The comedy week ahead

The comedy week ahead

Today

LIVE IN LONDON: Chortle's jam-packed Edinburgh showcase, Fast Fringe, comes to the Leicester Square Theatre, with Susan Calman introducing 28 comedy and variety acts in one ridiculously over-stuffed bill. Tickets

LIVE IN ST ALBANS Flight Of The Conchords star Rhys Darby returns to the UK for a 14-date tour, Mr Adventure, kicking off tonight in St Albans. It ends with two nights in the 1,300-seat Shepherds Bush Empire. Full dates

LIVE IN BRISTOL: An excellent line-up at the Comedy Garden pop-up venue features Al Murray, Andrew Maxwell and Kerry Godliman.

Monday July 7

LIVE IN LONDON: Pretty much all the prominent political comics come together for a gig against austerity measures at the Hammersmith Apollo, including Francesca Martinez, Jeremy Hardy, Jo Brand, Marcus Brigstocke, Mark Steel and Stewart Lee.

LIVE IN LONDON: Archie Maddocks, Jack Campbell, James Dowdeswell, Jolly Boat, Pete Phillipson, Phil Walker, Robyn Perkins, Scott Bennett,Tony Cowards and Will Mars battle it out to be crowned English Comedian Of The Year at the Udderbelly.

RADIO: The Infinite Monkey Cage is back for a new series of witty science chat with Robin Ince and Brian Cox - and among the guests in this first episode is Dave Gorman. Radio 4. 4.30pm

NEWS: Entries close for the BBC New Comedy Award for acts with less than five years' experience. Apply,

Tuesday July 8

LIVE IN DARLINGTON: The town's comedy festival kicks off with a showcase at the CiviC Theatre featuring The Boy With Tape On His Face, Rob Deering, Seymour Mace and more. Festival website

Wednesday July 9

RADIO: Policeman turned stand-up comedian Alfie Moore swears his audience in and takes them through a real life scenario to see what sort of officers they'd have made in the new three-part Radio 4 series, It's A Fair Cop. 6.30pm

Thursday July 10

LIVE IN LONDON: Tim Minchin headlines the comedy day at the British Summer Time festival in Hyde Park. Compered by Jasper Carrott, the formidable line-up also includes Alan Davies, Gina Yashere, Milton Jones and Nina Conti. Pray for sun.

LIVE IN LONDON: No-bullshit US stand-up Kyle Kinane starts a run at the Soho Theatre (read our review of this great show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival here) at 9.30pm. And you could do a lot worse than making it a double-bill with Brendon Burns, whose show Hasn't Heard Of You Either Precedes it at 7.30pm. (Review)

Friday July 11

LIVE IN LONDON: The week-and-a-bit-long Balham Comedy Festival kicks off at The Bedford pub, home of Banana Cabaret, with shows by Marcus Brigstocke, Rob Newman and a club gig featuring Zoe Lyons, Steve Williams, Rudi Lickwood and festival lynchpin John Moloney. The rest of the fest features the likes of Tim Vine, Phill Jupitus and Milton Jones. Website

LIVE IN LONDON: Meanwhile, Ealing's Comedy Festival also gets under way in Walpole Park with an impressive opening gala: David Baddiel, The Boy With Tape On His Face, Kerry Godliman and Arthur Smith. More headliner-heavy bills on the 12th, 17th, 18th and 19th - see.

LIVE IN BEXHILL: Eddie Izzard begins a short hometown run of Force Majeure at Bexhill College, with support French comic Yacine Belhousse. Tickets

Saturday July 12

LIVE IN LONDON: American comic and chat-show host Chelsea Handler performs her first ever UK date tonight – at the London Palladium. The show is named after her latest book of travel tales, Uganda Be Kidding Me.

Published: 6 Jul 2014