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As night begins to fall at HowTheLightGetsIn Hay 2023, our venues turn from hubs of intellectual activity into arenas abuzz with the UK's hottest comedy acts.
From stand-up royalty to rib-tickling rising stars, our hand-picked line-up will have it all. Get ready to laugh yourself silly this spring!
Sean McLoughlin is an acclaimed stand-up and writer based in London. Hugely in-demand in the UK and internationally, he has made appearances on Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, The Stand-Up Sketch Show and Kevin Hart’s LOL Network among others.
He has recently supported Ricky Gervais on his international arena tour having previously opened for Bill Burr at the Royal Albert Hall and appeared at a gala show at the Sydney Opera House.
“An impassioned and uniquely brilliant talent” – The List
Masterful raconteur Nick Page delivers shows full to bursting with stories from a life lived on the edge of (self inflicted) disaster, and packed with jokes. In the last few years, Nick has won the prestigious ‘English Comedian of the Year’ Award, performed at comedy festivals in 3 continents and been awarded the Operational Service Medal by the British army for numerous gigs in warzones. He’s also reached the live finals of Britain’s Got Talent despite having never watched the show.
‘A bear like man with a host of barely believable stories about life, love and brushes with the law’. The Guardian
Ben Pope was the Piccadilly Comedy Club New Comedian of the Year Winner 2017 and has placed as a finalist in So You Think You’re Funny and Comedy Cafe New Act of the Year. He is also one third of the cult sketch group Princes of Main, with sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe.
“Left the audience gasping for breath” - Varsity
Milo Edwards is a critically acclaimed stand-up comedian and podcaster. With a string of sold-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, Milo is also the host of the popular political comedy podcast Trashfuture - with guest appearances from Rob Delaney, Mark Watson, Owen Jones and Franz Ferdinand.
"An incredibly high-quality stand-up show" - Broadway Baby
Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Jordan Brookes makes his debut performance for HowTheLightGetsIn and we can't wait for you to meet him! Brookes first came to attention when he won the Welsh Unsigned Comedy Award in 2012. Since then he has gone on to win the 2019 Dave's Edinburgh Comedy Award and the Comedians' Comedian award at the 2018 Chortle Awards.
'Jordan Brookes is just crazily, adorably funny. You should see him!' The Scotsman.
Robyn Perkins mixes science and comedy to make unique shows that connect meaty themes to relatable experiences from our own lives, making for brilliant stand-up. 'Smart, engaging, fun and funny' **** (Chortle.co.uk). Best in Comedy Award winner, Sydney Fringe 2019. Weekly Comedy Award winner, Perth Fringe World 2020. 'Intriguing and thought provoking all while making your sides hurt from laughter' ****½ (GlamAdelaide.com.au).
Erika’s razor-sharp, dark and visceral writing paired with precise delivery makes her one of the most exciting young comedians on the circuit. She has quickly become a much in demand writer and comedian working on numerous high profile shows.
In 2019, she was crowned winner of the Chortle Student Comedy Award, was the recipient of the Mike Craig Comedy Award, and the Hot Water Roast Battle Champion. She has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, Latitude Festival, and the Toronto Sketch Festival.
"If you think Frankie Boyle’s too soft, Ehler could be the comic for you." - Chortle
Joz Norris is one of the most acclaimed auteurs of the alternative comedy scene. His 2019 show, Joz Norris Is Dead. Long Live Mr Fruit Salad. was one of the word-of-mouth smash hits at the Edinburgh Fringe that year, winning the Comedians’ Choice Award for Best Show, and being nominated for the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality, the Chortle Award for Best Music & Variety Act, and longlisted for the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award, as well as selling out its Fringe run and transferring to an extended run at Soho Theatre.
"A brilliant show that is not short of ambition...it packs a terrific punch." - The Evening Standard
Hannah is a stand-up comedian, writer and Finalist of the BBC New Comedian of the Year Award in 2019. Merseyside-via-Manchester's finest misanthrope has already been making her mark as a comic, having been described as 'A voice of a new generation’ by The Skinny and 'a voice with something to say’ by Chortle, never shying away from sensitive topics with brutal honesty and quick wit. Recently she has been commissioned to make a Laugh Lesson for BBC3 and written on the Now Show and The News Quiz for BBC Radio 4. She prides herself on her ability to take difficult and complex topics and turn them into sharp, refreshing gags.
How can you be yourself when others are watching? What do we learn from crowds? Wisdom of the Crowd is the new stand-up comedy show in 2023 from former philosophy teacher Alex Farrow. Alex’s solo comedy shows have sold out at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2019, 2021 and 2022.
'Packs a philosophical punch' ★★★★★ (Student). 'Laugh out loud' ★★★★ (EdinburghGuide.com). Featured in The Times as part of A Bloke Called Dave's Best Jokes of the Fringe. As heard on BBC Radio 4 Extra. 'Perfect' ★★★★★ (Scotsman).
Priya Hall is a stand up comedian and writer, whose signature style has been described by Bristol 24/7 as “hilariously oversharing.” Priya wrote and starred in the BBC 2 Wales sitcom Beena and Amrit and was a semi-finalist in the BBC New Comedy Awards 2021.
After his sell out Edinburgh 2022 run, with his show ‘100 Songs In An Hour’, David Hoare (Musical Comedy Awards ‘Audience Favourite Prize’ 2021) returns with another bumper show bursting with hilarious songs and jokes. Is 1 billion songs too many or not enough?
“The funniest, most unlikely, rudest yet sweetest” ★★★★ - Entertainment Now
"Absurd and excellent" - Rife Magazine
★★★★★ Ed Fringe Review
A Truly Unique Offering
The Independent
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