Mae Martin seeks her moral compass

The week's best live comedy

The best of the week's live comedy. Use Chortle's search panel to check out our full listings of more than 6,000 events by date and region.

Monday October 4

LONDON: Dara O Briain headlines a great night of stand-up for homeless charity Shelter at the Shepherds Bush Empire. He shares the stage with Taskmaster contestants past (Jamali Maddix and Phil Wang), present (Guz Khan) and dare we suggest future (Luisa Omielan)? Tickets

LONDON: Lots of Boys’ Own-style derring do at the Soho Theatre until Wednesday as Crybabies revive their fast-paced, multi-character sketch show Danger Brigade at the Soho Theatre for three nights only. Read our original review here.

NEWCASTLE: Fred MacAulay records more episodes of his Radio 4 stand-up show Fred At The Stand tonight and tomorrow... We’ll leave you to figure out the venue…

Tuesday October 5

MANCHESTER: Mae Martin’s latest tour, Sap, kicks off at the O2 Ritz, with the Feel Good star and creator promising a look at the ‘uphill battle of trying to do the right thing in a world that sometimes seems to have lost its moral compass’. It tours the UK for the rest of the month before a long residency at Soho Theatre. Mae Martin tour schedule

Thursday October 7

LONDON: The Country Mile Comedy Club attracts a typically strong bill to its gig at the Star Of Kings in Kings Cross, including Ed Gamble, Felicity Ward, Janine Harouni, Phil Wang and more.

Friday October 8

LEEDS: The Last Stop to Edinburgh Comedy Festival - confusingly named since it comes after the Fringe - comprises nine solo shows – spread across this weekend at The Carriageworks Theatre. It kicks off tonight with Troy Hawke in Sigmund Troy’d and South African comedian Loyiso Gola’s new stand-up show Pop Culture. Schedule

GUILDFORD: Surrey’s Gag House series of clubs steps up a gear for its annual Comedy Superstars gig at G Live. Reginald D Hunter, Ivo Graham, Steff Todd and Tom Lucy are on the bill.

BIRMINGHAM: An ace weekend line-up at the Glee tonight and tomorrow boasts four very safe pairs of comedy hands: Alistair Barrie, Brennan Reece, Harriet Kemsley and Michael Fabbri.

Saturday October 9

LONDON: Egyptian-American stand-up Ramy Youssef - best known for his self-titled TV series, makes his UK debut at the Bush Hall tonight. His TV show, as seen on All4, is about a first-generation Egyptian-American in New Jersey, torn between a Muslim community that thinks life is a moral test and a millennial generation that thinks life has no consequences. And he previously released the HBO stand-up special, Feelings.

MANCHESTER: Isabelle Farah’s Ellipsis - a show about trying to process grief when your job is to make people laugh - was one of the stand-outs at this year’s (admittedly depleted) Edinburgh Fringe. Now this accomplished debut comes to the TriBeCa as part of Manchester’s ongoing Women in Comedy Festival. Read our original Fringe review here

Published: 3 Oct 2021