The best of the week's live comedy

The best of the week's live comedy, picked from the 7,158 events Chortle currently has listed. Use our search panel to check out our full listings by date and region.

Sunday March 20

MANCHESTER: The hunt for Britain’s funniest student kicks off in Manchester. After an online first round, the semi-finals begin at the Bread Shed - home of XS Malarkey. Tickets. We are then at the Head Of Steam in Cardiff on Tuesday (Tickets) and the Bloomsbury Theatre studio on Thursday. (Tickets).

LONDON: It’s the final of the Leicester Square Theatre’s Sketch Off competition with Alice Cockayne, Christian Brighty, Cowtools, Darren Thomas PSHE teacher, Dregs, Kit Sullivan, Klause Fantastiche, Low Effort Sketches, The Lovely Boys, 2 Mouthed Men. Anna Mann hosts and reigning champion Kathy Maniura headliners.

NOTTINGHAM: Stand-up Barry Dodds presents a 4pm benefit show in aid of the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, featuring Duncan Oakley, Scott Bennett and Tom Wrigglesworth. Tickets.

Monday March 21

LONDON: Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast is back, with guests Armando Iannucci and Chortle Award nominated viral video star Rosie Holt.

EDINBURGH: Tonight and tomorrow, Monkey Barrel Comedy hosts the anarchic, alternative Stamptown showcase of the sort of acts you’re unlikely to see at any regular stand-up night.

Tuesday March 22

LONDON: The Teenage Cancer Trust fundraiser is back at the Royal Albert Hall. Amid a week of music gigs put together by The Who’s Roger Daltry comes an unmissable comedy line-up, comprising Joel Dommett, Rob Beckett, Romesh Ranganathan, Rosie Jones, Seann Walsh, Suzi Ruffell and Tom Allen. Tickets.

Friday March 25

MARGATE: Paul Merton hits the road again with his ‘impro chums’ - Richard Vranch, Suki Webster, Mike McShane and accompanist Kirsty Newton - playing the sort of ad-libbed games you may remember from Whose Line Is It Anyway? Paul Merton tour dates and tickets.

LONDON: Oddball one-line king Milton Jones headlines another strong bill at the Dulwich Comedy Experience at The MCT at Alleyn's school. He’s backed by delightful Amy Gledhill, warmly deadpan Rob Auton, and barbed social commentator Sophie Duker.

LONDON: Over in the west, Headliners in Chiswick also has an impressive line-up. Seann Walsh puts the Strictly shenanigans behind him tonight (Tickets) and QI’s Alan Davies headlines tomorrow (Tickets). Both have fine support from Tez Ilyas and Markus Birdman.

Saturday March 26

NORWICH: Johnny & The Baptists start a new leg of their Dance Like It Never Happened tour, dealing with collective grief and trauma in a sensitive but uplifting way, at the Playhouse. Johnny & The Baptists tour dates

GLASGOW: A big hometown gig for Susie McCabe as she plays the King’s Theatre with her latest stand-up show, Born Believer. Tickets

LONDON: There’s a highly recommended line-up at Banana Cabaret in Balham’s Bedford pub tonight, with grizzled Dave Fulton, playfully provocative Fin Taylor and the freewheeling - and intensely insane - Terry Alderton

Published: 20 Mar 2022