Pleasance Launches Monthly Comedy Night For 2026

For 2026, marking 30 years on the London comedy scene, The Pleasance in Islington is launching Cut Price Comedy, a brand new monthly mixed-bill comedy night. Plus, more than 100 acts join their 12th annual Work in Progress Comedy Season right through until April.

With the cost of living on the rise, The Pleasance is cutting the price of a London night out, with each Cut Price Comedy show presenting five of the best acts on the circuit, plus an MC, for only £5 per ticket.

Every month The Pleasance is putting together the biggest and best line-ups possible, launching on 27th January with the two reigning champs of the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, Sam Nicoresti (Best Show 2025) and Ayoade Bamgboye (Best Newcomer 2025). Joining them is two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award winner (Best Newcomer 2013 & Best Show 2014) and Taskmaster favourite John Kearns, fresh from multiple runs of the sell-out smash hit, Adam Riches & John Kearns are Ball & Boe.

Completing the inaugural line-up are Jazz Emu (26th Funniest Comedian of the 21st Century, The Telegraph) and rising star Maia Tassalini (Pleasance Comedy Reserve 2025), alongside host, and star of Radio 4's Do Gooders, Garrett Millerick.

In the mix for future Cut Price line-ups, expect appearances from Amy Gledhill, Celya AB, Pierre Novellie, Helen Bauer, Toussaint Douglass, Stuart Laws and many, many more. 

Tickets are just £5, keeping the night accessible for comedy fans old and new. And they’ll be offering cut price pints and pizzas too, making it one of the best-value evenings out in the city!

As if that wasn't enough excitement for 2026, The Pleasance is back with their 12th Work in Progress Comedy Season; a chance for acts to try out new material, or warm up for a tour. This is your opportunity to see brand new jokes for the first - and sometimes the only - time!

Taskmaster contestants Maisie Adam and Sophie Duker will be working on new shows, as well as Edinburgh Comedy Award winners Jordan Brookes, Ahir Shah and Lara Ricote, plus nominees Joseph Morpurgo, Olga Koch, Catherine Bohart, Jin Hao Li, Larry Dean, Lindsey Santoro, Katie Norris, Bilal Zafar, Huge Davies and straight off the back of his HBO special, Leo Reich.

The last two So You Think You're Funny? winners Alana Jackson and Madeleine Brettingham join the season, alongside the recent winner of C4's Sean Lock Award, Tom Towelling. 

As always, The Pleasance is the place to find the best newcomers working up their debut hour for the Fringe. Three past members of The Pleasance Comedy Reserve, Marty Gleeson, Maia Tassalini and El McKenzie join Harriet Richardson, Em Humble, Abi Tedder, Evaldas Karosas, Emmeline Downie, Aarian Mehrabani, Fab Goualin and Robert Preston in trying out their first ever hour-long shows.

More on Pleasance Theatre

Recent Articles

JESSE NORTH IS BROKEN To Perform At Edinburgh Fringe

6/14/2026