Lych Gate Tavern. 12.15pm. Pay-As-You-Feel
Rating: 18
Neil Laurenson wants to be a rock star. He clings onto this dream despite a notable lack of musical talent. Instead of shaking his fists at the gods and sobbing in a corner of his local Wetherspoons, Neil has written Fair Isle Death Metal. This is also a nod to his Shetland roots, though he is the least frightening Viking you will ever meet. Instead of wielding an axe, he flings puns and steaming piles of wit. Despite originating from a soggy island in the North Sea, he has been described as “drier than the Sahara Desert.” This is a reference to his humour not his eczema. Fair Isle Death Metal is poetry and it rhymes, but not all the while. It is about masking and coping, as well as laughing. If Mr Blobby and Rage Against The Machine did a collab, it might sound like Fair Isle Death Metal. You have been warned.
Lych Gate Tavern. 1.30pm. Pay-As-You-Feel
Rating: 18
Questioning the Y of everything.
**** - Smart, sharp and refreshingly self-aware - JR brings heat and heart to the mic
Lych Gate Tavern. 2.45pm. Pay-As-You-Feel
Rating: 12+
Daz from Pint of Football is visited by three football spirits of past, present and future. This very light-hearted, semi-scripted, comedy show tells an old Midlands football tale, raves about an amazing local club and looks into the future of our beautiful game.
The Qattery. 4pm. Pay-As-You-Feel
Rating: 18
The shortest story ever told (1hr). His dog is for sale. And that's not all. Ed Mulvey (Best Newcomer Nominee Edinburgh Ish Awards 2025) delivers a double measure of grim hilarity with a chaser of unworn dog.
After his imaginary dog died, Ed has chosen to exploit this for marketing purposes. Expect an exploration of ethical edge cases and sophisticated filth from a man who when in the gutter revolves to get a better view.
A cry against help from the Elon Musk of emotions.
The Qattery. 5.15pm. Pay-As-You-Feel
Rating: 18
Adults often have ears. Ben Macpherson has poems. It's time to put those together with you in the driving seat. You're in complete control of the show picking from 30 vibes, be that silly, sordid, sad or sweet. With poems covering everything from the world's best cheese to the intimate lives of cartoon characters, Ben Macpherson has the poem for you. Blending friendly chat with style and genre, Ben is a verbal tour de force, bound to leave you laughing, crying and so much more.
“Absolutely delightful” - Hollie McNish
“Dazzlingly, dizzyingly brilliant” - Brian Bilston
“Full of humour and drive” - Michael Rosen
“Ben MacPherson is a joy” - Caroline Bird
"Ben’s brimful of wit and panache” - Michael Pedersen
"I had a blast watching MacPherson's show, it's a marvel to see an artist pour so much love into their craft. I loved the concept of choosing poems off the wall, and I loved their variety even more. Lovers of spoken word, please go and witness it yourself" Panos Audience member
The Qattery. 6.30pm. Pay-As-You-Feel
Rating: 12+
The 4 Johns new spoken word comedy show "Frank Sidebottom Calling" is a brilliant spoken word comedy show.
Funny, satirical, original, challenging, innovative and unique. With sketches, comedy and relevant and engaging poetry, the show is highly original, anarchic, fast-paced, relentless and very entertaining throughout.
The show takes a sledgehammer to the myth of celebrity, hero worship and fame in a way that will make you laugh out loud, chuckle under your breath and groan in shameful self-acknowledgement.
The 4 Johns are known for their hilarious and innovative shows which often explore the struggle between grand ambitions and mundane tasks. Their performances typically blend humour, irreverence and poignant moments making them a unique and entertaining act.
“This show is brilliant and a definite must-see! ”
“Amazing, funny, sidesplitting. I've not laughed so much in a long time.”
“Brilliant night, haven’t laughed so much in ages”