What's On / Bristol Concerts, Theatre & Dance / comedy

Bristol Comedy & Stand-Up Events

upcoming event

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.

Buy tickets for comedy events in Bristol

Our recent comedy recommendations

An immersive, madcap night feat subversive comedy legend Alexei Sayle! Riot Act’s Halloween Spectacular blends stand-up, punk poetry, and outrageous cabaret, with performances from Redeeming Features, Bex Cant, Stephen Bisland, and TRASH BAGZ. Step up for three-minute open mic slots and unleash your own chaos on the stage! Clowning chaos. Punk poetry mayhem. Circus insanity and Stand-up galore. RIOT ACT- Bristol’s madcap Punk Cabaret Clubnight- proudly presents the very best in conscientious rascality and high-octane fun, powered for the people by the people.

Sell out warning! A theatrical deep dive into the troubled life and interlocking mythos of the grand inquisitor of gothic horror. Providence lends H. P. Lovecraft’s often controversial human existence the appropriate dose of on-stage mysticism, with lashings of vaudeville comedy and plenty of beyond-the-grave guidance from Edgar Allan Poe. The Apocalypse Players are proud to present the first revival of the 2019 cult hit about HP Lovecraft, by Dominic Allen and Simon Maeder

What country, friends, is this? The Oxford Rep Company reimagines Shakespeare’s gender-bending masterpiece as a dark, modern fable of post-party emotional wreckage, laying bare the story of heartache and estrangement beneath its comic revels. Theatre show produced by Oxford Rep company

Otakar Vávra’s nightmarish folk horror uses actual 1670s Moravian witch trial transcripts to craft a bleak story of persecution and paranoia. Its resemblance to the Soviet show trials of contemporary Czechoslovakia earned it an immediate banning in the Eastern Bloc; today it remains a pertinent parable of the violence perpetuated by judicial machinery and bureaucratic control. A notorious 17th-century witch trial turns into a powerful allegory of life under totalitarian rule, in this chilling Czech political fable.

More Photos of Bristol Comedy & Stand-Up Events

What our editors say

“BAFTA-winning comedian Tom Davis returns to the stage with a brand new stand up tour packed with laugh-out-loud takes on life’s chaos. Known for Murder in Successville, King Gary, and his hit podcast Wolf and Owl with Romesh Ranganathan, Tom brings his unmistakable charm and sharp wit to this no-holds-barred live show. Big laughs, big heart, big lad — this is comedy at full throttle.”
From: Tom Davis: Spudgun

“Got a question about our venue or your tickets? Never been to a comedy show before? We’ve got a handy guide for you in The Gaffe FAQ: www.thegaffecomedyclub.com/faqs" target="_blank" >www.thegaffecomedyclub.com/faqs”
From: Eric Rushton: Innkeeper

“Got a question about our venue or your tickets? Never been to a comedy show before? We’ve got a handy guide for you in The Gaffe FAQ: www.thegaffecomedyclub.com/faqs" target="_blank" >www.thegaffecomedyclub.com/faqs" target="_blank" >www.thegaffecomedyclub.com/faqs" target="_blank" >www.thegaffecomedyclub.com/faqs”
From: Susie McCabe: Best Behaviour

“"He’s a brand of comedian that is getting rarer and rarer to come by these days, and if you’re among those who fear comedy has gotten too politically correct, this show will put those fears to rest." ★★★★ TimeOut”
From: Michael Shafar - Inappropriate

“Phil has been getting better at comedy since March 1987. One of these days he may just get it right. Until then Phil just keeps trying. If at first you don’t succeed, try and try your best. This is a tour of Phil, trying his best!”
From: Phil Nichol - Trying My Best