Top Musical Shows To Catch At Gilded Balloon This Fringe
In celebration of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s 75th anniversary, Fringe legends Gilded Balloon have put together a packed programme of suitably buoyant musical escapism. Boasting catchy songs, exuberant dance, colourful characters and hilarity in spades, it’s everything you’d expect from Scotland’s leading producer of comedy and entertainment. If you’re not sure where to start, here are our must-sees.
I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical
This wittily titled, five-star musical revue from Alexander S. Bermange tells the awful truth about humiliating auditions, debilitating dance routines, mid-performance mishaps and backstage backstabbing, alongside those magical moments that make it all worthwhile. Winner of the West End Wilma Award for Best Cabaret / Solo Performance.
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose, 3–28 August, 8.45pm.
Drag Queens Vs Zombies
This deliciously camp comedy horror from Haus Of Dench sees drag stars Kate Butch and Crudi Dench wrangle with ravenous zombies who rudely crash their cabaret show, fending them off whilst reconciling their differences. This side-splitting, wig-snatching, sometimes musical extravaganza is the brainchild of Eleanor Mason and Matthew Stallworthy.
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose, 3–28 August, 10.20pm.
Fusing trad-folk styles with a modern electronic sound, this new folk musical from Kick The Door champions community and compassion as it explores Scottish heritage and legacy. Performed by an actor/musician cast of three, it weaves together two, on the face of it, contrasting stories – one set in the 18th century and one in the modern age – and asks that we reconsider our relationship with the earth and our neighbours.
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose, 3–28 August, 1pm.
Featuring the original, award-winning US cast, fronted by creator Justin Huertas, rock musical Lizard Boy tells a beautifully unusual, coming of age story. In a concept straight out of a comic book, it’s about a boy left green and scaly following a bizarre childhood accident, who grows up, meets a cute guy and heads off on an exciting adventure.
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoouse, 3–28 August, 6.30pm.
Epic Film Music Concert
Iconic movie soundtracks are rearranged and paired with a dazzling lightshow in this unique and epic performance from Intermundia and professional video game violinist Lucia La Rezza. Synthesisers and electronic drums blend excitingly with guitar, piano and La Rezza’s violin on themes from Star Wars, Game Of Thrones, Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings and many more.
Gilded Balloon Teviot, 3–29 August, 2.30pm.
Going heavy on the nostalgia and audience participation, Broken Robot Productions and Tuckshop invite you back to high school for the prom you wish you’d had. You’ll join forces with fellow Fringe-goers to complete against a rival school with the best in UK drag talent as your teachers. And you’ll want to stay for the afterparty: a DJ set of classic 90s pop to really get the party started.
Gilded Balloon Teviot, 4–28 August, 11.30pm.
Runesical
The award-winning Gigglemug Theatre (Timpson: The Musical) present an interactive parody musical based on the wildly popular online role-playing game RuneScape. You’ll join protagonist Lance_054 on a quest where the audience chooses what happens next, with lots of laughs guaranteed.
Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose, 3–28 August, 3.20pm.
Head to gildedballoon.co.uk to book tickets, find out more and browse their full line-up of Fringe shows.
<p>This article is sponsored by Gilded Balloon.</p>