What's On

2011 was the year that…

Fascinating Aida sold out the Debating Hall almost every night with their unique blend of musical comedy, audiences young and old fell under the spell of such classics as ‘ cheap flights’ and the ‘dogging song’.The Briefs boys showed us all what glamour and sophistication really is, in a sweaty, jam packed room just after midnight, feathers and all!

Australian Sam Simmons returned to the Gilded Balloon wowing audiences with his surreal brand of humour, earning a nomination for Best Newcomer as well as five star reviews and sell out shows!The cream of his antipodean counterparts returned to the Balloon, bringing with them some new faces. Old GB friends Axis of Awesome, Fiona O’Loughlin and Claudia O’Doherty, alongside Edinburgh 1st timers Anyone for Tennis, John Conway and Michael Workman.

And as usual, the Gilded Balloon was a stronghold of Irish Comedy; The Betrayal of Penguins, Foil, Arms & Hog, Aidan Bishop, John Lynn and Colm O’Regan to name but a few. One of the Penguins, Ross Dungan won a Fringe First for a new piece of new writing ‘Minute after Midday’ , a haunting new play that lookedat the terror and tragedy of the day of the Omagh bombing, from 3 very different perspectives.

Patrick Monahan was Winner of Show Me The Funny. ITV1’s Show Me The Funny had 10 comedians battle it out in the competition over six weeks to make it through to the live final at London’s Hammersmith Apollo on August 25. Pat took the whopping prize of £100,000, a UK tour and the release of his own DVD.

The Gilded Balloon went viral, working with Festival Frank to produce an online TV review show all about the exciting world of Edinburgh’s Festival Fringe.

And Welsh funny man Tommy Rowson joined the ranks of comedy legend by winning the So You Think You’re Funny competition at the jam packed final in the Debating Hall.

AWARDS
Fringe First Award
Somewhere Beneath It All, A Small Fire Burns Still
Fringe First Award
Minute After Midday
Bank Of Scotland Herald Archangel Award
Heathcote Williams ( Zanzibar Cats by Heathcote Williams, performed by Roy Hutchins
Show Me The Funny? (ITV)
Patrick Monahan

NOMINATIONS
Fosters Comedy – Best Newcomer
Sam Simmons – Fail
Amused Moose Laughter Awards
Milo Mc Cabe (runner up)