Russell Howard: Don't Tell the Algorithm

Russell Howard brings his stand-up show Don't Tell the Algorithm to The Hexagon on Friday 16 July 2027, starting at 19:30. It's a tour extension that follows a sold-out 2026 run across the UK and Ireland, which saw over 200,000 tickets sold. This time around, he's inviting audiences back for more of the same, with a specific request for the night: no phones, no distractions, just humans and jokes.

That phone-free angle is a big part of the pitch. The idea is to get everyone off their screens and focused on the room, so the whole evening stays about the live experience rather than the recording of it. It's a straightforward setup — just Howard on stage with his material, and the audience there to watch it without the distraction of a glowing screen in their hand. If you're used to the half-lit room of a modern comedy club, this is a bit of a shift back to the basics.

Howard's a well-known name in British comedy, and the press has had plenty to say about him over the years. The Sunday Times called him one of the world's top comedians, the Evening Standard dubbed him a comedy King, and The Times went with megastar. The Daily Telegraph added a different angle, describing him as one of the most effective political stand-ups around, so there's a bit of that in the mix alongside the broader stuff.

Tickets are £38.50, and there's an age guidance of 14+, so it's one you can take the teenagers to. The show is at The Hexagon, Main House, Queen Walk, Reading, RG1 7QF, on Friday 16 July 2027 at 19:30.