The top London comedy shows to see in April

Hugely influential silent US comic Doctor Brown – real name Phil Burgers, astonishingly – returns with his first proper new show in 12 years, a period that has seen him mentor and nurture the current impressive glut of LA-based US clown comics. ‘Beturns’ (all his shows begin with latter 'b') comes with no real promise beyond being the first Doctor Brown show in a decade – and that should be enough for most of us. 

The veteran Irish comic – perhaps best known to younger audiences for his role as Gerry in ‘Derry Girls’ – is back in action with a new set of freewheeling, loosely Lenny Bruce-inspired funniness. He plays a couple of shows at Ally Pally before returning to the Apollo at the end of April.

Tom Walker’s sweary reporter alter ego has been knocking around for a while, but seems to be homing in on the big time with new show ‘Heroes & Villains’, which caps a lengthy UK tour with a fortnight in the West End. Jonathan Pie is in no way subtle: he’s a political hack forever snapping as a result of being banned from telling it how it really is (which he inevitably ends up doing). But if you’re in the market for a man swearing at the Tories a lot – and who isn’t? – then this is doubtless the show for you. 

The Park Theatre’s beloved series of spoof murder mysteries – which put a different, unrehearsed celebrity guest at the centre of the action each night – returns for its third iteration. Slebs taking part will include Benedict Cumberbatch, Beverley Knight, Adrian Lester, Brian Cox and Jodie Whittaker.