The week's best live comedy

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

Sunday May 15

BRISTOL: The city’s Old Market area is hosting a day-long comedy festival, with previews running across six venues from this afternoon. Jen Brister, Pierre Novellie, Jessica Fostekew, Stuart Goldsmith, Sara Barron, and Marlon Davis are among those performing. More info & tickets can be found at www.ticketsource.co.uk/bristol

MELBOURNE: Johnny Vegas headlines a wonderful Just The Tonic gig in Derbyshire, backed by the punny prop comedy of The Raymond and Mr Timpkins Revue, the mischievous Nina Gilligan and the sharp-eyed observational comedy of Scott Bennett. Tickets

Monday May 16

LONDON: An excellent line-up of comedians raise money for Game Therapy UK at the Comedy Store tonight: Al Murray, Laura Lexx, Mark Steel, Nick Helm and Shaparak Khorsandi. The newly formed charity uses role-playing games to help people who are homeless, or suffering from addictions or PTSD.

LONDON: John Shuttleworth's Back tour hits the Union Chapel with Sheffield's favourite organ-playing comic performing fan-favourite hits such as Y Reg and I Can’t Go Back To Savoury as well as new ditties written during lockdown, including Stay at Home and Protect the VHS.  The songs will be interrupted by phone calls from Ken, Mary and Joan Chitty, plus John’s tips on how to cope with modern home life. Tickets

Tuesday May 17

BIRMINGHAM: Hugely popular Canadian comedian Russell Peters arrives in the UK with his Act Your Age tour, playing the Birmingham Utilita Arena tonight, The SSE Arena, Wembley on Thursday and the O2 Apollo, Manchester on Saturday. Peters last played the UK in 2018 as part of his Deported World Tour, which was seen by more than 400,000 fans in 40 cities across 20 countries and culminated in a stand-up special on Amazon Prime.

Wednesday May 18

LONDON: The My Dad Wrote A Porno podcasters - Jamie Morton, James Cooper, and Alice Levine - bring the latest Belinda Blinked sexploits to the Royal Festival Hall. Tickets

Thursday May 19

LONDON: James Acaster is known for his tightly scripted stand-up shows, but in Hecklers Welcome, he has decided to give up control and let the audience do what they want while he tries to tell stories. ‘It’s an experiment,’ reads the description - but a popular one as his shows at the Battersea Arts Centre tonight and next Thursday have long sold out.

Friday May 20

LONDON: It’s the final of the late-night roast battle knockout competition that’s been running for several weeks at the Bill Murray tonight. Winner gets £500. Loser gets their ego shredded.

LONDON: There’s a strong line-up of comics all overdue a breakthrough at 21Soho tonight: Brennan Reece, Garrett Millerick, Harriet Kemsley and Tadiwa Mahlunge.

ALDERLEY EDGE: Manford’s Comedy Club returns to the Festival Hall tonight, with the hugely experienced Nick Doody, provocative Fin Taylor, newcomer Sascha Lo and in-demand compere Mat Reed.

Saturday May 21

NEWCASTLE: Not many comedy gigs take place in cathedrals, but David O’Doherty will be at the 14th century landmark tonight. It boasts a magnificent organ, with casework dating from 1670 and much updated over the centuries… which DOD will be ignoring completely for his trademark cheap Casio. Tickets

Published: 15 May 2022