If you’re a big comedy fan, you’ll no doubt be mulling over whether to make the annual trip up to the Fringe in August. But, as is also tradition, you may be gearing up to baulk at travel and accommodation prices for a week or two in Auld Reekie.
Well, laugh-loving Londoners, we have good news for you. This summer, the Scottish capital won’t be the only place awash with giggles, because the Roundhouse Comedy Festival is back for its second edition.
The aptly-named circular venue and Camden landmark hosted its first programme dedicated solely to comedy in 2023, in partnership with production company Berk’s Nest. After a two-year hiatus, this year’s event promises more shows and more comedians. Roundhouse Comedy Festival 2026 kicks off on Saturday August 1 and will run until August 18. Hosted by Saturday Night Live UK star Paddy Young, it has expanded the selection of stand-up, live podcasts, theatrical comedy and interactive shows on offer.
We can expect headline sets from big names including Joe Lycett, Katherine Ryan, Frank Skinner, Last One Laughing’s Sam Campbell and Off Menu podcast host Ed Gamble. Sara Pascoe and Vittorio Angelone will each host ‘& Friends’ nights, bringing together hand-picked line-ups of performers.
Stand-up won’t be the only thing on offer to get your shoulders shaking, either. Jack Rooke, who won a BAFTA for his TV series Big Boys, will be revisiting his show Good Grief a decade after its debut, as part of a wider UK tour. American actress and comedian Kristen Schaal (aka Mel from Flight of the Conchords) is bringing her new comedy play The Legend of the Crystal Shell to London for a one-night performance co-starring her Bob’s Burgers co-star John Roberts.
Plus, would it really be a comedy festival without a live podcast recording or two? Well, they will be in abundance at the Camden venue this summer. Kicking things off will be The Alexei Sayle Podcast with special guest Diane Morgan. The Adam Buxton Podcast will also take to the circular stage with special guest Mawaan Rizwan.
For 2026, US comedy streaming service Dropout is set to present live editions of some of its biggest shows – including Dirty Laundry, Um, Actually and Crowd Control – outside of the US for the first time.
We don’t yet know exactly how much these London LOLs will set you back, but we can tell you that tickets to the 2023 edition were priced between £17.50 and £35. Roundhouse members’ presale opens on Thursday April 23, with general sale following on Friday April 24. For anyone aged 30 or under, the venue will be keeping back 30 £5 tickets for every show. Fair enough, we certainly can't argue with a cheap laugh.
For more information visit the Roundhouse website here.
Did you see that Hoard director Luna Carmoon has just wrapped a secret new horror movie in London?
Plus: this free London art festival is massively expanding this summer – it’ll take over a whole borough.
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