Hong Kong's international stand-up comedy calendar picks up another headliner this Halloween weekend, when Irish-American comedian Des Bishop takes the stage at TIDES in Hung Hom for a single seated show.
In This Guide
Who is Des Bishop?
Des Bishop was born in London in 1975, raised in Queens, New York, and moved to Ireland at 14, in 1990 — a childhood split that shaped his entire comic voice. He built his stand-up career from the late 1990s at Dublin's International Comedy Cellar, alongside Irish comics such as Ardal O'Hanlon, Kevin Gildea and Barry Murphy.
His breakout came with RTÉ series The Des Bishop Work Experience (2004), in which he survived a month on minimum wage in different parts of Ireland. He followed it with Joy in the Hood (2006), teaching stand-up in disadvantaged Irish communities, then In the Name of the Fada — a series built around learning Irish from scratch and performing a full hour of stand-up in the language.
Bishop also speaks fluent Mandarin and has performed full stand-up sets in China under the stage name Bi Hansheng (畢瀚生), making him one of a small number of comedians to have built full routines in three languages. His 2026 Hulu special, Bridge and Tunnel, is his seventh stand-up special and his most prominent US release to date.
What to expect from the show
The Hong Kong date is a single, seated stand-up show rather than a filmed special taping. Expect the observational, socially engaged style Bishop has built his career on — sharpened over sets performed in English, Irish and Mandarin across three continents. No official setlist or theme has been published for the Hong Kong date, so treat any pre-show write-ups you see elsewhere as speculation rather than confirmed material.
When and where is he playing in Hong Kong?
TIDES
TIDES has quickly become a regular stop for mid-sized international acts that don't need a full stadium or arena — its comedy and gig calendar for the surrounding weeks also includes touring J-pop and K-indie acts, so check the venue's full listing if you're planning a Hung Hom night out around the same date.
How much are tickets and how do I book?
Tickets for Des Bishop Live in Hong Kong start from HK$599 for all-seated admission. The show follows Live Nation's usual tiered presale structure before general sale:
Ticket on-sale schedule
| Phase | Date | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Artist Presale | Tuesday 23 June 2026 | 12pm – 11:59pm |
| HSBC Mastercard Presale | Wednesday 24 June 2026 | 12pm – 11:59pm |
| Live Nation Members Presale | Thursday 25 June 2026 | 12pm – 11:59pm |
| General Onsale | Friday 26 June 2026 | From 12pm |
Insider tip: book through Live Nation's official site rather than a resale platform. TIDES shows have sold briskly through 2026, and secondary-market listings for a venue this size are a common overpricing risk — there is no confirmed sold-out status for this date at the time of writing, so there's no need to pay a resale mark-up yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
A rare bilingual comedy night in Hung Hom
Des Bishop brings two decades of Irish, American and Mandarin-language stand-up to Hong Kong for one seated show only. Book early through official channels.