Gearing up for the greatest show on earth - Karen Koren

The pandemic stopped live events for nearly two years and to get back on our feet again has been difficult and stressful.

We are well on our way to getting there. The Gilded Balloon team are working hard on site as I write on setting up all the venues in preparation for the performers arriving at the end of the month.

Then there will be rehearsals and first show nerves and the onslaught of the temporary Festival staff arriving, staff meeting each other, staff training and all the health and safety checks.

It’s a mammoth task to move the Gilded Balloon operation from our headquarters in Leith to our festival venues at Teviot Row House at Bristo Square, the auditorium at the National Museum of Scotland and Adam House in Chambers Street, named Patter Hoose.

The names continue our Scottish theme of rooms like The Big Yin, the Other Yin, Doonstairs, the Nip, the Dram, the Coorie and the Snug.

The ”Salad Dressing” comes at the last minute – this is a term our previous production manager used to call making everything look ready to open.

Our big banner going up on the front of the buildings, lots of pink signage, our colour and literally making it different to how the buildings look the rest of the year.

Lots of posters up for lots of shows. Every show has to be equally represented or there’s trouble. It’s a tense time for us all to make everything look pristine by the opening, which is two days of preview shows from 10am on Wednesday 2 August.

We have our Press launch show on the next evening when there will be the great and good from Edinburgh seeing a selection of the best we have to offer this year.

That’s two weeks today - makes me nervous just thinking about it. We just want to be able to present the best show ever and for everyone to enjoy it and look forward to a great festival.

On top of this, Katy my daughter and co-director of the Gilded Balloon, gave birth to a beautiful little girl on Sunday night and I am hoping she will make her first appearance at the launch, fingers crossed!