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 5,525 events by date and region.

Sunday November 14

MANCHESTER: Dan Nightingale retires from hosting the Beat The Frog, the gong show he started at the Frog & Bucket 18 years ago, with this special show featuring some of the professional comics who have come through the competition’s ranks, such as Adam Rowe, Brennan Reece and Freddy Quinne

LONDON: A typically strong Sunday Special line-up at Up The Creek in Greenwich features Felicity Ward, Fern Brady and Fin Taylor. Tickets.

NOTTINGHAM: Tim Minchin plays the Motorpoint Arena as part of his Back (Encore) tour and the city’s comedy festival. Gigs continue all week - check the website for details.

 SHREWSBURY: Sharp and ebullient Britain’s Got Talent star Daliso Chaponda headlines the Severn Jesters stand-up show at the Theatre Severn tonight alongside enjoyably quirky Josh Pugh and welcoming MC Lou Conran

Monday November 15

LONDON: A packed and powerful line-up for a Farm Africa fundraiser at the Backyard comedy club in Bethnal Green boasts Ahir Shah, Deborah Frances-White, Garrett Millerick, Glenn Moore, Pierre Novellie, Rachel Fairburn and Eleanor Tiernan. Tickets.

MANCHESTER: John-Luke Roberts brings his super-inventive show from the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe – After Me Comes the Flood (But in French) drip splosh splash drip BLUBBP BLUBBP BLUBBPBLUBBPBLUBBP!! – to the Bread Shed, in a special treat from XS Malarkey. Tickets and review.

Wednesday November 17

LONDON: Get Off Live Comedy, a new initiative to set up an independent and confidential HR support service to deal with sexual harassment on the comedy stages a fundraiser to help the project get off the ground. Telly names Russell Howard, Sara Pascoe, Nish Kumar headline a bill at the Comedy Store that also boasts Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Nina Gilligan and Sikisa

LONDON: An eclectic and quirky night of comedy under the Objectively Funny Comedy banner at Signature Brew Haggerston boast the dry wit of Harriet Kemsley, whip-smart Rhys James, sweetly silly Sam Campbell, and deadpan Japanese comic Yuriko Kotanil

Thursday November 18

LONDON: New York comedian Mary Beth Barone brings her show Drag His Ass to the Soho Theatre for three nights. As recently adapted for Comedy Central, see below, the hip show revolves around fuckboys and toxic dating culture.

Saturday November 20

LONDON: Woolwich Works hosts three TV-level headliners tonight: Ed Gamble, Rhys James and Sara Pascoe… now that’s a triple threat.

BRISTOL: The superior drollery of South African-born Pierre Novellie, the hyper camp gossipy comedy of fast-rising Josh Jones and well-honed wit of Meryl O'Rourke are all on offer at the Comedy Box at the Hen and Chicken tonight.

Coming soon

LONDON:The Chortle Comedy Book Festival takes place over the weekend of November 26 to 28, with almost 20 events featuring big names Phil Wang, Harry Hill, Lucy Beaumont, Isy Suttie, Tim Key, Jessie Cave, Arthur Smith and the QI elves plus funny and fascinating discussions on the likes of climate change, toxic relationships and the psychology of comedy. Full line-up and tickets at comedybookfest.com

Published: 14 Nov 2021