Following the success of this year’s Aberdeen International Comedy Festival, organisers have announced plans to return in 2023 – with headline acts expected to be announced soon.
Over the course of 11 days (October 6 – 16), Aberdeen audiences this year were treated to 43 gigs by more than 60 comedians, with 15 shows completely selling out.
Headline acts included popular TV comics such as Jack Dee, Harry Hill, David O’Doherty and Milton Jones alongside many fresh faces on the comedy circuit including Stuart McPherson, Krystal Evans, Daniel Petrie and Liam Farrelly.
Festival manager Shona Byrne said: “It was great to see so many people back out in the city centre enjoying a laugh. We attracted audiences from far and wide with visitors seeking out comedy from Singapore, together with folk from the city and wider region.
“This year’s festival was another step on the road to recovery for the city centre and we are delighted that the comedy festival continues to grow and mature into a pivotal and popular event on the city’s cultural calendar.”
7,000 people enjoyed Aberdeen International Comedy Festival
Attracting more than 7,000 people to the city over the course of its 11-day run, audience numbers for the core festival period had dropped slightly but mirrored the downward trend reported by others such as the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe.
However, when the audience numbers for headliners Katherine Ryan and Jon Richardson – who had to reschedule their dates outwith the core festival period – are taken into account, attendance tops the 10,000 mark and bypasses that achieved three years ago.
The festival which opened on October 6, closed on Sunday October 16 with two sold-out shows.
Milton Jones brought his extraordinary show Milton: Impossible to The Tivoli, delivering witty one-liners about his life as a spy. Cleverly crafted and well-written, it was an absolute triumph with the 500-strong audience, bringing the festival to a close.
The festival which opened on October 6, closed on Sunday October 16 with two sold-out shows.
Daniel Sloss urges people to support Aberdeen comedy festival
Netflix sensation Daniel Sloss and Geordie funnyman Kai Humphries encouraged audiences to “keep coming back and to tell others about how great it is to have a comedy festival in Aberdeen” as it would only get bigger and better with their support.
Aberdeen International Comedy Festival will return on September 30 for 10 days. Organisers Aberdeen Inspired are expected to make headline act announcements very soon.
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