Following the huge success of Ben Elton’s critically acclaimed sold-out UK tour in 2019, which marked his return to stand up after a 15 year hiatus, the undisputed godfather of modern stand-up is going back on the road with a brand new live show – Authentic Stupidity. Taking in 54 dates across the UK & Ireland, the tour opens at York Barbican on 1 September and culminates in London’s West End on 18 November.
The world has changed a lot since Ben last toured five years ago - a whole new existential threat has emerged to challenge our very existence: Artificial Intelligence. Apparently, it’s going to render all human life meaningless, but Ben is here to warn you that AI is not the greatest threat that we face; it’s Authentic Stupidity!
Ben said: “The verdict’s in! Humanity is thick! Homo halfwit. The idiot branch of the Ape family! We need signs to tell us to step off escalators, we elect gibbering fools to lead us and now we’ve invented Artificial Intelligence which is actually going to replace us! I’ve spent 45 years in comedy exploring the outer limits of human idiocy and my mission has never been more timely. Forget AI! It’s AS we need to be worrying about!”
Authentic Stupidity will travel all over the UK & Ireland visiting York, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Warrington, Nottingham, Birmingham, Sheffield, Cambridge, Bristol, Milton Keynes, High Wycombe, Bedford, Colchester, Hayes, St Albans, Basingstoke, Guildford, Leeds, Swindon, Cardiff, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Stevenage, Ipswich, Canterbury, Aylesbury, Salford, Oxford, Folkestone, Woking, Southend, Tunbridge Wells, Poole, Portsmouth, Hastings, Weston-Super-Mare, Barnstaple, Yeovil, Torquay, Belfast, Dublin, Liverpool, Leicester, Northampton, Worthing, Crawley, Weymouth, Brighton, Lincoln, Chatham, Dorking and London’s West End.
Ben Elton’s multi-award-winning career spans over four decades and includes seminal and groundbreaking television shows (The Young Ones, Blackadder, Upstart Crow), West End plays (Popcorn, Upstart Crow), West End musicals (We Will Rock You, The Beautiful Game, Close up: The Twiggy Musical), best-selling novels (Stark, Dead Famous, Two Brothers) and feature films (Maybe Baby, Three Summers, All is True). In October last year, Ben returned to Channel 4 for a one-off revival of Friday Night Live to rave reviews. The reincarnation of the original smash-hit Saturday Night Live was critically acclaimed and Ben won the BAFTA for Comedy Entertainment Programme 2023. Channel 4 will also broadcast a special recording of Ben’s last stand-up tour - ‘Ben Elton Live’ which will TX on 15 December, to coincide with tickets going on sale for Authentic Stupidity.
Ben Elton – ‘Authentic Stupidity’ UK & Ireland Tour 2024
Buy tickets here.
1 September
York, Barbican
2 September
Newcastle, Tyne Theatre and Opera House
3 September
Edinburgh, Queen’s Hall
4 September
Glasgow, Pavilion Theatre
5 September
Aberdeen, Music Hall
7 September
Warrington, Parr Hall
8 September
Nottingham, Theatre Royal
9 September
Birmingham, Symphony Hall
10 September
Sheffield, City Hall
11 September
Cambridge, Corn Exchange
12 September
Bristol, Beacon
15 September
Milton Keynes Theatre
16 September
High Wycombe, Swan Theatre
17 September
Bedford, Corn Exchange
19 September
Colchester, Charter Hall
20 September
Hayes, Beck Theatre
21 September
St Albans, Alban Arena
22 September
Basingstoke, Anvil Theatre
23 September
Guildford, G Live
27 September
Leeds, Playhouse
28 September
Swindon, Wyvern Theatre
29 September
Cardiff, New Theatre
2 October
Wolverhampton, Grand Theatre
3 October
Coventry, Warwick Arts Centre
4 October
Stevenage, Gordon Craig Theatre
5 October
Ipswich, Corn Exchange
6 October
Canterbury, Marlowe Theatre
7 October
Aylesbury, Waterside Theatre
10 October
Salford, The Lowry
11 October
Oxford, New Theatre
12 October
Folkestone, Leas Cliff Hall
13 October
Woking, New Victoria Theatre
14 October
Southend, Cliffs Pavilion
15 October
Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall
19 October
Poole, Lighthouse
20 October
Portsmouth, Guildhall
21 October
Hastings, White Rock Theatre
24 October
Weston-Super-Mare, Playhouse
25 October
Barnstaple, Queen’s Theatre
26 October
Yeovil, Octagon Theatre
27 October
Torquay, Princess Theatre
31 October
Belfast, Ulster Hall
1 November
Dublin, 3Olympia Theatre
3 November
Liverpool, Philharmonic Hall
4 November
Leicester, De Montfort Hall
6 November
Northampton, Royal and Derngate
7 November
Worthing, Assembly Halls
8 November
Crawley, Hawth Theatre
9 November
Weymouth, Pavilion Theatre
11 November
Brighton, Theatre Royal
14 November
Lincoln, Engine Shed
15 November
Chatham, Central Theatre
16 November
Dorking Halls
18 November
London, Lyceum Theatre
Website: Benelton.live
