Fringe countdown is officially on as Gilded Balloon announce exciting line-up

Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl returns to Gilded Balloon this year

It’s that time of year again! We are delighted to announce the first shows for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025 at Gilded Balloon.

This year marks our 40th anniversary, and we’ve got an exciting line up to celebrate with world-class theatre, family shows, music, game shows, and of course, fantastic comedy.

We’re excited to welcome audiences from across the globe to our three venue hubs – the iconic Patter House on Chambers Street, the world-renowned National Museum of Scotland and our exciting new addition for 2025, Appleton Tower.

Our first batch of 28 shows includes some incredible performers and old favourites. John Robertson brings back the cult-classic The Dark Room, musical theatre fans will love the new addition of I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical, and after 10 years Canadian Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl returns to the stage. For family fun, Hypnotist Matt Hale: Funbelievable! 90s Rewind and Baby Shark and the Mystery of the Sphinx are sure to entertain.

Hypnotist Matt Hale will be part of the Gilded Balloon line-up at this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe

We’re also featuring thought-provoking shows like The Universe and the Neurodiverse from Robin Ince and Patrick Monahan tackles cancel culture in his latest show. Best of the Queer Fringe brings together top LGBTQ+ talent from across the festival, while Married at Fringe Sight offers a unique crowd work experience where audience members get paired up for an interactive comedy session.

Shows I’m particularly excited about are Canadian stand up Mark Forward who is one of my favourite comedians, he was with Gilded Balloon last in 2017 and makes a welcome return. Njambi McGrath is also a welcome returner and first timer Hannah Campbell. One to watch is Best of So You Think You’re Funny? showcasing three of last year’s competition finalists – Ciara O’Connor, Fab Goualin, and Bert Broadbent. It’s an amazing chance to see the UK’s rising comedy stars before they become household names.

And this is just the beginning! We’ve got plenty more to announce, and I can’t wait to share all the details. Our 40th anniversary season is off to a fantastic start, and we can’t wait to present these shows at the world’s greatest arts festival. The countdown to Fringe 2025 has officially begun!