The Comedy Experiment

The Comedy Experiment is back at Caroline of Brunswick on Saturday 26 September, with Alicia Davison hosting and a mystery TV headliner on the bill. It's a free afternoon comedy show that runs three times a month in Brighton, always starting at 4:00 pm and wrapping up by 6:30 pm, so it's one of the few gigs in town that doesn't keep you out late.

It's billed as a new-material night, which is exactly what it is: a room where comedians come to try out fresh bits rather than lean on their polished sets. The line-up mixes abilities, from complete newcomers to seasoned professionals, and it's a regular stop for established names road-testing material before it goes anywhere else. Past headliners have included Maisie Adam, Joe Wilkinson, Harriet Kemsley, Zoe Lyons, Geoff Norcott, Shazia Mirza, Laura Lexx and Dane Baptiste, so the headliner this time is likely to be someone you recognise from the telly.

Alicia Davison is the resident MC and the one who organises the whole thing, and she'll be running the show throughout. Reviewers have described it as a warm, fun room with a good variety of acts and happy hour drinks all afternoon, which fits the vibe of a Saturday afternoon session. It's strictly 18+ only, so keep that in mind if you're thinking of bringing anyone younger.

Tickets are free to book, with a suggested cash or card donation of at least £5 per person on the day. Doors open at 4:10 pm, though the prompt start is 4:00 pm, and the whole thing wraps up by 6:30 pm, leaving you plenty of your Saturday evening still intact. You'll find it at Caroline of Brunswick, 39 Ditchling Road, Brighton BN1 4SB.