Questors Comedy Festival Returns with a 'Marvel-lous' Line-up
Ed Byrne and Marcus Brigstocke and Spiderman's dad among the acts performing
Acts appearing from top left clockwise: Dominic Holland, Hal Cruttenden, Sally-Anne Hayward, Ed Byrne, Shazia Mirza and Marcus Brigstocke
October 8, 2026
The Questors Comedy Festival is set to return this November with a star-studded programme, following its triumphant debut earlier this year. Running from 2–4 November in the Judi Dench Playhouse, the festival brings some of the UK’s best-known comedians to Ealing — including Dominic Holland, father of Marvel’s Spiderman actor Tom Holland.
TV favourites Ed Byrne and Marcus Brigstocke join the bill, alongside award-winning stand-ups Shazia Mirza and Sally-Anne Hayward. Ealing-raised Hal Cruttenden will also return to the theatre where his career began, offering a homecoming performance that celebrates his long-standing connection to The Questors.
“I grew up a short walk from The Questors Theatre. It was where I first saw a play and where I first acted (at the age of three). Only the lucky few encounter somewhere as special as Questors; an amateur theatre producing work of a professional standard,” Cruttenden said. “If you want to know how British theatre unearths the talent that makes it the envy of the world, visit the Questors.”
The festival builds on the success of its inaugural edition in April of this year, which formed part of the theatre’s fundraising campaign to replace the roof covering its Studio theatre and rehearsal rooms. The first phase of roof works is already underway and due for completion this autumn, with further phases planned for next summer. The campaign continues online, where supporters can contribute to the “Raise the Roof 2026” fund.
Simon Rudkin, Chairman of the Board at The Questors Theatre, said the team was thrilled to bring another major comedy event to Ealing. “After the success of our first Questors Comedy Festival in April, we are delighted to bring some of the UK’s best comedians to Ealing once again. We hope that audiences will enjoy the chance to see big names up close in our Playhouse theatre at affordable prices.”
Tickets start at £17 and are now on sale via the theatre’s website.
The festival coincides with another moment of celebration for The Questors, which has recently been named a finalist for Great Amateur Theatre at the Great British Theatres Awards. The winners will be announced on Monday 2 November — the opening night of the festival.
The Questors Theatre, one of Europe’s largest amateur theatres, produces around 18 in-house shows each year, spanning comedies, classics, modern drama and an annual family pantomime. It also runs one of the largest independent youth theatres in the country, with around 450 young members, and offers a wide range of adult theatre training courses.
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