QED Comedy Laboratory: Your home for experimental Comedy since right now Since 2014. 

The humble beginnings of QED Comedy Laboratory can be traced to the confused mind of local comedian and international melancholic, Matthew Chadourne.  In 2014, Chadourne (Matt to his friends) had the simple idea of creating experimental comedy shows that were so grandiose and complicated that the mere mention of them would elicit audible exclamations of, "Oh, that sounds really neat. Maybe we'll stop by if we can." from passers-by and coworkers alike. After many weeks of inactivity, followed by two days of furious activity immediately preceding the show, QED Comedy Laboratory premiered at the Pilot Light in Knoxville, TN on August 18,  2014.

QED Comedy Lab had a new show theme and structure each week and invited some of the finest comedic minds available in on a Monday night to perform on a show that combined elements of stand-up, improv, comedy writing, music, and more and PowerPoint. Shows might have comedians dressing like animals and performing as that animal or improvising a story based on eight random pictures or pitching their terrible sequel ideas or some other strange (misguided?) ideas.These shows challenged the performers who, in turn, created amazing, unique comedy experiences. QED concepts were taken to multiple comedy festivals and comedy clubs across the US and presumably enjoyed by the people there. After two years of sold out shows (don't look into that), QED had it's final show in Knoxville on August 15, 2016 when Matt left the country because it just seemed like a generally good time to leave the United States.

In January 2017, QED Comedy Laboratory started producing new shows with a whole new group of hilarious comedians in Oxford, UK. This collective of bold (misguided?) comedy minds also produces one-off evenings intermittently at venues around Oxford. In 2018 QED also started the Oxford Festival Fringe Preview Comedy Festival (now every July without a pandemic) featuring over 50 different shows headed to the Edinburgh Fringe. In 2024 they added The Saint Audio Podcast Festival to their Sisyphean tasks which brings some of the best podcasts from the UK and US to Oxford.  What will they do next? Who can say? Probably stat another festival unless they are stopped. But if you wat to find out when you can next see what we're up to, sign up for our mailing list to get all the latest details.

Press

“The Oxford Comedy Festival, now in its second year, is a rare chance to see Edinburgh Fringe performances before they reach Scotland.…Comprising over 50 shows across six venues, the festival is an organizational feat, and a real credit to its organizers, the QED Comedy Lab.“ - The Morning Star, 9 August 2019

“QED Comedy must also be applauded for putting together a wonderfully diverse line-up, something that other providers of comedy are often unable to do. The comedy I saw was simply better because it elevated voices that in the past have not received such a platform. Oxford Comedy Festival is a bonkers undertaking but one enhanced by an ability to be one of the most modern, exciting arts festivals on the Oxford scene.“ - Daily Info Oxford, 30 July 2019

“Swooping in to rescue all Oxford-based stand-up fans from Edinburgh Fringe-induced FOMO blues” - Daily Info Oxford, 2 July 2019

“a night of exceptional comedy….the perfect vehicle for comedy in 2019“ - Daily Info, 6 May 2019 about Outlairs

“Outliars plays out more like a Victorian parlour game and is comfortingly low-risk for the audience compared with other forms of stand-up comedy. No-one had to worry about being pounced on or picked on or made to look a fool. On the contrary, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming – this is the kind of event to which you could happily turn up solo without feeling self-consciously single.“ - Daily Info, 4 February 2019 about Outliars

“Altogether, QED Comedy Lab has created an interesting platform to review (or rather, ridicule) music videos from various decades, highlighting how they just don’t make sense. “ - Daily Info, 2 October 2018 about Comedy killed the Video Star

“Seek out the Castle Tavern, acquire thyself a beverage, squeeze yourself into the cellar room and - if the stars are aligned just right - the gods of comedy value will smile upon you too.“ - Daily Info, 25 September 2018 about Comedy Knights at the Castle

"⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐" - The Oxford Times, 9 August 2018 about Comedy Knights at the Castle

"QED Comedy Lab who have put on a festival packed with exciting talent and have done all this with a roughly 50:50 gender split. They make it look easy and are the standard that other comedy organisers should be aiming to reach ASAP." - Daily Info, 22 July 2018 about The Oxford Festival Fringe Preview Comedy Festival.

"It was also a joy to watch these shows with a packed audience, a credit to QED Comedy Lab who have successfully turned this festival into a must-attend fixture on the Oxford calendar." - Daily Info, 19 July 2018 about The Oxford Festival Fringe Preview Comedy Festival.

Condensed plots lead to a chortle-filled night - Daily Info, 4 June 2018 about Spoiler Alert! 

"Chaotically charismatic....friendly and inclusive....witty and fun....a fish shaped serving plate." - The Oxford Times, 8 March 2018 about It's Debatable! a comedy debate show

So you're think you're funny? Oxford comic follows in footsteps of Peter Kay, Lee Mack and Dylan Moran - Oxford Mail, 31 August 2017

INTERVIEW: Richard Koworld, Oxford’s Comedy Underbelly - The Phoenix Remix, 10 Ocotber 2017

QED Comedy Lab’s Two-Year Run Comes to an End - Knoxville Mercury, 10 August 2016

 QED Comedy Laboratory from PechaKucha Night Knoxville Vol.17, 12 November 2015