Henry Paker Announces Pencil Case Tour: Stand-Up Meets Live Illustration
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The Henry Paker Pencil Case tour combines razor-sharp stand-up with live illustration. The comedian, writer and cartoonist blends inventive comedy with live drawing in a show he describes as genre-defying. Pencil Case runs at UK venues until Spring 2027. Tickets are on sale now from www.henrypaker.com.
Speaking about the Henry Paker Pencil Case tour, he said:
"I am beyond thrilled to be going on tour with my brand-new show, Pencil Case. It's a genre-defying evening that fuses stand-up comedy and live illustration. You've looked behind a wizard's curtain, you've visited a sausage factory, but have you ever seen inside an illustrator's pencil case? Of course you haven't. No one has, until now! I've had so much fun developing this show, and I can't wait to share it with the fantastic and quietly noble people of the United Kingdom."
Who Is Henry Paker?
Henry Paker is an award-winning comedian, writer, podcaster, illustrator and cartoonist whose work spans television, radio, books and animation.
Henry has written for some of Britain's biggest TV comedy shows. The list includes Mock the Week, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Would I Lie to You? He co-hosts the Three Bean Salad podcast and works as an illustrator. His distinctive style appears in Joe Wilkinson: My Autobiography. He also illustrated the best-selling children's book Kay's Anatomy.
A Million Books Sold With Adam Kay
As an illustrator, Henry has worked with Adam Kay on seven bestselling children's books. Those titles have sold more than a million copies worldwide and been translated into 32 languages. Their picture book Amy Gets Eaten won Best Picture Book at The Week Junior Book Awards in 2024. Kay's Incredible Inventions took the Laugh Out Loud (Lollies) Book Award a year later. He co-wrote and illustrated the cartoon books Don't Arm Wrestle a Pirate and Why Steve Was Late. The former was selected for Richard & Judy's Book Club.
Television, Radio and Animation Credits
Henry is co-creator, designer and executive producer of the animated children's series Aquila and the Medieval Misfits. Tiger Aspect Kids & Family produces it for Canal+ and ITV. He is also writing an episode of the second series of BBC One sitcom Can You Keep a Secret. Dawn French, Mark Heap and Craig Roberts star.
Television writing credits include School of Rock: The Musical and Michael McIntyre's Big Show. He has also written for Top Gear, Jon Richardson's Ultimate Worrier, Hypothetical and Comic Relief.
Henry wrote and starred in four series of the BBC Radio 4 sketch show Small Scenes. His co-stars were Mike Wozniak, Daniel Rigby, Sara Pascoe, Cariad Lloyd and Jessica Ransom. The Radio 4 sitcom ReincarNathan was another co-writing credit, and he starred in it too. The cast featured Diane Morgan, Daniel Rigby, Miles Jupp, Jack Dee, Josh Widdicombe, James Acaster, Romesh Ranganathan and Sally Phillips. Six outlets named the series a Critics' Choice: The Observer, The Times, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, Radio Times and the Daily Mail.
As a performer, Henry has appeared on Josh, Comedy Central at the Comedy Store and Edinburgh Comedy Fest Live.
Alongside his broadcast work, Henry's cartoons have appeared in The Times, The Observer, The Spectator and Prospect.
Henry Paker Pencil Case Tour Dates 2026-2027
The Henry Paker Pencil Case tour runs for 20 dates, from Norwich Playhouse to Theatre Royal Glasgow. Full listings follow.
September 2026
Thu 3 - Norwich, Norwich Playhouse.
Sun 13 - Tunbridge Wells, Trinity Theatre.
Fri 18 - Manchester, Aviva Studios.
Wed 23 - Birmingham, Town Hall.
Wed 30 - Liverpool, Liverpool Playhouse Theatre.
October 2026
Fri 9 - Norwich, Norwich Playhouse.
Fri 23 - Northampton, Royal & Derngate.
Thu 29 - London, Soho Theatre Walthamstow.
Fri 30 - London, Soho Theatre Walthamstow.
November 2026
Sun 15 - Guildford, Yvonne Arnaud.
Sun 22 - Bristol, Bristol Beacon.
February 2027
Fri 5 - Exeter, Exeter Northcott Theatre.
Sat 6 - Plymouth, The Quad Theatre.
Sat 20 - Leeds, Leeds Playhouse.
March 2027
Thu 4 - Lancaster, Lancaster Grand.
Fri 5 - Newcastle, Tyne Theatre & Opera House.
Sat 13 - Leicester, The Y Theatre.
Wed 24 - Brighton, Theatre Royal Brighton.
May 2027
Sat 22 - Cardiff, The New Theatre.
Sun 30 - Glasgow, Theatre Royal Glasgow.
Tickets for all Henry Paker Pencil Case tour dates are on sale now at www.henrypaker.com.
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