Fringe comic sacked from Cowgate project

The comic who boasted that his venues on the gutted site of the Gilded Balloon would change the face of the Edinburgh festival has been sacked from the project.

Paul Wagner attracted the ire of Gilded Balloon boss Karen Koren when he said he wanted to erect tents on the fire-damaged site in Cowgate.

He set out his grand plan on a website, which encouraged comedy companies to stage their show in one of the 20 venues there. It has now been taken offline

But the practicality of his ambitions were always doubted by more experienced Fringe hands.

And now entrepreneur Thomas McAleer who owns the Cowgate Central site, chas onfirmed to The Scotsman: "Paul Wagner was just an employee of this company. I terminated his employment last week.

"The website he set up went up without my say-so, and I have been firefighting ever since."

And writing on the Chortle forums, the venue's director of comedy, Corry Craig, said: "Comments made by Mr Wagner (personal or professional) should not be seen as representative of the views of the company."

In an e-mail sent to performers last week, Wagner said: "After an incredible amount of work I am being removed from my post at the theatre.

"I went completely broke trying to launch this theatre, and frankly I was really unhappy. I'd work all night and all day and cry myself to sleep half the time. I'm a creator, not a business manager."

Koren was unsurprised at the news, saying: "He has only been in Edinburgh twice; what on earth would he know. You can't come along and open 20 theatres in one year.

"It got my back up because he was speaking as if the Gilded Balloon didn't exist any more."

Cowgate Central Theatres will now comprise four theatres in Wilkie House, including the old Gilded Balloon Backstage areas, plus Cabaret Voltaire and St Andrews and St George's Church.

Published: 2 Mar 2004