The comedy week ahead

The comedy week ahead...

Sunday July 14

LIVE IN LONDON Should be a nice day it... David O’Doherty brings his charming comedy to the fine setting of the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

Monday July 15

LIVE IN BLACKPOOL: Cissie and Ada, the comic creations of Les Dawson and Roy Barraclough are to appear at Grand Theatre – 30 years after their stage debut there. The characters first appeared at the Laugh with Les Show at the Grand’s 1983 summer season; and now the play Cissie and Ada: An Hysterical Rectomy revives them. The play began at the Broadway Theatre, Barking, earlier this year – and these two dates in Blackpool come ahead of a UK tour in the autumn. Click here for our review and for the tour dates.

COMEDY IN LONDON: The Chortle-award-winning Rubberbandits don their plastic bags for another two-week residency at the Soho Theatre from today, deliverin their peculiarly Limerick brand of comedy hip-hop.

COMEDY IN LONDON: A rare club set from Daniel Kitson is the jewel in the crown of an impressive bill raising money for  Stand Against Violence at the Comedy Store. Compered by Paul Sinha, the line-up also boasts Ed Byrne, Kerry Godliman,  Romesh Ranganathan and Mark Watson.

CD: Andy Kaufman's first CD is being released posthumously (probably), today. Producers trawled through more than 82 hours of tapes, recorded at his gigs from 1977 to 1979, to compile the album, Andy And His Grandmother. Buy

Tuesday July 16

TV Seann Walsh’s 12-part series, Seann Walsh World, begins tonight. In the Comedy Central show he will present clips from the internet (not a good sign) interspersed with sketches and stand-up (that’s more like it...) Comedy Central. 10pm

Wednesday July 17

COMEDY IN EDINBURGH: Radio 4 Extra start a new series of stand-up recordings with a gig at The Stand featuring Zoe Lyons, Michael Redmond, Ray Bradshaw and host Jo Caulfield. The best news is that it's a free event but if you want to guarantee a ticket, you can pay a 50p booking fee...

TV: The gentle comedy-drama of The Cafe returns to Sky 1, starring and co-written by Ralf Little and Michelle Terry. Sky 1. 9pm.

Thursday July 18

LIVE IN STOURBRIDGE: When is a comedy festival, not a comedy festival? This is just three nights of Edinburgh previews featuring Lucy Porter, Jarred Christmas, Carey Marx and Alfie Moore – plus a great opening night at Moochers Bar with the high-energy combo of Nick Helm and Phil Nichol.

Friday July 19

LIVE IN PETERBOROUGH: Levity is the latest attempt to apply the principles of the big outdoor music festivals to comedy, with an mammoth150 acts playing across seven stages. Headliners over the three days include Al Murray, Omid Djalili and Lee Nelson; but the impressive line-up also includes the likes of Richard Herring, Craig Campbell, Doc Brown, Isy Suttie, Sean Hughes, Brendon Burns, Chris Ramsey Stephen K Amos, Andy Zaltzman and more. With dya tikcets at £25 and weekenders for £40, this is brilliant if you live in Peterborough, and surely worth the trip if you don’t.

FILM: The World’s End is the long-awaited conclusion to the so-called Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy as Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and director Edgar Wright once again celebrate British male bonding in a funny and action-packed romp. Click here for our review

Published: 14 Jul 2013