Mark Thomas: 40 in Stand-Up Years
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Start date
August 8, 2026 6:05 pm
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End date
August 30, 2026
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The Stand Edinburgh
5 York Place, Edinburgh EH1 3EB
Mark Thomas celebrates four decades at the microphone with 40 in Stand-Up Years at The Stand through 30 August 2026. Performances start at 6:05pm in Stand 1, with the hour mixing political comedy, personal stories and whatever the news throws up during the Fringe.
The show is designed to stay topical. Thomas looks back at a career where comedy and campaigning repeatedly crossed over, then uses the present political moment as material for a new state-of-the-nation hour.
Key Event Details
| Event | Mark Thomas: 40 in Stand-Up Years |
| Date(s) | 8–30 August 2026 |
| Time | 6:05pm |
| Venue | The Stand Comedy Club, Stand 1 |
| Area | New Town |
| Tickets | £6.50–£15 |
| Runtime | 60 minutes |
| Age guidance | 14+ accompanied by an adult |
| Event type | Political stand-up comedy |
What To Expect
Forty years gives Thomas plenty of history to draw on. The official listing points to campaigns and stunts that went far beyond ordinary touring, from work around tax and the arms trade to setting up a comedy circuit in Palestine, giving evidence to Parliamentary committees and taking police forces to court.
That history is not presented as a fixed greatest-hits retrospective. Thomas says the world is moving too quickly to predict the exact contents, so the show is structured as a changing mixture of government and personal mayhem, jokes, rants and a live attempt to make sense of the current state of the country.
The result should be recognisably political stand-up, but with enough personal history to explain why Thomas has spent so much of his career blurring the line between comic performance and activism. The Stand lists the Fringe version at around 60 minutes.
Tickets & Entry
The Stand lists tickets between £6.50 and £15 depending on date and ticket type, plus its booking fee. Performances continue through 30 August with availability shown on the official page. Check tickets and availability.
Location
The show takes place at The Stand Comedy Club, Stand 1 in New Town, Edinburgh.
Getting There
Stand 1 is at The Stand Comedy Club, 5 York Place, close to St Andrew Square and Picardy Place. Tram stops and city-centre bus routes are within easy walking distance.
Our Tips
- The show is topical, so the exact material can change during the run.
- The venue lists a 14+ guideline when accompanied by an adult.
- Stand 1 has unreserved seating and latecomers may not be admitted.
Source: official event page