Hello all! We used to do this annual wrap-up exclusively on Twitter, but this year we made the decision to step away from the platform. And yes, despite it being a pretty solid traffic generator for us, it’s also become a bit of a cesspool of awfulness that reliably ruins our mood every time we open it. So, for the first time ever, our annual wrap-up lives right here.

While we didn’t quite beat last year’s numbers (it’s amazing what can happen when Tommy Tiernan flags your review in a post), we still maintained a regular readership of over 5K – an average we’ve now held steady for the past three years. So thank you, genuinely, for your continued support. We appreciate every view, visitor, like and comment – even the ones telling us we don’t know shit.

This year saw us watch an incredible range of shows: from comedy DJ battles to the original Police Cops stage show. We discovered brilliant new comedy nights like Comedy in Ruins, The 99 Club and Castle Comedy Club, and applauded many Clowns that were new finds for us – including Thor Stenhaug, Lou Wall, John Robertson (Dark Room), Eric Rushton, and many more.

We laughed, we loved, and we saw far too much good stuff to sensibly pick a Top 5 ourselves. So, as tradition dictates, we’ve copped out and handed the responsibility over to the cold, unfeeling gods of analytics. Here, then, are our Top 5 most-read comedy reviews of 2025…

FRAT: Namesake Theatre

We caught this comedy play as our first show at this year’s Brighton Fringe – what a way to start.

“Described as darkly comedic, its humour is subtle but skewers the ridiculous hypocrisy of US Ivy League life with precision. The cast do an excellent job of world-building from a single-room set, and each member stands out in his own right – with the actor playing Charles earning extra points for being the spit of a young Keanu…”

Tim Minchin: Songs The World Will Never Hear

We were ridiculously excited for this one – and it absolutely didn’t disappoint.

“Our clown has earned every opportunity through talent, hard work, sacrifice, and a frankly ridiculous amount of creativity. Songs The World Will Never Hear is a celebration of that journey, gleefully skipping back and forth through classic tracks that highlight some of the most significant moments in his career – or, as Tim himself puts it, ‘a shit show of tonal inconsistency’…”

Russell Hicks @ Castle Comedy Club

A recent review that really caught your attention – maybe it was all the star power?

“Much like last time with Carl Donnelly, tonight’s headliner showed us that there are levels to this shit. His laid-back charm reset the atmosphere instantly. An opening monologue packed with call-backs and pin-sharp improvisation had the room genuinely filled with laughter…”

Huge Davies: Album For My Ancestors (Dead)

Great show, incredible poster, and another top-tier night at the Soho Theatre.

“It takes a confident clown to intentionally sabotage a show that’s off to a strong start, but that’s exactly what Huge Davies does. Through faux technical issues and an alleged lack of audience participation, he restarts the show multiple times. If you get the joke, it’s a bold but brilliant opening gambit – and despite a few bemused Londoners, it pays off beautifully…”

Emily Bampton @ Comedy in Ruins

A fresh comedy night building its own community – and growing with it. You love to see it.

“…there’s no denying this night has found its people. It’s built such a solid following in Walthamstow that by the end of the evening, Emily announced they’d soon be moving to a bigger venue – because they keep selling out the current one. A genuinely impressive feat. Local nights like Comedy in Ruins exist all over the country, each with their own unique signature style. If you’ve got one near you, do yourself a favour and check it out…”

Thank you all again, and we’ll see you in 2026 when we will be celebrating our 10th anniversary! Bring on the Clowns