I Used to Work in a Helium Balloon Factory Until they Let Me Go
I Used to Work in a Helium Balloon Factory Until they Let Me Go by Olaf Falafel Presents is a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026, performing at Laughing Horse @ The Pear Tree. It has 25 performances listed, running from Thu 6 Aug, 14:30 to Sun 30 Aug, 14:30. The run has finished — every listed performance has taken place.
About this show
Shortlisted for the ISH Edinburgh Comedy Best Show Award in 2025. The best-joke-list-bothering, holey-cheese-flinging Falafel is back with another thickly-sliced slab of stupid. Including but not limited to: mind reading mic stands, sausage-based nonsense and art-related buffoonery. It won’t be sensible. 'On course to become an Edinburgh Fringe legend' * (GetYourCoatsOn.com). 'This is a must-see show' * (ThePhoenixRemix.com). 'One of the most creative shows I've seen at the Fringe' (EdFringeReview.com).
Details
- Performer: Olaf Falafel Presents
- Venue: Laughing Horse @ The Pear Tree
- Space: Main Room
- Genre: COMEDY, Absurdist
- Country: UNITED KINGDOM - ENGLAND
- Running time: 60 minutes
- Ed Fringe Guide rating: Wild Cards
- Room size: about 120 seats (Main Room) — the Fringe box office sells a share of the room, not all of it
- Performances listed: 25, of which 0 still to come and on sale
Accessibility
- Venue notes: Accessible entry: short staircase to ground floor level Stairs: 2 - 5 Number of stairs is provided as guidance and is not in addition to any wheelchair access type (lift/ramp etc) stated above.
What the reviewers said
We have captured 3 published reviews and 16 audience reviews for this show from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe’s own listing. The excerpts below are the reviewers’ words, not ours — follow each link for the full review.
Falafel has become a cult institution at the Fringe. After more than 20 years of gloriously daft shows, he remains one of the very few acts where words such as auteur and genius apply, and in this form, no other act…
— one4review (5 out of 5 stars)
Olaf Falafel is a comic genius. Anyone who wants to laugh will find a lot to love in this wonderfully silly, intelligently written show.
— A Youngish Perspective (5 out of 5 stars)
Olaf Falafel has returned to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with his latest slice of absurd stand-up, I Used to Work in a Helium Balloon Factory Until they Let Me Go. Performing at 2:30 PM in the Main Room at Laughing…
Performance dates and ticket availability
- Thu 6 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Fri 7 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Sat 8 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Sun 9 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Mon 10 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Tue 11 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Wed 12 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Thu 13 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Fri 14 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Sat 15 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Sun 16 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Mon 17 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Tue 18 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Thu 20 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Fri 21 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Sat 22 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Sun 23 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Mon 24 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Tue 25 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Wed 26 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Wed 26 Aug, 19:00 — Already performed — Free
- Thu 27 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Fri 28 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Sat 29 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free
- Sun 30 Aug, 14:30 — Already performed — Free