Brighton Fringe Festival 2025: A Guide To The Best In Live Comedy

Brighton prides itself on its eclectic, colourful and off-brand creative spirit. Whilst there’s no shortage of live comedy and musical events in Brighton throughout the year, from May 2nd to June 1st 2025, Brighton’s famous Fringe festival returns to enlighten, confound and entertain the masses in various venues and pop-ups all over town.

Read more: ‘We’re Hosting A Brighton Fringe Festival Venue In Our Living Room’

Thousands of emerging and established comedy acts have blessed the various stages of Brighton for years and Brighton Fringe remains the go-to festival for catching the next big name in live comedy in front of both modest and packed-out crowds.

Here’s your essential guide to the best stand-up comedy events taking place during this year’s Brighton Fringe Festival.

Comedy at Brighton Fringe: This year’s Most Essential Performances

Laughing Horse Comedy

This perennially popular revolving door of emerging comedy talent is guaranteed to make audiences laugh. Laughing Horse Comedy events are a Brighton Fringe staple and take place at various venues across the town during the festival. With shows taking place at Brighton’s independent venue favourites including The Quadrant, Temple Bar, The Caroline of Brunswick and The Walrus, there’s no shortage of live stand-up comedy to enjoy this coming May.

Laughing Horse Comedy shows take place at various times during the day, from May 2 to June 1 and with tickets costing a mere £6 for entry, enjoying live comedy has never been more affordable. Visit the Brighton Fringe Festival website to book a ticket to one of Laughing Horse Comedy’s many events.

Address: The Quadrant 12 North Street, Brighton BN1 3GJ

Website: https://www.brightonfringe.org/events/best-of-brighton-fringe-comedy/

Rory Marshall: Pathetic Little Characters

Since beginning his comedy career making hilarious short-form videos on Instagram, Rory Marshall has been on an unstoppable rise to comedy stardom. From performing sold-out shows in London to being the face of Percival Menswear and Paddy Power’s advertising campaigns, his new stand-up show, ‘Pathetic Little Characters’, has been whipping up a frenzy of excitement since it debuted in London. Former Brightonian Marshall is bringing his unique brand of comedy to Brighton Fringe before taking the show on the road to Edinburgh Fringe later this year.

Rory Marshall mixes absurdist humour with an acerbic eye for lampooning current affairs. After he’s finished with his “pathetic little characters” on stage in 2025, don’t be surprised if you see his face plastered on television screens across the country for years to come. This is a name in comedy you won’t want to miss on a small stage at Brighton Fringe before superstardom awaits. Shows take place at 3pm on May 17. Grab tickets while you still can from their website.

Address: Half A Camel, The Caxton Arms, 36 North Gardens, Brighton and Hove, BN1 3LB

Website: https://www.brightonfringe.org/events/rory-marshall-pathetic-little-characters-work-in-progress/

Tim & Olly: A Smorgasbord of Nothing

To those with a balanced view on life, it’s difficult to view the current state of the world with much optimism nowadays. Comedy is often considered a tonic to bleaker outlooks. However, some comedians choose not to look away from despair, but to study misanthropy under a microscope.

Rising comedy duo Tim & Olly are tackling the big philosophical concept of existentialism with all the seriousness that you would expect from, well, a couple of stand-up comedians. Following a colonoscopy, Tim moved to the UK with self-discovery on his mind and, with the help of Olly, is using the platform of comedy to find answers in a seemingly answerless world.

Big questions and big laughs await for those who dare to join them on their four night long stay at Brighton Fringe this year. Tickets to their shows are available on their website and shows will take place on May 6, May 13, May 20 and May 27, from 7:45pm.

Address: Half A Camel, Presuming Ed’s Coffee House, 114-115 London Road, BN1 4JG

Website: https://www.brightonfringe.org/events/tim-olly-a-smorgasbord-of-nothing/

Aoife Dunne: Good Grief

Similar to Tim & Olly, Irish comedian Aoife Dunne hopes to tackle moving concepts such as grief, loss and resilience with a wry smile. Her innovative blend of stand-up comedy and storytelling has captivated audiences since she burst on the scene and has drawn comparisons with a certain Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

For those who like to indulge in the darker side of humour, Aoife Dunne’s stand-up performances are unmissable. There’s no (grave)stone left unturned in this wildly dynamic and forward-thinking set. You can catch her performing at Brighton Fringe Festival this year on Brighton’s London Road at both Presuming Ed’s Coffee House and the aptly named The Joker. Shows will take place on May 3, 4 and 5.

Address: Presuming Ed’s Coffee House, 114-115 London Road, Brighton and Hove, BN1 4JG ; The Joker, 2 Preston Road, Brighton and Hove, BN1 4QF

Website: https://www.brightonfringe.org/events/good-grief/

Queerlysh Productions Presents: Oops, My Neurodiversity is Showing?

Brighton has always triumphed diversity in all its forms and Queen Queerlysh has created an unmissable stand-up performance showcasing all the chaotic joy that makes being different such an essential cause for celebration.

In ‘Oops, My Neurodiversity Is Showing?’, LGBT+ and neurodiverse storytellers share their life stories in bold, imaginative performances that will make you think as well as laugh. Catch this one-of-a-kind show in all its glory at The Caxton Arms over four performances at the Brighton Fringe Festival this coming May. Dates are May 6, 7, 23 and 26.

Address: Half A Camel, The Caxton Arms, 36 North Gardens, Brighton and Hove, BN1 3LB

Website: https://www.brightonfringe.org/events/oops-my-neurodiversity-is-showing/