Latest news with #GildedBalloon
The Herald Scotland
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
I love democracy. That's why your referendums terrify me
As a Swiss citizen, I have to ask, is life just too boring for you? Whenever you hold a referendum, it's always about these gigantic issues like 'Shall we quickly become an independent country?' Or 'Shall we leave the EU?' I admire your fearless spirit. Truly. But tell me: is it the adrenaline you crave? Do you just love a gamble? I don't mean to offend – as a Swiss person, I'm obliged to remain neutral – but honestly, couldn't you maybe try something... a little less high-stakes? In Switzerland, we live in a system of direct democracy. Every three months or so, we vote nationwide, usually on multiple issues at once. 'Should we expand the motorway network?' 'Should pensions be increased?' And 'Should we buy new fighter jets?' I'm not saying we're especially good at these debates, we're just very used to them. Decision-making in referendums is a complex blend of media coverage, political lobbying and pub conversations. READ MORE And even with all that practice, we still often get swept up in short-term moods. Populist ideas have it easy. For example, a majority voted to ban face covering in public spaces. A "burka ban" – even though, in Switzerland, it's estimated that only about 14 people actually wear a burka. A majority also banned the construction of new minarets – when there are currently only four minarets in the entire country. And let's be honest, it's not like you can even see them among all the mountains. Often, initiatives that tap into fear or target a minority have the best chances. Or ones that are cleverly packaged in populist terms. Not long ago, the Swiss voted that retirees should receive not 12 monthly payments a year, but 13 – without any clear plan for the funding, and despite knowing our population will soon look like a flock of David Attenboroughs. Still, I'm grateful to live in a direct democracy. I believe it's important not to leave everything to the politicians. And after every vote in Switzerland, there's a national autopsy of the results, a new debate about which arguments were overrated or underrated. We try to learn something for the next round. Occasionally we succeed. In Scotland, since 1975, you've held five national referendums. Roughly one every ten years. But of course, your referendums are never Swissy-tame. You bet the house: 'Shall we leave the EU?' 'Shall we declare independence?' What's next: 'Shall we join another solar system?' I'm curious, why don't you try something a little smaller – just once – Swiss-style? Maybe your next referendum could be 'Should we commit to holding at least three referendums a year?' Because the more you practise referendums, the better the outcomes. Or to put it another way, voting is like brushing your teeth: if you don't do it regularly, rot sets in – when you actually could dazzle. Michael Elsener is a Swiss comedian and talk show host. His show How to Live in Paradise is on at the Gilded Balloon 1-21 August.
Scotsman
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Now is great time to see shows before big hits start selling out
Darby James in Little Squirt (Picture: Lucinda Goodwin) Today is our big Press Launch at Gilded Balloon which marks the start of a very exciting time for Katy, myself and our team. With the first day of Fringe previews already under our belts, now is a great time to see shows at lower prices and support the performers by coming to see shows in the first few days before the big hits of the Festival start selling out. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... At our Press Launch tonight, we have a wonderful live showcase from across our programme with media, guests and performers all invited to come and have a catch up before the opening weekend. One of our fantastic performers, Darby James, of award-winning show Little Squirt, has written us a special song to celebrate Gilded Balloon's 40th anniversary. Darby performs a one-man musical show which has won multiple awards in Australia, and he's gone through our history to pick out the highs and lows of 40 years of the Gilded Balloon in song and some lyrics describing my personal history! Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Caroline Rhea will be hosting our Press Launch show and promises to have everyone in hysterics throughout. Sadly, Caroline is not able to stay for as long as we had hoped as she is rushing back to Hollywood to perform in a new CBS television show. We also have the inimitable Rosie O'Donnell kicking off her limited run from tomorrow – one of the biggest names at the Festival – as she heads over to Edinburgh from her new home in Ireland. We're looking forward to welcoming Rosie to Edinburgh and hoping we'll be able to show her some of the sights while she's here! It's wonderful to welcome back so many people that we only ever see this time of year, including our seasonal staff who work so hard to make sure our venues are ready to greet customers and artists. Every year, we're lucky to have photographer to the stars Steve Ullathorne at Gilded Balloon for a few weeks. You can see an exhibition of Steve's best photos from across the comedy world in our concourse on Appleton Tower – featuring beautiful portraits of acts like Miriam Margolyes, Sue Perkins, Alan Davies and more. As well as preview prices, we also have our annual charity day coming up on Wednesday, August 6. To support our charity partner Waverley Care, we discount thousands of tickets to only £5 with a portion of each ticket sold going to the charity. It's a great day to come out and see shows across our programme with plenty of big names, new comics, magic, theatre and family shows with a limited number of £5 tickets available. Welcome everyone to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the biggest and best arts festival in the world!
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Work underway for Edinburgh Festival Fringe with under one week to go
Preparations for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe are well underway as construction continues to be set up. With under a week until the Fringe starts, on August 1, some of the venues and eatery hubs are taking shape. Most of the main hotspots are coming together for the Underbelly, Gilded Balloon and Pleasance hangouts. READ MORE: Netflix viewers rush to watch 'compelling' BBC drama series set in Edinburgh READ MORE: Edinburgh St James Quarter worker claims 'things weren't being maintained' At Bristo Square, the Underbelly bar and ticket areas are already assembled, with many food traders ready to go. Ticket booths already have a handy timetable showing what performances will be held at certain times. Thousands of posters are in place across the capital as artists and performers from across the world bring their talents to Scotland. With over 3,000 shows across the city, there is something for everyone to enjoy from August 1 to August 25. An online message from Fringe organisers reads: "For three weeks in August, the city of Edinburgh welcomes an explosion of creative energy from around the globe. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. "Artists and performers take to hundreds of stages all over the city, presenting shows for every taste. Venues can be anywhere, from existing theatres and concert halls to repurposed spaces like bars, parks, buses and shipping containers. The Fringe street events bring colour, excitement and vibrancy to outdoor areas, free of charge. "From big names in the world of entertainment to unknown artists looking to build their careers, the festival spans every genre of live performance, including theatre, comedy, dance, physical theatre, circus, cabaret, children's shows, musicals, opera, music, spoken word, exhibitions and events."
Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Heading to the Fringe? Here's how to snag a bargain
Most shows will have previews on Jul 30-31, during which the teams iron out any technical wrinkles and charge less for tickets. If you hang around outside venues you might land a two-for-one bargain at the last minute. Nearly all shows offer two-for-one on Aug 4-5. Don't despair if a show you're interested in is sold out: additional dates are often added to satisfy demand. Tickets can be bought online via or direct from venues. You can buy full-price tickets direct from venues — but your best bet is a one-stop shop for event information and ticket bookings at eight core venues (Assembly, C ARTS, Gilded Balloon, Just the Tonic, Pleasance, Summerhall Arts, Underbelly and Zoo). Book at and you'll save money, too: booking fees are capped at £5, versus the £7.50 you'll pay elsewhere. Better still, booking through means you'll be directly supporting the festival, with 50 per cent of your booking fee going direct to venues. Planning to see more than one show at the Fringe? Check out Love The Fringe ( a tiered membership scheme that lets you double the value of the amount you spend on tickets at the eight venues under the umbrella. Members get access to limited free tickets, bar discounts, VIP rewards and early-bird advantages. There are five levels of membership, the cheapest of which (Iron: £20) gets you free tickets worth about £45, further ticket offers and a review digest to help you plan what might be worth seeing. Benefits of higher, more expensive membership levels include higher numbers of free tickets and hospitality discounts. Don't despair if a show you're interested in is sold out: additional dates are often added to satisfy demand. Love the Fringe is a tiered membership scheme that lets you double the value of the amount you spend on tickets. Members get access to limited free tickets, rewards and early-bird advantages. There are five levels of membership, the cheapest of which (Iron: £20) comes with three free tickets worth about £45, further ticket offers and a review digest to help you plan what might be worth seeing. Benefits of higher, more expensive membership levels include higher numbers of free tickets and hospitality discounts. Profits from the scheme are shared equally between the participating shows and venues. Love the Fringe was created by a collaboration between Assembly, C Venues, Gilded Balloon, Just the Tonic, Pleasance, Summerhall, Underbelly and Zoo, and other venues are expected to join. For all show details, offers and bookings go to and
Scotsman
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
New Scottish comics to see this Fringe
With thousands of international acts descending on the city this Edinburgh Festival Fringe, there's a host of top comedians to choose from. The Scottish comedy scene is going from strength to strength, with five of the top new comics set to make their debuts. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Ayo Adenekan A Leith local, Ayo Adenekan is already making waves on the comedy scene having supported the likes of Sarah Keyworth and Olga Koch and performed everywhere from The Stand comedy club to the King's Theatre in Glasgow. His debut hour tells the story of growing up Black and queer in Edinburgh, the ways he tried to fit in and find identity and belonging, and all the awkward moments in between. A star on the rise, Ayo is set to be a big name in the Scottish comedy industry. 'Black Mediocrity', 30th July - 24th August, 1.30pm at Monkey Barrel Jack Traynor 'Before I Forget' Alana Jackson Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Glaswegian comic and 2024 winner of newcomer comedy competition So You Think You're Funny?, Alana Jackson's debut hour features tales of her time drinking and working in pubs. Alana's Glaswegian quick wit,sense of humour and on-the-nose impressions paints a hilarious picture of living in London as an aspiring actress and the characters she meets along the way. 'Last Orders', 30th July - 24th August, 5pm at Gilded Balloon, Appleton Tower Jack Traynor Alana Jackson 'Last Orders' Hailing from Cumbernauld, Jack Traynor has made waves in LA and London, placing 4th in a global Roast Battle League and performing against top comics from around the world. Now, Jack's debut show combines his razor-sharp wit and rollercoaster comedy to tell audiences the stories he does and doesn't want to forget - from the bizarre to the brilliantly relatable. 'Before I Forget', 30th July - 24th August, 9.55pm at Pleasance Amanda Hursy Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A highly anticipated Fringe debut, Glaswegian stand-up Amanda Hursy brings a fearless, riotous hour of comedy to Edinburgh with the real-life story of making it from the back of a police van to the front of the stage. A show which navigates the funny side of failure and the chaos of real life. Ayo Adenekan will make his debut with 'Black Mediocrity' 'Carted', 30th July - 25th August, 6.20pm at Gilded Balloon, Patter House Hannah Campbell Local Edinburgh comic Hannah Campbell's debut hour is a Fringe show that avoids the trama and instead focuses a joyful, offbeat take on life, identity and embracing your selfhood. Making a name for herself at top venues including The Stand and Monkey Barrel, Hannah's debut is a feel-good hour of comedy. 'Me!', 30th July - 25th August, 4.20pm at Gilded Balloon Patter House
