The best live comedy of the week

The best live comedy of the week.

Sunday February 19

LONDON: Daniel Kitson makes one of his rare, but welcome, compering appearances in a benefit at Leicester Square Theatre in aid of arty London radio station Resonance FM. Also on the bill are Danielle Ward, Lewis Schaffer, Stewart Lee and Tony Law.

LEICESTER: As the city’s comedy festival heads into its final week, you can’t go far wrong with David O’Doherty, who brings his much-acclaimed quirky comedy – and the cheap keyboard that has served him so well – to the Curve at 8pm tonight.

Monday February 20

LONDON: Stewart Lee’s second benefit in two days is for free speech group English PEN, and takes place at Islington’s Union Chapel. He’s on a very impressive bill alongside Jack Dee, Shappi Khorsandi, Adam Bloom, Andy Hamilton and Nick Revell (a pairing older readers may remember from the Million Pound Radio Show)

LONDON: Joe Pasquale plays the Comedy Store. Yes, really. The mainstream comic goes to the spiritual home of alternative comedy, where he performs along the more likely line-up of Jon Richardson, Romesh Ranganathan and Seann Walsh. It’s another fundraiser, this one for The Lily Foundation to fight mitochondrial disease.

LEEDS: After her run in the metropolitan liberal elite bubble of London, Bridget Christie takes her Brexit-inspired stand-up show on the road, kicking off at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. She says its ‘absolutely the show’ for Remainers, but hedges her bets, saying: ‘If you did want to leave the EU you will still find it funny, but for different reasons, as you witness the liberal female comedian’s exasperated and despairing meltdown.’ All her tour dates are here

Tuesday February 21

BRISTOL: He just announced a new batch of dates that go on sale on Friday, but for the next three nights, Ricky Gervais brings his Humanity stand-up show – described as his most personal yet – to Colston Hall. Tickets may be harder to come by than tartan paint, mind.

LEICESTER: At the Comedy Festival tonight, hear the righteous complaints of what a female comedian has to deal with, courtesy of the smart and passionate Kiri Pritchard-McLean. She’s at the Little Theatre at 8.45pm.

Wednesday February 22

DURHAM: He is, according to himself, one of the best-loved entertainers in showbusiness. So who better than Count Arthur Strong to pay tribute to one of the best musicals he can remember. The Sound Of Mucus will be the biggest tour Arthur has ever done, with nearly 70 dates - including the spiritual home of variety, the London Palladium. And it all kicks off at the Gala Theatre tonight. Full tour dates are here.

DUBLIN: It’s the show that will take him around the world, starting with a five-night run in Vicar Street, one of the more intimate venues Russell Howard will play. Next week, for instance, he’s in London’s Royal Albert Hall. Here are the UK and Ireland dates.

BURY ST EDMUNDS: Fresh from the Channel 4 documentary which charted his high-profile pranking, Lee Nelson hits the road again with his Serious Joker which will keep him out of trouble (maybe) until June . Dates

Thursday February 23

GLASGOW: So it begins again… the Chortle Student Comedy Award has helped unearth some great talent over the years, and the 2017 edition kicks off at Queen Margaret’s Union tonight. Will a star of the future be on the bill tonight? Come and join us, about a dozen top student acts, and much-lauded host Scott Agnew, and find out.

NEWCASTLE: There’s a strong bill at the Stand all weekend, led by master observationalist Paul Tonkinson, who is backed by dry-but-daft Noel James, lively Martin Mor and promising local up-and-comer Lauren Pattison.

READING: Kieran Hodgson has just been nominated for a Chortle Award for his show Maestro, about his teenage attempts to write a symphony, reflecting the ups and downs of his romantic life. Now you can see what the fuss is about - the show was also nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award last summer - as it embarks on a short tour, starting at the South Street Arts Centre. Schedule and review.

LEICESTER: Comedy and music rarely make the best of bedfellows, but the Horne Section have figured out how to blend Alex Horne’s offbeat observations with a fine jazz-blues combo. The ‘part performance, part party’ is at the O2 Academy tonight, another part of the Leicester Comedy Festival.

Friday February 24

LEICESTER: If you’re heading out to the comedy festival tonight, try the full-on madness of compelling performer Terry Alderton, in his aptly-named All Crazy Now at the Y Theatre.

Saturday February 25

LEICESTER: Today’s festival pick is Johnny Vegas, on at the Just The Tonic club night in Hansom Hall. Or if you prefer your comedians newer, the Leicester Mercury Comedian Of The Year title is being contested at the Y Theatre between Alasdair Beckett-King, Alex Mahoney, George Rigden, Sindhu Vee, Tom Houghton, Ed Night, Kelly Convey and Tom Mayhew.

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Published: 19 Feb 2017