What's On in Nottingham

Yuriko Kotani: Work In Progress — Kick off your Sunday afternoon in the best possible way with Yuriko Kotani, one of the most quietly brilliant comedians working in the UK right now, trying out brand-new material at the intimate Canalhouse Bar. Work-in-progress shows have a special electricity to them — you are in the room while something is being built, and Kotani's sharp, warm, and wonderfully strange comedic voice makes this a genuine treat. At just £11 and starting at 2:15pm, it is the perfect excuse to swap the sofa for something far more memorable.

Matt Winning: Solastalgia — Following on at 3:45pm, climate scientist and comedian Matt Winning brings his hour Solastalgia to the Canalhouse — a show that somehow makes you laugh out loud at the end of the world, which is quite the achievement. Winning has carved out a totally unique lane by fusing genuine scientific expertise with absurdist wit, and the result is comedy that lingers long after the punchline. At £18 it is the most indulgent ticket of the afternoon, and absolutely worth every penny.

Gareth Mutch Means Well — The comedy marathon at the Canalhouse continues at 5:15pm with Gareth Mutch, a performer who channels good intentions and spectacular incompetence into something deeply relatable and very funny. This work-in-progress set at just £10 is the kind of low-stakes, high-reward Sunday outing that reminds you why live comedy beats scrolling through a streaming service every single time. Settle in with a drink and let Mutch mean very well indeed.

Mae Stephens — Mae Stephens is a name you will want to say you saw before she goes stratospheric, and she is bringing her infectious, emotionally charged pop to the Bodega at 6:30pm — one of Nottingham's most loved and acoustically brilliant intimate venues. Known for her irresistibly catchy songwriting and a voice that hits far harder than you expect, this is a Sunday evening show that will leave you grinning on the bus home. Check the website for ticket prices and availability, and do not leave it too long.

Tony Law. A work in progress — Closing out the Canalhouse's extraordinary comedy day at 8:15pm is the gloriously unpredictable Tony Law, a comedian who treats logic as an optional extra and takes his audiences somewhere between surrealism and genius on every single outing. A work-in-progress show from Tony Law is not just new material — it is a live experiment in what comedy can even be, and that is a rare and brilliant thing. At £12, this is the perfect nightcap before the evening properly gets going elsewhere.

BILLY'S SMASH HITS - Every Sunday Night — When the comedians take their bow and the pop stars head home, Billy Bootleggers throws open its doors for the reliably euphoric Smash Hits night from 11pm — a weekly Sunday institution that refuses to let the weekend end quietly. Think floor-fillers, big singalongs, and a crowd that has collectively decided Monday is a problem for tomorrow-you. Check the website for entry details and get yourself on the guestlist before it fills up.