Birmingham Comedy Festival FREE Half-Dayer

With Rob Kemp, Tal Davies, James Cook, Tim Biglow, Danny Clives, Andy Bucks, Jackie Kain, Naph, and Sallyann Fellowes.

Schedule:

▼ THE VICTORIA, 48 John Bright Street, Birmingham B1 1BN ▼

◼ 1pm - Rob Kemp: YOWCH!!!
Rob started 2026 with the best intention of living his best life; optimising his protein intake; streamlining his portfolio; maxxing his health/looks/trousers, but none of that happened. This is in part due to Rob not entirely knowing what these things mean, but mainly due to the worst February in his memory. It remains to be seen if this is in fact a topic for comedy.

◼ 2.15pm - Andy Bucks: Acid Nerd/Alan Sugar Can Do One
An hour of stand-up silliness from award-winning goofball. Andy brings his ‘acid nerd’ style of comedy to Birmingham, telling the story of how he applied to the hit entrepreneur factory farm The Apprentice. Courtesy of low-quality footage captured on his phone, you can now bear witness to Andy’s dreams getting mercilessly crushed by some wackass Sugar Minions with no joie de vivre. Along the way, Andy will cover a variety of other stupid topics including laughing cow cheese, forceful removal of pubic hair, and hymns. Strictly no BBC lawyers allowed.

◼ 3.30pm - Tal Davies: The Club Can’t Even Handle Me Right Now
Award-winning comedian (BBC Three/ Radio 4 /tour support for Milton Jones, Paul Chowdhry, Josh Pugh & more) presents a work in progress show about her life as a gobby Brummie woman who seems to be going through a teenage rebellion phase in her mid-30s. Expect sharp observational gags, wild oversharing and a touch of weirdly relatable surrealism from this British Comedian of the Year finalist and certified yampy cow.

◼ 4.45pm - James Cook presents: The Saboteur
It’s like Taskmaster meets The Traitors, but legally distinct from both. A brand new show that mixes stupid games with deception and lies. Five comedians work together to build up a prize pot BUT one of them is 'The Saboteur'. Can you work out who's lying and who's just a bit rubbish? Hosted and devised by Board Game Smackdown's James Cook.

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▼ CHERRY REDS, 88-92 John Bright Street, Birmingham B1 1BN ▼

◼ 1pm - Jackie and Naph: Wham! Salaam, thank you, ma’am!
Jackie and Naph are two fearless comedians with very different problems. But what they share is the ability to convince themselves this is just “a phase”. Naph brings observational comedy drawn from Muslim life, family expectations, cultural clashes and the everyday chaos of navigating modern Britain. Smart, relatable and packed with laughs, she has a knack for finding the funny in situations most people wouldn't dare mention. Jackie, meanwhile, is running away from what’s expected at her age - but someone has tied her shoelaces together. A fan of the 80’s as it had the best music, she’s armed with razor-sharp one-liners and clever word play – which is surprising, as she’s rubbish at crosswords. Together, they prove that laughter really is the only coping mechanism they have —both tried denial, snacks, and downright stubbornness (NEWSFLASH – none of these worked). [RESERVE A SEAT]

◼ 2.15pm - Sallyann Fellowes: Birdy
From Survivor to Detective to Comedian: Multi-award-winning comedian Sallyann Fellowes brings her new show ‘Birdy’ to the festival scene. Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year 2023, Sallyann Fellowes, was a Police Detective with a complicated secret. Her journey began with a crime that the police showed zero interest in solving. Determined to change the system from the inside, Sallyann decided to join up, which wasn't straightforward given the presence of a notorious gangster in her family tree. Birdy - a nickname that followed her throughout her police career - is a hilarious, honest, and wildly unique look at life behind the blue line.

◼ 3.30pm - Danny Clives: Not Ideal
A lot has changed since Danny’s last show in 2024. After being alive for 35 years he finally moved out of his mums house (he was waiting for her to leave but she didn’t). Was this a good financial decision for a man who is still collecting the world cup football stickers at age 36? And a man who once Googled how to many turns on the tap 500ml of water is as he doesn’t own a jug? Come and find out as Danny returns to the Birmingham Comedy Festival with his sophomore second show.

◼ 4.45pm - Tim Biglowe: Plonka Join Tim for his show about finding life's golden ticket. With high-energy jokes and stories about fame, family and travel with a hapless hippy. Best show nominee at the Edinburgh Fringe with the ISH awards 2025. Best Comedy at the Shaftesbury Fringe 2025.

ABOUT THE FREE HALF-DAYERS: The Victoria pub and Cherry Reds Cafe Bar are both situated on John Bright Street, just a short distance apart, in Birmingham City Centre. The comedy takes place upstairs at both venues. See as many shows as you like at either venue. All shows are approximately one hour and free in/ Pay What You Want (PWYW). Donations are encouraged as you leave. Please give if you've enjoyed the show. Both venues are seated. Just turn up 10-15mins before each show. Drinks are available at downstairs bars which you're welcome to take in.