ARGComFest | London’s answer to Edinburgh Fringe
When the organisers behind ARGComFest dubbed it ‘London’s greatest comedy festival’, they weren’t joking…
Year after year, without fail (besides those 2020-2021 years…), the festival conveniently brings the laughs from Edinburgh Fringe down to us; a mix of the biggest standups in the game and those rising up the ranks, in what sort of serves as an entree to Scotland’s main course.
2023’s edition is back at its usual stomping ground, Shoreditch Town Hall, from 30th June until 2nd July, with the force of over 60 comedians hurling stand-up at you from across three stages as they fine-tune their methods before the Fringe. As always, the lineup is on-song and you can move around as you please, just as you would at a music festival. If you’re not feeling someone, you can slip out and try next door. No hard feelings. There’s so much comedy you won’t know where to look, or laugh. Anyway, here’s a few highlights from this year’s lineup:
Nish Kumar: THEM CHANGES | A new hour of random thoughts and insightful social commentary from the two-time Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee (and occasional TV host), who’s sure to have the crowd eating from the palm of his hand.
Olga Koch: Prawn Cocktail | Koch debuted at Fringe five years ago, a new kid on the block with a much-talked show called ‘Fight’, and now, aged 30 and a Writers Guild Award winner for Best Radio Comedy, she’s not exactly old but she’s got plenty more to say about life and hitting the big 3-0…
Ivo Graham: Organised Fun | Currently in the middle of his ‘My Future, My Clutter’ tour, the quick-witted, self-deprecating comic already has another in the pipeline for September, which you’ll get a preview of here.
Alison Spittle: Soup | The Irish comedian won’t be discussing the hilarities of soup, or maybe she will? Who knows, it’s a secret, but either way she’s ‘shimmering with jokes’ and her show at last year’s Fringe, Wet, saw rave reviews across the board…
Jamali Maddix | The comic – who you might recognize from Taskmaster and Never Mind The Buzzcocks – manages to ask serious, important questions while also being utterly hilarious, in his brand new show.
Jodie Mitchell: Becoming John Travulva | Jodie Mitchell is the already iconic John Travulva (or is it the other way around) in this upbeat, laugh-a-minute riot of a show.
Off the back of last year’s success, the Friday Night Show will also be returning; the opening performance where an A-list cast of comedians get the gags going early and give audiences a taster of what’s to come over the weekend. For 2023, the bill includes Nish Kumar, Bridget Christie, Alison Spittle and Janine Harouni, with more to be announced, and Olga Koch presiding over things as host. Don’t slack with tickets as last year’s sold out and chances are high that it will again this year.
We have a funny feeling…
NOTE: ARGComFest is taking place over the weekend between 30th June – 2nd July. Friday tickets are £20, either weekend day is £34, and Saturday and Sunday combined will be £52. You can book tickets HERE.
Shoreditch Town Hall | 380 Old Street, EC1V 9LT
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