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Bristol Comedy & Stand-Up Events

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Bristol's Comedy Scene

Bristol is an essential stop-off in the UK comedy circuit. The Comedy Box is probably the city’s most prolific stand up promoter, regular shows bring crowds to The Hen and Chicken, The Tobacco Factory and Colston Hall’s ‘The Lantern’. In summer The Comedy Garden in Queens Square brings a who’s who in British comedy with past guests including Stewart Lee, Marcus Brigstocke, Mark Watson and Shappi Khorsandi. The Loco Club (beneath Temple Meads train station) is home to occasional stand up nights promoted by Bristol Underground Comedy. In the city centre alongside the headliners found at Colston Hall and Bristol Hippodrome, Riproar Comedy host stand-up every Friday and Saturday evening.

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Our recent comedy recommendations

Superlative, high-camp satire of family-values conservatism in Hollywood’s take on French stage comedy La Cage Aux Folles. Miami cabaret couple Robin Williams and Nathan Lane go from drag glamour to farcical subterfuge as they play it straight for the sake of their son and his would-be in-laws. A watershed moment for LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media, and a real gem in the Williams oeuvre. The Birdcage at Bristol Megascreen.

Sell out warning! Bristol > Abergavenny summer getaway par excellence, Come Bye hosts a steaming pre-festival warmup with this Sauna + DJ session in Horfield Common’s community wellness retreat. Sweat out to residents spinning acid chug, bumpin’ garage and sunshine-filled house before taking the deep cold plunge. Come Bye & Sauna at Ardagh Community Sauna, BS6 7YL.

Sell out warning! The Bristol ballroom legacy lives on in the iconic Fruitea kiki! Whether you’re ready to strut your stuff down the catwalk or cheer on the voguers, the energy at Trinity will be 10s all round with this night of unbridled queer joy and jaw-dropping serves. FRUITEA at The Trinity Centre.

What does protest look like once it’s been filed away? And how can we document it without flattening its complexity? This insightful collaboration between visual storytellers and independent media collective The Bristol Cable spans digital fragments, photographs, testimonies and group discussion, hosted alongside Error 404’s urgent images of Nepal’s youth-led uprising. Capturing Movement: Truth, Voice and Visibility at IC Visual Lab.

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What our editors say

“Looking for a good time and a hilarious night out to end the working week? You’ve come to the right place. Bristol's fresh new comedy club brings the best acts in the country and the region right to the city centre. Expect TV and radio sensations, local legends and touring comedians from the circuit, but above all, expect genuine laughs. We don’t do things by halves at The Gaffe. This is a top-level comedy night with a handpicked line-up, brought to you by the team behind, The Bristol Comedy FEstival, The Room Above (winner of the Chortle Award for Best Pro Comedy Night) and the White Bear Comedy Club.”
From: Saturday Night Comedy Headliners 9pm

“You’re in for a night of cutting-edge comedy. We aim to make our shows diverse and inclusive, with some names you already know, and others that should be on your radar. Since opening in January 2025, The Gaffe has featured:”
From: Saturday Night Comedy Headliners 7pm

“Looking for a good time and a hilarious night out to end the working week? You’ve come to the right place. Bristol's fresh new comedy club brings the best acts in the country and the region right to the city centre. Expect TV and radio sensations, local legends and touring comedians from the circuit, but above all, expect genuine laughs. We don’t do things by halves at The Gaffe. This is a top-level comedy night with a handpicked line-up, brought to you by the team behind, The Bristol Comedy Festival, The Room Above (winner of the Chortle Award for Best Pro Comedy Night) and the White Bear Comedy Club.”
From: Friday Comedy Club

“Join us on Thursdays for a great value night of local comedy from some of the best comedians in the South West. Bristol has an award-winning comedy scene for good reason: it’s packed full of talented comedians who live in or near the city, and it’s our job to cherry-pick the best of them for this banger of a Thursday night show, all for £5!”
From: Thursday Comedy for a fiver

“A brand new, new act, new material night at Seamus O’Donnell's The tickets are free, the bar is open and the laughs are rolling in for Stand up @ Seamus. Join us for a night of top local queer and queer-friendly comedy. Come and see comedians try out new jokes or even take to the stage for the very first time. You really never know what you might see at a new material night!”
From: Seamus Presents: Stand Up LGBTQ+ Comedy Night