The Pleasance Wins Big!

The Pleasance Theatre Trust has been recognised for its exceptional programme bringing home both of the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Awards today. Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer was awarded The Taffner Family Best Comedy Show, and The DLT Entertainment Best Newcomer Award was won by Ayoade Bamgboye: Swings and Roundabouts, with both comedians part of Pleasance’s 2025 programme.

Sam Nicoresti’s winning stand-up show Baby Doomer is the highly anticipated follow up to the acclaimed Wokeflake. This glistening new stand-up show from the LSQ Theatre New Comedian winner and Chortle Awards nominee is about losing your mind, finding it again and the hunt for the perfect skirt suit. During a stressful house move, burgeoning trans icon Sam Nicoresti felt themselves leave their body. From a comedy night in a care home to the standing stones of Cornwall, this is the story of the journey home. 

Nigerian stand-up Ayoade Bamgboye’s winning debut show on both suffering and smiling sees her burdened by the gift of sight. This thrilling debut draws on Ayoade’s experiences of moving from Nigeria to the UK where she asks life’s big questions, providing absolutely no answers. Swings and Roundabouts speaks on finding true identity in a country where she’s too British to stop apologising and too Nigerian to shop shouting. With undeniable confidence, this show traces her moving yet hilarious journey from Africa to the UK.

Ryan Taylor, Head of Comedy says, We’re so thrilled for these two winners to come out of the Pleasance family - we have an utterly fantastic comedy programme with so many amazing shows. What an extraordinary bunch of comics were recognised this year by the awards and we couldn’t be more proud and excited for Ayoade and Sam. Both these winners demonstrate the brilliance of this industry and they deserve every success.

Tickets for all the winning Pleasance shows available from www.pleasance.co.uk