Name: Daliso Chaponda: Topical Storm
Start: 2026-03-22
End: 2026-03-22
Location: Monkey Barrel Comedy

THE SHOW

Daliso Chaponda has been writing jokes about the news for over a decade - on Have I Got News For You, Radio 4' News Quiz, Australia's Good News Week and many more besides. (In fact he's seen the news from both sides, having been in the tabloids himself.) But recently the news has been so absurd, chaotic and overwhelming that it more or less mocks itself. Where do we go from here?

Topical Storm is Daliso's response. A show not about THE news but about news itself. Journalists, bloggers, fake news, satirical news: have we lost the thread of it all? Is the reporting of news endlessly polarising us as a society rather than educating us? Would we be better off going right back to the first ever news bulletin - the original caveman drawing on a wall - and starting from scratch? Daliso does just that in this explosive new standup show.

★★★★ 'Full of sharp one-liners and well crafted gags...a real talent' Metro

'Gets laughs out of topics other comedians shun' The Guardian

'Brilliantly bold, thoroughly engaging and provocative' Wee Review

TICKETS

Sunday 22nd March 2026

20:00 (100min incl. interval)

£17/£16 concession (people from minority ethnic groups)

FURTHER INFO

Seating: Every ticket-holder gets a seat, so you can leave standing-up to our acts.

Suitability: 14+ (Guideline)

Warnings and Additional Info: N/A

Accessibility: Full accessibility information for all our venues can be found on our website. Alternatively, please contact our Box Office with any access questions.

Groups: Please contact our Box Office for alternative group size arrangements or group bookings of 7 or more. See Terms and Conditions for more information.

MONKEY BARREL COMEDY

Monkey Barrel Comedy has been ‘Scotland’s Best Comedy Venue’ since 2020 (Chortle Awards) and was described by The List as “a year-round Edinburgh institution”. It has over 500 5-star reviews on TripAdvisor, making it one of the city’s top-rated year-round attractions.

The club was home to both of 2022's Edinburgh Comedy Awards winners, Best Comedy Show 2023 and Best Comedy Show and Best Newcomer 2024. It has been described as the "Beating Heart" of the Fringe by The Telegraph and “the best comedy club in the world” by comedian Olga Koch.

“What a comedy club you’ve got there, Edinburgh!” (Kevin Bridges)

“Down there at the Monkey Barrel, there's something in the water, AND I CAN'T STOP DRINKING IT!” (Sam Campbell)

"Fringe Heroes" (The Metro)

"Redefining what weekend comedy can and should be" (British Comedy Guide

5.0★★★★★ Trip Advisor | 4.7★★★★ Google | 4.5★★★★ Facebook

FOLLOW US INFO

For the latest shows on sale, go to our website or social media (Twitter | Instagram | Facebook) or sign-up to our newsletter. Check out our reviews here!

DRINKS & MORE

Our adjoining bar, Barrel Bar, is open from 3pm on Fridays and Saturdays and at least 1 hour before every show every other day. It serves a wide selection of drinks, including locally-sourced beers, cocktails, and spirits.

Table service is available in the venue throughout the show, so you can get drinks delivered straight to your seat without missing a thing. Order via the QR codes positioned next to your seat. Not applicable for all shows.

Location

Monkey Barrel Comedy
9-12 Blair Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1QR United Kingdom

FINDING US

Monkey Barrel Comedy is situated in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town. Our rooms are located on opposite sides of the street at the top end of Blair Street, just off the Royal Mile. Our venues can be easily accessed by bus or taxi from South Bridge or by foot from the Cowgate or the High Street.

ACCESSIBILITY

Please contact our Box Office in advance if you have any access requirements, so we can advise on the options available.

As with many venues in the historic Old Town, some of our spaces have accessibility limitations. We have three year-round performance spaces (MB1, MB3, MB4). Detailed accessibility information for each of our venues can be found here. If the room for an event isn't listed, then it may not yet have been confirmed, so please check with us before buying a ticket.

Daliso Chaponda: Topical Storm

Daliso Chaponda brings Topical Storm to Edinburgh - a show not about THE news but about news itself. ★★★★ 'Full of sharp one-liners and well crafted gags...a real talent' Metro