Something to laugh about: Plymouth is getting a brand-new comedy festival

February in Plymouth is about to get a whole lot funnier.

A brand-new comedy festival is coming to the city in 2027, bringing three days of stand-up, improv, local talent and some very familiar faces to venues across Plymouth.

The first Plymouth Comedy Festival will take place from Friday 5 to Sunday 7 February 2027, with comedians including Paul Sinha, Marcus Brigstocke, Hal Cruttenden, Harriet Dyer, Tony Law and Matt Richardson already confirmed.

But this isn't simply a collection of touring comedy shows under one banner. Created by the team behind Laughter Lab, the festival is designed as a city-wide weekend of comedy, encouraging audiences to move between different venues, discover new acts and perhaps explore parts of Plymouth they wouldn't normally visit along the way.

Three days, five venues and a lot of laughs

Comedy will be taking over Barbican Theatre, University of Plymouth, The Box, Bread & Roses and Steel Brew, with a programme mixing established names with emerging comedians, local performers, improv and events that do something a little different.

Plymouth's own Suzy Bennett joins a line-up that also includes Morgan Rees, Robin Morgan, The Noise Next Door, Stephen Carlin, Tom Glover, Nick Page and many more.

There'll also be the Utopian Comedy Competition, Plymouth Comedy Tours: Indoors, improvised comedy and Plymouth: A Funny Old City – a historical talk exploring Plymouth's own relationship with humour.

The idea is that you don't necessarily need to know every name on the bill. Book someone you already love, take a chance on someone you've never heard of, try a different venue and create your own comedy trail around the city.

Festival Director Ben Milden explained:

“The ambition is that people come to Plymouth for a weekend of comedy, not just travel in for one show and go home again.

“The names people know are important, but so are the local comedians and independent venues. We want someone who books for a familiar face to discover another act, another room or another part of Plymouth while they’re here.”

Something to look forward to in February

There's something rather appealing about the timing, too.

Once Christmas is over and the long stretch of winter has properly set in, February can sometimes feel like a month to endure rather than enjoy. Plymouth Comedy Festival is deliberately putting something big, social and fun into the diary right in the middle of it.

“We’ve chosen February because we want to give people something to look forward to in the middle of winter,” Ben said, “and build an event the city can make its own.”

And with performances spread across the city rather than centred on one traditional festival site, there’s the potential for the weekend to feel as much about Plymouth as it does about comedy.

Some very familiar faces

Among the headline names is Paul Sinha, known to millions as The Sinnerman on ITV's The Chase as well as for his long career as an award-winning stand-up comedian.

He'll be joined by Marcus Brigstocke, whose extensive comedy career has taken in television, radio and live performance, and Hal Cruttenden, another familiar face from the UK stand-up circuit and television comedy.

Also appearing are the wonderfully unconventional Harriet Dyer, Canadian comic Tony Law, Matt Richardson, Morgan Rees and Robin Morgan.

And there's a strong Plymouth connection running through the festival too, with local comedian Suzy Bennett among those taking to the stage.

And there's another comedian cheering Plymouth on…

The festival also has a suitably well-known ambassador: Josh Widdicombe.

Although he won't be performing at the inaugural festival, the comedian and Strictly Come Dancing presenter is supporting its first year and its ambitions for the city.

“Plymouth is a city that means a great deal to me, so it is brilliant to see a comedy festival bringing fantastic acts and audiences together across the city,” he said.

“I’m delighted to support its first year as an ambassador and excited to see what it can become.”

Build your own comedy weekend

One particularly useful thing to know is that you don't need to commit to a festival pass or wristband.

Every show is individually ticketed, so you can simply pick one comedian you really want to see – or turn it into a full weekend and build your own itinerary across several venues.

And that might be the most exciting thing about Plymouth Comedy Festival's first year. Alongside the big names, there's an invitation to take a punt on somebody new, step inside a venue you've never visited and see where the weekend takes you.

So, if February 2027 was looking a little empty, you might want to keep 5–7 February free.

Plymouth has a new comedy festival – and three days of laughs in the depths of winter sounds like something worth looking forward to.

Plymouth Comedy Festival takes place from Friday 5 to Sunday 7 February 2027 across Barbican Theatre, University of Plymouth, The Box, Bread & Roses and Steel Brew. Shows are individually ticketed, with full programme details, times, prices and age guidance available from the Plymouth Comedy Festival website.