Mhairi Black will make her Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut this summer with a comedy show that ‘pulls back the curtain’ on her time in Westminster since being elected to parliament at the age of 20.
Presented by Gilded Balloon, the performance will see the outgoing SNP MP embrace her ‘dark sense of humour’ to present a first-hand and ‘ruthlessly honest’ look at 21st-century politics.
Ahead of tickets for the event going live at 12pm today, she said: "I'm looking forward to my first Fringe show and think it'll be a good laugh.
“Spending over 10 years in Westminster means I have plenty of stories to tell and I'm looking forward to pulling back the curtain and revealing a little more about my experiences there.”
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In July last year, it was reported that Ms Black would not stand as an MP at the next general election.
The 29-year-old claimed that she was "tired" of "toxic" Westminster, describing it as a "horrible place to be."
She also said the threats and social media abuse had left her loved ones in a "constant state of anxiety" over her safety.
First Minister Humza Yousaf later paid tribute to the MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South, describing her as a ‘trailblazer’ as well as a 'passionate supporter of independence, equality, social justice, and simply of trying to make life better for her constituents and the wider Scottish public'.
Of her upcoming venture into comedy, Ms Black continued: “Expect a brutally honest look at politics as I embrace my fairly dark sense of humour to reflect on my time in Westminster and look ahead to what's next."
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Hosting shows across two venues, Patter House and the National Museum of Scotland, Gilded Balloon will welcome acts from around the world to the capital city in August this year.
Following rave reviews and a sold-out run in 2023, Michelle Brasier returns with Legacy, offering an ‘exploration into all the women she might have been if she had made different choices’.
The Australian comic said: “Edinburgh Fringe has the best audience in the world. I can’t wait to kiss you all on the forehead again this August.”
Elsewhere, Imperial College acapella champions The Techtonics will retell the story of Liz Truss’ short lived tenure as Prime Minister from ‘tanking the economy to one very final meeting with The Queen’ in 44 Days of Liz Truss.
For younger audiences, Gilded Balloon is preparing to host Baby Shark and Tails of the Seven Seas, a multimedia show filled with 'live music and video, storytelling and magic'.
Karen and Katy Koren, artistic directors of Gilded Balloon said: “It’s so exciting to reveal more of 2024’s Fringe programme.
“We’re particularly pleased to have such outstanding talented women on the bill from Mhairi Black to Michelle Brasier with a real mix of comedy, politics and real life.”
“As always, we’ve been working hard to programme shows that appeal to a range of Fringe audiences, with the addition of kids shows like Sing, Sign and Sensory and Baby Shark meaning there’s plenty to see with the little ones this summer.
“As the Fringe’s original home of comedy, we’re proud to present some of the very best rising talent around including Christopher Hall, Kathleen Hughes, Chris Weir and Joshua Bethania this year.
“We still have lots more to come so stay tuned and see you in summer.”
Tickets for Politics Isn’t For Me and other shows presented by Gilded Balloon will be available to book from 12pm on Tuesday, April 2 via gildedballoon.co.uk.
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