The best of the week's 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.

Monday July 14

LONDON: More madness from the Alternative Comedy Memorial Society (ACMS) at The Phoenix, off Oxford Street. Glenn Wool joins regulars Ben Target and Thom Tuck alongside other oddballs such as Edy Hurst and Susan Harrison.

LONDON: Ghosts star Kiell Smith-Bynoe reunites with musical comic Ed MacArthur for their String Vs Spitta double act, playing two rival children's entertainers from opposite sides of the tracks. It's at Soho Theatre for two weeks, before a flying visit to the Edinburgh Fringe next month.

LONDON: Also at Soho for the next couple of weeks is Garry Starr's Classic Penguins, one of the biggest hits of last year's Fringe, with the performer offering concise summaries – or guesses at summaries - of many works of classic literature… all while largely naked. And very silly it is, too. Read our review here.

Tuesday July 15

MANCHESTER: Creatures Comedy Club hosts a two-week festival of Edinburgh previews from the likes of Chloe Petts, Larry Dean, Huge Davies, Dan Tiernan, Celya AB and Rob Copland – as well as a new act competition.

LONDON: Perfectly self-obsessed performance powerhouse Cat Cohen – whose The Twist...? She's Gorgeous was named best newcomer at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe is back in the UK. Her new show, Broad Strokes, which runs as a work-in-progress for three nights at the Soho Theatre from tonight – revolves around the stroke she suffered in 2023. It premieres properly at Pleasance Courtyard at the Edinburgh Fringe from the end of the month.

Wednesday July 16

LONDON: A stunning night at the Moth Club in Hackney with Aisling Bea, road-testing material for her first ever UK tour, on a bill that also includes five-star Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Rob Copland and the excellent Olga Koch and Paddy Young among others.

Thursday July 17

CAMBRIDGE: The Comedy Garden erects its marquee in Parker's Piece, with some of the biggest names in stand-up appearing under its canvas. They include Frankie Boyle, Russell Kane, Nish Kumar, Fern Brady, Lucy Beaumont, Phil Wang, Ed Gamble and Alan Davies and many more. Listings and ticket links.

LONDON: A strong line-up at the Comedy Store – which, is par for the course for this king of clubs – includes the well-honed stand-up talents of Jimmy McGhie, Lindsey Santoro, Paul Sinha and Sikisa.

Friday July 18

LONDON: Tim Heidecker and Greg Turkington present the live version of their On Cinema podcast at Soho Theatre Walthamstow tonight and tomorrow, in which they play fictionalised versions of themselves as amateur – and useless – film critics. There are probably too many in-jokes for this to be your introduction to the pair, but their cult following was enough to add a third show, a Saturday matinee, to their planned appearances.

Saturday July 19

CROYDON: Stanley Arts hosts a weekend comedy festival, with acts including Cally Beaton, Elliot Steel and Shazia Mirza at today's all-dayer, and Mark Simmons, Sikisa and Tadiwa Mahlunge tomorrow.

Published: 13 Jul 2025