EDINBURGH 2018: 'Best Venue' Gilded Balloon On This Year's Festival

BWW caught up with the team at Gilded Balloon to chat about their programme for 2018 and winning 'Best venue' in the 2017 BroadwayWorld Edinburgh Awards!

So how did it feel to win Best Venue in the 2017 BroadwayWorld Awards?
It was great. To receive that accolade from the readers of BroadwayWorld meant a lot. The standard at the Fringe is always so high, so to come out on top in 2017 made us warm and fuzzy inside.

Why do you think Gilded Balloon won?
Our reputation for being an open-door, friendly company really radiates throughout all our staff and venues. Whether you're being helped by our amazing front of house team, having the best Bloody Mary of your LIFE at the Gilded Saloon, or having a gab with Karen or Katy Koren, we like to think we're a pretty friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable bunch.

What are the highlights of your programming this year?
We're excited about our 2018 offering and could wax lyrical about all our shows for days on end, but you probably wouldn't thank us for that. Here's a quick snippet that should give an insight into what people can expect in August:

Luisa Omielan, Jack Docherty, Murray Hill, Ayesha Hazarika, Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo, Jon Culshaw, Jay Lafferty, Gary Miekle and Maisie Adams are some of the folk who will make you belly laugh all night long.

Our late night offering is top notch (if we do say so ourselves), with Late Night Lip Service, Margaret Thatcher Queen of Club Nights and The Miss Behave Gameshow bringing fantastic fun to the Fringe after dark.

Award-winning comedians and writers are premiering plays - Games by Henry Naylor, Sitting by Katherine Parkinson and In for a Penny! by David Cosgrove, works by Scottish writers are breaking through - South Bend by Martin McCormick, The Bench by Keir McAllister and The Junkies by Ruaraidh Murray - and working-class voices will be heard in FCUK'D and Aye, Elvis.

How important is it to have a solid team of staff?
Our staff are everything. They're the face of Gilded Balloon; some year-round, some just for the month of August. We all know how hard working at the Fringe can be (everyone has busy days, late nights, early mornings), but knowing you have the support of a team like we do at Gilded Balloon makes all the difference.

Do you have any tips for surviving the month of August in Edinburgh?
Pace yourself; it's a marathon, not a sprint. And see the shows that you've worked so hard to bring to the Festival! It can be easy to forget you're part of the biggest arts festival in the world when you're knee deep in emails and spreadsheets, but taking time out of the day to experience the Festival is the perfect reminder of why we all do what we do.

What measures will you be taking this year to ensure you keep your crown?

We try to maintain a high standard year on year so 2018 will be no different. This year we'll be bigger and better than before at all our venues - Gilded Balloon Teviot, Gilded Balloon at the Museum and Gilded Balloon Rose Theatre - and we look forward to welcoming everyone through our doors in August.

To view the full Gilded Balloon festival programme and to book tickets head to the Gilded Balloon website.

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