Latest news with #Gilded
The Herald Scotland
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Rosie O'Donnell among headline acts at Gilded Balloon celebrations
It is her first ever Edinburgh Fringe show and comes after she swapped America for a new home in Ireland in protest against Donald Trump's election as president of the United States. And she said: 'I'm beyond excited for my first Fringe Festival! I'm thankful to be a part of this historic gathering of artists of all shapes and sizes - I'm so happy to be included and hope you can stop by and say hello.' She'll be joined by other top comedians such as Alan Davies, Fred MacAulay and Smack the Pony over the course of the festival. It is a venue that will see some huge names in August that also includes a Donald Trump musical parody. Read More Karen and Katy Koren, Artistic Directors of Gilded Balloon said, 'We can't believe it's been 40 years since Gilded Balloon first presented shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, from small beginnings in the Cowgate. 'We're so proud to still be working with some of the most exciting acts in the country at the world's biggest arts festival. To mark our 40th anniversary, we've revisited our archive to revive iconic shows like Women in Comedy, and invite back some of Gilded's closest friends and success stories like Alan Davies and Jenny Eclair, as well as a Fringe debut for the inimitable Rosie O'Donnell. 'We're thrilled to throw back to the heyday of British sketch comedy with the likes of Smack the Pony and Oblivion Boys joining us and as always, our programme will showcase some of the very best rising talent in comedy as well as hard-hitting theatre and fantastic musicals. We look forward to celebrating 40 years of wonderful talent this summer.' Alan Davies added: 'The Gilded Balloon is my home from home at the Fringe so I'm delighted to be in their programme for my first Fringe show since their 30th anniversary in 2015. 'I never come to the festival without seeing something or doing something at Gilded Balloon - it's an incredible achievement to run so many venues for so many decades while still championing the quirky, risky, bonkers Fringe shows we all love.' Hit BBC news podcast Newscast will make its Gilded Balloon debut with host Adam Fleming discussing the news of the day with Adam Fleming. The programme of shows also includes a host of rising Scottish talent with debut solo shows from Amanda Hursy and Hannah Morton, as well as hard-hitting theatre from Tatty Pants with 24Weeks, which explores a UK transformed by anti-abortion politics. The Smack the Pony reunion will see Doon Mackichan, Fiona Allen and Sally Phillips get back together and they cannot wait to get on stage. The trio said: "This is slightly surreal because it's 24 years since we finished - we're not old comedy, we now qualify as vintage, which is cool. Is it?' "Because we always talk sketch ideas when we get together, on some level it's almost as if Smack the Pony never really stopped - that it just kept going in some parallel universe. So it feels like Gilded Balloon is some kind of portal and we'll be popping into catch up with Series 26. We're very grateful to have this chance to hang out and take the piss out of ourselves again - we've missed it!"
The Independent
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Florence Pugh opens Harris Reed show at London Fashion Week
Florence Pugh opened Harris Reed's autumn/winter show at London Fashion Week with a theatrical display. The 29-year-old We Live In Time star kicked off the show in a sculptural speared black gown with an organza veil and fluttering false eyelashes. Pugh's black hooded dress and sharp-ended corset represented a folklorish figure, and the BAFTA-nominated actress presented an opening monologue centred on being brave and 'unapologetically you', which was finalised with Reed at midnight before the show. 'I want everyone to be very uncomfortable,' Reed said. 'I think through uncomfortability, you look deeper within and question a lot about yourself and your surroundings.' Harris Reed is best known for his genderfluid designs and dressing Harry Styles for Vogue's first ever male cover. Reed has made waves in recent years with his namesake label, whilst also being at the helm of the French fashion house Nina Ricci. Born in LA, the 28-year-old designer leapt onto the scene only five years ago, when his 2020 graduate collection from Central Saint Martins caught the eye of industry heavyweight Anna Wintour. Famed for his intensely sculptural designs, there was no better setting for Harris Reed's autumn/winter collection than the Tate Britain: one of London's greatest architectural landmarks. Entitled 'Gilded', the collection was accompanied by edgy strings by live cellists who delivered their take on Metallica, and presented on a downlit runway with ultramarine floral pendants hanging in the middle like ominous orbs. The high-ceilinged atrium and intense soundtrack set a dramatic tone for the high-octane collection. 'Fighting for beauty of fluidity,' is Reed's mantra. His free avant-garde yet timelessly Romantic designs entice everyone from Adele to Harry Styles and Beyoncé. The collection was made up of three colours, with bursts of cobalt blue and yellow ochre against pitch black seeping onto the runway. Catsuits, high-rise tutus and caged corsets brought the maximalist and dynamic elegance Reed is famed for. The silhouettes brought old-school high fashion back to the ready-to-wear runway. Alongside his avant-garde concepts were nods to the 1980s, a retro motif apparent in recent collections from Chanel, Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney. Feathers, shoulder pads and pencil skirts imbued a comforting sense of nostalgia against the unorthodox spikes and spherical plumes of Reed's other designs. Towering heeled boots, known by fans as the 'H boot', were paired with each ensemble – once again a nod to the outrageous platforms of the past. As for the beauty, each model's hair was slicked back and severe, with stern brows and striking eye lashes designed by Sofia Tilbury, Charlotte Tilbury's global artistry director; the glamour wouldn't look out of place in London's Blitz Club 40 years ago. The designs were quintessentially Reed, with ambiguous and capacious shapes gracing the runway in a remarkably blasé manner. The designer is consistently able to strike a balance between excessive extravagance and inherent nonchalance within his clothes. Socialite Lady Mary Charteris was among those sitting front row, alongside make-up artist Bella Tilbury and Rita Ora's sister and music manager Elena Ora. When the collection wrapped up, Reed himself stepped out for a victory lap closing the show, running off with a jump and a fist pump to the air. It's no doubt that fashion enthusiasts share Reeds' sentiments of this collection.
