The best of the week's live comedy

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

Sunday June 18

DUBLIN: Finland's top comedian, Ismo Leikola, plays the Liberty Hall Theatre before crossing the Irish Sea for shows in Edinburgh, Manchester, London, Cardiff, Birmingham and Brighton. At home, he has had two seasons of his own sitcom and four stand-up specials but can also lay claim to being The Funniest Person in the World, after winning a competition with that title at the Laugh Factory in LA. Ismo Leikola tour dates

Monday June 19

GLASGOW: US comic Preacher Lawson, pictured, made the finals of the 2017 season of America's Got Talent, and subsequently appeared on the champions' edition of the British version. The high-energy comic - and prolific TikTokker, with 67million likes - kicks off a very short UK tour at the Glee tonight, before hitting the Birmingham Glee tomorrow, Salford's Lowry Theatre on Thursday and the Limelight in Belfast on Saturday.

Tuesday June 20

LONDON: Downstairs at the King's Head hosts a fundraiser for the Comedian's Benevolent Fund, which helps stand-ups if they fall on hard times. The appealing bill includes Andrew O'Neill, Ninia Benjamin, Ria Lina and Rudi Lickwood. Tickets here.

Wednesday June 21

LONDON: Another benefit, this one at the Comedy Store and in aid of The Felix Project, which takes surplus food from suppliers and redistributes it to charities. And again the line-up's impressive with Alistair Barrie, Chris McCausland, Geoff Norcott, Iain Stirling, Kerry Godliman, Marcel Lucont, Ria Lina and Terry Alderton.

Friday June 23

LONDON: Bush Hall Presents always has an impressive line-up, and tonight's no exception with TV's Ed Gamble supported by the wonderfully playful News Quiz regular Ian Smith and the delightfully warm, Confessional comedy of Amy Gledhill - both of whom present the Northern News podcast.

LEEDS: The House Of Fun comedy club at The Original Oak is a strong draw tonight, with wittily self-deprecating Jonny Pelham, quirky, gaggy musical comic Tom Taylor and gregarious circuit stalwart Andre Vincent.

Published: 18 Jun 2023