Gilded Balloon Adds 88 New Shows to Edinburgh Fringe 2026 Lineup

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Grace Campbell, Jack Docherty, and Fred MacAulay headline comedy acts at Teviot and beyond

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Gilded Balloon has announced a major third wave of another 88 shows on sale for the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, bringing a dynamic mix of comedy, theatre, musicals, spoken word, cabaret and family shows to venues across the city.

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This latest release builds on the already announced programme, with household names, Fringe favourites and exciting new voices set to take to stages at Teviot, Patter House, Gilded Balloon at the Museum, The Gilded Saloon and The King's Theatre.

A standout comedy line-up sees the return of some of the UK and international circuit's most recognisable names.

Fred MacAulay returns with both his much-loved live chat show Fred MacAulay in Conversation and brand-new stand-up hour Good Evening!, marking a powerful return following a challenging year (Gilded Balloon at the Museum).

At Teviot, Grace Campbell : The Lady is a Tramp delivers a bold, unfiltered hour of self-examination, while BAFTA-winning comic Jack Docherty: Butterfly brings a masterclass in storytelling and personal comedy.

International talent includes Australian internet sensation Jimmy Rees: In Reel Life (Teviot) and acclaimed US comic Jamie Kilstein : Can't Tie Knots (Teviot), alongside returning Scottish favourites Paul Black: Cash Cow (Gilded Balloon at the Museum) and Mhairi Black: Difficult Second Album (Teviot) for a limited run.

A packed programme of distinctive comedy voices continues with Off-Broadway darling Sam Morrison : DUCK (Teviot), returning with a science-obsessed attack on the human ego, Leo Hincks: Emotional Cowboy (Teviot), Mark Silcox – I Have It All [A Success Story] (Teviot), Toby Tarrant: Utter Bloke Nonsense (The Gilded Saloon), author, journalist, and presenting her debut solo stand-up show, Amanda Knox with Cartwheel (Teviot), Glasgow local rising-star Tia Rey: Oot Ma Banger (The Gilded Saloon), Celine Kuklowsky: Bed Boy (Patter House) and fresh from a smash-hit season at Adelaide Fringe Claire Robin: NUN SLUT (Patter House). More stand-up and sketch comedy across the programme includes Mark Maier's Jewvenile (Teviot), an award-winning observational set packed with sharp takes on everyday life; Maxx Eddy: Bi Meets World (Patter House), a chaotic and candid debut exploring queerness and masculinity; and Jess Carrivick (Teviot) and Joe Bor: The Adventures of Jasper Cromwell Jones (Teviot), bringing fresh comedic voices and character-driven storytelling to the Fringe.

International names include Pernille Haaland: Nordic Operations (The Gilded Saloon & Teviot), returning with her cool, sharp take on global tensions and modern life, and Brendan Scannell (Patter House), alongside fast-rising US comic Jamie Wolf: PSYCHO (Teviot), a life-affirming and hilarious reflection on grief.

Further highlights include Christian Dart: GUMSHOE! (Patter House), a multi award-nominated noir parody packed with high-energy character comedy; Spooky Dookie: Cool New Planet!! (Patter House), a sharp, silly sketch show imagining the creation of Earth.

Gilded Balloon continues to blur the lines between performance and conversation with a strong programme of live events. Gilded Balloon co-productions include Graham Norton and Maria McErlane who bring their hit podcast Wanging On Live to the stage for the first time at The King's Theatre and broadcaster Mariella Frostrup with actress Gina Bellman (Leverage, Coupling, Jekyll) tackle taboo and truth in Cracking the Menopause (Teviot).

Podcast fans can also catch Chris & Lizzie Hall : Stay Hydrated LIVE! (Teviot), alongside drag superstar Tia Kofi (RuPaul's Drag Race) with The Final FronTia Live (The Gilded Saloon) and The BBC's daily news podcast Newscast (Gilded Balloon at the Museum) sees Adam Fleming joined live by friends and special guests to talk about the big news of the day.

Multi-talented performers shine in a vibrant cabaret offering, including Tom Read Wilson: A–Z of Me (Gilded Balloon at the Museum), blending storytelling, music and theatrical flair. Sarah McGuinness turns the lens on herself in Grit, Glitter and Gaslight (Teviot), a powerful and personal mix of story and song exploring identity, family and survival. Camelton (Teviot) from award-winning writer Stephen Cole is a hilariously true tale of writing a musical for the Emir of Qatar, a wildly entertaining journey featuring Brooklyn Jews, Middle Eastern producers, flying carpets, acrobats, ballet dancers and, of course, a lot of camels.

The programme features a powerful and diverse theatre programme tackling big themes with bold storytelling.

Highlights include Hecuba: Why Am I In Your Country? (Teviot), an Offie-nominated solo show exploring exile and identity, and NON-HUMAN ANIMAL by Kat Woods (Teviot) is a dark Irish comedy interrogating grief and justice.

New work includes Big Dog, from the makers of last years' hit play Seating Plan,

(Patter House), a sharp exploration of true crime culture and ethics, and The Shit Table (Teviot) is a fast-paced black comedy set at the worst wedding table imaginable.

New play Steak Out (Teviot), by Edinburgh writer, actor and comedian Ruiraidh Murray delivers a gritty, high-energy heist story, while A Public Display of Affection (Patter House) offers a raw and unsentimental reflection on queer history and identity. Further theatre highlights include Broke & Fabulous in the 21st Century (Patter House), a riotous dramedy celebrating friendship, ambition and modern love, and Hater (Patter House), a sharp and poignant story of identity, obsession and unexpected transformation.

At Patter House musical comedy and parody take centre stage with a bold and irreverent line-up.

Expect outrageous fun from Crapp's River, a musical parody of a beloved TV phenomenon, the high-energy workplace satire HR The Musical and Endometriosis: The Musical, a bold, award-winning and unexpectedly funny show tackling a chronic condition through song.

For fans of cheeky, high-camp comedy, Heated Rivalry: The Musical Parody! and Puck Bunnies deliver outrageous, laugh-out-loud takes on the hit show Heated Rivalry, romance and pop culture.

Acclaimed musical comedian Alexis Sakellaris returns with the heartfelt, queer musical comedy celebrating pop divas and fandom A STAN IS BORN! – Encore and brings a new work in progress show CHILD STAR exploring his experience on German Glee with new original songs, unearthed footage and the cringiest moments.

And Grammy award winning musician and songwriter Michelle Shocked returns to the Fringe with her latest show Bootleg This! blending music and memoir in a unique live performance.

Family audiences are well catered for with imaginative, accessible work for all ages.

Shhh! (A Wordless Comedy) (Teviot) delivers a visually rich, universally accessible journey inspired by classic silent comedy, while The Letterman (Teviot) combines clowning, puppetry and audience interaction in a joyful theatrical experience from award-winning clown Bryce Flint-Somerville (Blue Man Group, Barroz) . Children's shows continue with Owl at Home (Teviot), a warm and witty story about embracing life's surprises; Vasthy and Friends: Sing, Dance, Play! (Patter House), an interactive celebration of music, movement and imagination; and The Kobold Show! (Patter House), a playful, physical theatre adventure inspired by fantasy and tabletop gaming.

Interactive and gaming-inspired shows bring playful, unpredictable energy to the programme. Highlights include Extra Lives: The Interactive Video Game Concert (Patter House), a live-scored audience RPG where every decision shapes the story; Shit Arcade

(Teviot), where comedians battle through the worst video games ever made; and Blood on the Clocktower: Live (Teviot), the sell-out game show of bluffing and betrayal hosted by Jon Gracey.

Also great fun is IKEA WARS (Patter House), a chaotic, high-stakes flat-pack building showdown that turns home improvement into competitive theatre.

Gilded Balloon continues its commitment to nurturing new talent with platforms like Story Platform (The Gilded Saloon), an evolving live event showcasing emerging Scottish writers and performers across comedy, music and spoken word coming to Fringe following a triumphant series of year-round performances at The Gilded Saloon.

This latest announcement further cements Gilded Balloon’s reputation as one of the Fringe’s most exciting and diverse comedy and entertainment producers, with more shows still to be revealed.

Karen and Katy Koren, Artistic Directors at Gilded Balloon comment on the latest batch of shows: “It’s been a mammoth year of programming for us and we can’t thank the wonderful artists enough who we are delighted to be welcoming to Gilded Balloon this summer across our venues. The productions coming to the festival continue to push boundaries and we are thrilled to have artists presenting work that will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between. It’s going to be a very exciting Fringe here at Gilded Balloon.”

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/scotland/article/Gilded-Balloon-Reveals-88-New-Edinburgh-Festival-Fringe-2026-Shows-20260505)._