The second Rik Mayall Comedy Festival is set to bring nine days of comedy, music, screenings, exhibitions, workshops and fringe performances to Droitwich Spa, the Worcestershire town where the late comedian grew up and first performed. Beginning on Friday, 29 May and running until 6 June, the event will honour Mayall’s life and legacy with more than 300 activities taking place across the town.
The festival is centred around the Norbury Theatre, the venue where Mayall first appeared on stage as a youngster. From there, events will spread across pubs, cafés, streets and other local spaces, turning Droitwich Spa into a hub for comedy and live entertainment. Organisers say the festival will feature a wide range of performances and cultural events designed to celebrate one of Britain’s most influential alternative comedians.
Among the headline acts are some of Mayall’s best-known collaborators from The Young Ones, including Alexei Sayle and Nigel Planer. They will be joined by comedians Harriet Kemsley and Richard Herring, adding further star power to a programme that mixes established names with community-led and emerging performances.
The festival is intended not only as a celebration of Mayall’s career, but also as a tribute to the impact he had on comedy and popular culture. His work helped define a new style of British television comedy in the 1980s and 1990s, with roles in The Young Ones, The New Statesman and Bottom earning him a devoted following. By returning the spotlight to his hometown, the event aims to reconnect that legacy with the place where his career began.
With more than 300 events planned, the festival will offer something for a broad audience. Alongside stand-up shows and panel events, the programme includes film screenings, music performances, exhibitions and workshops, as well as fringe-style attractions aimed at creating a lively town-wide atmosphere. The variety of events is expected to draw both comedy fans and local residents, supporting the festival’s ambition to become a major annual fixture.
Droitwich Spa’s businesses and venues are expected to play a central role throughout the week, with the festival spilling beyond the theatre and into the wider town. That community-wide approach reflects the spirit of the event, which seeks to celebrate Mayall’s enduring influence while bringing visitors into the heart of the town connected to his early life.
The return of the Rik Mayall Comedy Festival marks another major moment for fans of the late comedian, whose work continues to resonate decades after his death. With prominent comedians, a broad programme and a strong sense of place, this year’s edition is shaping up to be a significant tribute to one of British comedy’s most distinctive voices.
