There was a real buzz in the air at Milton Keynes Theatre last night (05-10) as The Comedy Cow brought its trademark brand of stand-up to one of the city’s most iconic venues. Known for curating brilliant lineups and creating that perfect mix of fun and familiarity, The Comedy Cow proved once again why it’s become a cornerstone of the local comedy scene.

It was a night that showcased just how strong live comedy in Milton Keynes has become and with The Comedy Cow and Milton Keynes Theatre teaming up again, it feels like the city’s laughter scene is only getting louder.

Acting as MC for the night, Laura Lexx expertly tied the whole evening together with her trademark charm and humour. An award-winning comedian and writer, I first came across her through that brilliant thread on Twitter about Jürgen Klopp and have been a huge fan ever since. Seen on Live at the Apollo and Mock the Week, she’s a sharp, warm, and witty performer who’s toured with John Bishop and Russell Kane.

From the moment she bounded onto the stage, Laura had the room in the palm of her hand. Her connection with the audience was instant and electric, even the most reluctant of the Ted & Tony duo found themselves drawn in. One particularly memorable participant? The owner of the mysterious furry car – a man who now carries the weight of our collective curiosity.

Then came the comedic showstopper: will a Smart loo judge your poo? 

With razor-sharp wit and just the right dash of absurdity, Laura turned everyday oddities into comedic gold.

Her sets meandered seamlessly through motherhood, animal behaviour and life’s delightful nonsense. The image of a teenage whale rolling its eyes at krill will linger far longer than it should. Add to that her effortless MC skills, sharp, spontaneous, and full of charm and you’ve got a performer who doesn’t just command the stage, she owns it.

The night kicked off with Tom Rosenthal, whose wonderfully offbeat energy and self-deprecating humour had the audience hooked from the start.

Tom is a comedian, actor, and writer best known for Friday Night Dinner and Plebs, he’s also won Leicester Comedian of the Year (2011) and earned a British Comedy Award nomination for Best Newcomer (2012).

For the uninitiated, the early flurry of TV references felt a bit like tuning into a series halfway through but Tom quickly brought everyone into the fold.

Between dodging endless photo requests (mostly from delivery drivers, apparently) and tackling the heavy burden of industrial nepotism (turns out there are more nepo babies in the butchers’ trade than in TV), Tom cleverly managed to make the conversation about fame and indeed, every topic, both hilarious and human.

The autism chat was handled with that perfect blend of humour, honesty and warmth that makes you laugh, think and then laugh again.

Then came the deep dive into Wikifeet, equal parts absurd and enlightening, followed by the moment of the night: the legendary “kissing your own hands” skit. It was so gloriously ridiculous, we were howling. Tears. Actual tears.

Next up was Nabil Abdulrashid, British-Nigerian comedian, writer, and actor. At 25, he became the youngest Black comedian to perform at the Hammersmith Apollo and gained national recognition as a Britain’s Got Talent finalist, earning Alesha Dixon’s Golden Buzzer. He has also appeared on Celebrity MasterChef and Richard Osman’s House of Games.

Nabil hit the stage with big presence and even bigger laughs, instantly commanding attention and setting the tone for a night of unapologetic, riotous comedy.

He takes aim at the absurdities of modern life, from protesters who’ve not only lost their minds but also their apostrophes, to the messy dance of race and racism and turns them into pure comic gold.

His tales of Nigerian family life had the audience nodding in recognition especially when he described the humiliation of being roasted by your own children. The highlight? A brilliantly deranged bit about traffic lights, conspiracy theorists, and the paranoia that drives both, a perfect reflection of the world we’re living in, seen through the cracked but crystal-clear lens of Nabil’s wit.

By the end, Nabil has you laughing, thinking, and marveling at just how brilliantly chaotic the world (and comedy) can be.

Headliner of the night was the inimitable Tom Davis: once a scaffolder, bouncer, and market stall trader, a man who’s lived life at full throttle before ever stepping on stage. He traded hard hats, fists, and fruit crates for punchlines, first cracking onto screens with Bo’ Selecta, then creating the cult hit Murder in Successville and the sitcom King Gary. Along the way, he earned a BAFTA Breakthrough and appeared in films like Free Fire and Prevenge. Last night, he wasn’t building scaffolds, breaking up fights, or selling apples, he was building laughter and the audience clambered up every rung and carted away every joke with glee.

Spectacularly closing the show in larger-than-life style, Tom brought the house down. His big personality, storytelling flair and effortless connection with the audience made for a finale that left everyone grinning long after the lights came up. Hair disappointments and the yearning for a man bun, parenthood and the lifelong angst it brings, a night time battle with a chest of drawers and children who refuse to sleep, Tom took us through it all. Soft play turned nightmare, the horrors of being The Beast in every child’s game and navigating a world where he’s akin to an XL Bully in a land of Crufts, Wimbledon tennis frustrations and elderflower interference in a pint… Just don’t !

And then there was his first love: The Fridge. The devotion. The passion. The performance. “Have you ever seen ham wince?” Performative hamming it up has never been so funny #seewhatididthere

By the end, Tom Davis hadn’t just performed, sending the audience off roaring with laughter and cheeks aching, he’d delivered a masterclass in storytelling, laughter, and sheer comic chaos

The Comedy Cow milked the night for laughs once more, with a herd of comedians consistently bringing the house down laugh by laugh.

Check out all the upcoming shows from The Comedy Cow at www.thecomedycow.co.uk and on all their social pages. There’s something for everyone in the dairy diary.