The week's best live comedy

The best of the week's live comedy.

Sunday December 15

LONDON: Kojo Anim found a bigger audience this year after making the final of Britain's Got Talent. But long before that he was running once of London's best-known urban comedy nights… the club where Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock would visit when they were in town and wanted to try out new material. Now some of its alumni are getting together for a reunion night at the Backyard in Bethnal Green. The bill includes Dane Baptiste, Eddie Kadi, Funmbi Omotayo, Kojo, Marlon Davis, Mr Cee, Babatunde, Glenda Jaxson, Special P and Kane Brown .

Monday December 16

LONDON: The Leicester Square Theatre's annual new act competition comes to a climax tonight. Taking part in the 2019 final, to be compered by Mick Ferry, are Alice-India, David Eagle, Eddy Hare, Hannah Platt, Jamie D'Souza, Josh Baulf, Lily Phillips, Luke Craig, Matthew Chadourne, Michael Akadiri, Patrick Spicer, Sam Eley, Sam Serrano, Tom Short, Umby Winters. Tickets.

LONDON: Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a Nick Helm Fuck Fest, with mystery guest comics joining him at the Pleasance Islington for an anarchic, rough-hewn evening of arsing about. But with tinsel.

LONDON: It hardly counts as festive, but Jordan Brookes bold and unpredictable show I've Got Nothing takes up residency at the Soho Theatre over Christmas and New Year, starting tonight. The intense and funny performer won the Edinburgh Comedy Award for this show, which is forever pulling the rug out from under the audience. Review.

LONDON: If you prefer your stand-up more conventional, best newcomer nominee Janine Harouni brings her well-crafted life story, including encounters with her Trump-supporting American parents, to the same venue at more-or-less the same time all week. Review.

Wednesday December 18

CAMBRIDGE: A brilliant line-up at the Corn Exchange tonight boasts one stand-up star after another, with Catastrophe's Rob Delaney, The Mash Report's Nish Kumar and soon-to-be-huge comics Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Suzi Ruffell. Unmissable if you're in town.

DUBLIN: David O'Doherty begins a run of Christmas shows at the Sugar Club. Tonight's is sold out, but there are more on December 22 (plus a kids' show too) and 23, and January 1 and 2.

Thursday December 19

LONDON: Comedy promoters Green Milk are celebrating the last Christmas on Earth, which doesn't sound too cheery. But they've got a fine selection of new-wave comics to mark the sombre occasion in the intimately shabby Bethnal Green Working Men's Club, including John-Luke Roberts, Kwame Asante, Sunil Patel, Tom Ward, Gabby Best, Norris & Parker and Robin Hill.

Friday December 20

LEEDS: Chase and Taskmaster star Paul Sinha headlines the House Of Fun gig at the Original Oak, with fine support from the much-tipped Maisie Adam and experienced MC Danny Deegan

Saturday December 21

LONDON: The newly refurbished Bloomsbury Theatre (and very nice it is too) hosts a benefit gig for Mums In Need, featuring Deborah Frances-White, Lou Sanders, Sara Pascoe, Tiff Stevenson and token male Steen Raskopoulos.

Published: 15 Dec 2019