Komedia New Comedy Award 2026 Semifinal

If you are looking to catch the next big thing in stand-up, the Komedia New Comedy Award (KNCA) 2026 is currently underway at Komedia Brighton, a venue often recognized as the 'Best Comedy Club in the South and East' by Chortle. This competition is a key fixture in the local scene, specifically designed to give a platform to emerging talent—comedians who have less than three years of experience and are required to perform at least seven minutes of their own material. The award was established back in 2020 by Marina Kobler, Jill Edwards, and arts journalist Victoria Nangle, and it continues to run in association with the Comic Boom Comedy Club and Nangle herself.

Speaking of the competition itself, the current run includes several semifinal nights. The event you might be interested in is scheduled for Tuesday, February 3, 2026. This semifinal will take place in the Komedia Studio, with doors opening at 7:30 PM and the show kicking off at 8:00 PM. If you can't make that date, other semifinal rounds are happening on January 20, 27, and February 5. All these nights lead up to the big event: the Grand Final on Tuesday, February 10. The final moves to the larger Komedia Basement and will feature nine finalists battling it out, plus a special guest set from last year's winner, Sydney May. Previous winners, like Andrew Fox in 2024, show that this award often highlights acts that go on to bigger things.

For the comedians involved, the stakes are professional. The winner, crowned the Komedia New Act of the Year, walks away with a trophy, a bottle of cava, and, most importantly, a guaranteed paid spot to perform at the established Comic Boom Comedy Club. This is a significant step for anyone trying to break into the professional circuit. If you are planning to catch a show, remember that all events in the KNCA series are strictly for audiences aged 16 and over.