The week's best live comedy

The best of the week's live comedy, picked from the 6,235 events Chortle currently has listed. Use our search panel to check our full listings by date and region.

Sunday December 7

IPSWICH: The Live At Christmas line-up show continues its tour of UK theatres with top-flight comedians Sam Campbell, Bridget Christie, Tom Rosenthal, Sharon Wanjohi and Amy Gledhill playing the Corn Exchange. Other acts play Cheltenham, Leicester, Birmingham, Warwick, Nottingham and Edinburgh across the week.

EDINBURGH: Christopher MacArthur-Boyd, Gareth Waugh and Ross Leslie head a fundraiser for Palestine relief at the Stand at 4pm.

LONDON: Mo Gilligan presents the best of black British comedy in a benefit for victims of Jamaica's Hurricane Melissa. On the bill are Babatunde Aléshé, Curtis Walker, Mo Gilligan, Quincy, Rudi Lickwood, Slim and Annette Fagon. Tickets.

Monday December 8

LONDON: Ten years after he stormed the Edinburgh Fringe, Joseph Morpurgo is reviving Soothing Sounds for Baby for a two-week run at the Soho Theatre. Nominated for best show at the 2015 festival, the show revolves around the comedian picking his eight Desert Island Discs.

LONDON: A strong line-up out East as Eshaan Akbar, Esther Manito, Kae Kurd, Nabil Abdulrashid and Thomas Green Bring The Laughter (and yes, that is the name of the gig) to Theatre Royal Stratford East.

MANCHESTER: John-Luke Roberts presents the last of this year's Christmas shows in the guise of pre-Great Vowel Shift poet Geoffrey Chaucer at 53two, aided by Bec Hill, Rob Kemp, Freya Parker and Edy Hurst Tickets.

Tuesday December 9

LONDON: Taskmaster's Phil Ellis unveils his latest show, Bath Mat, with a sold-out week at the Soho Theatre, ahead of a full tour next year.  Phil ​Ellis tour dates.

LONDON: James Acaster heads a Laugh Till It Hurts benefit at the Comedy Store raising money for homeless charity Crisis. The rest of the bill isn't too shabby, either, featuring Angelos Epithemiou, Lily Phillips, Olga Koch, Scott Bennett, Tony Law and Alistair Barrie.

Wednesday December 10

ST ALBANS: Mock The Week's Dara O Briain heads a Comedy Crackers night of comedy at the Alban Arena, where he's supported by Chantel Nash and Josh Jones. The format, from agents Off The Kerb, heads to Chelmsford theatre tomorrow where the bill is Russell Kane, Seann Walsh and Lindsey Santoro.

Thursday December 11

LONDON: Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz's romcom The Holiday is a perennial Christmas favourite… and having a small role in bringing it to the screen was comic Danny Ward, who tells his story in this highly entertaining hour, which comes to the Museum of Comedy tonight. Review

LONDON: Sue Perkins road-tests new material for a 2026 tour with intimate gigs at the Leicester Square Theatre tonight, Friday and Saturday. Tickets

Friday December 12

LONDON: Alasdair Beckett-King is one of the comedians taking part in Art Laughs, offering a comedy take on some of the National Gallery's most well-known paintings as they are digitally displayed on a large screen in the Sainsbury Wing Foyer. It starts at 7.40pm and is free, subject to capacity.

LONDON: The cult favourite anarchic variety show Stamptown rolls into Soho Theatre Walthamstow – a salubrious venue for these messy clowns and comics - for two nights of Christmas mayhem. Tickets

LONDON: Comedy stars including Shappi Khorsandi, Arthur Smith and Simon Evans are to reminisce about Barry Cryer at a fundraising event at the Leicester Square Theatre tonight. Money raised will go towards completing post-production on Joke, a short film in which stars celebrate Cryer’s life by telling 12 of his favourite jokes and which is due to premiere at the Slapstick Festival in Bristol next year.

BRADFORD: Manford's Comedy Club at the Alhambra has a line-up worth checking out, featuring Peter Brush, Rich Wilson, Barry Dodds and Ravi Saini.

Saturday December 13

BRISTOL: Make the Yuletide Gay! is the title of the festive LGBT night as the 1532 Performing Arts Centre – as if Christmas wasn't gay enough already. The strong bill comprises Catherine Bohart, Craig Hill and Morgan Rees.

Published: 7 Dec 2025