If you like your comedy smart, silly, and sharp enough to cut glass (with the occasional detour into surreal nonsense), Dundee’s got a belter lined up this spring.
Andy Zaltzman the man behind BBC Radio 4’s The News Quiz, the global satirical podcast The Bugle, Test Match Special stats wizardry, and yes, Taskmaster champion — is bringing his hit live show The Zaltgeist to Whitehall Theatre on Sunday 26 April 2026.
This Dundee date comes as part of an extended 2026 tour, following a sell-out 2024/25 national run. In other words: it went down a storm, so it’s back out again because the world, predictably, has continued to provide plenty of material.
So what is The Zaltgeist?
Andy describes it as being “fully updated due to the UK and the world both steadfastly refusing to sort themselves out,” which feels… accurate.
Expect a whirlwind look at the state of planet Earth, the chaos of modern life, and the human race doing what it does best: making everything unnecessarily complicated. It’s political comedy, but not the lecture-y kind more like a brilliantly written rant delivered by someone who’s equal parts furious, fascinated, and delighted by how weird everything is.
And because Zaltzman is (possibly) the only person alive who can combine proper satirical stand-up with professional cricket statistics, he leans right into that unique superpower. The show also ropes in the audience and toys with the “witchcraft” of modern A.I. to help conjure answers to the big questions:
What? Who? When? Where?
…and, most importantly, why?
(There is also a warning that it may include a talking penguin. Make of that what you will.)
If you’ve heard him, you’ll know the vibe
Zaltzman’s been chair of The News Quiz since 2020, bringing a sharp, inventive edge to one of Radio 4’s best-loved shows. His podcast The Bugle has been running since 2007, has sailed past the 600-episode mark, and has racked up around 100 million downloads which is frankly ridiculous (in a good way).
On top of that, he’s been a key voice on Test Match Special since 2016, where he somehow makes numbers funny without anyone calling the police.
Reviews don’t mess about either
Critics have been pretty clear that this isn’t just “good political comedy” — it’s properly top-tier:
- “Constantly amusing and stimulating… properly funny… a true original and a true delight.” — The Times ★★★★
- “A master of lacerating satire mixed with extreme silliness… a peerless set…” — Mail on Sunday ★★★★
- “Mocking edge so sharp you could cut a diamond with it… reduced most of the people around me to tears of laughter” — Evening Standard ★★★★
Promoter Doug Taylor (Mint of Montrose) adds:
“Andy Zaltzman is one of the country’s premier political satirists… His live shows are always an absolute hoot and Dundee’s comedy fans can look forward to a very classy evening of laughs.”
Event details
Andy Zaltzman: The Zaltgeist
📍 Whitehall Theatre, Dundee
📅 Sunday 26 April 2026
🎟️ Tickets: www.mintofmontrose.com or Whitehall Theatre (online / in person)
If you’re into clever comedy that still knows how to be daft — and you fancy a night where the news gets the taking-down it deserves — this one’s a strong shout.
