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.

Monday August 18

LONDON: New Zealand comedian Chris Parker – as seen in Taskmaster New Zealand, Thank God You’re Here, and Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont-Spelling Bee down under - brings his new show Stop Being So Dramatic to Soho Theatre for the week, promising 'an hour of high-intensity, feverishly paced and dizzyingly expressive comedy'.

EDINBURGH: Rosie Jones hosts the annual Comic Relief Live fundraiser at Assembly Hall, with Sally Phillips, Chloe Petts, Max Fosh, and Urooj Ashfaq.

Tuesday August 19

LONDON: Candy Gigi & Tom Joseph: Chicken Soup Dates is a character comedy night about a depraved Jewish couple’s unique take on kosher matchmaking. It makes its monthly appearance at Soho Theatre tonight.

Wednesday August 20

LONDON: Fresh from the launch of her debut sitcom, The Pharmacy, on Channel 4, Ola Labib is back with Dispersible, a new stand-up show that proves some things don’t disperse easily. It covers childhood anger management, sibling feuds as a middle child of the diaspora and how Britain’s TV industry re-fuelled her rage. She's at the Soho Theatre until Saturday.

Thursday August 21

SALFORD: Medic turned comedian turned author Adam Kay kicks off a new tour of hilarious and horrifying medical anecdotes, mixed in with readings from his new whodunit, A Particularly Nasty Case, which is being released at the end of the month. Adam ​Kay tour dates. Plus, he swings into the Edinburgh Fringe for a one-off on Saturday.

Friday August 22

GLASGOW: Bill Bailey resumes his Thoughtifier show at the SEC Armadillo, with new dates taking him to the end of the month before he heads down under. Bill ​Bailey tour dates

Saturday August 23

EDINBURGH:  Mike Rice and Vittorio Angelone have assembled a line-up of their favourite comedians for a benefit in support of Medical Aid for Palestinians. The bill for the show, at the Pleasance EICC at 10.15pm, currently includes Daniel Sloss, Jason Byrne, Josie Long, Deirdre O'Kane, and Shane Daniel Byrne with more to be announced.

Published: 17 Aug 2025