...and the rest of the week's live comedy

The best of the week’s live comedy. These are socially-distanced or outdoor gigs. So check with venues about party size restrictions and any other requirements. Most shows require advance booking.

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Sunday June 20

NORFOLK The Picnic comedy gigs which hit Britain’s stately homes last summer are back, starting with this gig at the Holkham Estate on the North Norfolk coast. Musical duo Flo & Joan head a strong bill that also comprises Jacob Hawley, Mo Omar, Olga Koch and compere Rich Wilson. It’s not cheap - £45 or £55 a head plus fees - but the setting is priceless, and you get a gourmet hamper meal, too. Tickets.

OXFORD: One-man content machine Adam Buxton discusses his formative cultural influences of the 80s, confrontations on trains and boarding school trauma in his Rambles… show, being staged as two socially-distanced performances at the Playhouse today.

Monday June 21

LONDON: ACMS is back! The oddballs of the Alternative Comedy Memorial Society gather at the Signature Brew venue in Haggerston, East London. Those doing peculiar things include Adam Larter, Alexis Dubus, Eleanor Morton, Joz Norris, Sophie Duker, Thom Tuck, Tom Bell, Toussaint Douglass, John-Luke Roberts and Viggo Venn.

LONDON: This Is Going To Hurt, Adam Kay’s remarkable show about being a junior NHS doctor - hilarious and heartfelt in equal measure - plays the Palace Theatre. He turned his diaries into a book that’s sold more copies than the Bible (probably), but there’s no substitute for seeing it live. Tickets

Wednesday June 23

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON: The town’s Bear Pit Theatre reopens with a five-night Back On The Road comedy festival, kicking off with the appealing double bill of Hal Cruttenden and Mark Simmons. Full listings.

BRIGHTON: Seann Walsh continues his rehabilitation after being made a pariah by the tabloids over his Strictly smooch, with completely overshadowed his reputation as an accomplished comedian. The weather might even hold out for thus hometown gig at the Brighton Open Air Theatre. Tickets

Friday June 25

LONDON: Desiree Burch is reprising her breakthrough show, Unf*ckable, a powerful story of being a dominatrix and of sexual encounters at work, for a filmed special. She first performed it at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe and will be committing it to posterity at the Soho Theatre tonight and tomorrow.

 BIRMINGHAM: Two headliners - or even better - for the price of one at the Forum tonight as Ed Byrne and Reginald D Hunter perform at a Just The Tonic gig compered by Kiri Pritchard-McLean. Tickets. Byrne is also playing the club’s night at the Metronome in Nottingham tonight.

GLASGOW: A strong bill at the Glee tonight and tomorrow with uber-camp Craig Hill, uber-dry Eleanor Tiernan, performance powerhouse Garrett Millerick and cheeky charmer Larry Dean.

Published: 20 Jun 2021