The week's best live comedy

The week's best live comedy...

Sunday August 16

LONDON: The ban on indoor performances was only lifted yesterday, with too little notice for most venues to take advantage and deploy social distancing practices. Not so the Clapham Grand, which previously hosted a pilot music gig with Frank Turner. Tonight it opens the doors to a Save Live Comedy gig that it’s live-streaming to a limited live audience. Jayde Adams, pictured, introduces Ed Byrne, Jen Brister, Lost Voice Guy, Tony Law and many more, plus James Acaster, Desiree Burch and Felicity Ward beaming in from home. Venue manager Ally Wold said: ‘We are operating at a greatly reduced capacity, with the entire audience being physical distanced on seats and tables with waiting staff on hand for drinks service. We will be carrying out staggered entry times for all guests, temperature checks on entry, track and trace and we will have anti-bac available at all key points of the venue, with all staff wearing appropriate PPE.’

LONDON: The Bussey Rooftop Bar in Peckham launches as a new stand-up venue, with tonight’s gig - featuring Phil Wang, Lou Sanders and Jessica Fostekew - already sold out. Also coming this month are Simon Amstell (on Tuesday), Tim Key, Ed Gamble and more. Check the listings and ticket links here

NEWCASTLE: This Is Going To Hurt author Adam Kay plays Unity Arena - what Newcastle recourse has been renamed as it’s converted into a socially distanced outdoor venue, with household bubbles each being given their own sectioned-off piece of grass.

Monday August 17

LONDON: Rob Beckett kicks off a sporadic season of comedy gigs at the Regents Park Open-Air Theatre, with two shows at 5.30pm and 8.30pm.

Thursday August 20

LONDON: This week’s gig on the terrace of the Alexander Palace - with its magnificent vista over the capital - is headlined by the excellent Andrew Maxwell, with Elf Lyons, Helen Bauer and Michael Akadiri offering support. Tickets

OXFORD: Talk about streaming comedy! It's a gig on the River Cherwell with a floating stage and audiences on punts... No line-up is given, but it's certainly an unusual experience. Tickets here.

Friday August 21

BOTTESFORD: Comedy comes to the drive-in cinema that’s popped up between Nottingham and Grantham. Booked by the Just The Tonic club, it features some of the best names on the circuit, tangential thinker Adam Bloom, hilariously inept hospital radio DJ Ivan Brackenbury, winning storyteller Lou Conran, and high-energy Phil Nichol. Dane Baptiste, David Longley and Russell Kane are there tomorrow.

Published: 16 Aug 2020