The week's best live comedy

The best of the week’s live comedy. These are socially-distanced or outdoor gigs. So check with venues about party size restrictions and any other requirements. Most shows require advance booking. Use this site’s search panel to check out our full listings of more than 6,000 events by date and region.

Sunday June 27

KINGSTON: A varied and accomplished bill at the Rose Theatre tonight is headed by Ed Gamble, with wry musical comedy from Flo & Joan and provocative stand-up from Travis Jay.

Wednesday June 30

LONDON: Sh!t-faced Shakespeare is back for the fifth year at Leicester Square Theatre, with a season that lasts until September. This year they take on Macbeth… and, as usual, one of the cast will be pissed every night….

LONDON: Good Ship Comedy attracts another impressive line-up to their gig in the grounds of the imposing Royal Victoria Patriotic Building in Wandsworth. Master observationalist Hal Cruttenden headlines with backup from Mock The Week’s Maisie Adam and circuit stalwarts Will Duggan and Ben Van Der Velde.

MANCHESTER: There’s a good bill for a Stand Up Against Slavery benefit at the Frog & Bucket tonight. So if you don’t go, it’ll be assumed you’re in favour. Crushing the injustice with their knob jokes will be Daisy Earl, Daliso Chaponda, Ray Bradshaw and Scott Bennett.

Thursday July 1

MARLOW: The Comedy Weekender brings some of the biggest and best names in comedy to Higginston Park for the next four nights. Russell Howard, Simon Amstell, John Bishop and Al Murray are headliners while even Dylan Moran is relegated to a supporting bill, which includes the likes of Mark Watson, Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Darren Harriott, It’s an outdoor gig with the audience in deckchairs. Listing and tickets.

TAMWORTH: Britain’s Got Talent’s Daliso Chaponda and prank king Simon Brodkin swing into the town’s Sports Bar for an entertaining gig tonight.

Friday July 2

LONDON: The Boat Show - one of central London’s best comedy clubs and certainly the only one that bobs about a bit, since it’s on a floating pub - is back. And this weekend’s rock-solid bill comprises Andrew Maxwell, Kae Kurd, Maisie Adam and Thanyia Moore.

GUILDFORD: The town’s Fringe Festival kicks off with a ‘comedy superstars’ gig at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, headlined by Rich Hall and featuring Dane Baptiste, Ria Lina and Stephen Bailey.

BIRMINGHAM: The Glee club is certainly worth a visit this weekend with top-drawer comics Garrett Millerick, Phil Ellis and Phil Nichol on the bill.

Saturday July 3

LONDON: Underbelly sets up its summer festival in Cavendish Square, behind John Lewis in Oxford Street this week, and tonight stages the excellent Andrew Maxwell at 7.30pm, plus a recording of Brett Goldstein’s Films To Be Buried With, featuring guest Sarah Kendall, at 5pm. Listings.

FROME: Feelgood musical comedy duo Jonny And The Baptists launch their new tour, Dance Like It Never Happened, at the Merlin Theatre. It’s a show about grief - which doesn’t sound too cheery - but they promise it will be ‘the funniest, most joyful and uplifting show you will ever see about feeling totally bereaved’. And based on their past record, we believe them… Tour listings.

MANCHESTER: Cheery Amy Gledhill hosts another installment of her comedy club A Lovely Time at Grub, with inventive stand-up Alasdair Beckett-King, reigning Chortle Student Comedy champ Erica Ehler, and talented Stevie Martin, whose been making brilliant video sketches through the pandemic.

LEAMINGTON SPA: Ed Byrne headlines a Just The Tonic gig at the Assembly, but any one of the supporting bill - Dan Nightingale, Laura Lexx and Tom Stade - would be worth a detour on their own. Tickets

Published: 27 Jun 2021