GET SET FOR THE GUILDFORD COMEDY FESTIVAL
Get ready to laugh like never before! The Guildford Comedy Festival brings together a fantastic lineup of the best established and emerging comedians for a festival bursting with wit, laughter, and unforgettable performances.
Held in the heart of Guildford, this festival transforms the town into a hub of hilarity, where audiences can experience top-notch comedy. Taking place at The Book Room of The Star Inn from the 6th to the 11th of July, take a peek at our pick of the bunch.
PAUL TONKINSON | JULY 6
Enjoy an hour of great stand-up as comedy legend, multi-award winner Tonkinson stretches his legs over an hour. He chats marriage, air fryers, dog-day afternoons and the joys and humiliations of being a “waste man Dad”
No axe to grind, no politics. The tone is light, celebrational, and unerringly honest. The laughs are relentless. Expect much silliness and wild physicality. Put down the phone and surrender. We’re Raw Dogging It.
Hasan Al-Habib | JULY 6
Arab. Muslim. Brummy. ‘Deliciously funny’ (Guardian) Hasan Al-Habib’s Edinburgh Fringe debut show Death to the West (Midlands), about growing up Iraqi in Birmingham during the second gulf war, sold out its entire run and six extra dates. He returns with a WIP of his new show, possibly called “Stuck in the Middle (East) with you”.
His agent told him it needs to be more relatable for White British people, so it’s all about growing up as a child of divorce.
25% of the artist’s proceeds will go to the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians.
All the Animals: Ranked | JULY 7
A panel of not-quite-tame comedians battle it out to determine the ultimate list of the best (and worst) animals, with an ever-evolving leader board plus animal-themed interactive games. A funny panel-show spin on our furry, feathery, finny friends!
Everybody has opinions about animals. Some of them are funny. We’re going to attempt what Charles Darwin, David Attenborough, and the Muppets have never quite managed to do: definitively rank the animals – and have a whale of a time doing it. Panel includes Leslie Gold, Juliette Burton & Rachel Creeger.
Stuart Goldsmith: Canary | JULY 8
As the miners scrambled to safety, they’d often grab the dead canary and then immediately revive it with pure oxygen, condemning it to a constant loop of singing, panicking, dying and then singing again. A bit like medicating your chronic anxiety by making people laugh about the climate crisis.
Markus Birdman with Malinda Mukuma: Algorithm & Blues | JULY 9
Expect more fresh, hilarious comedy from these two superb comics. There will be bits where they are doing Stand Up solo (actually, Markus mostly sits as he’s fairly blind); some together, where they are very rude about each other; some bits where Malinda is singing like a diva and Markus is interrupting like a teenager; and some bits that might be tricky to define. (pictured)
John Robertson Gets Distracted, Improvises With The Crowd And Leaves | JULY 11
“Hilarious” (Independent) creator of The Dark Room (Edinburgh Fringe’s best-reviewed comedy 2025) has some new jokes to test, but since he’s the UK’s most manic comic, good luck on him finishing one of them!
“It would be prudent to secure tickets now before some Taskmaster-type programme claims him for mainstream fame and his star becomes unreachable.” ReviewsHub
DISCOVER MORE STAND-UP COMEDY AND FIND OUT WHAT’S ON AND WHEN BY HEADING TO guildfordcomedyfestival.com
