A pleasingly eclectic month of London chuckles this May, that runs the gamut from the first serious Edinburgh previews of 2026 to a rare chance to catch a legendary comedy podcast in its live incarnation, to a comedy play co-written with Stewart Lee.
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? High concept comic weirdo Brookes (pictured top) last popped out of his lair a couple of years ago with Fontanelle, a show that – contrary to its name – was kind of (kind of) his attempt to do a musical about the Titanic. We don’t really know what the pungently named Until You Stop Screaming is about with any great certainty, but apparently it’s ‘inspired by an absolutely shocking incident on a train’. Expect it to be weird and funny.
Where is it? Soho Theatre.
What is it? This new comedy about a beleagured Chancellor of the Exchequer who finds herself in hot water when she attempts to dispose of a urinal that belonged to our wartime PM is written by and stars sketch comic Rosie Holt – although it has to be said that the big attraction here is inevitably the ‘additional material’ credit for the revered Stewart Lee.
Where is it? King’s Head Theatre.
What is it? Touring edition of the long-running, longform horror comedy podcast. Core cast members Cecil Baldwin, Symphony Sanders and Jeffrey Cranor plus special guests will bring us the story of Murder Night in Blood Forest, a new adventure set in the improbably supernatural event-filled Arizona town of Night Vale. Though there will doubtless be Easter eggs aplenty it’s explicitly billed as not requiring knowlege of the podcast to follow, so pals and loved ones have no excuse not to come.
Where is it? Union Chapel.
In this acclaimed but wilfully low-key improv-based show, David Elms – best known as Nick Mohammed’s sidekick – does indeed describe a room. Admittedly not the one the audience is in, but one the audience has input into in an droll riff on a classic theatre warm-up exercise.
What is it? Smart observational humour combined with a couple of sublime set-piece shaggy dog stories powers the most successful show to date from South African-born Brit stand-up Novellie.
Where is it? Leicester Square Theatre.
What is it? Thanks to the ongoing cult behemoth that is Taskmaster, its host Greg Davies finds his stand up career hitting new highs, with a month of shows at the Apollo for his new show Full Fat Legend to be followed in December with his debut at the O2 – his biggest show to date. Despite the immodest name, the new show is, in essence, an autobiographical exploration of what an idiot he is.
Where is it? Hammersmith Apollo (and The O2 in December).
What is it? Nigerian standup Bamgboye took the best newcomer award at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe with her debut show Swings and Roundabouts which charted her move to the UK in her twenties, and showcased her often disorientating mastery of accents. This latest Soho Theatre run makes her possibly the first member of the line-up to return to live perfomance.
Where is it? Soho Theatre.
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