The week's best live comedy

The best of the week's live comedy, picked from the 6,746 events Chortle currently has listed. Use our search panel to check our full listings by date and region.

Sunday February 23

LEICESTER: In his new tour Vitruvian Mango, Marcus Brigstocke ponders the masculinity crisis, albeit 'in a non-patriarchal, open-minded, progressive sort of way'. In a world in which most heavy things can be lifted by machines, most problems can be solved by computers, and most puddles can be crossed without a bloke gallantly draping a cape over them, what use is a man? The title comes from Leonardo Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, the image of the ideal male form – but Brigtocke says his version is 'sweeter, softer, seasonally available and, when ripe, delicately perfumed'. It kicks off at the Y Theatre tonight as the city's comedy festival draws to a close. Marcus Brigstocke tour dates.

BRISTOL: Joel Dommett goes from Masked Singer back to his stand-up roots for the new tour, Happy Idiot, beginning at the Old Vic, promising 'glamorous tales from behind the camera and less glamorous anecdotes of first-time fatherhood'.  Joel Dommett tour dates

Tuesday February 25

BRISTOL: It's the final showcase of potential Chortle Hotshots of up-and-coming comics hoping to make a splash with their first Edinburgh Fringe shows later this year. Performing at the new Gaffe comedy club tonight are Alex Prescot, Caroline Madds, Cordelia Graham, Ed Mulvey, Jessie Nixon, Katie Davison, Kevin Daniel, Lucas Jefcoate, Mahesh Khilnani, Su Mi – all introduced by Sally-Anne Hayward. Tickets

Wednesday February 26

CARLISLE: Big-league promoters Live Nation reported that Sophie McCarthy's last tour, Tired And Tested, was their fastest-selling for any female comedian's debut show. Now the comic and podcaster is back, swapping stories of motherhood for those about ageing. She's turned 40 and is reluctant to give up her big nights out, but also accepts that ‘getting your bra and make-up off by 9pm’ has a certain appeal. One Foot In The Rave. The 48-date One Foot In The Rave, tour begins at the Old Fire Station Arts Centre tonight. Sophie McCarthy tour dates.

LONDON: The Backyard comedy club in Bethnal Green hosts an Asian Comedy Showcase featuring Edinburgh best newcomer nominee Jin Hao Li, much-tipped up-and-coming comic Blank Peng, livewire Sam See and the decidedly not Asian Olaf Falafel.

Thursday February 27

CARLISLE: The second tour in as many days to kick off at the Old Fire Station sees Shabaz Ali – TikTokker, comedian and host of the BBC’s official Dr Who podcast – talk about the lengths people take to present a ‘perfect’ life online in his show I Am Rich You Are Poor. Shabaz Ali tour dates.

BRACKNELL: Mark Steel launches a new tour to coincide with the publication of his book The Leopard In My House, all about his cancer diagnosis and treatment. The Radio 4 favourite has said: 'This show is the story of my year, of wonderful characters and often tricky but bafflingly positive experiences. Doing the show doesn’t quite make me glad that it happened, but it definitely makes up for it quite a bit.' The tour, also entitled The Leopard In My House, runs through to June. Mark Steel tour dates.

MALVERN: Irish comic and long-time Aussie resident Jimeoin starts this latest tour of mischievous, finely observed stand-up, entitled Who's Your Man? Jimeoin tour dates.

LONDON: American comic Jena Friedman begins a work in progress run of her new show Motherf*cker, ' about life, death and this current political moment' at the Soho Theatre. She has been worked on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and David Letterman's talk show and appeared on the likes of Comedy Central Stand-Up, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Conan. Read about her comedy favourites here.

Friday February 28

BRIGHTON: Following a short run at London's Soho Theatre, quirky musical comedian Huge Davies hits the road proper with his new show Album For My Ancestors (Dead), starting at the Komedia and ending with a newly announced final date at Leicester Square Theatre on May 16. Huge Davies tour dates.

LONDON: Catherine Bohart, Jamali Maddix and Kiri Pritchard-McLean make for a very appealing gig in the Clapham Grand tonight.

Saturday March 1

LONDON: There's no filler in tonight's Union Chapel line-up un Islington with David O'Doherty, Rachel Parris, Rhys James and Catherine Bohart.

Sunday March 2

EDINBURGH: No sooner have we found our Hotshots than we begin our quest for the Chortle Student Comedy Award winner of 2025, with the first semi-final at Monkey Barrel. Tickets. Details of all the semi-finals are here

Published: 23 Feb 2025