The 27th edition of the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival will take place at Baxter Theatre Centre from 28 May to 21 June 2026, with organisers introducing live music to the long-running comedy event for the first time alongside its established stand-up and variety format.
Widely regarded as one of South Africa’s most established comedy platforms, the festival began in 1997 and has grown into the country’s largest and longest-running comedy project. Over nearly three decades, it has played a significant role in developing local comedic talent while also bringing international performers to Cape Town.
This year’s programme features a mix of South African comedians, international speciality acts and emerging performers from the Jive Funny Championships, the festival’s long-running talent development competition. The winner of the 2026 championships will earn a featured spot in the main festival line-up, while four additional up-and-coming comics from the competition will perform across the festival’s four-week run.
International acts joining the 2026 programme include British singing impersonator Michael Woodhams, Spanish balloon performance artist Dani Regano and Italian shadow puppeteer Matteo Fraziano. Local headline performers include Johannesburg comedians Robby Collins and Jason Goliath, alongside Cape Town entertainer Emo Adams. The new live music component will be led by Sean de Vries and the Funny Festival band, bringing a distinctly Cape musical flavour to the production.
Veteran performer and actor Alan Committie returns as master of ceremonies for his seventeenth year, continuing his longstanding role as the festival’s host and anchor. The event’s preferred beneficiary remains Things on Wheels, the feeding initiative run by Kamile Abbas that provides meals to schoolchildren across Cape Town.
With a broadened entertainment offering and another high-profile cast assembled, the 2026 festival is set to continue its reputation as one of Cape Town’s flagship winter entertainment events.
Tickets are available from Webtickets. There are generous discounts for groups of ten or more people. Visit www.funnyfestival.co.za
