The Comedy Store Players
Show type: Misc live shows
Britain's leading improv troupe was formed on October 27, 1985, following a brief test run at the Edinburgh Fringe earlier in the year with Kit Hollerbach, Dave Cohen, Neil Mullarkey and future Austin Powers star Mike Myers. In the first half of that first show they did stand-up, rather than take a chance on the new ad-libbed style imported from the States. Only 20 people were in the audience.
A month later Paul Merton joined the cast, and still regularly performs at their Sunday-night gigs. Canadian Myers and American Hollerbach taught the games to the rest of the team, which was soon joined by Mullarkey’s Cambridge friend Richard Vranch – initially as a pianist but he quickly became part of the regular team. Cohen was sacked after six months.
Josie Lawrence joined after guesting one night at the 1986 Edinburgh Fringe, just before Myers returned to Canada. Other regular members over the years have included Sandi Toksvig and Jeremy Hardy, while guests have included Eddie Izzard, Catherine Tate, Rory Bremner and Julian Clary.
Jim Sweeney joined the Players in 1992 and is still credited at the end of every show, although he has been unable to perform with the team for the last two years because of his multiple sclerosis. Lee Simpson and Andy Smart complete the current core line-up, which performs every Wednesday and Sunday night at the London Comedy Store.
Upcoming Dates
Date: Sun 5 May 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Josie Lawrence, Richard Vranch, Neil Mullarkey, Ruth Bratt, Monica Gaga and Yshani Perinpanayagam
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 12 May 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Josie Lawrence, Lee Simpson, Neil Mullarkey, Ruth Bratt, Sophie Duker and Kirsty Newton
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 19 May 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Niall Ashdown, Lee Simpson, Heather Urquhart, Ruth Bratt, Richard Vranch and Steve Edis
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 26 May 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Josie Lawrence, Lee Simpson, Neil Mullarkey, Ruth Bratt, Ian Coppinger and Kirsty Newton
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 2 Jun 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Lee Simpson, Neil Mullarkey, Josie Lawrence, Ruth Bratt, Richard Vranch and Richard Baker
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 9 Jun 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Lee Simpson, Josie Lawrence, Richard Vranch, Neil Mullarkey, Ruth Bratt and Steve Edis
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 16 Jun 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Lee Simpson, Richard Vranch, Ruth Bratt, Josie Lawrence, Marcus Brigstocke and Kirsty Newton
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 23 Jun 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with David Reed, Neil Mullarkey, Richard Vranch, Josie Lawrence, Monica Gaga and Kirsty Newton
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 30 Jun 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Lee Simpson, Neil Mullarkey, Cariad Lloyd, Rachel Parris, Lauren Shearing and Yshani Perinpanayagam
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 7 Jul 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Josie Lawrence, Eleanor Morton, Ruth Bratt, Lee Simpson, Richard Vranch and Steve Edis
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 14 Jul 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Josie Lawrence, Neil Mullarkey, Ruth Bratt, Lee Simpson, Julian Clary and Kirsty Newton
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 21 Jul 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Richard Vranch, Neil Mullarkey, Ruth Bratt, Niall Ashdown, Marcus Brigstocke and Kirsty Newton
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 28 Jul 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Josie Lawrence, Neil Mullarkey, Cariad Lloyd, Lee Simpson, David Reed and Steve Edis
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 4 Aug 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Cariad Lloyd, Neil Mullarkey, Josie Lawrence, Lee Simpson, Richard Vranch and Kirsty Newtonn
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 11 Aug 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Marcus Brigstocke, Josie Lawrence, Lee Simpson, Neil Mullarkey, Richard Vranch and Steve Edis
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 18 Aug 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Rachel Parris, Ruth Bratt, Lee Simpson, Josie Lawrence, Richard Vranch and Steve Edis
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Date: Sun 25 Aug 2024
Venue: Comedy Store
Price: £22
Improv with Mike McShane, Josie Lawrence, Ruth Bratt, Lee Simpson, Niall Ashdown and Kirsty Newton
Show starts: 19:30 (Doors open approx 30 mins earlier)
Reviews
Mike Myers with the Comedy Store Players
You’d be forgiven for thinking that The Comedy Store Players are as old as London itself.
6/07/2011
Twenty-five years the Comedy Store Players have been going; and you’ll be hard-pressed to think of many credible improv groups that have sprung up in all that…
1/01/2010