By Grace Hatchell
Right then, gather round the sorting office, because I’ve just pulled something rather special from the comedy compartment of my satchel. And it’s got a passport.
Soho Theatre have only gone and announced a UK tour for one of India’s most prominent comedians, Kanan Gill, and he’s bringing his brand-new stand-up show NOT THIS AGAIN to Leicester, London, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester this September 2026. Yes, my loves. We are going international without even having to queue at passport control.
Now, Kanan isn’t a stranger to our shores. Oh no. Soho first introduced him to London audiences back in 2019 at the Comedy Tent for Diwali in the Square. Since then? Two sold-out Soho runs, an Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut in 2024, and a UK tour that kicked off at the rather swish Southbank Centre. In May 2025, he even popped up at the historic opening gala of Soho Theatre Walthamstow, sharing the stage with Soho favourites like Rosie Jones and Alex Horne. Casual little night out, that.
What I adore about this particular delivery is that Kanan started out as a software engineer. Yes. A man of code. Algorithms by day, punchlines by night. He first gained viral fame with his YouTube series Pretentious Movie Reviews, gathering a digital following that didn’t just politely clap online but followed him into theatres in their thousands. We’re talking a social media audience of over a million and a world tour that reached more than 100,000 people across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. That’s not a niche. That’s a movement with good lighting.
And he’s not just a microphone-and-spotlight sort of chap. He’s written, acted, released multiple comedy specials and, in 2024, published his debut novel Acts of God. Some comedians dabble. Kanan builds empires quietly, with that calm, razor-sharp precision he’s known for. No pyrotechnics required. Just timing so tight you could set your watch by it.
This tour also forms part of Soho Theatre’s ongoing cultural exchange with international partners, particularly India. Over the past decade, Soho have played a key role in what The Guardian dubbed the “unstoppable rise of Indian comedy in the UK.” They’ve introduced over 30 Indian artists to British stages, from their buzzing Soho base to Royal Albert Hall and beyond, as well as maintaining strong links with New York, Melbourne and Mumbai. It’s not just programming. It’s bridge-building with a punchline.
And if you’ve ever spent an evening at Soho Theatre, you’ll know it’s less “polite chuckle” and more “lean forward, drink in hand, electric atmosphere.” Celebrating 25 years in central London, and now expanding with Walthamstow, they’ve become one of the UK’s busiest producers of new theatre, comedy and cabaret. Queer, punk, counter-culture energy humming through the walls. A place where careers begin, evolve and occasionally explode in the very best way.
Now, practicalities, because even a gossipy postwoman respects a timetable.
Thu 3 Sep, 7.30pm
The Y Theatre, Leicester
From £28
Sat 5 Sep, 8pm
Eventim Apollo, London
From £32
Sun 6 Sep, 7.30pm
The Glee Club Glasgow
From £28
Wed 9 Sep, 7.30pm
The Glee Club Leeds
From £28
Thu 10 Sep, 7.30pm
Town Hall, Birmingham
From £32
Sun 13 Sep, 7.30pm
New Century Hall, Manchester
From £28
Tickets start from £28, which, in today’s world, is practically a public service for international comedy of this calibre.
Kanan’s comedy blends everyday insight with a global sensibility, travelling seamlessly across cultures. There’s a quiet confidence to it. A steady rhythm. He doesn’t shout for your laughter. He earns it, line by line.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of delivering theatre news door to door, it’s this: when Soho Theatre back an artist this consistently, you pay attention.
So consider this your official delivery. No red card through the letterbox. Just a gentle nudge from Grace’s satchel to yours.
NOT THIS AGAIN?
Oh, I think very much this again. And thank you kindly.
Kanan Gill: Not This Again – Soho Theatre
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