...and some comedy happens in Edinburgh – the pick of the week's gigs

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 August 2

DERBY: Funhouse Comedy is hosting another of its Edinburgh Fringe preview all-dayers at Bar One, offering a bargain way to see loads of full shows which must be near-ready as the festival starts this week. The line-up includes Phil Nichol, Samantha Day, Patrick Monahan and Eric Rushton.

SHEFFIELD: The same club is doing the same thing just up the M1, with some of the same acts plus the likes of Brennan Reece and Stephen Carlin playing the New Barrack Tavern.

Monday August 3

LONDON: Camden Fringe – which is celebrating its 20th birthday this year – begins a programme of more than 400 shows playing across over 30 venues this month. Festival founders Zena Barrie and Michelle Flower said: 'It is quite incredible to be celebrating the 20th year of the Camden Fringe. Unlike our faces, the festival has got smoother, tighter and more splendid with every passing year.'

LONDON: Munya Chawawa steps into the breach in White Rabbit Red Rabbit, a theatrical experience in which a performer is presented with a sealed envelope containing a script they have never seen before, which they will perform only once, with no rehearsal and no director. The show has a Monday residency at the Duchess Theatre with other upcoming comedy names including Mel Giedroyc on August 24; Adam Buxton on September 7; Steve Pemberton on October 5 and Nish Kumar on October 19.

Wednesday August 5

EDINBURGH: Brace yourself, the Fringe starts in earnest today, with all the main venues opening with a couple of days of previews. See Chortle's listings of the comedy section of the programme here – and you can search by date and start time using the blue 'find live comedy' box.

LONDON: Dave Chappelle's at the Eventim Apollo for two nights with his Pulling Up tour. Tickets are not cheap – the cheapest is £92.75 for the back of the circle, up to £168.75 for the best seats in the stalls – but both nights are long sold out, so people clearly want to buy what he's selling.

Thursday August 6

LONDON: Zarna Garg, an Indian immigrant mum based in New York City, has two specials under her belt: One In a Billion, available on Amazon Prime, and Practical People Win, currently streaming on Hulu. She comes to the Leicester Square Theatre for three nights.

KILMARNOCK: Proving there is comedy in August outwith the Edinburgh Fringe, Jo Caulfield embarks on a short north-of-the-border tour of her show, Bad Mood Rising, full of her usual withering cynicism. Jo Caulfield tour dates.

Published: 2 Aug 2026