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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

Absurdist prop puppetry and multimedia fragmentation drive this astounding one-woman show from director, writer and performer Claudia Shnier. Across allegorical hoovers, scissors and alternative selves, she sheds light on her twin experiences of OCD and coercive control – combining viscerally cathartic physical theatre and storytelling genius. The critically acclaimed tragi-comedy follows the story of a woman who falls in love with a Vacuum. Using puppetry, physical theatre and multi-media, this ‘Sarah Kane Rave’ explores control and abusive power disguised as love.

A rare treat for radical thespians: Worms Theatre hosts a playful, beginner’s-friendly deep dive into Augusto Boal’s revolutionary practice, culminating in a Forum Theatre play at the end of the course. Theatre of the Oppressed reframes ‘acting’ as a vehicle for social change, encouraging anarchic audience participation and providing a safe space to practice real-life resistance. Join Worms Theatre Company for an 8-week exploration in Theatre of the Oppressed.

Democratise the canvas! For 9 days the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft throws open its doors for a massive free-to-exhibit, free-entry art exhibition, alongside all-ability workshops, live comedy, an eclectic bazaar, and a Chris Packham-starring climate action doc screening. Acting as a celebration of culture and expressive art, the People’s Art Fair is open to artists, makers, photographers, painters, sculptors and creatives of all shapes and flavours. We know art isn’t just paintings hanging on walls, so the People’s Art Fair includes all sorts of creative workshops and activities.

Come see Ramallah on the big screen! Thank You For Banking is Laila Abbas’ intimate and darkly humorous family drama, where two sisters unite against patriarchal inheritance laws to reclaim money from their beloved father. A stark reminder that, in amongst the horrors of war, Palestinian women must always fight a battle on several fronts. A screening of this blackly comic West Bank film followed by a guided discussion

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What our editors say

“"What a funny night! First time going to a comedy show, found myself in the front row put on the spot by the MC! Definitely will be back, loved every minute of it!" - Izabella, Google Local Guide reviewer”
From: Olga Koch: Fat Tom Cruise

“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

“Host of the Q Radio Breakfast Show and Star of The Two Jonnies Late Night Lock In (RTE), The Blame Game (BBC), Comedy Central Live, along with hit appearances on some of the biggest comedy podcasts in the UK and Ireland. He is a frequent viral hit with over 50 million views amassed across social media.”
From: Andrew Ryan: Honest Capacity Tour 2026

“He will bring his razor-sharp wit and international style straight from London's comedy scene to Bristol and yes, he'll be performing entirely in English. Originally from Barcelona, Sergi made a name for himself in the UK, performing at world-renowned venues like The Comedy Store in London and The Comedy Cellar in New York.”
From: Sergi Polo in Bristol

“Pear Tree is a stand up comedy show about pear shaped events between Sri Lanka and Australia. It’s about family, love, homes, knives, kids and cats - spliced with a bit of geopolitics and singing. As with her last show Boundaries (now on YouTube) Sashi’s signature observations remain dedicated to taking absolutely nothing too seriously.”
From: Sashi Perera: Pear Tree