The week's best live comedy

The best of the week's live comedy, picked from the 7,371 events Chortle currently has listed. Use our search panel to check our full listings by date and region.

Sunday February 9

LONDON: There's a charity comedy and music night for Haematology Cancer Care and Brave, a charity for parents who have children with complex medical needs, at Leicester Square Theatre tonight. The comedy side of that bill comes courtesy of Sara Pascoe, Jo Caulfield, JoJo Sutherland, Lauren Pattison and Mark Simmons. Tickets.

BRISTOL: At the Hen and Chicken, Australian comic Alice Fraser begins a short UK tour to promote her new book, A Passion For Passion , which is described as ‘a love letter to genre romance fiction', which seems perfect to launch in Valentine's week. The comic – a Bugle podcast regular – previously created the alter-ego D'Ancey LaGuarde, to celebrate her love of the genre and the new book feature some of her alter-ego's 'most absurdly frivolous and outlandishly whimsical works’. Alice Fraser tour dates.

Monday February 10

LEICESTER: The city's comedy festival celebrates the art of wordplay, as it always does, with the UK Pun Championships at De Montfort Hall. Jason Byrne oversees the Pun Fight between Mary Cross, Daniel Edison, Rabiah Coon, Josh Faulkner, Will B. Found, Pauline Eyre, Sharlin Jahan and Stevie Vegas.

LONDON: Our Hotshot showcases continue apace, with the London instalment at Top Secret comedy on Drury Lane at 6pm. We'll be giving bursary help to one of the comedy acts on the bill tonight to make their Edinburgh Fringe debut in August. They are: Behemoth, Candace Bryan, Frances Keyton, Jessica Aszkenasy, Kerry Fitzgerald, Lenny Consolo, Pedro Leandro, Prateek Kohli, Shalaka Kurup, Tim O'Hare, Tony Carr and Vinny Shiu. Tickets here

Tuesday February 11

LONDON: Irish comedy queen Deirdre O'Kane has three nights at Leicester Square Theatre ahead of a wider UK tour starting next month. She's fronted a stand-up show on Sky, or may have seen her on Amazon Prime’s Last One Laughing Ireland, Ireland's Dancing With The Stars or Richard Osman’s House of Games. Deirdre O'Kane tour dates

Wednesday February 12

LONDON: Christopher Bliss, Britain's leading novelist – at least in his own head – takes on the romantic novel in his own special style at his Valentine's Raunchfest at Hackney's Moth Club. Sam Campbell, Marcel Lucont and Lorna Rose Treen are also on the varied, off-beat bill.

Thursday February 13

SWINDON: Former Mock The Week regular Angela Barnes kicks off a 34-date tour Angst about her propensity for worrying, promising ‘some stories of success and sound logic, but mostly of unmitigated failure'. Angela Barnes tour dates

BRIGHTON: Also embarking on a tour today is Alexandra Haddow, whose Third Party show is about 'sex, politics, ageing, nihilism and maybe hope' as the world appears to be falling apart. It starts at the Komedia. Alexandra Haddow tour dates

LONDON: Worth a mention, if only for the pleasing symmetry. Brennan Reece's latest stand-up show Me Me Me is on at Underbelly Boulevard, while Gabriel Harris's mash-up of drag, stand-up, and theatre, He/He/He is at the nearby Soho Theatre.

Friday February 14

LUTON: Markus Birdman combines a circuit comic's gagsmithery with a Fringe comic's personal insight, as he talks about his strokes and deteriorating eyesight – as you may have seen on Britain's Got Talent. His latest show, We Are All In The Gutter, But Some Of Us Are Looking At The Gutter (also listed as just 'Gutter', perhaps better to fit on flyers) continues that perfect combo, and stars a short UK tour at the gag factory tonight. Markus Birdman tour dates.

MANCHESTER: Nigerian comedy superstar Basketmouth pays another visit to the UK with his latest show, Yes I Said It! at the Manchester Academy tonight and at the Indigo at the 02 in London tomorrow.

LONDON: Ivo Graham, John Robins, Lou Sanders and Fatiha El-Ghorri become the latest comedians to grace the Union Chapel's lovely stage in Islington.

Saturday February 15

LEICESTER: The Just The Tonic gig at Hansom Hall as part of the Leicester Comedy Festival –features two livewires – Phil Nichol and Rob Rouse, and the rather calmer presences of Robin Morgan and Tadiwa Mahlunge. They are all united in being funny, though…

Published: 9 Feb 2025