Mr Skinner, and the rest of the week's best live comedy

The week's best live comedy.

Monday  January 13

LONDON: Tom Basden unveils his first stand-up show in a decade, having been sidetracked writing ITV2's Plebs and acting in the likes of Ricky Gervais's After Life. Sorry Thank You Please, which runs at the Soho Theatre at 9.30pm until Saturday, is described as 'a show about blame, ingratitude and our various, largely poor, attempts to keep each other happy'.

LONDON: It's got to be worth two trips to Soho this week, as Tarot - the dark and anarchic show which we recently named as the most memorable live comedy experience of 2019 - takes up a week-long residency, too. Original review.

LONDON: Following a national tour,  Frank Skinner brings his new stand-up show Showbiz to the West End for a five-week run at the Garrick Theatre in which he proves himself more a relaxed raconteur with varied interests than the laddish, sex-obsessed comic of old. Tickets and review.

NORWICH: Local hero Karl Minns returns to the Playhouse with one of the characters from his Nimmo Twins double act, the blonde-haired, pink-tracksuited She Go. She Go Looks Back from Behind at 2019…With Friends, which runs until the 26th, will look back at the biggest news stories in Norfolk, joined by some other alter-egos such as  Billy Boy, Hauswerk and The Vicar.

Wednesday January 15

LONDON: Colin Hoult's gushingly theatrical alter-ego Anna Mann tries out a new podcast at the Phoenix near Oxford Circus, in which she puts other actors through their paces and explore the 'intensely brave, visceral and real art of acting'. Margaret Cabourn-Smith is the first guest.

Thursday January 16

SALFORD: The Olivier Award-winning improvised musical Showstopper! starts a new tour with a couple of nights at the Lowry, which the team creating a new comedy musical out of thin air each time, based on a single suggestion from the audience. It's impressive stuff.

Friday January 17

LONDON: The  Chortle Comedy Book Festival is back at the British Library. We've a full programme of events across three rooms on Sunday, including Adam Kay, Arthur Smith, Katy Brand, Jenny Eclair, Count Arthur Strong, Mark Thomas and many more (Full details of that here). And we kick off with a stand-up gig in which all the performers just happen to have written books too. They are Shappi Khorsandi, Jen Brister, Mae Martin, Olaf Falafel and MC Dominic Frisby. Tickets.

LONDON:  Rose Matafeo is recording her Edinburgh comedy-award winning Horndog at the Ambassadors Theatre tonight (and twice tomorrow). Tickets

CAMBRIDGE:  Josie Long kicks off her new tour, Tender, about the 'mind-bending intensity of new motherhood' and aims to leave audiences feeling optimistic about the future, no matter how the outside world may seem. All the dates are here

Saturday January 18

LONDON: A top-notch fundraiser at the Union Chapel in Islington going by the name of Make Some Noise is in aid of food bank charities The Trussell Trust and Independent Food Aid Network. The impressive bill includes Bridget Christie, Josie Long, Lolly Adefope, Simon Munnery and Daniel Kitson. Tickets

LONDON: West London comedy stalwart Headliners is going South, with a new venture at Peckham Audio. Opening night line-up is Funmbi Omotayo, Evelyn Mok, and Darius Davies, expertly hosted by David Mills.

SOUTHAMPTON:  There's a marvellous mixed bill at the new NST City theatre, with Radio 4 favourites Arthur Smith and Marcus Brigstocke, The Mash Report's Rachel Parris and SuperBob star Brett Goldstein

Published: 12 Jan 2020