London's fringe festival is back, and the rest of the week's live comedy picks

The best of the week's live comedy, picked from the 5,264 events Chortle currently has listed.  Use our search panel to check our full listings by date and region.  

Sunday January 22

NEWCASTLE: Lloyd Griffith - as seen on various TV shows and as Jack Whitehall's support - kicks off his biggest tour so far, One Tonne Of Fun. And it comes just before streaming service ITVX sreens Nolly, a drama about bygone soap opera Crossroads, in which he plays Paul Henry – the actor who portrayed Benny in the series.  Lloyd Griffith tour dates

Monday January 23

LONDON: Vittorio Angelone's assured stand-up debut Translations was one of the breakout hits of last year's Edinburgh Fringe, winning plenty of acclaim and a best newcomer nomination. Indeed, we said: 'His densely plotted stand-up is refreshing in an era of narrative, mental health-driven or prop comedy. No he's at Soho Theatre for a week ahead of a UK tour this spring.  And from tomorrow you could make it a double bill with absurdist American comic Patti Harrison, as seen on  I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson, who is at the venue until February 18. 

Tuesday January 24

LONDON: Vault Festival kicks off in the labyrinth of arches beneath Waterloo station, offering more than 500 fringe comedy theatre and cabaret shows. Tonight's comedy offerings include Stuart Laws and Matt Sandstorm's Preppers, in which they await doomsday in their bunker. What odd synchronicity that it comes the day after Simon Bird's doomsday comedy airs on Channel 4. Other shows this week include works in progress by Chloe Petts, Ian Smith and Janine Harouni. Website

Thursday January 26

COVENTRY:  There's a strong mixed bill at Warwick Arts centre tonight with angry stand-up powerhouse Garrett Millerick, the dryly offbeat Toussaint Douglass and newish Jessie Nixon 'who delivers dynamic and erudite jokes with the confidence and sincerity of a drunk girl in a Wetherspoons toilet'. 

Friday January 27

LONDON:  Nish Kumar headlines live at the Clapham Grand, bulled as the 'biggest comedy night in South London' And he has a fine supporting cast, too with Lou Sanders, Spencer Jones, Maisie Adam and Josh Jones.

Saturday January 28

LONDON: Adam Buxton comperes a Stand Up For Ukraine fundraiser for the Red Cross featuring Stewart Lee, Seann Walsh, Kae Kurd, Amy Gledhill, Maisie Adam and Flat and the Curves. With a line-up like that, no wonder tickets are waiting list only now - although the show will be streamed.

LONDON: Danny Baker stars his At Last… The Sausage Sandwich Tour, the third part of a trilogy of showbiz tales that he describes as a 'panjandrum of unstoppable anecdote'. After the hometown gig at Blackheath Halls tonight he heads to Swindon, Stafford, Winchester and more. Danny Baker tour dates.

Published: 22 Jan 2023