If you’re a giant comedy fan, you’ll little doubt be mulling over whether or not to make the annual trip up to the Fringe in August. But, as can also be custom, you might be gearing as much as baulk at journey and lodging costs for a week or two in Auld Reekie.
Well, laugh-loving Londoners, we have now excellent news for you. This summer season, the Scottish capital received’t be the one place awash with giggles, as a result of the Roundhouse Comedy Festival is again for its second version.
The aptly-named circular venue and Camden landmark hosted its first programme devoted solely to comedy in 2023, in partnership with manufacturing firm Berk’s Nest. After a two-year hiatus, this yr’s occasion guarantees extra exhibits and extra comedians. Roundhouse Comedy Festival 2026 kicks off on Saturday August 1 and will run till August 18. Hosted by Saturday Night Live UK star Paddy Young, it has expanded the number of stand-up, live podcasts, theatrical comedy and interactive shows on supply.
We can anticipate headline units from huge names together with Joe Lycett, Katherine Ryan, Frank Skinner, Last One Laughing’s Sam Campbell and Off Menu podcast host Ed Gamble. Sara Pascoe and Vittorio Angelone will every host ‘& Friends’ nights, bringing collectively hand-picked line-ups of performers.
Stand-up received’t be the one factor on supply to get your shoulders shaking, both. Jack Rooke, who received a BAFTA for his TV sequence Big Boys, shall be revisiting his present Good Grief a decade after its debut, as a part of a wider UK tour. American actress and comic Kristen Schaal (aka Mel from Flight of the Conchords) is bringing her new comedy play The Legend of the Crystal Shell to London for a one-night efficiency co-starring her Bob’s Burgers co-star John Roberts.
Plus, would it not actually be a comedy festival and not using a stay podcast recording or two? Well, they are going to be in abundance on the Camden venue this summer season. Kicking issues off shall be The Alexei Sayle Podcast with particular visitor Diane Morgan. The Adam Buxton Podcast may also take to the round stage with particular visitor Mawaan Rizwan.
For 2026, US comedy streaming service Dropout is ready to current stay editions of a few of its greatest exhibits – together with Dirty Laundry, Um, Actually and Crowd Control – exterior of the US for the primary time.
We don’t but know precisely how a lot these London LOLs will set you again, however we are able to inform you that tickets to the 2023 version had been priced between £17.50 and £35. Roundhouse members’ presale opens on Thursday April 23, with normal sale following on Friday April 24. For anybody aged 30 or underneath, the venue shall be preserving again 30 £5 tickets for each present. Fair sufficient, we definitely cannot argue with an inexpensive chuckle.
For extra data go to the Roundhouse web site here.
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