The comedy week ahead

The comedy week ahead...

Monday July 27

RADIO: Jack Dee narrates the story of Gerrard Hoffnung's classic tale The Bricklayer's Lament, originally delivered in 1958 when the German humorist was asked to speak at the Oxford Union in a debate entitled This House Believes Life Begins At 38.This documentary, originally aired in 2012, tells the story behind his best-known performance. Sadly the following year he was to die of a brain haemorrhage, aged just 34.Radio 4 Extra, 9.30am

Tuesday July 28

TV: Greg Davies is the Taskmaster in the new Dave panel/gameshow, and with the help of loyal assistant Alex Horne, they will set out to test the cunning of five hyper-competitive comedians - Frank Skinner, Josh Widdicombe, Roisin Conaty, Tim Key and Romesh Ranganathan - in a series of ridiculous challenges.   Expect both cheating and arguments Read a bit more about it here  Dave, 10pm.

Wednesday July 29

RADIO: It’s described as a ‘one-man Goon Show’ as Terry Alderton sings every song and plays every character in the surreal four-part series All Crazy Now.Producer Richard Melvin promises‘sketches, songs, and surrealist wonkiness’ - and certainly the descriptions of the characters – from dancing bears, Morgan the Freeman and Mr Trenchcoat – don’t shed much light on what oddness might ensure..  Radio 4, 11pm

LIVE IN GLASGOW: Meanwhile, further madcap shenanigans in a live environment are guaranteed with the Tony Law Show at the Stand.

Thursday July 30

LIVE IN LONDON: An alumnus of Saturday Night Live and (briefly) The Daily Show, acclaimed US comic Michael Che stops by the Soho Theatre for a three-night run en route to the Edinburgh Fringe.

LIVE IN LONDON: Frankie Boyle probably won’t watch his mouth, given that he’s performing in support of the Index On Censorship charity at Islington’s Union Chapel tonight. The bill also includes Pub Landlord Al Murray plus Doc Brown,Grainne Maguire and Shappi Khorsandi.

LIVE IN GLASGOW: Limmy is at the Oran Mor for three nights, reading from his new book Daft Wee Stories, which is out today and can be ordered here.

Friday July 31

LIVE IN LONDON: There’s a strong bill at the Boat Show on the Tattershall Castle, the floating venue at Embankment, tonight and tomorrow. Playful politico Andrew Maxwell leads the charge; with sharp-witted Stephen Grant and engaging anecdotalist Carl Donnelly in support. Jim Smallman comperes.

Saturday August 1

LIVE IN YORK: Both were big in the Eighties. Tommy Cooper and Margaret Thatcher both make a comeback as part of the ongoing Great Yorkshire Fringe festival, The Just Like That! Cooper tribute show is at 4pm, while the former PM becomes a cabaret star in Queen Of Soho at 7pm.

Published: 26 Jul 2015