London's summer comedy festivals: head-to-head

Balham’s doubled in size for its second year and features a ton of big names – Milton Jones, Ed Byrne, Al Murray etc – alongside circuit stalwarts, including Lucy Porter and Terry Alderton. All safe bets here, but not much in the way of new talent.

8/10

It’s the ECF's twentieth anniversary, and the big headliners include ‘Not Going Out’ star Lee Mack and silent comedy sensation The Boy with Tape on His Face. Support comes from, again, well-established circuit talent rather than rising stars.

7/10

This four-night sister fest to Hyde Park’s massive music gigs features improv troupe the Comedy Store Players, ‘It’s Kevin’ star Kevin Eldon, mega-quiffed Russell Kane and more. The Eldon-headlined night is a humdinger. The rest are good, if not spectacular.

6/10

While most comics head up to the Edinburgh Fringe for August, virtually every act who’s left in London plays the Phoenix Fringe, and there are some cracking stay-at-homes: Alan Davies, Mark Watson and sketch troupe Pappy’s, to name a few.

9/10