maria Bartholdi and Kristin Stowell, who both have lived experience of endometriosis, the story follows business woman Jane as she tries to deliver the best presentation of her career. Her big opportunity comes when colleague Brad, a self-titled "business bro", becomes the latest victim in a spate of bear maulings. Despite trying to impress her boss Mr McKenna, she struggles to focus when her period turns up right on cue. Luckily her office bestie Miranda is there to stage an intervention, encouraging her to see a doct...

Amanda Knox: Cartwheel – Gilded Balloon, The Wine Bar

15Aug

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Amanda Knox: Cartwheel – Gilded Balloon, The Wine Bar

Amanda Knox’s show has been the talk of the town at the Edinburgh Fringe. With protests calling for the show to be removed, Knox is quite the figure of controversy. Being convicted for the alleged murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher during their study abroad programme in Italy in 2009, Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison. Released after four years, Knox was finally acquitted in 2015. In Amanda Knox: Cartwheel, part one-woman show, part stand-up, Knox tells of the continuous impact the accusation played on her life as a young woman, and now mother. Using a voiceover of her four year-old daughter, Knox provides an imaginary dialogue showing the difficulties she has had in explaining the events to such a young child. Furthering this image, Knox te...

Allaster McKallaster (An unbiased afternoon with) – Gilded Balloon Museum

12Aug

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Allaster McKallaster (An unbiased afternoon with) – Gilded Balloon Museum

If you’re English, this show is a must. Pete Reid’s McKallaster has been purveying his intelligent, keenly-observed - crucially impartial - views on football for years. Specifically, the English variety. However, today Hugh McHugh (Vic Galloway), an Englishman, wishes to contest the neutrality of the self-proclaimed ‘Favourite Unbiased Scottish Commentator’ of Andy Robertson and ‘close personal friend’ of Archie Gemmill. Resplendent in seven types of tartan (six of them visible), McKallaster’s ready to defend his reputation. With a name like McHugh, you might be concerned his opponent qualifies as a Scot, but fear not, he’s from Edinburgh. It’s an opportunity to watch (or re-watch in many cases) the Instagram clips we’ve become so fond of @mckallaster. And they are side-splittingly,...

Sarah Hester Ross: Serving C*nt – The Den at Gilded Balloon Teviot

11Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

Sarah Hester Ross: Serving C*nt – The Den at Gilded Balloon Teviot

Sarah Hester Ross – Serving C*nt is bold, raw, gloriously unapologetic, and exactly the kind of show that thrives at the Edinburgh Fringe. From the moment Sarah steps into the room, she makes it clear that this is not going to be a quiet or cautious hour. Instead, she serves up a sharp, musical, and fiercely funny performance that celebrates confidence, womanhood, and the power of saying exactly what you mean. This is refreshing, but I have to say that I was feeling a little exposed as a man, I needn’t have, as Sarah put it, I was welcome if I was well behaved. I was. Playing at The Den at Gilded Balloon Teviot, the show has the feel of an intimate cabaret gig mixed with stand-up comedy and musical theatre. Sarah moves between comic songs, hilarious audience engagement, and punch...

10Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Waiting For Wonka – Gilded Balloon

Fifteen years after Willy Wonka opened the gates of his chocolate factory, health and safety has finally caught up with him. And frankly, it has questions. Why, for example, was there no handrail beside the chocolate river? Had there been one, perhaps Augustus Gloop would never have fallen in. And what about Veruca Salt's father, who followed his daughter down the rubbish chute trying to save her? We now discover that he actually died in the furnace. Welcome to Waiting for Wonka, Half Trick Theatre's very funny reimagining of what became of Wonka's unfortunate young visitors once childhood was over and the lawyers, trauma and demands for corporate responsibility arrived. It is a terrific concept and frequently laugh out loud funny. Veruca, Augustus, Violet and Mike are ad...

Pirates: You Wouldn’t Steal a Boat – Gilded Balloon Patter House

7Aug

By Ross MackieNo Comments

Scotland

Pirates: You Wouldn’t Steal a Boat – Gilded Balloon Patter House

Pirates: You Wouldn't Steal a Boat is a fast-paced comedy that embraces piracy on the high seas from the start and never comes in to port. A production from Spruce Moose Comedy, the show takes audiences on an “action-packed” pirate adventure. There is “nautical nonsense” galore. The journey is filled with treasure hunts, intriguing characters, and a Caribbean storm full of pirate genre. While the story itself is well trodden, a betrayed pirate setting out to reclaim treasure from his former captain, the production takes this repetition and turns it into something unique and magical. The story follows Sharkbait Mulligan and his loyal intern Louie after they are betrayed by the double-crossing Captain Codpiece. Sharkbait and Louie set out beat their former captain to the valuabl...

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 ...