A host of benefits, and the rest of the week's live comedy picks

The week's best live comedy.

Monday December 3

LONDON: Hari Kondabolu - the comic best known for raising the issue of the stereotypes perpetuated by Apu from The Simpsons - brings his astute brand of political comedy to the Soho Theatre for the next 12 nights.

LONDON: Astonishingly, at the time of writing there is still the odd ticket available for Michael McIntyre's Christmas Charity Show at the Eventim Apollo, with what is surely the starriest comedy line-up of the year: Jimmy Carr, Jo Brand, Josh Widdicombe, Katherine Ryan, Romesh Ranganathan, Sean Lock, Seann Walsh and Tom Allen. Tickets here.

LONDON: There's another star-studded charity gig at the Comedy Store, with Graham Norton, Jimmy Carr,John Bishop,Katherine Ryan, Lenny Henry,Omid Djalili, Seann Walsh, Stephen K Amos, Zoe Lyons, Jo Caulfield and Ninia Benjamin raising ££££s for Royal Trinity Hospice and St George's Hospital Charity.

LONDON: On a smaller scale, but with just as funny a line-up, the Pleasance in Islington is hosting a gala for World Aids Day with Nish Kumar, Sara Pascoe, John Kearns, Lou Sanders, Lucy Pearman, Mae Martin and Mawaan Rizwan.

MANCHESTER: Not to be left out in the fundraising stakes, the northern branch of the Comedy Store is also hosting a benefit tonight, this one for the Honeypot Children's Charity. Former Edinburgh newcomer nominee Chris Washington joins Store regular Justin Moorhouse and the droll Lloyd Langford.

Wednesday December 5

LONDON: Another day, another benefit - this one at the newly refurbished (and now asbestos-free!) Bloomsbury Theatre. Terry Alderton, Bob Mills, Jenny Collier, Joe Wilkinson, Paul Tonkinson, Sally-Anne Hayward and Stephen Grant comprise the eclectic line-up raising money for Children with Cancer UK

Thursday December 6

LONDON: Back at the Bloomsbury, top promoters Show And Tell put on a fine showcase of inventive comedy talent, courtesy of James Acaster, Ed Gamble, Mae Martin and Simon Munnery.

MOLD: A fine line-up at the Theatr Clwyd with astute smart-aleckery from Nick Doody, Sol Bernstein capturing the Catskills spirit of old-school Jewish entertainers and regular compere Paul 'Silky' White. The same trio are at Llangollen Town Hall tomorrow.

Saturday December 8

LONDON: We don't see enough of Simon Amstell doing stand-up, but he's on tonight at the Hackney Arts Centre, as part of a strong bill that also includes Tim Key, Rhys James, Fin Taylor and Fern Brady.

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Published: 2 Dec 2018