The comedy week ahead

The comedy week ahead...

Sunday November 15

LIVE IN LONDON: There are just two tickets available at the time of writing for the Old Vic Theatre's first variety night, featuring Tim Minchin and Mark Watson. Hurry!

Monday November 16

RADIO: Radio 2 has commissioned five new Comedy Showcases to be stripped across this week as part of the build-up to the New Comedy Award final during Steve Wright's show on Friday. First up is the The Peterford Golf Club, promising to 'do for golf clubs what Green Wing did for hospitals'. Written by Simon Farnaby it stars Claire Keelan, Barunka O'Shaughnessy, Meeten alongside Farnaby himself. 10pm. Later this week is absurdist historical spy comedy The King's Men starring Robert Webb and Terry Minot and co-written by Arthur Mathews (Tuesday, 10pm); Ankle Tag, starring Elis James as new father whose own dad suddenly appears on the scene after a spell in jail (Wednesday, 10pm); Barbara Nice, based on Janice Connolly's stand-up alter-ego (Wednesday, 10.30pm) and The Tim Vine Chat Show ( Thursday, 10pm).

RADIO: Listen Against – a round-up of radio highlights that never happened – recently made the Chortle headlines when the Dara O Briain-fronted TV show In Case You Missed It was accused of plagiarising its idea of mashing up real clips to make up fictional extracts. Hear where it all started, with Alice Arnold and Jon Holmes. Radio 4 Extra, 11pm.

LIVE IN LONDON: Podcasts are usually recorded over the kitchen sink... but now No Such Thing As A Fish is to be taped in the West End. QI researchers Dan Schreiber, Andrew Hunter Murray, James Harkin and Anna Ptaszynski record a new episode packed with quirky facts at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, tonight.. Tickets.

LIVE IN LONDON: Bridget Christie begins a run of her latest show, A Book For Her, at the Leicester Square Theatre - which explains why she has been sending her stained underpants to George Osborne, among other feminist issues.

Tuesday November 17

LIVE IN LONDON: A strong bill at the Dogstar in Brixton, presented by Laugh Out London boasts character comic and top improviser Cariad Lloyd, former Chortle Student Comedy Award winner Jamali Maddix and master absurdist Sam Simmons.

Wednesday November 18

TV: He's back! Matt Berry returns for a third series of Toast Of London. In the first episode, the theatrical doyen tells a tale on a live chat show that could not only topple the US government but also destroy the entire world. Is that overstating things? Well 'overstatement' is not a concept Toast struggles with.... Channel 4, 10.30pm

RADIO: Tom Wrigglesworth's Hang Ups returns to Radio 4 for a third series, with the comic phoning home each week to check-in with his family. Radio 4, 6.30pm

Friday November 20

RADIO/LIVE IN LONDON: The BBC Radio New Comedy Award reaches its climax at London's Comedy Store – as it goes out live on Steve Wright in the Afternoon on Radio 2. Patrick Kielty introduces the finalists. Who are they? Check here

LIVE IN LONDON: Some of South Africa's comedy stars come to the New Wimbledon Theatre for two nights of the The Cape Town Funny Festival in London. The line-up comprises Alan Committie, Tumi Morake, Siv Ngesi, Ndumiso Lindi and Kagiso Mokgadi.

Saturday November 21

LIVE IN LONDON: Megagrotto involves 14 comedians performing their finished Edinburgh shows across two rooms at the Star Of Kings. They include Simon Munnery, Kieran Hodgson, Sarah Franken, Ahir Shah and Michael Legge… and for £20, tickets look a veritable bargain..

Published: 15 Nov 2015