While comedy superstar Peter Kay was drawing crowds to the OVO Hydro, something special was happening in the Highlands.
On Saturday 19 April, Inverness Town House was the place to be for those in the know.
A night of outstanding stand-up comedy, curated and performed by Highland comedians themselves, delivered a show so sharp, slick, and side-splitting that many are already calling it one of the most memorable comedy nights the city has ever seen.
Titled The Highlanders Are Coming, the event was more than just a show—it was a statement.
Local talent, booked by local talent, in a venue usually reserved for touring headliners and civic occasions.
And it worked.
The night played to a sold-out crowd, who roared, clapped, and shouted for more from start to finish.
The evening was hosted by Stephen Clark, a rising star of the Inverness comedy scene, who stepped up as compère for the night with confidence and class.
Not only did Stephen keep the energy high and the audience invested, but his warm and easy humour immediately set the tone.
There may have been a few moments of “lost in translation” between Stephen and the crowd—but those just added to the charm and the laughs.
First to take the stage was Joe Sweeney, one half of the ever-popular comedy duo Rude & Good.
Joe brought his trademark cheeky grin and razor-sharp timing to stories about turning 50, navigating the Scottish health service, and the strange challenges of dating as a man of a certain age.
He even delivered the joke that Copi Copstick at the Edinburgh Fringe described as the best she had heard that year—and it landed with perfect precision.
Next up was the brilliant Matt Back, Best Comedian at Aberdeen Fringe Festival and a true master of comic character work and accents.
Matt took the audience on a hilarious journey through dodgy TV licensing, the hazards of picking up Glaswegian hitchhikers with suspicious baggage, and his father’s heroic—if somewhat misguided—drunken goodwill to the homeless.
His story about defending his wife’s honour earned a round of applause as well as laughter.
After a short break to recharge glasses and take a breath, Tom Cairns opened the second half to thunderous applause.
The Cotswold-born comic, now proudly embedded in the Highland scene and Inverness Comedian of the Year, brought a unique mix of musical comedy, storytelling, and self-deprecating wit.
Tom had the audience howling as he explained his efforts to shed his accent and escape comparisons to Worzel Gummidge, his belief that Star Wars was inspired by Cotswolds life, and the benefits—or otherwise—of glow-in-the-dark contraception.
He closed with a musical number in his best home county accent, offering dating advice that had the audience in stitches.
Next came the eagerly awaited return of Hazel Urquhart, a gifted and charismatic performer who proved that sometimes a short break is all it takes to come back better than ever.
Hazel, originally from Inverness, took to the stage with natural ease and had the audience in the palm of her hand within seconds.
Her set, full of clever observational humour and beautifully delivered anecdotes, touched on everything from working in retail and dealing with whisky-and-haggis-obsessed tourists, to the art of selling a Godfather T-shirt like it was a work of high fashion.
Another short break followed, giving the crowd a chance to reset before the final act.
Stephen returned to the mic with a few quick observations on fatherhood and the art of bending the truth, before introducing the final performer of the night.
Rab Mulheron, the other half of Rude & Good, closed the show with a set that demonstrated exactly why he’s widely regarded as the godfather of Highland comedy.
With his unmistakable stage presence, dry delivery, and effortless timing, Rab brought the house down.
He took the audience through a hilarious series of stories, including a battle of wits with Amazon, a neighbourly misunderstanding over a special delivery, an advent calendar incident that went spectacularly wrong, and the unpredictable world of becoming a father.
Rab has a unique ability to blend the everyday with the absurd, finding hilarity in the mundane and turning personal mishaps into perfectly crafted punchlines.
He commanded the room like only a seasoned comic can, never missing a beat and finishing the show on an incredible high.
What made this night stand out was not just the quality of each individual act, but the consistency across the entire line-up.
Every performer brought their best.
The show was a masterclass in comedy, comedic timing, and stage presence from start to finish.
The Inverness Town House proved a stunning setting, and the audience left already asking the same question—when’s the next one?
The good news is, Rude & Good return to the Town House this September with their next event, Drag n’ Comedy.
If Saturday was anything to go by, those tickets won’t last long.
