The week's best live comedy

The best live comedy of the week

Sunday March 12

GLASGOW: A big hitter visits the Glasgow Live International Comedy Festival tonight, as Sue Perkins brings her tour show Spectacles to the King's Theatre. The festival continues until the 26th (Website)

Monday March 13

LINCOLN: We are nearing the end of the Chortle Student Comedy Award heats, having unearthed a lot of comic potential so far. We're at the Engine Shed tonight (Tickets) and at Brunel Uni in Uxbridge, West London, tomorrow (Tickets).

LONDON: Anna Mann, star of stage and screen, promises nothing less than to cure depression in her buoyant show. (Disclaimer: Mental illness may not be cured by a comedy show, even one as entertaining as Colin Hoult's, who is at the Soho Theatre with his alter-ego until Wednesday)

LONDON: There's a strong bill at the Comedy Store tonight, raising money for Disaster Relief, lead by the compellingly unpredictable Terry Alderton and I'm A Celebrity charmer Joel Dommett.

MANCHESTER: Meanwhile, the Manchester branch is raising money for Parkinson's research via the Shake with Laughter gig, headlined by Sarah Millican and also featuring Prince Of Puns Gary Delaney and whip-smart Adam Bloom, among others.

GLASGOW: Today's comedy festival pick is the new show from Burnistoun creators Robert Florence and Iain Connell in their guise as Uncles, barflies who like nothing more than telling tall tales over a pint. They are at the  Oran Mor tonight and tomorrow before moving to the Citizens Theatre on Friday.

Tuesday March 14

GLASGOW: Jaunty song parodies, hair-raising tales from the hospital wards and a heartfelt plea on behalf of the beleaguered NHS combined to make Adam Kay's Fingering A Minor On A Piano one of the hits of last year's Edinburgh Fringe. And tonight this former doctor brings the darkly humorous show to Cottiers.

Wednesday March 15

LONDON: We like the sound of David Reed's new podcast, Inside The Comedian, which promises to spoof the plethora of comics-talking-to-comics podcasts out there. He's recording at The Phoenix in Cavendish Square tonight along with Do The Right Thing creator Danielle Ward's latest podcast, SpookyWookyCocktailHour, based on weird and unsettling stories and sketches.

LONDON: Comedians go up against each other to perform their favourite song from stage and screen in the new live format, Amusical. Treading the boards of the Backyard Club in Bethnal Green tonight are  Chris Addison, KLolly Adefope, Margaret Cabourn-Smith, Sara Pascoe, Jake Yapp, Felicity Montagu with hosts Jayde Adams and Kiri Pritchard McLean.

Thursday March 16

LONDON: Winner of the Barry Award at the Melbourne Comedy Festival last year, and nominated at Edinburgh, Zoe Coombs-Marr brings her alter-ego Dave back to the Soho Theatre. Trigger Warning is a multi-layered existential strip-down that makes Inception look like a particularly simplistic episode of Pingu. Review

LONDON: A feast of the more interesting acts from the semi-alternative part of the comedy spectrum grace the stage of the Bill Murray in Islington for the regular Sabotage night. Tonight the line-up is Fern Brady, Jordan Brookes, Mat Ewins, Phil Wang, Tim Key and Kiri Pritchard McLean.

Friday March 17

LONDON: Daniel Kitson heads an impressive line-up at the Union Chapel in aid of the Neuro Foundation that includes Radio X duo Elis James and John Robins alongside Phil Wang, Sofie Hagen, Tom Rosenthal and Tony Law.

GLASGOW: Described by Mark Watson as 'the best comedian you haven't heard of yet', proudly  misanthropic Sean McLoughlin brings his latest tales of woe, Kamakazi, to the Blackfriars Basement as part of the ongoing festival.

Saturday March 18

LONDON: Knock 2 Bag at Rich Mix Studios in Hackney offers a typically strong bill that includes  Reginald D Hunter running out material for his forthcoming tour, Edinburgh Comedy Award-winner Richard Gadd, and the witheringly arch Tom Allen.  

NOTTINGHAM: Stand-up from the very top drawer as Ed Bryne does a rare club gig as part of a Just The Tonic line-up at the Belgrave Rooms. But even without him, the supporting bill of Adam Bloom, Barry Castagnola and Glenn Wool would take some beating.

• Search our full listings for comedy near you using the pull-down menus at the very top of this page.

Published: 12 Mar 2017