More Comedy News
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B:Music’s unveil 2026/27 winter season
Posted on Wed 21 Oct
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Review: Nish Kumar at Birmingham Town Hall
Posted on Fri 16 Oct
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Review - Stewart Lee: Pea Green Boat at Coventry's Belgrade Theatre
Posted on Mon 12 Oct
Laughter is certainly the best medicine - even if you’re not ill! Why not get your ribs well and truly tickled over the next few weeks by attending one or more of the following laughter-fests...
GARY DELANEY
“The hardest part of running competitively in Wales must be keeping up with the Joneses,” quips the ever-popular Gary Delaney.
And Gary’s certainly no one-joke pony: “My girlfriend’s dog died, so to cheer her up, I went out and got her an identical one. She was livid and yelled ‘What am I going to do with two dead dogs?’”
Suffice it to say there will be plenty more gags where those came from when the Solihull-born funnyman visits Lichfield with his latest touring show, Gary On Laughing.
Dudley Town Hall, Sunday 1 November
HARRY ENFIELD AND NO CHUMS
Think Harry Enfield and it’s almost impossible not to follow up with a thought about Paul Whitehouse, a fellow laughter merchant with whom Harry has a long and impressive comedy history. Having first teamed up in the late 1980s, the pair went on to create such memorable characters as the Old Gits, the Self-Righteous Brothers and the Radio One DJ-parodying Smashie & Nicey.
But while Paul has, in more recent times, Gone Fishing with another much-loved purveyor of mirth, Bob Mortimer, Harry is going it alone with this brand-new live-on-stage endeavour. A lighthearted reflection on 40 years spent making people laugh, the show revisits much-loved characters like Thatcherite visionary Loadsamoney and Kevin the Teenager. A Q&A session also features, so get your questions ready...
Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Friday 13 November
JONATHAN PIE
The media’s decision to pounce on Jeremy Corbyn in the wake of his first Labour leadership victory lit the torchpaper for actor Tom Walker to create the larger-than-life character of Jonathan Pie.
YouTube sensation Pie is supposedly a British political correspondent - but one who likes to rant at the camera.
With the climate collapsing, AI about to rule and ruin people’s lives, and World War Three feeling distinctly possible, Tom’s latest outing as the UK’s angriest news reporter sees him providing a helpful guide to surviving the impending apocalypse.
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Friday 27 November
CHRIS RAMSEY
As well as being a highly rated stand-up, Geordie boy Chris Ramsey has developed an impressive telly career, appearing on shows including 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Strictly Come Dancing (reaching the semi-finals in 2019). He’s scored a big hit in the podcast world, too, with Sh*gged. Married. Annoyed, which he co-hosts with his wife, singer & actress Rosie Winter.
He’s visiting the Midlands with Here, Man!, a show he toured in the spring to great critical acclaim - so much so, in fact, that he decided to add these autumn dates.
Chris’ gags include: “My venue for the Edinburgh Festival is a portacabin; it’s literally a portacabin! I’m a Geordie, in a portacabin. I was going to call the show Auf Wiedersehen Pet Live.”
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Friday 30 October; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Friday 27 November
MICHAEL AKADIRI
A contemplation of the difference between perception and reality lies at the heart of this new show from resident doctor and award-winning comedian Michael Akadiri.
Although still working in the NHS, Michael is nowadays more a comedian who heals folks than a doctor who tells jokes... His stop-offs in the region this month and next provide Midlanders with the perfect opportunity to find out why he’s widely considered to be one of the UK’s fastest-rising comedy stars.
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Friday 30 October; Glee Club, Birmingham, Friday 27 November
NURSE GEORGIE CARROLL
Georgie Carroll is back with her brand-new show, Infectious - she’s razor sharp and riotous!
Nurse turned comedian, Georgie Carroll is not only brilliantly funny, she is unstoppable on the comedy circuit having performed her smash hit award winning show Sista Flo 2.0 for three solid years of sold out seasons (UK, NZ, AU).
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sunday 1 November
JONNY COLE
“It’s difficult for me to put my brand of comedy into an industry-standard soundbite,” says local comedian Jonny Cole. “There are a lot of people who love Black Country humour and who’d love to go into a rough & ready Black Country pub just to listen to the banter - and that’s exactly what I do. I’ve absorbed Black Country humour the whole of my life. I take it out of that pub - where people wouldn’t dare go, in case they got their teeth knocked out - and I put it into a safe, controlled environment where they can enjoy it.”
Utilita Arena Birmingham, Tuesday 3 November
ED PATRICK
There’s an obvious irony about being an entertainer when you’re also a qualified anaesthetist, but stand-up comedian Ed Patrick hasn’t yet put an audience to sleep.
Ed scored a major hit at venues around the UK last year with touring show Catch Your Breath: The Sleepless Life Of An Anaesthetist. He’s back on the road this autumn with brand-new offering Numb And Number, a show in which he’s presenting a fresh batch of stories from the sometimes-surreal world of the hospital ward.
Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton upon Trent, Thursday 5 November
MAISIE ADAM
Quirky. Effervescent. A female Peter Kay. Descriptions of Maisie Adam abound - a sure sign that she’s serving up a brand of comedy that critics are keen to talk about.
Widely considered to be one of the brightest stars in the UK comedy firmament, Yorkshire-born Maisie has become a familiar face on television screens, appearing in everything from Live At The Apollo to her very own comedy special on Sky... She’s out on tour this autumn and winter with her latest stand-up show, Whatsherface.
Birmingham Town Hall, Thursday 5 November; The Alexandra, Birmingham, Friday 26 February; Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Thursday 4 March; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Friday 12 March
COMEDY ALL STARS
Dudley’s ever-popular evening of high-quality comedy makes a welcome return. The show’s latest line-up of laughter merchants features Fern Brady (pictured), Iain Stirling, Phil Ellis and Paul Sinha.
Dudley Town Hall, Friday 6 November
ROSIE HOLT
Rosie Holt’s online videos became so popular that her podcast hit number two in the charts before it had even been released.
A jobbing actor before the pandemic, lockdown saw her holed up with her parents and itching for something to do with the acres of spare time at her disposal. So she put her acting talents to good use by tweeting clips of herself ‘skewering the political landscape’, as she puts it.
Much to Rosie’s surprise and delight, she became an online sensation, her up-to-the-minute satirising of Westminster life seeing her Twitter following rising from 3,000 to a quarter of a million in the proverbial blink of an eye.
Rosie is back on the road this month with The Illegal Aliens Have Landed!, a brand-new show which she describes as a ‘sci-fi streaked satire’.
Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Friday 6 November; Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham, Thursday 19 November; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Saturday 13 February
PADDY YOUNG
“I’ve fallen in love more times than you’ve had hot dinners,” says Paddy Young, “and I’ve fumbled every single one of them. If you think I’ve learnt my lesson, you couldn’t be wronger. I’m telling you, some of these baddies have got me winning staring competitions with the ceiling.
“But I don’t even think about that s**t anymore. Some of my ideas are so funny that they scare me, so God knows how you lot are gonna feel!”
Saturday Night Live UK favourite Paddy is stopping off in the region this month with his new touring show, Will Sir Be Laughing Alone?.
Glee Club, Birmingham, Monday 9 November; Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Sunday 15 November
RICKY GERVAIS
Ricky Gervais has been called the most influential British comedian since Charlie Chaplin...
In fact, he’s been called all sorts of things, some of them far less complimentary.
A comic who very much divides opinion - he’s clever and talented but often criticised for peddling ‘unacceptable’ material, particularly about minorities - there’s certainly no questioning the worldwide impact of the Reading-born 65-year-old.
After shooting to fame as David Brent in television’s The Office - the BBC mockumentary he co-wrote with Stephen Merchant back in the early noughties - he’s established himself as a star-name funnyman on both sides of the Atlantic, picking up his fair share of glittering awards, critical acclaim and severe reproaches along the way.
Ricky visits Birmingham this month with Legend, a show which fans who don’t have a ticket will be able to check out on Netflix next year.
Utilita Arena, Birmingham, Monday 9 & Tuesday 10 November
BILL BAILEY
Bill Bailey presents an act that nicely mixes displays of his musical virtuosity with straight-down-the-line stand-up.
He visits three Midlands venues this month with Vaudeville!, a show which he describes as a celebration of comedy, songs, and multifarious skills.
Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, Tuesday 10 November; Utilita Arena Birmingham, Wednesday 11 November; Coventry Building Society Arena, Friday 13 November
PAUL SMITH
Affable Liverpool comedian Paul Smith has waxed lyrical on all manner of topics in his time, including such peculiar subjects as who he’d most like to be haunted by (Ghandi - Paul reckons he’d do it quite quietly) and which is the largest animal he thinks he could beat in a fight (a goose). He’s also ‘died’ on stage in front of a Babylon 5 actress, who made matters worse for him by shaking her head in pity...
Widely regarded as one of the comedy circuit’s most accomplished MCs, Paul has made a real name for himself courtesy of online video clips which almost routinely go viral.
Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Wednesday 11 November
TEZ ILYAS
Silly, smart and subversive humour is the name of the game.
And as the rapid growth of Tez Ilyas' fanbase ably illustrates, he’s extremely good at what he does.
Tez’s political stand-up has been likened to candyfloss with a razorblade hidden inside, while his television work has brought him to the attention of a whole new audience.
The fact that he’s been able to hit the right notes with so many people comes as no surprise to Tez himself: “It doesn’t matter what walk of life we’re from, I think we’re all united by the British sense of humour.
“Whatever creed, colour, sexual orientation or gender type we are, we have a connection based around a mutual appreciation of that sort of comedy.”
Old Rep, Birmingham, Wednesday 11 November; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sunday 22 November
PATRICK MONAHAN
Half Iranian, half Irish stand-up comic Patrick Monahan is no slouch when it comes to bringing up the subject of his own ethnicity on stage. And why would he be... his material includes a quality joke about having to spend the whole of his holiday in customs - and he’s not afraid to use it!
“I guess I like to think that maybe I’m breaking down stereotypes,” explains Patrick, who’s eager to make it clear that his comedy isn’t just political. “I think it’s important to look for positive stuff in life. Focusing on the bad stuff all the time would mean that the only people who’d come to my shows would be the ones who thought the end of the world was nigh!”
The Anstice, Madeley, Shropshire, Thursday 12 November
SINDHU VEE
Former bonds tradeswoman Sindhu Vee makes a welcome return to the Midlands this autumn with a brand-new show.
Sindhu stumbled across a career in comedy by chance. Having quit her job as a banker in order to look after her children, she then found out that one of the least funny people she knew
was doing stand-up.
“If she could do it, then so could I,” says Sindhu. “And my career as a comedian has gone very well. Comedy is like a fire in my belly, and I feel incredibly lucky to have found it. It’s hard work, for sure,
but it’s also my calling.”
Sindhu stops off in the region this month with Swanky, a brand-new stand-up show about ‘falling through the cracks you didn’t make, avoiding the friendships you don’t want, and embracing the self-love you definitely need’.
Birmingham Town Hall, Friday 13 November & Saturday 17 April
GINGER JOHNSON
Ginger Johnson is promising an evening that’s outrageous, untamed and completely off the reins - which is pretty much exactly what fans would expect from the much-loved RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner and Celebrity Masterchef champion.
Publicised as ‘a surprisingly psychedelic adventure into the outer reaches of Ginger’s tiny little mind’, Show Pony offers a winning blend of high-camp ridiculousness and whip-smart comedy, all cleverly presented by a performer who was once described as ‘the unholy drag spawn of Evel Knievel, Lucille Ball and Danny La Rue’.
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Saturday 14 November; Lichfield Garrick, Saturday 6 February; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Saturday 20 February
MICK MILLER
It’s a toss-up whether veteran comedian Mick Miller is best known for his comedy or his hair, but the good news for his legion of Midlands fans is that he’ll be bringing both along with him to this Black Country gig.
Tickling ribs for the better part of half a century, Mick is as committed as he’s ever been to keeping his stand-up show fresh and funny. Post-interval in Dudley, he’ll be sitting down with close friend and fellow funnyman Ryan Gleeson to chat about his career in comedy. A good night is pretty much a guarantee.
Kings Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunday 15 November
HANNAH EAST
Brand-new skits, more wigs, celebrity send-ups and laugh-out-loud moments are promised by Hannah East when she visits the Midlands this month with her latest comedy offering, in which she takes a deep dive into the highs and lows of parenting.
Hannah splits her professional life between stand-up and presenting. “After graduating, I competed on the TV show Gladiators,” explains Hannah. “During the semi-final stage, I was waiting for a scene to be filmed with [ex-footballer] Ian Wright when he told me to read Caroline Flack’s autocue. After doing this, he gave me some advice - I should go into presenting. The rest, as they say, is history!”
Kings Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunday 15 November
FATIHA EL- GHORRI
With her swaggest hijab apparently ironed and ready to wear, Taskmaster breakout star Fatiha El-Ghorri is this month visiting three Midlands venues as part of her debut stand-up tour. Taking the title Cockney Stacking Doll, the show faired well in Edinburgh back in the summer. Critics hailed not only Fatiha’s surly, pugnacious style but also the effectiveness of her material in laying to rest a host of long-held stereotypes about Muslim women.
King’s Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunday 15 November; Glee Club, Birmingham, Thursday 19 November; Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Saturday 21 November
JOSH PUGH
Hailing from Warwickshire, Josh Pugh made his stand-up debut in the spring of 2014 and within 18 months had won the Birmingham Comedy Festival Breaking Talent Award.
Then, in 2016, he picked up the English Comedian of the Year title - the prize for which included a string of Australian gigs.
“The weirdest thing about that,” recalls Josh, “was the ex-pats who came to the show because I was billed as English Comedian of the Year. I’d have people coming up to me saying, ‘I used to live in Coventry,’ or ‘I’ve been to The Roadhouse in Birmingham.”
I found that dead odd - being so far away, on the other side of the world, and having people coming up to me who knew where I lived!”
hmv Empire, Coventry, Thursday 19 November; Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Sunday 29 November
NISH KUMAR
“Once you get established as a comedian,” says Nish Kumar, “you have to start taking comedy seriously, which is obviously an oxymoron. When you’re a nobody, you can just go up to the Edinburgh Fringe to get drunk and have fun.”
Nish’s days of anonymity - inebriated or otherwise - are a long way behind him. The London-born comedian has hit the big time, and done so simply by being his usual affable self. “For years, I thought comedians had to be confrontational or awkward,” he told the Guardian. “But then I realised, if people basically like you and think you’re an okay guy, they’ll listen to you talk about absolutely anything.”
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Saturday 21 November
BANGLA MONTH PRESENTS COMEDY SPECIAL
BBC Asian Network presenter Hashu Mohammed, better known as Smashbengali, is the host for this returning event. Expect an evening of fresh and insightful humour, delivered by some of the UK’s most promising up-and-coming comedic talent.
The Rep, Birmingham, Saturday 21 November
TEZ ILYAS
Silly, smart and subversive humour is the name of Tez Ilyas’ comedy game. And as the rapid growth of his fanbase ably illustrates, he’s extremely good at what he does.
Tez’s political stand-up has been likened to candyfloss with a razorblade hidden inside, while his television work has brought him to the attention of a whole new audience.
The fact that he’s been able to hit the right notes with so many people comes as no surprise to Tez himself: “It doesn’t matter what walk of life we’re from, I think we’re all united by the British sense of humour.
“Whatever creed, colour, sexual orientation or gender type we are, we have a connection based around a mutual appreciation of that sort of comedy.”
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sunday 22 November
FIN TAYLOR
Fin Taylor has got some way to go before he becomes a real household name, but he’s certainly heading in the right direction.
A comedian who doesn’t shy away from engaging with provocative issues, he’s stopping off at three West Midlands venues this autumn as part of his biggest-ever tour.
Birmingham Town Hall, Thursday 26 November
MARK SIMMONS
A runner-up in the Top 10 Jokes of the Edinburgh Fringe competition in 2022 - “Did you know, if you get pregnant in the Amazon, it’s next-day delivery” - Mark Simmons went one better in 2024, emerging from the summertime get-together in the Scottish capital with the Funniest Joke award: “I was going to sail around the globe in the world’s smallest ship, but I bottled it.”
And there’s plenty more where those little gems came from, with Mark’s talent for one-liners knowing no bounds.
The Glee Club, Birmingham, Thursday 26 November
ADAM ROWE
Adam Rowe well remembers the day he died in Stockport (only on stage, of course).
“It was the day I got my A-Level results and realised I wasn’t going to university for another year,” recalls the Liverpool-born comedian. “I decided to rant about my day and not do my material. I died on my arse and got gonged off. Awful.”
Fortunately for Adam, most of his gigs bear no resemblance to that one. Blending an affable persona with a quick wit and clever material, he’s now well established on the UK comedy circuit and is definitely worth a look.
The Alexandra, Birmingham, Sunday 29 November
SCOTT BENNETT
The next few weeks see Scott Bennett offering comedy-loving Midlanders plenty of opportunity to find out exactly why he’s such a highly rated (albeit relatively low profile) comedian.
Scott has been referred to as live comedy’s best-kept secret, with critics praising him for developing a style that comes complete with flashes of Peter Kay, John Bishop and Jason Manford.
Hugely popular on the corporate circuit, Yorkshire-born Scott is using his latest tour to contemplate the way in which people’s liking for ‘stuff’ sits at odds with the looming environmental crisis.
Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Saturday 6 February
PHIL WANG
Phil Wang’s first-ever five minutes behind the mic as a stand-up comedian were spent telling other people’s gags.
“I thought stand-up was like karaoke with jokes,” he recalls. “Most of the material I used was stolen, but I learned fast and immediately started writing my own material.”
Inspired to become a comedian by his desire to avoid having to get up in the mornings, Phil visits Birmingham next month with latest show UH OH.
The Alexandra, Birmingham, Sunday 21 March
RHYS JAMES
The gags come thick and fast when Rhys James is in town...
The Mock The Week comedian is visiting the Midlands next month with Chop Logic, a brand-new offering described by his publicity as ‘a fast, forensic show of big ideas and gag-dense overthinking from one of the nation’s sharpest stand-ups.’
“It’s been three years since I last did a tour, and frankly, I didn’t know if I ever would again,” says the 35-year-old comic, in talking about the new show. “But then I accidentally left a stool sample on a train and came up with a way to fix the whole country, and those aren’t the sorts of things you can just keep to yourself.”
Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Sunday 4 April; Birmingham Town Hall, Friday 23 April; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Saturday 1 May; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Friday 7 May