‘Bring Your Own Book' is the debut comedy festival show from Leicester's newest improvised comedy group. Specialists in storytelling, Tiny Stories will treat you to a night of tales made up on the fly, fables pulled from thin air, and if you bring your favourite book, they'll retell it in a way you couldn't possibly forget.

Nominated for Improv Group of the Year by Phoenix Remix.

"I'm exhausted with mirth."

"A wonderfully weird, funny and delightful show."

Celebrating his twentieth anniversary as a comedian living and performing in the UK, Reginald D Hunter returns to the Festival with his 2019 tour show ‘Facing The Beast'. Brutally honest and often considered to be controversial, but always meticulously thought out, and he has never been afraid to face challenging issues head on even when the focus is on his own principles or beliefs.

"Flying in the face of received opinion in a way that is simply exhilarating" *****Times
"Compelling onstage charisma. He remains a towering presence in absolute control." ****Evening Standard

Joe Sutherland brings his caustic, catty wit and unapologetic confidence. He has taken the UK comedy circuit by the balls, and the circuit liked it.

And finally the fantastic Jen Ives. Funny Women 2019 Finalist and Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2019 Finalist, Jen is "easy-going and gregarious with a touch of self-deprecation that adds to her confidence rather than detracts from it".

Jason Byrne returns with his brand-new show, Wrecked But Ready. After 23 consecutive years Jason is wrecked but he is as ever ready (which is a battery, but he's more Duracell than Eveready). In particular the past year has been extremely testing for the wrecked Jason, but despite all this is he's waiting to spill it out on stage. No one show is the same, expect all the usual spontaneous fun, come along and witness

‘The outright King of live comedy' - The Times.

Three-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee and very-hard-to-pin-down-indie-underdog-nightmare Josie Long is back with a brand new show after a brief hiatus, during which she had a baby and so on.

It's about the mind-bending intensity of new motherhood, but mostly about kindness, gentleness, and joy - all in all, the edgiest thing you will see this year. The aim is for you to come out of it feeling optimistic about the future, although that is a big ask. At the very least there will be some really silly voices in it, and that's not nothing.

★★★★ Times "Brilliantly evocative, an original and unflagging spirit."
★★★★★ Broadway Baby "She's the consummate comedian. A wonderful talent."
★★★★ Times "Josie Long has long been a favourite...brilliantly evocative, an original and unflagging spirit."
★★★★  Chortle " Instils her audience with a positive, feelgood feeling"
★★★★ Time Out "An absolute delight"
★★★★ Guardian
★★★★ Metro

Thus far, Paul has lived his life content in the understanding that stability and emotional happiness were lovely ideas but not really for him. Nonetheless, several decades of cheerfully bearing boozy witness to the narratives of others can slowly change a man. And so can a prosecco-fuelled Christmas.

"One of our most thoughtful and enjoyable comedians" Times
"This is what a good stand-up should be. Hilariously funny, passionate and articulate." Chortle
"Makes you realise the power of stand-up comedy and the respect it deserves as an art form." Yorkshire Post

Rose d'Or Award winner for radio comedy, Chortle Award winner and Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee, Paul is a familiar voice on radio, appearing on Just A Minute, The News Quiz and Fighting Talk. On television, Paul has recently appeared on QI, Would I Lie to You? and Taskmaster. 

A lifetime of curiosity and learning informs Paul's comedy and this has led to another career, as a general knowledge expert on the ITV quiz show, The Chase.

Age Guidance 18+

THE 2019 EDINBURGH FRINGE SELL-OUT HIT

Following a sell-out 2018 tour, and fresh from a 2019 Edinburgh Fringe run that sold out in advance, Phil ‘Philly Philly Wang Wang' Wang is back on tour with his newest show.

Phil has made a name for himself (that name being Phil Wang) exploring sex, romance, politics, and his mixed British-Malaysian heritage with shows that delight in his unique Wang brand of smart and silly. This one is about morality and the modern sense of self. Swell! 

As seen on Taskmaster, Live at the Apollo and Netflix.

‘This is intoxicating stuff' ★★★★
Telegraph

'Stand-up dreamland' ★★★★
Guardian

★★★★             
Times 

★★★★             
Metro

Can they become Pacifist of the United Kingdom Unite champions?! What will happen when the glory fades?! Join the Turville Militant Pacifists and be witness to their rise and fall in the high stakes game of Pacifism!

Part two of this hilarious double bill!  Join us for part one just before and save - only £10 for the whole evening!

Focus returns! Keeping it PG we're bringing you the highs, the ‘awks', the sickkkk and the salty from the eyes of young people! A night with a mixed bill of stand up, sketches and a chance to witness the up and coming talent Leicester has to offer!

Mirth meets murder in the world's daftest whodunnit.

Following a five-star sell-out run at Edinburgh Fringe, CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation returns to Leicester with a rip-roaring crime comedy made up entirely on the spot. A fully improvised, witty and absurd murder mystery.

No one knows who the killer is; not even the cast!

"A novel idea, executed superbly" ***** (The Wee Review)

Travel and Comedy In The Danger Zone

Dom Joly is best known as the creator of Trigger Happy TV and now the writer and broadcaster is undertaking his first UK tour since 2011, giving fans a rare opportunity to see him live. Dom will be talking about his exploits as a serial globe-trotting and seeker of dangerous travel spots. From North Korea though the Congo and Syria to Chernobyl, he's visited some of the most unusual places on the planet. Joly famously attended school with Osama Bin Laden and armed with a trusty Powerpoint, fans can expect his holiday snaps to provide comedy and a sense of danger. The best-selling author will meet fans after the show to sign copies of his latest book, The Hezbollah Hiking Club.

The time is 4.17pm.
No-one is dressed yet.
Civilisation has collapsed.
Law and order has broken down.
The kids are high on sugar.
The adults have lost control.
Every conversation is an argument.
The coffee has run out.
A child scribbles on the wall.
Someone spills a drink.
Everyone is shouting.
This is Toddlergeddon.

Join award-winning comedian and bestselling author Sam Avery (AKA The Learner Parent) for an evening of hilarious stand up, brand new for 2020. How do you raise a toddler with more attitude than Kanye West? Can you negotiate effectively with a pre-schooler who knows you're clueless? And will any of us survive Toddlergeddon?

'Quick wit and painfully funny' METRO
'A gifted storyteller' THE LIST

After three hugely successful BBC series as Lee Nelson, multiple sell-out tours and various court appearances following world-famous stunts on Theresa May, Sepp Blatter, Donald Trump, Kanye West and Britain's Got Talent, the award-winning comedian unleashes his funniest creation yet... himself!

Fresh from a critically-acclaimed, sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Simon takes his debut stand-up show 100% Simon Brodkin on a nationwide tour.

One of The Guardian's ‘Top Shows At The Fringe'
One of The Evening Standard's ‘Best Comedy Shows at The Fringe'
"A sublime piece of comedy" The List
"Sky-high gag rate" Metro
"Hilarious" The Scotsman

Berk's Nest, in association with Casarotto Ramsay & Associates, presents

Arabella Weir: Does My Mum Loom Big In This?

‘Comedy gold' – Guardian

The mother of all confessional shows from the bestselling author and star of The Fast Show and Two Doors Down. Does My Mum Loom Big In This? is for everyone who's had a mother or been a mother, featuring hair-raising hilarious true stories from Arabella's dysfunctional childhood and her life as a single working mother. Devastatingly funny, excruciatingly honest and definitely embarrassing for all of Arabella's relatives, not to mention herself, this is a helter-skelter tour of appalling – and appallingly funny – maternal behaviour.

"Arabella Weir has a unique knack of making appalling (and true) stuff funny" – Sandi Toksvig
"Arabella Weir is simply sensational" – Joanna Lumley
"She's a mother, she's a comedy godmother, and her show is mother******* marvellous" - Miranda Hart
"Mirth, motherhood, misery. Arabella is brilliantly funny in her new show" - Paul Whitehouse

TV favourite Lucy returns with another fantastic stand-up show.

At Brownies, Lucy thought she'd be prepared for anything as long as she had her emergency 10p for a phone box, and knew how to tie a Fisherman's knot.Life turned out to be slightly more complicated than Brown Owl let on.

‘A treat from start to finish' - The Herald
‘Impeccably punch-lined anecdotes... genuinely delightful‘ - The Telegraph

Recent TV includes Would I Lie to You, QI and Impossible, she's a regular on Radio 4's News Quiz and The Now Show.
 
Recommended age 14+

In his new show 50 Things About Us Mark Thomas combines his trademark mix of storytelling, standup, mischief and really, really well researched material to examine how we have come to inhabit this divided wasteland that some of us call the United Kingdom.

Mark picks through the myths, facts and figures of our national identities to ask who do we think we are?

It is a show about money, history, songs, gongs, wigs, unicorns, guns, bungs, sods of soil and rich fuckers.

And how we have so much feeling for such a hollow land.

(In the vein of the Manifesto meets a sweary history channel)

50 Things About Us is also a podcast (coming out in September) and a book published by September Publishing in February 2020 and an art exhibition... in Liverpool January 2020.

From the producers of Wahala Comedy Clash Jamaica Vs Africa, for the first time ever in Leicester, the UK's only X-Rated urban comedy show.

This show has sold out in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Cardiff and Nottingham.

If you are easily offended or a little bit prudish don't attend, this one will have you running for the hills.

Nothing is held back and comedians go all out, this one is hot, wet, sticky and hilarious.

Get ready to cry with laughter.

This event is guaranteed to sell out, don't delay, buy your tickets early.

COMEDY FROM :

SLIM - King Of Comedy

KAT - MTV Bass

KAYLEIGH LEWIS - Wahala Clash Undefeated Champion

DEANO MAC - Sweet Boy Of Comedy

KAZEEM JAMAL - Bad Boy Of Comedy

Please note that all comedians are subject to change, if at no fault of the promoter a comedian can no longer make the event the promoter will within reason try to replace that act with a comedian of equal measure, this is not guaranteed.

14+ Parental Advisory

Little Wander Proudly Presents:

Multi award winning comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean (Have I Got News for You, Live at the Apollo, 8 out of 10 Cats, Frankie Boyle's New World Order) is back with her fourth full length show. Previous shows have seen her tackle structural racism, sexism, child grooming, adoption and emotional abuse so what seemingly unfunny subject has she picked to turn into laughs this year? Chernobyl? The shrinking size of creme eggs? No, empathy. Which sounds fine actually but maybe not the way Kiri tackles it. 

Kiri thinks that we live in a time where empathy is seen as a weakness like asthma or being first to pull away from a handshake. But why is that? Surely what we need in these divided times is more empathy? So Kiri is off on a search to find a group of people who she struggles to empathise with, what could this mean.....? Well, it means she's spent the last year talking to non offending paedophilles on the internet. Yup, her search history is a disaster. So, come and see her make the impossible hilarious or possibly get arrested.  

★★★★★ - The independent 
"An impressive comic, making powerhouse standup from the thorniest of subjects" - The Guardian

Age Guidance: 16+ years

Photo credit Kayla Wren

Robert White, that gay autistic keyboard-wielding comedian who you've almost forgotten from Britain's Got Talent 2018, fresh off the heels of his debut tour last year, brings you his unique form of musical stand-up in a laugh packed hour, but this time with a little more edge, a little more personal revelation and a whole new tank top. Just him, some jokes, some songs, a keyboard and maybe a personal trouble or comedic treat, or two.

Robert is probably the only Asperger, dyslexic, cross lateral, gay, quarter-Welsh, webbed-toed comedian on the circuit...probably. This Edfringe White brings you more of the fun you saw on telly.... plus lots of extra naughty bits.

"Pitch-perfect delivery...Just brilliant" ★★★★ Chortle
"Jaw-dropping riot" ★★★★ The List
"Robert White tries hard – and spectacularly succeeds" ★★★★ ThreeWeeks

Mr P has been a primary school teacher for over 12 years. He still works part-time in school and leads training in schools all over the UK and beyond. From sharing ideas and funny insights into life in the classroom he has now become the most followed teacher on social media in the UK.

A year ago, alongside his younger brother (who also works in school) he started a podcast - Two Mr Ps in a Podcast. In a year, it has been the number one education podcast and amassed over 350,000 listeners.

Sharing funny stories from the front line of teaching, this live show will see the Two Mr Ps reminiscing on their own school days and looking at the wonderful and hilarious world of education. Anyone who went to school will enjoy and relate to this brilliant new show.

Andrew is out of the jungle and back with his creature comforts.  He has swapped creepy crawlies, rice and beans for Guinness, good grub and a posh hotel.  He's washed the ants out of his undies and is ready to do what he does best; perform stand-up comedy across the country.  He's the winner of The Time Out Award for Best Live comic, Chortle's best live comedian, Best Irish Comedian and Channel 4's King Of Comedy.

As seen on I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here (ITV1), Live At The Apollo (BBC One), Have I Got News For You (BBC One), Qi (BBC2), Celebrity Juice (ITV2),  Mock The Week (BBC Two), Roast Battle (Comedy Central) and Winner of Celebrity Mastermind (BBC One).   Andrew is also the voice of MTV's hit show Ex On The Beach, his BBC Radio 4 series ‘Welcome To Wherever You Are' has returned for a second series and he has been a guest host on The News Quiz.

"One of the funniest men in Britain' The Telegraph
‘Infuriatingly Excellent' The Sunday Times
"If you can only see one stand-up act, see Maxwell" The Mirror
"Furiously funny" The Times
Double Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee
"Little known comedian Andrew Maxwell" The Sun

Presented by Mick Perrin Worldwide Ltd in association with BBAM

Recommended 16+

After his meteoric rise through the ranks, Scottish Comedy Award winner and viral sensation Gary Meikle is back with his second tour show, Surreal! A word that perfectly describes Gary’s last twelve months. He started the year performing in comedy clubs, and ended it selling out big theatres in the UK as well as tours in America, Canada and Europe!

Not one for mincing his words, Gary has been described as“playfully dark”. His cheeky chappie nature and ability to get away with talking about anything will have you laughing at things you probably shouldn’t be! As always, Gary will draw material from his own real-life experiences, including his unique family dynamic and his rapid rise to online fame. Quickly putting his audiences at ease, a night of stand up with Gary feels like a night in the pub chatting with friends!

Having performed to tens of thousands of people over the past year, Gary has found a new confidence and level of openness on stage, meaning he doesn’t hold back on giving his opinions, no matter how warped! The new show will cover topics such as evolution, social media, how to deal with burglars, single mums, bee sex, small man syndrome and much more. Gary is a fast paced, punchy storyteller that finds the funny in anything!

For Ages 16+

The brand-new stand-up show from the star of The Tez O'Clock Show (Channel 4), TEZ Talks (BBC Radio 4) and the multi-award-winning Man Like Mobeen (BBC Three).

Join Tez as he uses his trademark silly, smart and subversive approach to pit ordinary people against the establishment.

Expect huge laughs, groans and shocks as Tez confronts the state of the world with his cheeky, provocative flair.

★★★★ ‘Radiantly entertaining' The Times.
★★★★ ‘Blackburn's Chris Rock' The Guardian.
★★★★ ‘Tez Ilyas's political stand-up takes serious talent to pull off' The Telegraph.

Double Edinburgh Comedy Award-nominee and star of Live At The Apollo returns with a brand new hour of "confessional storytelling at its funniest" (Herald ★★★★★).  As seen on Michael McIntyre's Big Show, Mock The Week and Roast Battle. "Destined to become a household name" Telegraph ★★★★

Nominee for Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Show 2018.
Winner of the Amused Moose Comedy Award for Best Show 2016.
Nominee for Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer 2015.