The Roundhouse is to hold its first comedy festival with a big name line-up of talent including Katherine Ryan, James Acaster and Nish Kumar.

Tickets go on sale on Wednesday (April 5) for nearly three weeks of top funny acts this August, to rival the Edinburgh fringe.

It's the first time the iconic Chalk Farm venue has hosted a dedicated feast of laughter, with a mix of podcast recordings, headline shows, and gala nights taking place across its spaces.

Ham & High: Podcast star James Acaster brings his Hecklers Welcome show to The Roundhouse for four nightsPodcast star James Acaster brings his Hecklers Welcome show to The Roundhouse for four nights (Image: Roundhouse comedy festival)

North West Londoners Sindhu Vee and Nina Conti are joined on the bill by Ghosts star Lolly Adefope, Desiree Burch, Suzi Ruffell, Ed Gamble and BAFTA award-winning veteran comic Dylan Moran.

Acaster, star of the Off Menu Podcast, brings his recently announced live tour Heckler’s Welcome to the main stage for four nights, while other names on the slate include Jordan Gray, Taskmaster winner Sophie Duker,  Mock the Week star Maisie Adam, Hoovering podcast star Jessica Fostekew, Fern Brady and Rhys James.

Ham & High: BAFTA winning comic and star of Black Books Dylan Moran plays the first Roundhouse comedy festivalBAFTA winning comic and star of Black Books Dylan Moran plays the first Roundhouse comedy festival (Image: Andy Hollingworth)

Marcus Davey, artistic director of the Grade II* listed venue, said: ''I'm really delighted that we're presenting our first ever comedy festival this summer which includes leading comedians alongside new names.

"Musicians, actors, circus performers and poets tell stories on our stages every day and as comedians are some of the best storytellers, we hope that audiences  will make their way to Camden this summer to laugh with us and at the craziness of the world in which we live''.

Ham & High: Lolly Adefope star of Ghosts appears at the comedy festivalLolly Adefope star of Ghosts appears at the comedy festival (Image: Sequoia Ziff)

The festival is run in association with live comedy production company Berk's Nest and managing director Owen Donovan said more acts and shows would be announced in the coming months.

"The Roundhouse is an iconic venue and a beating heart for London’s music and theatre scenes - it’s a delight to now add comedy to that list, and to give some of the world’s best stand-ups a thrilling new home for a night  - or four, in James Acaster’s case!. Most of the comics taking part are regularly at the Roundhouse for live gigs, the National Comedy Awards, or filming Katherine Ryan’s Amazon Prime Video series, and I know they’re so excited about being able to play it themselves this August! If you’re in London in August, this is the place to be."

The Roundhouse Comedy Festival runs August 5-23 in Chalk Farm Road, NW1. https://www.roundhouse.org.uk/