What Monkey Barrel Comedy does

Monkey Barrel Comedy Ltd is an independent, owner-managed comedy club operator headquartered at 9-12 Blair Street in Edinburgh's Old Town, Scotland (company number SC498519), founded in 2017. The company runs three permanent performance venues — MB1, MB3 (129-170 seated capacity), and MB4 (100+ capacity with advanced AV) — programmed year-round seven days a week with weekly regular shows (Free For All, Top Banana, Best of Fringe, The Big Show) alongside touring acts and a flagship Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme (75+ shows on sale for Fringe 2026). Tickets are sold direct-to-consumer via its own Wix-hosted booking platform (booking.monkeybarrelcomedy.com) and Tockify/LiveIt, with secondary distribution through the Edinburgh Fringe website and on-the-door sales. Pricing is per-show and ranges roughly £5-£20 depending on act, slot, and season, with a £10/month Patreon tier offering 4-7 day presale access.

The business operates a portfolio of complementary owned sub-brands that extend the core live-comedy proposition into adjacent revenue streams: Barrel Bar (on-site bar and table-service hospitality), MBC Studios (a fully equipped podcast recording facility with RØDECaster Pro II, Shure SM7B microphones, Mevo cameras, and livestream capability available for hourly hire), Monkey Barrel Records (a vinyl label releasing comedy performances such as Amy Matthews' Commute With The Foxes), Department of Magic (cocktail bar and themed escape rooms), MBC Tours & Specials (touring/special-event programming), and Barrel Bucks gift vouchers (£5-£100 denominations). Since February 2025 the company has additionally partnered with the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) to deliver UCB improv training courses in the UK for the first time, taught by UCB instructors and held at Monkey Barrel venues from March 2025.

Revenue is generated from multiple streams: ticket sales (primary), bar takings, venue hire for corporate and private events, podcast studio hire, training class fees (including a diversity scholarship programme), vinyl and merchandise sales, and gift vouchers. The company serves a distributed customer base spanning local Edinburgh comedy audiences, Edinburgh Festival Fringe attendees, corporate event organisers, podcast creators, and aspiring improv performers. Distribution and marketing rely on a direct-to-consumer motion anchored by the website, an email mailing list, organic social (Instagram, Facebook, X), TripAdvisor and Google Places presence (500+ 5-star reviews), the Patreon community, and Edinburgh Fringe marketplace listing. The business has won Chortle's Scotland's Best Comedy Venue in 2023 and 2024 and was home to Edinburgh Comedy Awards winners in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Name

Monkey Barrel Comedy

Legal name

Monkey Barrel Comedy Ltd

Website

https://monkeybarrelcomedy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Monkey Barrel Comedy is an owner-managed Edinburgh comedy club operating three year-round performance venues, a flagship Edinburgh Fringe programme of 75+ shows, and complementary sub-brands including a podcast studio, vinyl label, escape rooms, bar, and UCB improv training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Comedy Entertainment

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Comedy Clubs (Nightlife Venues) (MPAGAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Comedy Club & Showcase Nights (MPAGACAE)

Keywords

• Live comedy shows
• Comedy venue hire
• Improv comedy training
• Podcast studio rental
• Comedy club entertainment

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from ticket sales for regular comedy shows, Fringe shows, and tour/special events. Tickets sold through own booking system and Edinburgh Fringe website.
2. Bar Revenue: Barrel Bar serves drinks including locally-sourced beers, cocktails, and spirits. Table service available during shows. Cashless operation.
3. Venue Hire: Multiple spaces available for hire including MB1, MB3, MB4, Barrel Bar, The Studio, and Department of Magic escape rooms. Used for corporate events, private parties, live performances, podcast recordings.
4. Comedy Training Classes: UCB improv classes offered at various levels. Fee-based courses including 8-week programs and 1-week intensives. Also includes diversity scholarship program.
5. Podcast Production: MBC Studios offers podcast recording services with equipment rental, technician support, and post-production services. Hourly booking with off-peak rates available.
6. Gift Vouchers (Barrel Bucks): Gift vouchers sold at £5, £10, £25, £50, £100 denominations. Can be used for regular show tickets and bar purchases.
7. Merchandise: Monkey Barrel Merch online store selling branded merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Monkey Barrel Comedy operates a multi-venue year-round comedy club in Edinburgh's Old Town with three performance spaces (MB1, MB3, MB4) hosting nightly live shows, touring specials, and an annual Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme of 75+ shows. The company extends into complementary entertainment services including MBC Studios podcast production, Monkey Barrel Records vinyl label, Barrel Bar hospitality, Department of Magic escape rooms, and venue hire for corporate and private events, plus an MBC x UCB improv training programme.

Product overview

Monkey Barrel Comedy operates as a multi-venue comedy entertainment company based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The core offering is a year-round comedy club with three performance spaces (MB1, MB3, MB4) hosting regular nightly shows alongside touring specials and an annual 75+ show Edinburgh Fringe programme. The company has expanded into complementary entertainment services including MBC Studios podcast production facility, Monkey Barrel Records vinyl label, the Department of Magic escape rooms and cocktail bar, and venue hire for corporate and private events. Educational offerings through the MBC x UCB partnership provide improv comedy training. The product portfolio is unified around live comedy entertainment while extending into recorded media (podcasts, vinyl records), hospitality (bars, escape rooms), and experience-based services (venue hire, gift vouchers, merchandise).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MBC Studios: Fully equipped podcast recording studio producing in-house comedy podcasts including 'I've Had a Rosé, Let's Talk About Feelings' and 'Monkey Barrel Comedy Chat Show'
• Monkey Barrel Records
• Barrel Bar
• Department of Magic
• MBC Tours & Specials

Products and services

• Monkey Barrel Comedy Club (Regular Shows) Edinburgh-based comedy club operating multiple performance venues (MB1, MB3, MB4) with regular nightly shows including Free For All, Top Banana, Best of Fringe, and The Big Show, targeting local residents and tourists seeking live comedy entertainment.
• Tours & Specials Touring comedy shows and special one-off performances by established and emerging comedians visiting Edinburgh, including acts like Kevin Bridges, James Acaster, MC Hammersmith, Ria Lina, Cally Beaton, and Sam Campbell.
• Edinburgh Festival Fringe Shows Annual programme of 75+ comedy shows during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August, hosting award-winning and emerging comedians across multiple performance venues.
• MB1, MB3, MB4 Performance Venues Three year-round performance spaces with capacities of 50-200+ seats, equipped with professional sound, lighting, and AV systems, used for comedy shows and venue hire.
• Barrel Bar Adjoining bar serving locally-sourced beers, cocktails, and spirits with table service during performances and cashless operation.
• Department of Magic Magical-themed cocktail bar and escape rooms (Prophecies Quest and Dark Lord Resurrection) located below MB1, available for private hire and general admission.
• MBC Studios Podcast Production Fully equipped podcast recording studio for up to 4 people with professional audio/video equipment including Shure SM7B microphones, RØDECaster Pro II, Mevo video cameras, and post-production services, available for hourly hire.
• Monkey Barrel Records (Vinyl Records) Vinyl record label producing and releasing comedy records, including Amy Matthews' Commute With The Foxes show, sold directly to consumers.
• MBC x UCB Improv Training Partnership with Upright Citizens Brigade offering improv comedy classes (Improv 101, 201) taught by UCB instructors, with graduation performances at Monkey Barrel venues, including diversity scholarship program.
• Venue Hire Rental of Monkey Barrel spaces (MB1, MB3, MB4, Barrel Bar, The Studio, Department of Magic) for corporate events, private parties, live performances, podcast recordings, and creative workshops.
• Barrel Bucks Gift Vouchers Gift vouchers available in £5, £10, £25, £50, and £100 denominations, redeemable for regular show tickets and bar purchases.
• Monkey Barrel Merch Official merchandise store selling branded comedy club apparel and items via a dedicated online storefront.
• Patreon Membership Monthly subscription at £10 tier offering subscribers exclusive presale access to tickets 4-7 days before general sale, plus early access to in-demand shows.

Quantifiable outcome

• Scotland's Best Comedy Venue 2023 and 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2025Partnership brings UCB's internationally recognized improv training program to the UK for the first time. UCB is one of the most widely recognized comedy training organizations globally with alumni including Amy Poehler, Jason Mantzoukas, Ayo Edebiri, and Bowen Yang. Classes taught by UCB instructors Toni Charline Ramos and Drew DiFonzo Marks. First classes began March 2025 with ongoing summer courses. Partnership includes development of new live improvised comedy shows.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Assembly Festival: Major Edinburgh Fringe venue operator with a multi-venue portfolio across the city, directly competing for comedy programming, headliner bookings and Fringe audiences.
• Pleasance Theatre Trust: Edinburgh Fringe venue operator running the long-established Pleasance Courtyard and Pleasance Dome sites, competing head-to-head for comedy programming and touring-act relationships.
• Underbelly: Large Edinburgh Fringe and London venue operator with multiple spaces and a broad comedy/music programming slate, competing for the same touring acts and festival audiences as Monkey Barrel.
• Gilded Balloon: One of the largest Edinburgh Festival Fringe venue operators, running multiple performance spaces during August and competing for the same comedians, audiences and award slots as Monkey Barrel.
• Hot Water Comedy Club: UK regional comedy club operator (Liverpool-based) running year-round comedy programming; comparable business model and target audience to Monkey Barrel, though outside Edinburgh.
• The Stand Comedy Club: Edinburgh-based year-round comedy club chain with multiple venues; the closest direct competitor to Monkey Barrel in Edinburgh's non-Fringe comedy market, sharing the year-round 7-night operating model.
• Just the Tonic: Edinburgh Fringe comedy venue operator running multiple rooms during August, directly competing for comedians, awards positioning and festival ticket buyers.

Others

• Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB): Monkey Barrel's strategic partner for improv training; comparable as a comedy-education and live-performance brand and useful as a benchmark for how the MBC x UCB training vertical could scale.

Broad incumbents

• Just For Laughs: Montreal-based global comedy festival and comedy brand; broader incumbent that competes indirectly for touring-act attention and industry prestige, and operates comedy clubs/training programs at significantly larger scale.
• The Comedy Store: UK's most established comedy club brand with venues in London and Manchester; broader incumbent in UK live comedy that overlaps with Monkey Barrel on touring acts and audience demographic but operates at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/BarrelComedy
• Facebookfacebook.com/monkeybarrelcomedy
• Instagraminstagram.com/monkey.barrel.comedy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/monkey-barrel-comedy-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Monkey Barrel Comedy