The comedy week ahead

The comedy week ahead:

Monday September 23

LIVE IN LONDON: Witty and mean American comic Jen Kirkman – perhaps best known as the narrator in the cult hit series Drunk History from Funny or Die – makes her UK debut with a week-long residency at the Soho Theatre, starting tonight.

LIVE IN LONDON: Staying at the Soho Theatre, Claudia O’Doherty brings her eccentric big-budget showcase Pioneer to the people of London, following a successful Edinburgh run.It’s a bold and strange attempt to wow the comedy industry and make her the star she thinks she ought to be. She’s on until October 5, and here is our review of the show from Edinburgh.

Tuesday September 24

TV: The Wrong Mans, James Corden and Mathew Baynton’s filmic comedy-thriller, in which two lowly council workers become embroiled in a deadly kidnap, starts tonight. Click here for some more background on the show. BBC Two, 9pm

TV: Meanwhile, Channel 4 also launches its new sitcom, London Irish, today. Starring Ardal O'Hanlon, the show concerns four Northern Irish twenty-somethings living in London. And, according to the broadcaster, ‘the friends' sense of normalcy doesn't always match the world's.’ Channel 4, 10pm

LIVE IN LONDON: Things are going pretty well for deadpan Australian comic Hannah Gadsby ... but that’s not particularly entertaining, so she’s written a new show about the lowest point in her life. Happiness Is A Bedside Table is at the Soho Theatre from tonight until Saturday.

LIVE IN EDINBURGH: Bright Club, the show in which academics share their research passions in a funny way, comes to the Stand. (And it’s on again at the Glasgow venue on Monday 30th)

Wednesday September 25

LIVE IN SPAIN: Probably not too local for most of our readers but  the world’s first ‘multilingual comedy festival’ (though in reality they are isolated gigs under one banner, spread over four weeks) takes place in Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia. The English-speaking guests are Marcus Brigstocke, Howard Marks and Tony Law. Website

Thursday September 26

LIVE IN LIVERPOOL: Closer to home, the 11-day Liverpool Comedy Festival kicks off today. Highlights include Doc Brown at the O2 Academy (Tues 2nd); Tony Law at the Kazimier (Wed 2nd), Max And Ivan at the same venue (Thur 3rd) Joe Lycett’s short tour stopping off at Baa Bar (Mon 30th) ... and, of course, Bill Bailey at the Philharmonica Hall on the 4th. Website

Friday September 27

TV: The highlight of this week.. the IT Crowd bows out after four series with an hour-long episode. What more can we say, other than watch it! Channel 4, 9pm

Published: 22 Sep 2013