Glasgow International Comedy Festival
Unmissable comedy
at Glasgow International Comedy Festival 2027
Ben Pope: Work In Progress
Ben Pope “total delight” (★★★★ Fest) is a bookseller by day and a stand-up comedian by night.
Come and join him as he stress tests a new hour of book-flavoured jokes. There’ll be stuff about Where’s Wally?, airport thrillers, Dr Seuss, performative male readers and Sylvia Plath’s bloody fig tree. Book. Now.
Praise for previous work:
★★★★ Evening Standard
★★★★ The Telegraph
★★★★ The Scotsman
David Elms Describes A Room
Following another totally sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe and a residency at London’s Soho Theatre, the acclaimed improv comedy phenomenon heads out on its second UK tour.
Together with his audience, veteran improviser Elms “builds a comedy mind palace before your very eyes. And you’ll want to move in for good!” (Phil Wang).
"A lesson in the transcendent power of collective imagining" ★★★★ The Guardian
“David’s very clever. He’s made a show that’s funny, original and different every time. You go there and bathe in it and try not to be jealous you didn’t think of it. Superb.” - Tim Key
“David has created one of the most original and intimately spectacular shows around. As impressive as it is heartwarming, it often feels like you’re watching one effortlessly delivered magic trick - stunning” - Nick Mohammed
"A strikingly impressive feat of memory, world-building and forging of communal purpose" ★★★★ The List
"A real triumph of the human imagination" ★★★★ The Skinny
"This is surely one of the most original and artistic comedy shows" ★★★★ Chortle
Dom McGovern: Prize Hog
2026 Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee and Chicken Shop Date Co-Writer Dom McGovern brings his sold-out debut hour to Glasgow.
What happens when an unstoppable force (one man’s vanity) meets an immovable object (Catholicism)?
Find out from Dom McGovern, one of the UK’s most exciting new comic voices, fresh from his award-nominated, sold-out Edinburgh run and two sold-out runs at London's Soho Theatre.
Directed by Chloe Petts, Prize Hog was named one of the top debut comedy shows at The Fringe by Rolling Stone, as well as receiving nominations from The Edinburgh Comedy Awards, ISH Comedy Awards, and the Next Up Biggest Award in Comedy.
“Brutally funny.” Scotsman
“Endlessly entertaining and outrageously funny” Rolling Stone
“Born to be a comedian. A fizzing, hilarious superstar” Aisling Bea
“A sharp stand-up who is sure to go stellar” ★★★★ The Guardian
★★★★★ Three Weeks
★★★★ The List
★★★★ The Skinny
Helen Bauer: Working and God Willing Progressing
It is time to work up a brand-new hour of stand up! And sure it’s just ideas right now but how do you write about love until you have had it!? Well easy just pretend. LIKE ALL OF YOU DO. Right!? RIGHT!? I don’t know. See you there
As seen on Live At The Apollo, Am I Being Unreasonable? and Make That Movie.
Josie Long: Florida panther sits beside last remaining tree in massive cleared field alone (but good vibes actually) (WIP)
Three-time Edinburgh Fringe Best Show nominee, Josie Long tries out some new ideas, but please be reassured that you are in the safe hands of an accomplished professional.
“Idealism and irrepressible fun are never far from the surface when Long stakes to the stage” ★★★★ Guardian
★★★★★ Morning Star
Kemah Bob: Love Child
The “superbly playful” (★★★★ The Guardian) second show from the acclaimed creator of one of The Guardian’s 10 Best Comedy Shows of 2024.
Giraffes. VHS porn. Ketamine-infused breast milk. The challenges of being a woman who has inherited her dad’s DSLs (if you know, you know). The “utterly charismatic” (Fest) Kemah Bob is back, and she’s tackling it all.
“It’s a joy to be in Bob’s company” ★★★★ Fest
“Comedy needs her – a unique voice, in every sense” ★★★★ Broadway Baby
“An inimitable stand-up” LMAOnaise
As seen on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, QI, Richard Osman’s House of Games, Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club, Comedy Central Live, Don’t Hate The Playaz and Guessable. As heard on the Off Menu podcast
Li Jin Hao: Jesus Christ vs. Jade Emperor (wip)
Christ strikes first - Seven Headed Dragon and Sword of Revelation. J.E. blocks with the palm of Rulai, summons the 88 demon dogs of Diyu. The earth shatters the skies fall the seas swallow the mountains.
I grit my teeth through a thousand years of pain to bring these new jokes to you.
Sam Nicoresti: Ebb State (WIP)
/ɛb steɪt/ (n.) The opposite of flow. Butting your head on life’s kitchen cabinet. Putting your thumb on the hosepipe of joy and letting the water spray in every direction except where it naturally wants to go.
Fresh off a UK+ tour and peckish for more, the Best Show at Edinburgh Fringe 2025 Winner, Most Outstanding Show at Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2025 Nominee, and Best Show at Leicester Comedy 2025 Nominee returns.
'One of the sharpest, funniest, most exciting hours of comedy at the Fringe' ★★★★★ Telegraph
'An ebullient hour with a sky-high joke count' ★★★★ Guardian
Tom Towelling Teaches You To Knit
Following a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe and a nomination for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, Tom Towelling brings his highly acclaimed hour of alternative comedy to Glasgow.
There are threads that tie us all together, and winner of the Channel 4 Sean Lock Award Tom is going to show you exactly how that works.
“One of the most exciting Edinburgh debuts I’ve seen for a while… [Tom] has a way of making an hour of stand-up feel like a happening” ★★★★ The Times
“Irresistible… original, smart comedy that will make occasional tears run down your face” ★★★★ The Herald
“This is a comedian primed for massive things, and we cannot wait to see them” ★★★★ The Skinny
“Excellent crowdwork is combined with stand-up, songs and more to ensure everyone leaves in an uplifted mood” British Comedy Guide