Brighton Dome Comedy Festival returns from 16–25 October 2026, and this year it arrives with a significant upgrade: a new partnership with Komedia that expands the festival across two of Brighton’s most cherished comedy venues for the first time.
The result is a 10-day programme packed with TV names, cult circuit favourites, podcast legends, mixed bill nights and workshops — something for every sense of humour and every age.
Rosie Crane, Programme Manager at Brighton Dome, called the partnership “a dream come true”, adding: “How exciting to align two Brighton powerhouses of comedy to bring our audiences an even more brilliantly funny festival.”
Sam Moore, Lead Programmer at Komedia, said the collaboration was designed to “highlight Brighton’s leading role in the country’s comedy ecosystem whilst bridging the gap between grassroots venues and theatres.”
At Brighton Dome Concert Hall, BAFTA-award winning comic Tom Davis brings his new tour Spudgun, locked, loaded and ready. Brighton’s own Maisie Adam performs Whatsherface, while absurdist Australian comic Sam Campbell takes the stage for two nights of Kid Giblet. Irish satirist Blindboy Boatclub brings a live recording of The Blindboy Podcast — described by the New York Times as a “cultural phenomenon” — joined by a special guest. Nish Kumar rounds out the headline slate with Angry Humour from a Really Nice Guy. All Concert Hall performances will be live captioned as part of Brighton Dome’s ongoing accessibility commitment.
The Corn Exchange hosts Funny Women award-winner Laura Smyth, Scottish comedian Larry Dean (currently appearing in Saturday Night Live UK), Catherine Bohart, viral sensation Jazz Emu, Rosie Holt appearing as her MP alter ego in The Illegal Aliens Have Landed!, and Taskmaster star Stevie Martin in Clout. The Studio Theatre features Celya AB in We Must Stop Meeting Like This, plus comedy workshops for young people culminating in The Young Comedians Comedy Showcase. Brighton Dome is also working with physical comedy ensemble Spymonkey and Brighton-based charity Kennedy Street Recovery Hub on Finding Your Funny — a six-day comedy and clowning workshop for people in recovery from addiction.
Over at Komedia, the Basement welcomes multi-award-winning Phil Ellis on his first UK stand-up tour, the wildly popular Solve-Along-Murder-She-Wrote, and Aurie Styla following his acclaimed 100-date worldwide tour. The Studio features Jordan Brookes continuing his residency, award-winning Alfie Brown in The Entertainer, Robin Ince and Joanna Neary, Spanish comic Sergi Polo, Amy Matthews, Funny Women Live in Brighton and Sooz Kempner closing the festival with a show about finding your voice. Festival editions of Comic Boom Comedy Club and Komedia Comedy Club — recently voted Best Pro Comedy Night in the South at the Chortle Awards 2026 — also feature across the programme.
More acts, including family shows, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Comedy at Brighton Dome is supported by Mayo Wynne Baxter.
Full listings and tickets at brightondome.org and komedia.co.uk
