The Roundhouse Comedy Festival officially opened last night, launching a two week celebration of stand-up, live podcasts, comedy and special events.
The festival opened with Live at the Roundhouse, headlined by Frank Skinner and featuring performances from Phil Wang, Rosie Jones and Celya AB, with Saturday Night Live UK breakout Paddy Young hosting the evening.Opening night welcomed audiences, media and special guests to the Roundhouse, setting the stage for one of London's biggest comedy events of the summer.
Returning following the success of its inaugural festival in 2023, the Roundhouse Comedy Festival, co-programmed by acclaimed comedy producers Berk's Nest, brings together many of the biggest names in comedy alongside emerging talent, live podcasts and international exclusives.
Still to come throughout August are headline performances from Joe Lycett, Katherine Ryan, Sam Campbell, Ed Gamble, Sara Pascoe, Vittorio Angelone and Jack Rooke, alongside live podcasts, theatrical comedy and curated mixed-bill showcases.
A major highlight is the UK debut of cult US comedy platform Dropout, bringing live editions of its hit shows Dirty Laundry, Um, Actually and Crowd Control outside the United States for the very first time. Featuring Lily Du, Grant O'Brien, Ify Nwadiwe, Brian David Gilbert and Jacquis Neal, alongside UK guests including Sarah Keyworth, Jenny Eclair, Ivo Graham, Gbemi Oladipo and Aurie Styla, the shows mark a rare opportunity for British audiences to experience some of Dropout's most popular formats live.
Live recordings of The Alexei Sayle Podcast with Diane Morgan and The Adam Buxton Podcast featuring Mawaan Rizwan sit alongside a packed stand-up programme, with Sam Campbell joined by Fern Brady, Desiree Burch and Ayoade Bamgboye, while Sara Pascoe and Vittorio Angelone each host special "& Friends" line-ups featuring Harriet Kemsley, Nina Conti, John Kearns, Michael Odewale, Troy Hawke, Kyla Cobbler, Janine Harouni and Micky Overman.
Jack Rooke, BAFTA-winning creator of Big Boys and Roundhouse Ambassador, returns with his acclaimed show Good Grief, while Joe Lycett closes the festival with an evening of brand-new and experimental material.
Also appearing are Emmy-nominated Nick Mohammed, who joins Ed Gamble, Jamali Maddix and Sam Nicoresti for a showcase hosted by Kiri Pritchard-McLean, while Chloe Petts opens for Kristen Schaal's one-night-only performance of The Legend of the Crystal Shell, co-starring John Roberts.
Daisy Heath, Executive Producer at the Roundhouse, said: said: "It was fantastic to see the Roundhouse Comedy Festival return with such a brilliant opening night and such a warm response from audiences. The energy in the building was incredible, and it's exciting to officially kick off a month of world-class comedy featuring some of the biggest names in the industry, alongside outstanding emerging talent. We can't wait to welcome more people through our doors over the coming weeks."
Owen Donovan, Managing Director of Berk's Nest, added: "Opening night is always a special moment, and it was brilliant to see this year's festival get underway with such an incredible audience and line-up. What makes the Roundhouse Comedy Festival unique is the breadth of the programme – from arena-sized comedians and beloved podcasts to theatrical shows, experimental work and the UK debut of Dropout's live shows. There's genuinely something for every comedy fan across the month."
The Roundhouse Comedy Festival continues throughout August, celebrating the breadth of contemporary comedy while marking 20 years since the Roundhouse reopened as an independent multi-arts venue and youth charity.
Tickets remain available for selected performances. As part of the Roundhouse and Berk's Nest's continued commitment to accessibility, 30 tickets priced at £5 are available for every performance for audiences aged 30 and under.
For the full programme and remaining tickets, visit www.roundhouse.org.uk.
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: CORRINE CUMMING
