Joke Live: Barry Cryer’s 12 Jokes Of Christmas

A joyous Christmas afternoon celebrating the life and laughter of the legendary Barry Cryer — one of Britain’s most beloved comedy writers and performers. 

JOKE: LIVE brings together some of the country’s favourite comedians and storytellers for a unique Christmas event filled with jokes, memories and spontaneous silliness — all in the spirit of Baz himself. The show will revive "Barry's Bucket", something he used to do in his one-man shows. Acts will pick a joke at random from the bucket, tell it, riff on it or ignore it—their choice. Expect tall tales, vintage punchlines, Archbishops, parrots and the odd cracker joke, all delivered with the same affectionate chaos that followed Barry wherever he went. 

JOKE: LIVE serves as a fundraiser for the forthcoming short sketch film JOKE — a cinematic tribute to Barry’s ten favourite jokes, starring Dame Judi Dench, Sir Stephen Fry, Alison Steadman, Rebecca Front and many more. Released in 2026. 

Come and celebrate the enduring art of the joke — and help bring Barry’s legacy to the big screen. 

Featuring: Shappi Khorsandi, Arthur Smith, Colin Sell, John Moloney, Alex Lowe, Helen Atkinson Wood, Mitch Benn, Bennett Arron, Simon Evans

Because, as Barry always said: “Analysing comedy is like dissecting a frog. Nobody laughs, and the frog dies.” 

Photo credit Paul Grover