Hospital mockumentary leads the comedy week ahead

The comedy week ahead.

Sunday February 21

TV: Whatever it is, I'm against it… Enjoy a perfect Sunday afternoon with the Marx Brothers as Gold airs their 1932 classic Horse Feathers, in which Groucho Marx plays the president of Huxley University, Quincy Adams Wagstaf, under pressure to improve the college football squad. 4.20pm

TV: Parks And Recreation returns for its fifth series, premiering on Dave with a double bill at 11pm tonight. These openers, aired in the States three years ago, involve Amy Poehler's Leslie City Councilwoman leaving small-town Pawnee to visit Washington, where she encounters a couple of real-life politicians, including Senator John McCain.

LIVE IN SALFORD: Debra Stephenson, star of Dead Ringers, The Impressions Show and Coronation Street, embarks on her first national tour tonight, mixing comedy, music and impressions. Dates.

LIVE IN LEICESTER: The city's comedy festival draws to an end. We'd recommend the QI No Such Thing As A Fish podcast at the Y Theatre at 5pm, followed by Keiran Hodgson's Edinburgh-nominated character piece Lance at the Firebug at 7.30pm.

LIVE IN LINCOLN: It's the third heat of the Chortle Student Comedy Award at the Engine Shed… And it's a busy week for the competition. We're in the Dogstar in Brixton on Tuesday; the Jericho Cafe in Oxford on Wednesday; the Bridge Bar in Southampton Student Union on Thursday and The Hive at Brighton Students Union on Friday.

Monday February 22

RADIO: Just A Minute returns for a new series with panellists Rufus Hound, Graham Norton, Pam Ayres and Paul Merton, who with this appearance becomes the second-most frequent player of the game, below Clement Freud but above Kenneth Williams. Appearing later in this run of six episodes are regulars Stephen Fry, Graham Norton, Josie Lawrence, Jenny Eclair, Gyles Brandreth and Tim Rice; while Esther Rantzen and Nish Kumar make their first appearances.

LIVE IN LONDON: A top-notch line-up at the Comedy Store is raising cash for The Lily Foundation's work in fighting Mitochondrial Disease. Alan Davies, Holly Walsh, Josh Widdicombe,Kevin Day, Marcus Brigstocke, Terry Alderton,Tiff Stevenson and Tim Vine are your good-hearted gagsters.

Tuesday February 23

LIVE IN PENRITH: Rory Bremner kicks off a laudable week of fundraising for victims of this winter's floods. The Come Hell And High Water tour also features Justin Moorhouse and Fred MacAulay and kicks off in The Old Fire Station in Penrith, which was pressed into service as a relief centre for donations during the crisis. Here are the rest of his tour dates this week

Wednesday February 24

LIVE IN LONDON: Dara O Briain, Milton Jones, and Nish Kumar are all on the bill of Stand up for Shelter, raising money for the homeless charity at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith. Tickets.

LIVE IN LONDON: The Sabotage night returns to the Backyard Comedy Club in Bethnal Green with the internet-based shenanigans of Adam Buxton heading a bill that also includes top oddball Ali Brice and much-tipped character comic Emma Sidi, among others.

Thursday February 25

LIVE IN LONDON: A coup for Nina Conti as he starts her own West End run. Following the success of two nights earlier this year, she will take up residency at the Criterion Theatre until March 12 with her improvised comedy ventriloquism show, In Your Face. Tickets.

LIVE IN ABERYSTWYTH: Manic Felicity Ward, cheery Joel Dommett and droll Tom Wrigglesworth combine for sure-fire entertainment at the town's Arts Centre tonight.

Friday February 26

TV: Ivan Brackenbury finally makes the move from hospital radio to TV, in the spoof fly-on-the-wall documentary Hosptial People. Creator Tom Binns has also repurposed his psychic character Ian D Montfort as a bullshit-spouting porter, as well as introducing us to a Scouse chaplain who sees himself as something of a comedian and a senior administrator, who thinks only in terms of money. It's the first in the new batch of Comedy Playhouse pilots, and airs at 10.35pm on BBC One.

Saturday February 27

RADIO: Private Eye's Ian Hislop and Nick Newman have written a new comedy-drama, Trial By Laughter, based on a real 1817 court case involving William Hone, called 'the forgotten hero of free speech'. He was a bookseller, publisher and satirist who he stood trial for 'impious blasphemy and seditious libel'. His crime was to parody religious texts, mock the despotic government and expose the libidinous monarchy. Radio 4, 2.30pm

LIVE IN LONDON: The comedians behind the original US TV series Practical Jokers are coming to Britain. The Tenderloins comedy troupe will be playing the Shepherd's Bush Empire tonight (Tickets) and the Manchester Academy tomorrow (Tickets). The gigs are part of their Where's Larry? tour, and follow the success of their show on Comedy Central UK.

LIVE IN LONDON: A strong bill at Up The Creek is headlined by smart-but-cheeky Carey Marx and also features Dane Baptiste - star of his own forthcoming BBC Three comedy - and high-impact improv group The Noise Next Door.

LIVE IN SHOREHAM-BY-SEA: Sara Pascoe heads a fundraiser at the Ropetackle Centre for Medecins Sans Frontiers, which provides medical services in war zones. Also on the bill are Julie Jepson, Ria Lina, Sam Savage, Phil Lucas and Sami Stone.

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Published: 21 Feb 2016