Caroline Rhea’s comedy show will bewitch you - Karen Koren

The second week of the Festival is coming to an end and I don’t think I have seen so many people out and about in Edinburgh since the 2019 Fringe.

Canadian actress and stand-up comedian Caroline Rhea

George IV Bridge is packed with tourists, street performers and leafleteers trying to sell shows.

It’s a great feeling to have the city so busy, apart from when you want to get a booking in a restaurant and they are constantly full, of course. It’s a good problem to have that pubs, cafes, shops and restaurants are full again.

I know that there are many in Edinburgh who loathe this time of year, but most appreciate what the biggest arts festival in the world brings to the city. Everyone appears happy, even when there are trying to avoid rain showers.

I have had a very busy couple of weeks, supporting the staff and performers where I can.

Since Katy, my daughter and business partner, has had her lovely little baby girl Penny Ellen only four weeks ago, she has been busy feeding every couple of hours and attempting to get Penny into a routine. Easier said than done when she is so tiny but so beautiful.

My role within the company has regressed 10 years to before Katy was working with Gilded Balloon and I am wholly responsible once again.

We are lucky that we have a very strong management team – so it’s not all on my shoulders and Katy with Penny have been in every day to see that all is going well.

We have had some brilliant shows, selling out and new shows arriving late to the party because they really want to be here

Caroline Rhea, actress and stand-up comic, just arrived on Tuesday from Los Angeles. Caroline is best known as one of the aunts, Hilda Spellman, in Sabrina the Teenage Witch and she has brought her show, I Identify As A Witch to the Gilded Balloon for this week only, she finishes tomorrow.

Caroline told me that she was in an Edinburgh taxi on her way to the show when she saw Hollywood A-lister Gerard Butler crossing the street and she dashed out of the cab and asked him to come to her show. I wonder what Gerard Butler is doing in Edinburgh . . .

I will be looking out for him at Caroline’s show!