The legendary Glastonbury Cabaret Tent in Bella’s Field presents top comics, musical comedy, and comic theatricals – an eclectic representation of all that is cabaret. This year is no different with a wide selection of acts that could constitute an entire festival in their own right.
Opening at noon on Friday and coming to a close with a very special performance (see our recommendations below), the Cabaret tent’s fantastic offerings in between provide quality alternatives to the music acts. We’ve picked out just a few of the many, many fantastic acts that will grace their stage over three days. Which will you see?
Paul Foot
Paul Foot is a unique force in comedy with his freewheeling comic style and iconoclastic fashion sense. He has famously appeared regularly on Never Mind The Buzzcocks, as well as other comedy panel shows like Would I Lie to You and 8 out of 10 Cats. A great chance to catch a classic new-wave comedian.
Paul Foot plays the Cabaret tent at 5 pm on Friday.
Read our recent interview with Paul Foot here.
Jonny Awsum
Jonny Awsum is an award-winning comedian who has charmed audiences all around the world with his high-energy performance style and unique brand of musical comedy. After building his reputation on the UK comedy circuit, where he is a regular headliner and closing act, Jonny shot to national fame on Britain’s Got Talent. He appears at Glastonbury fresh from performing at Download Festival earlier this month.
Jonny plays the Cabaret tent at 1 pm on Friday and 2:50 pm on Sunday.
Don’t miss our interview with Jonny Awsum.
Jen Brister
Comedian, writer and actor, Jen Brister is a regular performer on the UK and international comedy circuits with her insightful and furiously funny stand-up. With three chances to see Brister across the weekend, including a performance of her Memories podcast which she will perform with fellow comedian Kerry Godliman, you can’t say you haven’t enough chances to see her.
Brister plays the Cabaret tent at 9:35 pm on Friday and 4:15 pm on Saturday, as well as a performance of her Memories podcast on Sunday at 1 pm with Kerry Godliman
Tom Ward
Bursting on to the comedy scene back in 2013 in the finals of BBC Radio New Comedy Awards, the NATYs and the Leicester Square New Comedian of the Year, Tom Ward went on to be named Best Newcomer at the 2017 Chortle Awards. He now performs at comedy clubs all over the UK and has supported Jack Whitehall, Joe Lycett, Jason Manford and Sindhu Vee on tour, as well as recently supporting Ricky Gervais at London’s Leicester Square Theatre. Playing late on the Saturday night, Ward offers you the perfect chance to unwind with a laugh after your Saturday night headliner.
Tom Ward plays the Cabaret tent at 12:50 am on Saturday night and 7:20 pm on Sunday.
Read our recent interview with Tom Ward here.
Stuart Goldsmith
Stand-up comedian and podcaster Stuart Goldsmith’s Comedian’s Comedian podcast comes with a recommendation from Ricky Gervais and has over 20 million downloads. Listeners have enjoyed Goldsmith interviewing some of the world’s funniest people to ask them in depth about how they do it, and how they cope with the challenges of a creative life; people like Jimmy Carr, James Acaster, Stewart Lee, Sarah Millican, Sindhu Vee, Bill Burr and Russell Howard. But Goldsmith is hilarious in his own right; his recent show I Need You Alive was a side-splitting and honest look at the true meaning of fatherhood. Unwind as the festival nears its close with Goldsmith in the late afternoon on Sunday.
Stuart Goldsmith performs the Cabaret tent at 5 pm on Sunday. He is also compereing in the Astrolabe Theatre on Thursday.
Read our recent interview with Stuart Goldsmith here.
Luke Wright
Luke Wright is a poet, theatre-maker, and broadcaster. As he puts it he “makes a new show or play every year and schlepp it around a variety of glorious venues.” Luckily for any festival-goers this weekend, he’s schlepping his way to Glastonbury; one performance in the Cabaret tent and one performance in Poetry&Words. With credentials that include supporting both The Libertines and John Cooper Clarke, Wright is one not to miss.
Luke Wright plays the Cabaret tent at 4:25pm on Sunday. He also plays Poetry&Words at 4:19pm on Saturday
Read our recent interview with Luke Wright here.
Maisie Adam
Even if you don’t know who Adam is (and let’s face it you probably do) you’ll recognise her from Live at The Apollo, A League of Their Own, Mock The Week, and The Last Leg. With two chances to catch her high-energy show full of witty observations and a bag full of good jokes, there’s no excuse for not seeing her in the flesh instead of on the small screen.
Maisie Adam plays the Cabaret tent at 5:45pm on Friday and 2:20pm on Sunday.
Rob Kemp – Elvis Dead
Elvis Dead is a musical comedy stage show by comedian Rob Kemp. The show is a retelling of the cult horror film Evil Dead II in the style of the musician Elvis Presley – do we need to say anything else? Didn’t think so.
Rob Kemp – Elvis Dead is in the Cabaret tent at 12:55am on the Friday night. He also plays the tent at 7:55pm on Sunday.
Abi Carter-Simpson
‘Britain’s Got Talent Semi Finalist 2023’ undersells the quality that Abi Carter-Simpson brings to the Cabaret tent, but it shows how popular her performances on the show were. With her trusted ukelele in tow, Carter-Simpson’s West End quality vocals and witty lyrics could provide a welcome break for festival-goers.
Abi Carter-Simpson plays the Cabaret tent at 8:25pm on Friday and 1:25am on Saturday night.
John Robertson – The Dark Room
John Robertson’s The Dark Room is the world’s only live-action, text-based adventure game. How do you play? The audience is trapped in a retro video game with a sadistic end-of-level boss. Choose your options, survive the abuse simulator that is the improv comedy overlord John Robertson, and escape to win £1000 – or, be brutally murdered by the rest of the crowd! Now it comes to Glastonbury, bringing the Cabaret tent to a close on the Sunday night. Are you ready for one last-weekend challenge?
John Robertson’s The Dark Room is on in the Cabaret tent at 11pm on Sunday.
Read our interview with John Robertson on bringing the show to Glastonbury here.
