Welcome to the home of Bath Comedy - for both the Spring time Bath Comedy Festival and events throughout the year.
The ninth Bath Comedy Festival will run from Sat 1st - Mon 17th April 2017
Bath Comedy Autumn Season 2016
We are delighted to announce our series of Autumn season shows. Watch this space for more to come!
Thurs 13th Oct - 8.00pm
Electric Bear Brewing Company, Bath
Bill Smarme's Piss-up In A Brewery SOLD OUT
They said he couldn't do it...but they were wrong...beer, pizza, more beer and a unique comedic take on all things vaguely musical with a few surprises.
Fri 14th Oct - 8.00pm
The Bell (Love Lounge), Bath
Nick Harper SOLD OUT
RMT Music & Bath Comedy present one of the finest musicians in the country. A hugely talented and energetic performer with a phenomenal vocal range.
Tues 1st Nov - 8.00pm
Widcombe Social Club, Bath
The Real MacGuffins - Instructions for American Servicemen in Britain SOLD OUT
An instant hit when it previewed and a sell out last year, The Real MacGuffins return with their rib-tickling show for all ages!
Tues 15th Nov - 8.00pm
Ring O Bells, Bath
Mishka Shubaly & Glenn Wool SOLD OUT
Cult favourite songwriter admired by Doug Stanhope & Johnny Depp, and world-renowned effortlessly funny and sharply intelligent comedian team up for an evening of music and comedy.
Thurs 17th Nov - 8.00pm
St Margaret's Hall, Bradford on Avon
Fred MacAulay - LIFE
A star of Mock the Week & The News Quiz, Fred's new show will be topical, potentially satirical and is bound to be funny! "Rib-achingly funny, one of the funniest men alive" - Sunday Times
Thurs 1st Dec - 8.00pm
Widcombe Social Club, Bath
Bonbon Cabaret - Bonbon & Chums SOLD OUT
The legendary Bonbon Cabaret is back with music and comedy mayhem, at home in Widcombe at Bath's newest cool venue.
Fri 9th Dec - 8.00pm
St Margaret's Hall, Bradford on Avon
Swear along with Withnail & I
You've sung-along-a Sound of Music, now you can swear along to the finest film known to humanity!
Click here for full details of our Autumn shows and advance booking.
The 8th Bath Comedy Festival ran from Friday 1st April - Sunday 10th April 2016
Photo Galleries
Check out some of the choice photos from the Festival using the links below:
Opening Night Showcase
The 9th Wine Arts Trail
Bath Plug Award - Peter Richardson
New Act Competition - Grand Final
Mayor's Parlour Reception
Press Coverage, Blogs and Reviews
Read our selection of press coverage including an interview with Georgina The Bride a.k.a. Anna Morris from Bath Weekend magazine and various other recent features on our press coverage page.
Comedy Festival patron and Wine Arts Trail co-conspirator Ralph Oswick writes about the festival on his blog at www.ralphoswick.com.
Bath's own comedy historian and author Jem Roberts' blogs about the Bath Plug Award at jemroberts.com
There are numerous reviews from the Festival on the TheatreBath web site (you may have to scroll a way back to the Festival dates to find them):
http://theatrebath.co.uk/blog/category/reviews/
Pav wins 2016 New Act Competition
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The final of the Bath Comedy Festival 2016 New Act Competition was held on Sunday 10th April at the newly reopened Widcombe Social Club.
Sunday 10th April 2016: Stand-up comedian Pav Thiruchelvarajah, who performs under the name 'Pav', walked away with the title and a special prize, a large canvas artwork tribute to double-act Pete & Dud, made by Iconicomedy from Bristol.
Mark Dennett was the runner up, with Faye Treacy third. The judges also awarded a special commendation to Tama Broadbent. The other acts taking part in the final were Cally Beaton, Steve Hilli, Adele Cliff, Aaron Levene, Maggy Whitehouse and Saskia Preston. Festival Director Nick Steel said: "All the finalists deserved their places and helped make it a very special and entertaining evening."
Host Geoff Whiting commented: "Mirth Control Comedy were delighted to partner with Nick Steel of Bath Comedy Festival to organise this New Act Competition, the standard this year was exceptional and the candidates diverse and talented across the board."
Photo: Lloyd Ellington
L-R Nick Steel (Comedy Festival Director), Pav, Mark Dennett, Faye Treacy
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Photos: Lloyd Ellington
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See the full gallery of photos - click here
Peter Richardson presented with the Bath Plug Award 2016
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Bath Comedy Festival director Nick Steel presented the award as a recognition of Richardson's many years' contribution to the world of comedy and a celebration of the great British comedy institution which is The Comic Strip Presents.
Sunday 3rd April 2016: In an evening which saw the cinema debut of the new Comic Strip Presents film Redtop, the phone-hacking satire starring Maxine Peake as Rebekah Brooks and Stephen Mangan as Tony Blair, the centrepiece of the evening was an hour with Peter Richardson in conversation with comedy historian and aficionado Jem Roberts, where they discussed over 30 years of classic Comic Strip Presents films.
After only one year's existence, The Bath Plug Award has already been the subject of a question on Bradley Walsh's The Chase, and after the inaugural 2015 presentation to the great Terry Jones, the award is set be a long-running celebration of comedy greatness.
Photo: Lloyd Ellington
L-R Jem Roberts, Peter Richardson and Nick Steel
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Photos: Lloyd Ellington
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See the full gallery of photos - click here
Bath Comedy Edinburgh Previews - July 2016
We are presenting four preview shows at our Ring O Bells venue this July:
Wed 27th July - 7.30pm
Ring O Bells
John-Luke Roberts Builds a Monster
Edinburgh preview show from Gaulier-trained comedy writer and performer.
"Intelligent, precise and deadly funny" **** Chortle
Wed 27th July - 9.00pm
Ring O Bells
Elf Lyons - Pelican
A brand new fierce, sassy and hilarious show from the L'Ecole Philippe Gaulier graduate and Feminist Times' One To Watch.
Thurs 28th July - 7.30pm
Ring O Bells
Daniel Simonsen - Working On It
Work in progress show from the Norwegian comic and Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer.
Thurs 28th July - 9.00pm
Ring O Bells
Neil McFarlane - Sightseeing With A Hangover
Low-budget international comic McFarlane has gigged randomly and almost unnoticed around Europe and America. Come hear his haphazard travelling tales.
Click here for full details of our July previews and advance booking.
Bath Comedy @ Bath Fringe - June 2016
We are presenting three shows as part of this year's Bath Fringe Festival:
Sat 4th June - 8pm
Widcombe Social Club
Frank Williams - More Tea Vicar?
The original Dad's Army Vicar Frank Williams invites you to join him for a hilarious evening of TV nostalgia, including rare behind-the-scenes home movie footage.
Wed 8th June - 8pm
Club XL
Bill Smarme Comes Strictly Dancing
A riotous fandango of hip hop, flip flop, lindy hop and new fangled tangos performed by Bill, his swinging band The Bizness and Special Guests Hoppin' Mad.
Thurs 9th June - 8pm
Widcombe Social Club
Widcombe Nights - Comedy Special
A night of top comedy circuit stand-up talent starring Nick Doody, Bilal Zafar, Philip Cooper and Aideen McQueen (MC)
Click here for full details of our Bath Fringe line-up and to book tickets
Events programme online
The full line-up for the 2016 Bath Comedy Festival is available to view online, and events are all on sale via online booking.
Check out the what's on diary for full show information and online booking links, or read an overview of the Festival.
The printed programme brochure is available to view online or download as a PDF, and the physical version will be available from early March - look out for it in your local pubs and cafés, or pick one up at the Bath Visitor Information Centre.
Comedy Festival looking forward to brand new venue
We're delighted that we'll be using the newly rebuilt Widcombe Social Club during the Festival.
Bath Comedy Festival will be the first use of the new building, and we've got events on every day - starting on April 1st with the Opening Night April Fools Stand-up Showcase. Highlights at the venue include Viv Groskop, a Character Showcase featuring double act Lazy Susan, Stephen Frost's Improv Allstars, a special panel show In Conversation with Standard Issue Magazine with Lucy Porter, Jess Robinson, Anna Morris as Georgina the Bride, Hardeep Singh Kohli, Patrick Monahan, Pete Searles, Paco Erhard and an immersive theatre show The Wedding Reception, from the creators of The Faulty Towers Dining Experience, which includes a two course meal and wedding cake! The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre are also here, still holding the record for being the only act to have performed at every Bath Comedy Festival.
Midweek, the Kids' Comedy Festival takes over during the day times with two shows per day including the amazing Nutty Noah, and a show specially written for the Festival, King Pumpypants and the Three Princesses.
Arthur Smith's Arturart Museum of Socks will be available to view all day throughout the Festival staring on Sunday 3rd April...and if you time your visit right, you might find the curator in attendance...
The Festival culminates on the last evening with the Grand Final of the New Act Competition, where the best nine acts from the heats battle it out for the prestigiouis title of Bath New Act of the Year.
Comedy Festival Bus Stop
A special bus stop has been installed in Widcombe near Bath Comedy Festival headquarters.
A new permanent fixture in Widcombe, the bus stop has an added section on the sign which reads "Alighting point for Red & White Wine Arts Trails - Bath Comedy Festival"
Festival Director Nick Steel said "I'm thrilled to bits. You know you're really on the map when you get your own bus stop!"
The 9th Wine Arts Trail takes place on Sun 3rd April. Tickets for the afternoon tour are already sold out, but there are a few left for the morning trip - click here for details.
Bath Comedy Festival 2016 launches in style
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The 8th annual Bath Comedy Festival was officially launched on Wednesday 20th January at a grand reception at Victoria Art Gallery.
Guests were entertained with exclusive previews from some of the star acts of the Festival, including multi-instrumentalist John Sampson, astonishing vocal impressionist Jess Robinson and famously grumpy old man, Radio 4 favourite and The One Show regular, Arthur Smith.
Arthur Smith commented "Bath Comedy Festival is the best in the country, and I'm delighted to be a Patron and to be coming back to the city again this year"
Photo: Lloyd Ellington
L-R Nick Steel (Comedy Festival Director), Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE (Sponsor), The Right Worshipful The Mayor of Bath & Alan Cassé (Festival Front of House Manager)
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Photos: Lloyd Ellington
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See the full gallery of photos - click here
The Festival Launch party was sponsored by Great Western Wine, The Mint Room, Morgan Brinkhurst Consultancy Events and Peacock PR
New Festival Patron announced
Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE has become the latest Patron of the Festival.
Nick Steel, Directior of the Festival said: "I'm very pleased to welcome Loraine onto the team. The Comedy Festival has an impressive line-up of Patrons, including such luminaries as Terry Jones and Barry Cryer. Loraine's incredible energy, organisational skills and dedication to the city of Bath will be a huge boost.''
Loraine added: "I am over the moon to have been invited to be a Patron for Bath Comedy Festival in my home City. It's been a privilege to have supported the Festival for many years. Nick does a tremendous job building the festival year on year and organising such incredible acts that enables the Festival to provide so much entertainment throughout the 10 days."
Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE owns and runs Morgan-Brinkhurst Consultancy Events & Promotions. Loraine is a former Mayor of Bath and was runner up in the National Mayor of the Year Awards 2003. She has many years experience in organising events for charities and businesses and was awarded her MBE in the 2010 Queens Birthday Honours List.
Check the what's on diary for event details and online booking links.
Sign up to the e-mailing list to be among the first to know what's happening. There is an archive of the 2015 festival and year of shows here.
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Read our latest e-newsletters here
The 2015 web site has been archived but is still available to view here.
