Standup Scotland October 2023: Five must-see live comedy shows for October including Paul Foot

In August every year Edinburgh becomes the centre of the comedy universe courtesy of the Festival Fringe, while March sees Glasgow attract standups from across the world for its International Comedy Festival.

But Scotland is the home of great comedy year-round – here are five great shows to book for this month.

Paul Foot: Dissolve

Paul Foot’s unusually personal hour was a huge word-of-mouth hit at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. ‘Dissolve’ derives from a remarkable experience the comedian recently underwent and has the potential to similarly change the lives of audience members. How often can you say that of a standup set? He’s playing Aberdeen’s Lemon Tree on Friday, October 6, followed by Edinburgh’s Monkey Barrel and Glasgow’s Stand.

Christopher Macarthur-Boyd: Scary Times

Hometown hero Christopher Macarthur-Boyd is a rising star in the world of comedy and is likely to sell out his local Stand Comedy Club in Glasgow on Sunday, October 22. Tickets are currently available, so you can still find out why Frankie Boyle invited him to both support him on tour and appear in in his New World Order television show.

Mark Watson and Friends

If you are looking for a real bargain you can get more than two hours of comedy at Edinburgh’s Monkey Barrel for just a tenner on Monday, October 23. Fringe favourite and former Taskmaster contestant Mark Watson is your compere and will be hosting a “riotous selection of local and imported talent” – with plenty of surprises promised.

John Robins: Howl

The former Edinburgh Comedy Award-winner is back with another blackly-comic journey into his own terrifying psyche. This time Robins offers a clear-eyed look into alcohol dependency and anxiety – which somehow manages to be as funny as it is informative. He’s at Glasgow’s Pavilion Theatre on Friday, October 20.

Dawn French is a Huge Twat

A true comedy legend that need no introduction, Dawn French has extended her sold-our tour which started in 2022 to give more fans the chance to see it. She has four Scottish dates this month, performing at Aberdeen Music Hall on Thursday, October 26, followed by nights at Edinburgh’s EICC, Dunfermline’s Alhambra and Glasgow’s Pavilion Theatre.