The best of the comedy week ahead

The comedy week ahead.

Sunday February 7

ON DEMAND: The BBC launches this year’s batch of Funny Valentine iPlayer shorts at 9pm. They include Harry Hill’s Look At Love; Citizen Khan star Adil Ray introducing his new character Rafi, a reluctant carer; and Substitute, written and directed by Brian Pern co-creator Rhys Thomas and starring Stephen Mangan and Suranne Jones.

LIVE IN MANCHESTER: Great value for money at the Didsbury cricket club tonight as £7 gets you the musical parodies of Mitch Benn, top observational comic Justin Moorhouse, former So You Think You’re Funny? winner Edd Hedges and thoughtful stand-up from David Longley.

LIVE IN BLYTH: Twenty comedians, ten bouts, and seven shades of shit to be knocked out them. That’s the prospect at the comedians’ boxing night in Northumberland tonight, hosted by Rhod Gilbert and raising money for Newcastle toddler Kian Musgrave's fight for pioneering cancer treatment in the US. It’s sold out, but we’ll be live-blogging all the action on Chortle from our ringside seat, from about 6pm.

Monday February 8

LIVE IN LEICESTER: The city’s comedy festival continues apace, and with the event sure to make the best press coverage, thanks to the newspapers’ love of snappy wordplay. Battling it out for the UK Pun Championship title will be Colin Chadwick, Masai Graham, Richard Pulsford, Nigel Lovell, Richard Woolford, Roger Swift, Tony Cowards and Harriet Collings, with the event hosted by Lee Nelson.

LIVE IN HALIFAX: A cracking line-up at the Victoria Hotel to raise money for those hit by the recent floods. Not only Sarah Millican, but also Johnny Vegas, Rory Bremner, Chris Ramsey, Jack Carroll, and Justin Moorhouse are all doing their bit.

LIVE IN YEOVIL: Adam Hills is going back on tour. The Last Leg host has announced 16 dates of his inspirational Clown Heart show, kicking off in Yeovil tonight and ending in Bexhill on April 27. Dates.

LIVE IN LONDON: Frank Skinner launches his Man With No Show nights at the Soho Theatre, when he takes to the stage with no idea of what he’s going to talk about, in the hope of spinning some comedy gold. Those who remember Unplanned, which he did with David Baddiel, will know it’s not such an impossible task as it sounds.

THEATRE IN LONDON: The intense and funny comedy Bad Jews, about religious and family tensions, opens at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, following a run at the St James’s Theatre. Click here for our original review.

Tuesday February 9

LIVE IN BRIGHTON: It’s a series of benefit gigs that has raised more than £18,500 for charities in the past six years, but now Charity Chuckle is coming to an end. Tonight’s gig, which is raising £££s for Brighton and Hove Impetus is headlined by local lass Zoe Lyons and also features much-tipped up-and-comers Bobby Mair, Harriet Kemsley, Yuriko Kotani and David James. And we can’t help feeling there will be a celebratory air as organiser Kerry Herbert brings the curtain down on her labour of love.

LIVE IN MANCHESTER: Mark Watson swings by the always-popular XS Malarkey club to work through some material for his forthcoming tour.

LIVE IN LONDON: A strong line-up at the 99 Club in Leicester Square boasts angst across the class divide, thanks to well-heeled Hal Cruttenden and poverty-stricken Sean McLoughlin. Solid support comes from Nathan Caton and MC Suzi Ruffell.

Wednesday February 10

LIVE IN LONDON: The Dry Comedy folk continue their quest to offer comedy in an alcohol-free environment. Today’s paragons of sobriety at the Leicester Square Theatre are Jo Brand, Jo Enright, Kevin Eldon, Mitch Benn, Paul Tonkinson and Rob Thomas

Thursday February 11

RADIO: Nish Kumar returns to host a new series of Newsjack… or, we should say the award-winning Newsjack, after the topical comedy series scooped a the prestigious Rose d’Or in December. Quite an achievement for a digital show that has an open-door submission policy. Click here for details of how to submit sketches or gags. Radio 4 Extra, 10.30pm.

LIVE IN LONDON: Future superstar* Spencer Jones brings his prop-based silliness to a very strong bill at the Rio cinema in increasingly hip Dalston, that also boasts Josh Widdicombe, Tim Key and sketch duo Lazy Susan (*probably)

LIVE IN LONDON: No duds either in a line-up of acclaimed, inventive comedians in the intimate setting of the Aces And Eights in Tufnell Park: Adam Hess, Ali Brice, Ian Smith and Simon Munnery. Joe Jacobs, a rapping comedian who’s new to us, completes the bill.

LIVE IN MANCHESTER: There are guaranteed good night outs at the Comedy Store all weekend, courtesy of Carey Marx, Jason Cook and Sean Collins, who are joined by Chris McCausland for the Friday and Saturday shows

Friday February 12

LIVE IN LONDON: Eddie Izzard reprised the One Word Improv format which he toured more than 20 years ago, for a one-off with his old mukkers Stephen Frost, Suki Webster and Neil Mullarkey. The gig’s early - at 6pm - before Izzard’s Force Majeure Reloaded stand-up show in the Palace Theatre later tonight.

LIVE IN LEICESTER: Comedy festival pick tonight is livewire Aussie Felicity Ward with her raucously fun look at anxiety - really! - in What If There Is No Toilet? at the Firebug. Then maybe nip over to The Cookie to delve into Sean McLoughlin’s troubled psyche in Whatever It Takes at 9.30pm.

Saturday February 13

LIVE IN LONDON: Luisa Omielan’s gambling her own cash on her biggest gig to date, hiring out The Forum for her celebratory show What Would Beyonce Do?! The gig is a pre-Valentine’s Day party, with the comedy followed by a club session, DJed by Olly Stock.

LIVE IN LEICESTER: There’s something of a comedy festival gala at the De Montfort Hall tonight featuring Gary Delaney, Henning Wehn, Mitch Benn and Zoe Lyons.

Published: 7 Feb 2016