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
De-stygmatising sex work through bad bitch cabaret? Sexquisite’s mission of education, activism and entertainment’s a vital one for Bristol; slowly unstitching the prudish Marvin Rees legacy with high heels, hoops and hilarious gags. Show some support and de-toxify your mind!
After a string of sell out shows in Bristol we are back with another SEXQUISITE BRISTOL, on November 9th!
Intriguing absurdist one-woman experimental theatre taking a hatchet to online troll culture through funeral garb and interactive ritual. Definitely one for the morbidly curious underground-theatre buffs (sign us up).
An absurd and twisted comedy diving into the depths of public shaming, as one woman grieves the loss of her former self.
Peacefully demand that the UK government pushes for human rights to be respected in the conflict. #noMoreWarCrimes
You don’t need to be a Muslim to stand up for Gaza
Theatrical electro-punk spectacle from Helsinki oddballs Muovipussi. Combining hellish prosthetics, baseball bats, bright lights and live music something like Peaches and AFX scoring a reboot of the Warriors (....at the circus). Must be seen to be believed…..
Grandmas, Barbies and growling metalheads melt together in an exciting mix of beauty, skill, comedy, and darkness.
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What our editors say
“The theatrical phenomenon that is Blue Man Group are back, bringing their award-winning Bluevolution World Tour – a euphoric celebration of human connection through art, music, comedy and non-verbal communication – to the UK for the first time.”
From: Blue Man Group: Bluevolution World Tour
“Ben Elton first exploded into the national consciousness back in the 1980’s hosting Channel 4’s ground breaking Saturday Live and he’s been setting the standard for gag filled, taboo busting, tonsil rattling, mind expanding stand-up comedy ever since.”
From: Ben Elton - Authentic Stupidity
“Corinne is a Bristol-based performance storyteller with mixed Irish/British heritage. She creates original work based on folktales, myths and legends viewed through a contemporary lens. She is committed to telling stories that re-centre marginalised voices and silenced histories. As well as engaging with traditional storytelling practices, she uses physical theatre, stand-up comedy & audience participation to create brand new storytelling performances for a modern audience.”
From: Tam Lin Retold
“Be Kind Rewind Bristol presents Tod Solondz's deeply disturbing black comedy HAPPINESS screening at The Ill Repute on Thursday 30th May 2024.”
From: Happiness
“Whether journeying inside the human body or visiting a telepathic planet in a faraway galaxy, audiences will also be treated to some classic and cult sci-fi adventures with INNER WORLDS & OUTER SPACES, which will honour the 40th anniversary of sci-fi classic The Last Starfighter (1984), and include a very rare big-screen outing for the cult Soviet-era black comedy Kin-dza-dza! (1986), alongside Roland Emmerich’s groundbreaking 1994 actioner Stargate, which spawned a universe of TV series and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and Joe Dante’s Oscar-winning visual effects extravaganza Innerspace (1987).”
From: 16-19 May: FORBIDDEN WORLDS FILM FESTIVAL 2024