Brighton Dome Comedy Festival returns from 16-25 October and this year has partnered with Komedia, bringing a packed 10-day programme to two of the city’s best loved events venues.
All My Friends indie disco makes a long-awaited Brighton debut on the first Saturday of the Festival. Hosted by legendary comic podcasters Elis James, John Robins and Dave Masterman, who are DJ’ing together for the first time in over two years, the day rave brings indie and pop tunes from the 80s to the present day to Brighton Dome Concert Hall, with the odd special guest too.
Also new to the line up at Brighton Dome are internationally acclaimed comedian and filmmaker Simon Amstell, who performs I Love It Here in the Concert Hall as part of a strictly limited tour, and Northern Irish-Australian stand up Jimeoin (Live at the Apollo), whose new show Ballyhoo comes to the Corn Exchange. In the Studio Theatre, Melbourne International Comedy Festival Award-nominated star of Channel 4’s Mitchell & Webb Are Not Helping, Lara Ricote, explores millennial angst and self-discovery in Inkling and BBC New Comedy Award winner Dan Tiernan is armed with jokes, punchlines and rocks in Quartz and All. Cult cartoonists Modern Toss are back, with an exhibition in Brighton Dome Founders Room throughout the Festival.
For younger comedy fans, comic duo and Brighton Dome favourites Shelf return to the Studio Theatre with child-friendly music and sketches in The Kids Show 2. And swear-free standup showcase Live at Brighton Dome BLEEPED is back in the Corn Exchange, for ages 11 and up.
Over at Komedia, Guardian political sketch writer John Crace asks What The Hell Just Happened? in the Basement. Comedy Club 4 Kids brings families an afternoon of top comedy (without the rude bits!) for those ages 6+. After selling out in Edinburgh last year, Kim Blythe presents her brand-new show Puzzle and Rich Wilson performs an evening of observational hilarity in To The Cradle, From The Rave (Komedia Studio). Raising the Roof brings together Joe Wilkinson, Angela Barnes, Dinesh Nathan, James Ellis and Rich Wilson as MC in a comedy fundraiser for YMCA Brighton in the Basement, and award-winning character comedians Maddy and Marina Bye as Siblings perform surreal sketch show Dreamweavers (Komedia Studio).
Solve along Murder She Wrote at Komedia
Rosie Crane, Head of Programme at Brighton Dome, said:
“This is our biggest and funniest comedy festival yet! Teaming up with Komedia to bring Brighton all the silliest shows from across the live comedy spectrum is a dream come true. Whatever your age and laughter leanings there’s plenty to giggle at. See how many shows you can pack in and I’ll see you on the dance floor for All My Friends!”
Roxy Van Der Post, Marketing & Innovations Manager at Komedia, said:
“Brighton is the place to be for comedy this October, with a programme bursting at the seams! From a long-awaited show by character comedians Siblings to a fundraiser hosted by Rich Wilson, a Komedia favourite MC, and the return of political sketch writer John Crace, our newly announced events truly cover the full comedy spectrum. Move over, Spooktober, it’s all about comedy this year.”
Other shows already announced at Brighton Dome include BAFTA Award-winning Tom Davis’s new tour Spudgun; Brighton’s own Maisie Adam’s Whatsherface; and absurdist Australian comic Sam Campbell’s sold-out Kid Giblet. Irish satirist and musician Blindboy Boatclub will be joined by a special guest for a live recording of The Blindboy Podcast and Nish Kumar brings Angry Humour from a Really Nice Guy. There are also performances from Funny Women award-winning Laura Smyth, comic, actor and podcast host Catherine Bohart, viral comedy character sensation Jazz Emu and sci-fi streaked satire from Rosie Holt. Taskmaster star Stevie Martin weighs up the differences between online and live comedy in Clout and Celya AB says We Must Stop Meeting Like This. All performances at Brighton Dome will be live captioned, as part of the venue’s commitment to accessibility in the arts.
Elsewhere, free comedy workshops for young people in partnership with Komedia Productions return to Brighton Dome Anita’s Room, culminating in The Young Comedians Comedy Showcase at the end of the Festival. This year, Brighton Dome is also working with leading physical comedy ensemble Spymonkey, in partnership with
Brighton-based charity Kennedy Street Recovery Hub, on Finding Your Funny, a 6-day comedy and clowning workshop for people in recovery from addiction.
Over at Komedia is multi-award-winning Phil Ellis, as well as hit cult show Solve-Along-Murder-She-Wrote and TV favourite Aurie Styla. Award-winning comic Alfie Brown performs The Entertainer, Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Jordan Brookes brings The Part of You That’s Always Screaming and author and podcaster Robin Ince and character comedian Joanna Neary present an evening of stories, poetry and comedy. Spanish comic Sergi Polo brings fresh material from his sold-out UK and European tours; there’s stand up from the critically acclaimed Amy Matthews; Funny Women Live in Brighton showcases the very best in new female identifying and non-binary local comedy talent; and Sooz Kempner performs a stand-up show about finding your voice. There will also be Festival editions of regular shows, including feel-good, fast-paced night of fantastic new comedy Comic Boom Comedy Club, in association with Jill Edwards Comedy Workshops and Komedia Comedy Club, recently voted Best Pro Comedy Night in the South (Chortle Awards 2026).
Comedy at Brighton Dome is supported by Mayo Wynne Baxter. Echoing the venue’s year-round programme ethos, Brighton Dome Comedy Festival aims to be an inclusive and accessible celebration of all things funny, for everyone.
For more details and to book tickets visit brightondome.org and komedia.co.uk.
Main Komedia image by Matthew Andrews
