Bill Bailey

Bill Bailey plays Utilita Arena Birmingham on Wednesday 11 November 2026, with the show starting at 20:00 and doors opening at 18:00. He's touring as a 'modern Vaudevillean', and the whole thing is built around the golden age of Vaudeville — that pre-streaming, pre-cinema, pre-radio prime-time spectacle that mixed comedy, music and extraordinary skills. It's a bit of a throwback to a time when a single night on stage could pull in several different acts, and Bailey's taking that old-school variety format and running it through his own filter.

If you're not familiar with the name, he's an English musician, comedian, actor and television presenter, best known for playing Manny in the sitcom Black Books and for his regular appearances on panel shows like Never Mind the Buzzcocks and QI. The show brings tales of showbiz and the wonderfully unusual to life, blending his trademark humour, musical mastery and multilingual wit. It's a good summary of what he does: the music is as much a part of it as the comedy, and the two run together rather than taking turns.

Tickets are £30 to £75 plus fees, and the venue is Utilita Arena Birmingham on King Edwards Road, B1 2AA. Doors open at 18:00, and the show kicks off at 20:00.