Brighton Fringe 2026! Hugo Hayes - Some Characters - Work In Progress

Hugo Hayes is bringing his show, Some Characters - Work In Progress, to the Brighton Fringe 2026. If you have spent any time scrolling through social media, you might recognise his style of character comedy, which has gained a significant number of views online. This show is an attempt to translate those digital sketches into a live performance at The Lantern Theatre. The premise revolves around the idea of imperfection, with the artist exploring how these digital personas hold up when performed in front of a live audience. It is a shift from the controlled environment of a screen to the immediate feedback of a theatre space.

The performances are scheduled for Friday, 22 May 2026, at 21:00, and Saturday, 23 May 2026, at 14:00. The venue is located at 77 St James's Street, Brighton, BN2 1PA. One of the specific aspects of this show is the feedback loop Hayes is setting up; he is encouraging the audience to send him direct messages after the performance to share which characters they liked or disliked. It is a way to gather input while the material is still in its development phase, allowing the audience to influence the direction of the comedy.

Tickets are currently priced at £7.00, though it is worth noting that these prices can fluctuate daily depending on the festival's ticketing system. Since this is a work-in-progress show, the content is likely to be experimental, focusing on the process of refining comedy characters rather than a polished, final production. It offers a look at how digital content creators adapt their work for a physical space, providing a different experience compared to watching short clips on a screen. The Lantern Theatre provides a setting that allows for this kind of intimate, character-driven performance, which is a common feature of the Brighton Fringe programme. By attending, you are essentially participating in the testing phase of the material, which is a standard part of the Fringe experience for many performers looking to develop their craft before taking it to larger stages or longer runs.