The best of the week's live comedy

The week's best live comedy.

Sunday August 19

LONDON: Simon Amstell brings his much-vaunted show What Is This? to the Regents' Park Open Air Theatre. Though he's in a happier place than his angstier early work, Amstell still has a tendency to overthink. While he also relives the uncertainties of his formative years as he struggled to figure out his sexuality.

Monday August 20

LONDON: US star Anthony Jeselnik brings his dark, harsh humour to the Leicester Square Theatre for two nights before heading to the Edinburgh Fringe for a couple more. He has recorded two Netflix specials, Caligula and Thoughts & Prayers, has fronted his own Comedy Central series, and brutally insulted Donald Trump and Charlie Sheen at their roasts.

EDINBURGH: Sara Pascoe hosts a Comic Relief Live show at the Assembly Hall, with Nina Conti, Jamali Maddix, Larry Dea, Rachel Parris, Catherine Bohart and Steen Raskopoulos.

Tuesday August 21

DUBLIN: Super-successful comedy gazillionaire Kevin Hart brings his Irresponsible tour to the 3 Arena before a run of UK dates next week.

Thursday August 23

BRISTOL: Scotland's current biggest comedy export, Kevin Bridges, is back with a new, if unimaginatively titled, Brand New Tour, kicking off with three nights at the Bristol Hippodrome. He broke records when his 2015 tour A Whole Different Story went on sale, becoming the fastest-selling tour of the year as he played to more than 500,000 people across 145 dates. The schedule for the new show is here

Thursday August 24

EDINBURGH: Probably the biggest night of the Fringe as Max & Ivan, the masterminds behind The Wrestling, stage a 1950s-style high school prom to mark the end of the festival. Dara O Briain is the principal, Nina Conti and Jason Byrne play mascots, Angels Epithemiou is the noise inspector, while guest singers the the band will include Rachel Parris and Marcus Brigstocke. Prom Night is a site-specific extravaganza, kicking off at 9pm.

Published: 19 Aug 2018