From a reprise for Adam Riches and John Kearns’s batshit tribute to Michael Ball and Alfie Boe to the return of a slew of Gen X US comedy legends, it’s another side-splitting month on the London stage.
There are far, far too many one-off, multi-performer comedy nights in London for us to compile a single coherent page with our favouites on, which is entirely to London’s credit. So do check individual bills of comedy clubs online for that sort of thing. But if you’re looking for an individual comedian with a full headline show then this page is here to compile the Time Out editorial team’s top choices, often with our reviews from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The best comedy clubs in London.
The best new theatre shows to book for in London.
What is it? Leftfield comics Riches and Kearns play granny’s favourite singer-superstars Michael Ball and Alfie Boe. Last seen at Christmas, the show features ‘Ball’ (Riches) and Boe (Kearns) plotting their latest soulless arena extravaganza.
Where is it? Soho Theatre.
Why go? Because it really is very funny. The premise is delicious absurd and the show lives up to it, the central joke of weird comedians playing MOR superstars deliciously extended and realised.
What is it? Gen X comedy legend David Cross is inevitably better known in the UK for his screen work – notably Mr Show and Arrested Development – than as a stand up, but he’s a gifted and bombastic showman satirst, if a little crass by British standards.
Where it it? Islington Town Hall.
Why go? If you can swallow the £60 ticket price and you enjoy hearty but unsubtle liberal laughs, he’s your man.
What is it? Star of The Big Sick and Eternals, US Pakistani comic Nanjiani gets back to his stand up roots with the fairly literally titled Doing This Again, his first live tour in a decade.
Where is it? Leicester Square Theatre (two shows on one night).
Why go? There is no word on what his new set involves, but there is undoubedly a lot to talk about – the last time he performed live he was basically a quirky cult actor; as he returns, he’s a star.
What is it? Noughties provocateur Sarah Silverman returns after a long time focussing on her home turf: she hasn’t played a UK show since 2013.
Where is it? London Palladium.
Why go? Is Silverman still the same outrageous woman we last saw back in the day? Probably, yeah, although now in her mid-fifties new show Postmortem is billed as a cathartic affair exploring loss and grief (albeit amusingly).
What is it? Virtuoso ventriloquist comic Conti mounts a weeklong West End engagement with her latest show in which she puts her trademark mouth mast on hapless audience members for what is described as ‘an unparalleled, unscripted new show that delves deep into who we are, hijacking faces to spark a bold, hysterical reality warp’.
Where is it? Duke of York’s Theatre.
Why go? Okay, Conti’s stick is a bit cosy these days: blah blah mask blah blah monkey blah blah audience interaction. But by heck does she get results!
What is it? The absurdly successful comedy theatre troupe Mischief follow up The Play That Goes Wrong, Magic Goes Wrong, The Comedy About a Bank Robbery etc etc with a new one about Cold War spies.
Where it it? Noël Coward Theatre.
Why go? Mischief offer solid old fashioned comedy laughs ever time, and while the wheel is never going to be reinvented, they’re nothing if not reliably amusing.
What is it? Britain’s favourite ascerbic adopted Canadian returns with a show of two halves.
Where is it? London Palladium.
Why go? You probably know at this stage in your life whether you like Katherine Ryan or not, but Battleaxe sounds like a fun show. The first part is classic Ryan standup in which she – by all accounts – goes full heels in on the disgraced etc Russell Brand. The second sees her turning comedy agony aunt (of sorts) by addressing various dilemmas texted in by the audience during the interval.
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