The pick of the comedy week ahead

The pick of the comedy week ahead.

Sunday February 28

TV: Gold repeats the 1982 documentary Les Dawson: Comic Roots, in which the comedy legend revisits Manchester to tour some of the clubs where he cut his teeth, recalling the Lancashire mill folk and Blackpool landladies who inspired his comedy. 9pm

LIVE IN HERTFORD: Comedy stars roll up for a cancer fundraiser, including Royal Variety favourite Hal Cruttenden, sharply sarcastic Sara Pascoe and the ever-dependable Jo Brand. At the Hertford Theatre from 8pm.

LIVE IN BRISTOL: The Chortle Student Comedy Award rolls into town, hosted by George Rigden. Then the search for the comedy stars of tomorrow visits Warwick University on Monday and Manchester's Koh Tao bar on Wednesday, both hosted by Ray Peacock.

Tuesday March 1

LIVE IN FALKIRK: Mark Thomas is in Scotland all week with his new show Trespass, sure to inspire you in protest at the increasing privatisation of Britain's once-public spaces. Tonight he's in Falkirk Town Hall; Wednesday at the Stirling Tolbooth; Thursday at the Dunkeld Birnam Arts & Conference Centre; Friday at Dundee Rep and Saturday at the Aberdeen Lemon Tree.

Wednesday March 2

TV: Raised By Wolves returns for a second series, based on Caitlin and Caroline Moran's memories of their West Midlands childhood. Channel 4, 10pm.

LIVE IN LONDON: Top female stand-ups assemble at the Proud Archivist for a Women's Aid gala. Among them are eccentric activist Bridget Christie, oddball character turn Joanna Neary and livewires Felicity Ward and Suzi Ruffell.

Thursday March 3

TV: Unmissable stand-up as Stewart Lee returns to BBC Two with series four of his Comedy Vehicle, with an episode dedicated to wealth. As before, it's filmed in front of a live audience at the Mildmay Club in Stoke Newington, with subsequent episodes covering patriotism, Islamophobia, the migrant crisis, death, and childhood memories. Script Editor Chris Morris also returns interrogate Lee about his arguments, and his attitude to the audience. BBC Two, 10pm.

RADIO: The sketch series Small Scenes, starring Daniel Rigby, Mike Wozniak, Cariad Lloyd, Henry Paker and Jessica Ransom returns for a third run of overblown, melodramatic scenes from modern life. Radio 4, 11pm

RADIO: Radio 4 Extra pays tribute to cult poet, songwriter and outsider Ivor Cutler, who died ten years ago to the day. The hour-long celebration, which kicks off at 11pm. features several items not heard since their original broadcast in the 1980s and 1990s

Friday March 4

TV: The second in BBC One's Comedy Playhouse season of pilots is Craig Cash's 'touching and inventive' Broken Biscuits, which follows five disparate groups of people. The starry cast includes Timothy West, Stephanie Cole, Alison Steadman and Gemma Whelan. BBC One, 10.35pm

LIVE IN EPSOM: He's landed his own BBC Three sitcom, but for now Dane Baptiste sticks to the stand-up which got him noticed in the first place, as he kicks off a UK tour of his Reasonable Doubts show. Dates

LIVE IN LONDON: Comics including Bec Hill, Joz Norris and Matthew Highton recreate two Simpsons episodes: Marge Vs. The Monorail and You Only Move Twice on the tiny budget the Camden Comedy Club can afford…

LIVE IN NORTHAMPTON: The Screaming Blue Murder comedy club offers a great mix at the Royal & Derngate, from the award-winning surrealism of John Kearns to the modern concerns of former Chortle student champ Jamali Maddix, along with solid observational stand-up from Jessica Fostekew and affable hosting from Dan Evans.

Saturday March 5

LIVE IN FOLKESTONE: The town's Dance Easy studio forms the unlikely venue for a quality night of stand-up, led by astutely political Andrew Maxwell with support from the quirky Dan Atkinson and much-tipped Mae Martin.

LIVE IN LONDON: The 99 Club's Strand Palace Hotel gig hosts the ever-excellent James Acaster, inspired one-line merchant Adam Hess, sharp-witted Iain Stirling and energetic MC Suzi Ruffell.

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Published: 28 Feb 2016