The Fringe’s original home of comedy, Gilded Balloon, will take over a new venue this summer as it gets set to mark 40 years at the world’s biggest arts festival. Gilded Balloon will welcome audiences to three different venue hubs in August, right in the heart of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, including: Patter House, the National Museum of Scotland and new venue Appleton Tower, with the very first shows on sale now.
It’s time to paint the town pink once again as Gilded Balloon unveil the first names for 2025’s Fringe programme including John Robertson’s The Dark Room, Njambi McGrath, Patrick Monahan, Hypnotist Matt Hale (pictured top), Hannah Campbell, Robin Ince and more.
Gilded Balloon’s Fringe programme will see a mix of comedy, theatre, kids shows, music and more operate across a pink-tastic Patter House (3 Chambers Street), the National Museum of Scotland (Lothian Street) and Appleton Tower (11 Crichton Street) at the centre of the capital’s Fringe buzz, whilst Teviot Row House undergoes continued renovations.
Karen and Katy Koren, Artistic Directors of Gilded Balloon said, “We’re thrilled to reveal the very first shows of 2025’s Fringe programme, which will span across three venues this year as we welcome Appleton Tower to Gilded Balloon’s festival portfolio.
“Our new venue, right next to George Square Gardens in the heart of the Fringe, includes seven versatile new performance spaces as well as a lively bar and event space and we’re looking forward to unveiling an even bigger and better programme this year, to mark our 40th anniversary.”
Gilded Balloon’s famous ‘Pals in Pink’ staff will welcome audiences from around the world as all three venues are transformed into fabulously pink homes of creativity, art and wall-to-wall comedy for the month of August. From international comedians, rising stars, groundbreaking theatre, spellbinding magic shows and wild and wonderful kids shows, Gilded Balloon’s 2025 venues have something for everyone.
Gilded Balloon’s first shows for 2025 include: the return of cult-favourite John Robertson’s The Dark Room (pictured middle), a debut hour from rising comic Hannah Campbell, a must for any musical fan I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical, family favourite entertainer Hypnotist Matt Hale- Funbelievable! 90's Rewind, Scottish classic The Steamie, joy and curiosity from comedian Robin Ince with new show The Universe and the Neurodiverse, Patrick Monahan (pictured bottom) takes on cancel culture, Best of the Queer Fringe presents the very best LGBTQ+ comedians from across the Fringe, Baby Shark and the Mystery of the Sphinx, and Married at Fringe Sight, a show which pairs upo audience members for an interactive crowd work masterclass.
Gilded Balloon’s Patter House will be a Fringe must-visit once more, with nightly pink projections on the building facade, an Instagrammable bar with late-night DJs, special bar discounts for all Fringe artists, and themed Patter Parties from 90s nights to Taylor Swift takeovers and more.
For the ninth year, Gilded Balloon will pop up in one of the UK’s top museums, with Fringe shows taking place in the National Museum of Scotland as well as new venue Appleton Tower.
Introduced in 2023, Gilded Balloon’s ‘Support the Artist’ scheme returns for 2025, meaning customers can add an optional £2 to each ticket purchased, given directly to artists themselves. Designed to extend the support offered to performers faced with growing costs at the Festival, artists and fans can opt-in to the scheme at the point of purchase.
Get ready for a pink takeover like no other this August as Gilded Balloon delight Fringe fans with an array of award- winning shows, thrilling theatre and non-stop comedy.
Gilded Balloon shows take place from 30th July - 25th August with tickets on sale from 12pm on 12th March tickets.gildedballoon.co.uk
