Comic Timing
Jump to
Overview
Reopening in 1986 after extensive refurbishment, the Corn Exchange quickly became a key stop for touring entertainment.
By the 1990s, stand‑up comedy, heralded as the “new rock ’n’ roll”, had begun to take centre stage thanks to names like Jack Dee (1993), French and Saunders (1995) and Eddie Izzard (1997).
Inspiration
Cambridge has long been a source of comedic talent. A Cambridge student at the time, Jimmy Carr attended Eddie Izzard’s 1997 show. Inspired by what he saw, he became a comedian himself. He has since performed here over 40 times and is now one of the venue’s most frequent comedy headliners.
Eddie Izzard was very big when I was at college. I remember seeing him at the Cambridge Corn Exchange - I still get goosebumps even just walking into the building.
Comical Cambridge
Jimmy Carr with backstage image
Image Credit: Jimmy Carr
Jimmy Carr in auditorium at 40th show
Image Credit: Jimmy Carr
Trusted by leading comedians, for its intimate atmosphere, the Corn Exchange has regularly been used as test bed for work in progress shows for big names. Jack Whitehall (2022), Michael McIntyre (2023), Romesh Ranganathan (2023), Ricky Gervais (2024) and Stephen Merchant (2025) have all given audiences a first look at new material in our venue.
The University of Cambridge’s student‑run Footlights have also long fed the UK comedy circuit and alumni such as Sandi Toksvig, Nick Mohamed and Phil Wang have all come back to their roots by making the Corn Exchange a stop on their tours.
Go Back and Explore More
Exhibition Themes