Reckless Comedy June 2026

Whether cheering up a distressed child, helping prevent a riot, or genuinely saving another human's actual life, Stuart Goldsmith is excellent in a crisis. When the chips aren't down however, it's a very different story... Exhilarating stand-up about embracing anxiety, conquering indecision, and getting tasered. 'Intriguing and invigorating' (The Scotsman) 'Marries pitch-perfect audience repartee with cleverly woven tales of the everyday' (The Independent) 'A fine jokesmith' (Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard) 'Probably one of the most likeable acts on the circuit' (Metro) 'A pitch-perfect performance, every nuance carefully calculated for maximum impact… a set rich with wordplay' (Chortle).

Edward Aczel began performing stand-up comedy in 2005 at the age of 38. By the end of that year he was the runner-up in both the prestigious BBC New Comedy Awards and in Jimmy Carr's Comedy Idol (which was filmed for the extras on Jimmy Carr's 2005 live DVD). He is now a regular headliner on the comedy circuit and by 2014 had performed six solo shows at the Edinburgh Festival. 'One of the strangest, and finest, hours of live comedy I'd ever seen' (Zadie Smith, The New Yorker) 'Perhaps Britain's greatest living anti-comedian' (The Guardian) 'Genius anti-comic Aczel is a superb pleasure to watch, and very much a cult in the making' (Time Out).

Watching The Young Ones with his brothers as an eight year old, at two in the morning on Comic Relief, he realised then that he wanted to be funny in some way. Relaxed and improvisatory, Andrew Bird is one of those rare comedians who makes friends with his audiences in an instant with his engaging mix of childhood stories and more recent anecdotes. He has supported Rhod Gilbert, Lee Hurst and Michael McIntyre as well as performing internationally. 'Superb... the exciting rising star' (Time Out) 'A natural comedian' (The Stage) 'Beautifully observed and insightful... not only an entertaining story but a very funny hour of fine stand-up' (Chortle) 'Effortlessly engaging and funny as hell' (Rhod Gilbert).