Hello to Hello, Ladies

The comedy week ahead

The comedy week ahead...

Sunday October 13

LIVE IN BRIGHTON: The city’s comedy festival continues all week.. tonight’s highlight is ventriloquist Nina Conti’s Dolly Mixture show, featuring Monkey and a host of new characters.

Monday October 14

LIVE IN LONDON: David Brent makes his musical debut tonight, with a gig at the Bloomsbury Theatre with his band Foregone Conclusion. Tickets sold out in seconds, and touts tried to cash in… but those who did manage to get tickets can expect all the ‘hits’, such as Free Love Freeway and, Spaceman Came Down.

LIVE IN LONDON: Perennial benefit headliner Jo Brand leads a fundraiser for Parkinson’s UK at the Comedy Store that has something of a variety feel thanks to Piff The Magic Dragon, sketch duo Max & Ivan and musical comic Rob Deering. Jarred Christmas, Paul Tonkinson and Mick Ferry complete the bill.

Tuesday October 15

RADIO: A bit of an obscurity, this. Before Del Boy, before Granville and before Danger Mouse, Sir David Jason fronted his own radio sketch comedy The Jason Explanation, now getting a breakfast-time repeat on Radio 4 Extras, 36 years after it first aired. And listen out in the writers’ credits for Andy Hamilton, co-creator of Outnumbered. Radio 4 Extra, 8.30am

LIVE IN LONDON: New Mexico’s Pajama Men are back in town for their latest fast-paced, multi-character and rightly acclaimed narrative show. They have a residency at the Arts Theatre right through until November 23.

Wednesday October 16

TV: Long-awaited is the hyphenated word for it. Stephen Merchant’s new comedy Hello, Ladies - loosely based on his stand-up show of the same name – starts on Sky Atlantic tonight. His first project without Ricky Gervais, it charts the attempts of a gauche Englishman on the LA dating scene. Sky Atlantic, 10pm

Thursday October 17

LIVE IN SOUTHPORT: A bijou festival of 19 shows kicks off tonight, without the usual national tours of the big TV names. Top puns from Gary Delaney, a celebration of curiosity from Josie Long and Robin Ince, and some playful stereotyping from Henning Wehn are among the highlights. Website

LIVE IN LONDON: Kevin Eldon headlines the Joking for Justice benefit for the World Development Movement. The rest of the eclectic line-up at the Leicester Square Theatre includes Arthur Smith, Ava Vidal, Holly Walsh and Daniel Simonsen, among many more.

Published: 13 Oct 2013