A bumper crop of comedy and improv at Royal & Derngate this May
There’s comedy to suit all tastes at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate throughout the merry month of May, ranging from razor-sharp stand-up to hilarious improvisation, with performers including comedy rapper MC Hammersmith, exciting young comedian Nathan Caton and seasoned pro, Richard Herring, to name just a few.
Star of Taskmaster, Ghosts and The Great British Sewing Bee, Kiell Smith-Bynoe kicks off proceedings in the Royal on Thursday 1 May with Kool Story Bro. Along with a rotating cast of fellow comedians and special guests, he’ll be turning stories from the audience into completely improvised comedy scenes.
Coming to the Underground on Saturday 3 May, MC Hammersmith is the world’s leading freestyle rapper to emerge from the ghetto of middle-class West London. He will present an evening of improvised comedy raps based on audience suggestions. Continuing the ad hoc theme, on Friday 16 May, Shoot From The Hip bring their award-winning, TikTok-viral improvised comedy to the Royal stage, featuring chaotic games, epic scenes and ever-so-slightly unhinged performances.
More comedy gigs coming to the theatre’s newly reopened and refurbished Underground studio include Ahir Shah on Saturday 10 May with his show Ends, which won the Sky Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Show. Up and coming young comedian Nathan Caton brings his latest tour, My Big Fat Blasian Wedding, to the Underground on Saturday 24 May, and Sally-Anne Hayward tackles the issues of approaching a certain age in her hilarious new show, Egg Shortage, on Saturday 31 May.
Other comedy gigs coming to the Royal stage include Kane Brown’s Don’t Listen to Me, on Friday 9 May and Richard Herring with Can I Have My Ball Back? on Saturday 10 May.
Over in the Derngate auditorium, while Rob Beckett’s show on 15 May is sold out, there are still a few tickets available for Nick Mohammed Is Mr. Swallow in Show Pony on Friday 23 May, coming to Northampton after a sell-out 2023 tour and West End run.
More information about all these performances can be found on the theatre’s website www.royalandderngate.co.uk. Tickets can be booked online or by calling Box Office on 01604 624811.
* A non-refundable £4 per-transaction fee applies for bookings of £20 and over. Does not apply to Groups, Members and Access Patrons. Prices may change subject to availability.