With more of us taking advantage of cheap airfares for budget getaways, adding comedy to the cultural itinerary on a short break to a European city isn’t always the first idea that springs to mind—beyond galleries, museums, festive markets and the foodie scene.
However, as Europe recovered 99% of its 2019 pre-pandemic tourist arrivals in the first seven months of this year, exploring hidden comedic gems—from Copenhagen's improv scene to the Barcelona Fringe (which is currently running until November 10, with a yellow weather warning in effect on the day of writing)—could offer a new way to fully experience a city during a whistle-stop tour.
Anna Beth, an American comedian living in Paris, produces Coucou Comedy, which includes weekly showcases, a monthly “Funny Women” show, and a monthly “Bad Dates” night, where comics recount nightmare dating stories. She says, “I originally set up the night in 2019, not long after I started performing when there were only a couple of English stand-up shows in Paris. It's my hope that people who attend my shows can feel more connected.”
“Comedians can be either local acts or visiting comics. We've seen many visitors from New York City, LA, and London since the Paris English comedy scene has made its mark. So, on any night, you can see comics from Algeria, India, France, Australia, etc.—it's very inclusive.
“That means the jokes have to follow universal themes that are relatable to everyone—family, work, relationships. So it isn’t just American expats making super-specific pop culture references; that wouldn’t work here. Our audiences are diverse—they can be expats or tourists from anywhere in the world, and plenty of English-speaking French people attend our shows as well. As a female showrunner, I also avoid all-male lineups and ensure women are represented.”
“Most of our shows are traditional stand-up, although we do experiment with different formats sometimes. One of our shows is part of the Funny Women UK, which features only female comedians on the lineup.”
“There are other comedy styles popping up in Paris in English, such as improv comedy by Imaginary Friends and alternative comedy by Comedy Carton. English-speaking and French people come to the shows—lots of French comedians want to become relevant in the USA or UK, so they perform in English. There are also shows in other languages, such as Arabic, Spanish, and Russian, in Paris.”
The first-ever Barcelona Fringe is in full swing despite the weather warnings and is promising to be an annual event, according to the founders. Over 100 performers will appear in 200+ shows across 20 venues during the 10-day run, in what the organisers hope will solidify Barcelona as one of the top destinations on the European comedy circuit. Audiences can expect to see stand-up, improv, clown performances, and more in English, Spanish, Catalan, as well as Italian, Russian, French, and Hindi.
Founder John Allis, co-owner of The Comedy Clubhouse in Barcelona, says, “The fact we can now launch this festival is a testament to the years of hard work and passion that has been put in by all the comedians and showrunners in the city—not only building a dedicated audience but also improving the overall quality of shows here that now rival any other city on the continent.”
Gabriel Gomez, who is producing many of the Fringe’s Spanish-language shows, adds, “When people think of Barcelona culture, they think of the architecture, art, music, or maybe flamenco dancing. But we think, why not comedy? We hope that the first Barcelona Fringe will be a major milestone in the maturity of the city’s comedy scene and will continue to attract performers and audiences from across Spain and around the world.”
UK comedians are embracing the nuances of comedy culture in European cities—comedian and podcaster Helen Bauer cut her comedy teeth in Berlin. The Comedy Cafe Berlin is a good place to start, and claims to be Berlin's first international, alternative comedy stage, bar and training school and is home to the Berlin Fringe.
National treasure and comedian Jordan Brookes is well-versed in gigging in Europe and chooses universal themes and facial expressions that resonate with audiences everywhere, reflecting the human condition. He says, “I love performing in Europe! I’ve performed in Austria, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, and Norway. My act is unconventional, so sometimes it takes a few minutes for audiences to get on board/tune into what I’m doing. I often have to talk slower or reorganize my material so I’m not going too hard too soon, but I’m always overjoyed by how well it goes and I enjoy the challenge of making it work in those environments. I’d love to continue to gig abroad as it always proves how much of our sense of humour is universal.”
“Berlin and Copenhagen have very active, enthusiastic scenes. I was also impressed by Zurich, where I met some really lovely acts. I think fundamentally my shows are about how hard it is to be a person—and who couldn't relate to that? Also, I sometimes pull funny faces, and they're always funny in any language.”
Improvised comedy duo Avocado Presents hail from the UK and the US, and embracing the European festival circuit has seen them perform in Copenhagen and Milan. Hamza Mohsin, one half of the duo, says, “Avocado had a great time at the Copenhagen Improv Festival. It was a fun way to see Copenhagen and connect with locals as well as the larger improv community around the world. It was inspiring. It was also nice to spend time together discovering a new city. I also traveled to Milan as a group I ran was invited by a local improv company to perform. My comedy team and I stayed with locals who were also Italian improvisers and, most importantly, a lot of fun. I’d definitely encourage audiences and artists to discover the comedy scenes in Copenhagen, Milan, and throughout the world—there’s something really special about the close-knit community and how welcoming everyone is. Plus, performing outside of your comfort zone feels like you’re part of a wider comedy community.” Improv Comedy Copenhagen offers regular shops and workshops for English speaking participants.
The full Barcelona Fringe programme, running until 10th November 2024, can be found at BarcelonaFringeFestival.com and regular updates will be posted on Instagram from the @BarcelonaFringe account.
