Darlington, November 23rd 2026
Hilarity Bitesize New Act & New Material Night, with Peter Brush, Ant Dewson, host Stephanie Laing & support
Show details:

Peter Brush
A highly distinctive performer and deft writer of finely crafted jokes, Peter Brush unassumingly takes the stage with his slight bespectacled frame and scruffy hair, before consummately conquering it with an arsenal of razor sharp quirky one-liners and peerlessly original routines, all delivered in an amusingly awkward fashion.
Peter performs at all the major clubs across the UK, as well as having done many of it’s biggest festivals, he has also played shows in Switzerland, Norway and Hungary. Formerly a BBC New Comedy Award finalist, he has written for several BBC Radio 4 shows and was the support act for Alexei Sayle’s most recent tour. Other acts he has supported on tour include Jonathan Pie, Jason Manford, Fern Brady, Arthur Smith and Paul Sinha.
“compellingly hilarious... first-class gag writing... an original and achingly funny voice” - ★★★★½ - Chortle
“I love Peter Brush, what a comic” - Jason Manford
“unique observations and connections that stand-ups crave” - The Guardian
“He’s a great comic” - BBC Radio 4 Saturday Review

Ant Dewson
Ant Dewson performs at some of the top comedy clubs in the country, from The Stand in Edinburgh to Up The Creek and Angel in London, He’s shared the stage with some great comedians including Mickey Flanagan, Lee Mack and Noel Fielding. He’s also shared the stage with some right shockers, all of whom he is too polite to name here.
Ant is a regular on BBC Radio London and was the co-host of Carpet Martin’s Comedy Market on Riverside Radio. He also writes comedy for shows on BBC Radio 4 and Sky One.
After a recent Hilarity Bites show in Ripon, a member of the audience messaged him to say, “you even made my teenage daughter laugh which she hasn’t done since she hit puberty.”
“Genuinely funny... very clever... filthy” - Three Weeks
“Highlight of the night” - Tom Robinson, BBC 6Music
“A musical comedy feast” - ★★★★ - The Skinny

Stephanie Laing
Goofy and peculiar, Stephanie Laing’s comedy is partway between the needy oddness of Maria Bamford and the upbeat affability of Josie Long. Her material is a mix of silliness, filth and unusual observations, underpinned by a disarming honesty which makes her seem charmingly vulnerable.
A regular on the circuit Stephanie has also become a stalwart of comedy festivals across the country having appeared at Brighton Fringe, Leicester Comedy Festival, York Comedy Festival, Bath Comedy Festival, Women in Comedy Festival as well as appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe every year since 2010. Not content with just performing in the UK Stephanie has also appeared at UCB in New York & The Laugh Factory in L.A.
Most recently in 2018 Stephanie took her solo show ‘Mad About The Boy’ to the Melbourne, Adelaide & Perth comedy festivals.
“Laing is a jovial, baby faced performer who comes across as utterly unencumbered, so it doesn’t especially feel like adult humour when it plainly is... Laing has a Sarah Millican-esque appeal” - Chortle
“Disgusting and delightful in equal measure. She is definitely one to watch” - Three Weeks
“Gloriously silly … wonderfully unpretentious” - Broadway Baby
This show will also feature support from several new acts, and established acts performing new material.
Note: Line-ups are subject to change in extreme, and unavoidable, circumstances.
Show may contain strong language and adult themes.
Timings
Doors open: 7pm
Show starts: 7:30pm
Buy tickets:
Tickets for this show are £10 per person, with doors opening at 7pm and the show starting at 7:30pm. Tickets can be bought from the link below, See Tickets, TicketMaster, Skiddle, or contact the venue directly.
Peter Brush & Ant Dewson – Darlington – November 23rd 2026
20 in stock