Since opening last year, Gilded Balloon's Rose Street venues have welcomed performers from across the UK. This Spring, the Basement Theatre at Rose Street rounds out the pre-Edinburgh Fringe season with another formidable programme of entertainment, featuring award-nominated comedians and boundary-pushing performance artists. Here are five events we're most excited about in April.

Dive Queer Party
Edinburgh's best cabaret noisemakers, Dive Queer Party and Miss Annabel Sings present the first ever Goddess Awards at the Basement Theatre this month. Honouring the feminine deity inside of all of us, the occasion will feature drag superstars, wardrobe malfunctions and queer singing sensations, in the first show of Dive's Rose Street residency. There's a charity element too, with the event raising money for Waverley Care, the HIV and Hepatitis C charity. Thu 5 Apr, 8pm

Lisa Gornick: What The Fuck Is Lesbian Film?
In this playfully conceptual show, Lisa Gornick embarks on a live drawing performance about a lesbian filmmaker who aims to make the perfect lesbian film. Gornick is an artist who works with drawing, film, tv and performance, and this show brings together those strands to confront head-on the trials of artistic frustration and making niche work. Thu 12 Apr, 8pm

Stories and Stovies
This monthly fixture at the Basement Theatre brings together storytelling and the finest Scottish scran over the course of a lazy Sunday afternoon. From professional comedians to punters who just enjoy spinning a yarn, the organisers – Watch This Space Productions – just want to get those creative juices flowing. Lined up to tell some tales this month is Jay Lafferty, who's joined by Lach, Tom Hubbard, Helen Jenkins and Gus Lymburn. The food comes courtesy of Wild Dining, with traditional and veggie options. Sun 15 Apr, 5pm

Edd Hedges: Wonderland
A past winner of the coveted So You Think You're Funny? award, Edd Hedges brings his acclaimed debut solo show back to Edinburgh after a thrilling 2017 Fringe run, showing a comedian accomplished beyond his years. Witty anecdotes about misfortune and misadventure are the order of the day, but Hedges is capable of moments of earnest reflection too. Thu 19 Apr, 8pm

Elf Lyons: Swan
She comes with a Philippe Gaulier education, so you know that Elf Lyons is going to be an accomplished clown with a mischievous streak. Her most recent show, Swan, was nominated for the main Comedy Award at last year's Fringe, and no wonder. A one-woman interpretation of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, it showed great ambition, never losing sight of its slapstick roots. If you missed it, catch it at the Basement Theatre this month. Fri 20 Apr, 7.30pm

Check out the full programme at Gilded Balloon's Basement Theatre.