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.
Ferbruary is a relatively quiet month after the business of the Christmas season and its aftermath, but there’s still plenty of laugh to be had, from the London debut of Jordan Brookes’s batshit mental Titanic opus Fontanelle, to a last chance to see the live Taskmaster show (for now).
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The best new theatre shows to book for in London.
What is it? Aggressively odd comic Jordan Brookes returns with this batshit opus about his increasing obsession with the RMS Titanic.
Why go? It’s been pretty comprensively spoilered by the trailers, but what elevates Fontanelle from the ridculous to the sublimely ridiculous is that what starts off as a ‘mere’ stand-up show transitions into Brookes’ (very mad, very funny) attempt to write a Titanic musical. Just gloriously loopy, albeit in an ineffably sinister way.
What is it? The Good Place writer Demi Adejuyigbe’s lovably goofy, bizarrely high concept debut show was a hit at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe and now heads our way.
Why go? It’s simultaneously shamlessly lo-fi and dizzyingly conceptual, in the funniest way possible. And that title offers us the pure promise of at least one honest piece of entertainment. WouId I pay to see a trained acrobat do a single backflip? No. Would I pay to see an untrained comedian do one? I think I would!
What is it? You know who Harry Hill is… The veteran surrealist kicks off an intimate tour to mark his sixtieth birthday with a week’s run at the ever-delightful Wilton’s. At time of writing there were a handful of tickets left.
Why go? The show promises to offer a pleasing mix of new stuff with some beloved older bits that – true to Hill’s form – will be determined via the deployment of his ‘Old Bit Randomiser’.
What is it? Agit prop comic Mark Thomas spent much of his middle years crafting high concept shows that were closer to storytelling theatre than stand up per se. Now in his sixties, he’s gone back to his roots – kind of – with Gaffa Tapes.
Why go? Thomas is just a delightful presence – unless you’re a Tory – and the prospect of seeing him tell actual jokes again is an enticing one.
What is it? US musical comic Cat Cohen has become something of a superstar with her two hit shows The Twist..? She’s Gorgeous and Come For Me – in which she styles herself as a kind of deluded, overbearing Streisand-style diva, interspersing conversational stand-up with musical numbers and the odd ‘poem’. Now she’s back with some very new material.
Why go? Because if you like Cohen’s shtick – check out The Twist..? on Netflix if you’re not sure – then this is a rare chance to see her work through never-before-seen gags.
What is it? Depending upon how much mileage you get out of TikTok then you may possiubly know Atsuko Okatsuka for her ‘drop challenge’, an online craze that basically involves twerking very slowly. She’s also a pretty accomplished comic, too.
Why go? She’s heart-warming, she’s upbeat, she’s a charmer – she’s extremely American, in other words, but if you’re in the market for that she’s tremendously talented.
What is it? The surrealist comedy legend and prog lover returns to the West End with a new show in which he promises to celebrate flawed humanity in an age where things can increasingly be done better by machine.
Why go? It would be remarkable if you lacked an opinion on Bill Bailey at this stage, but his cool uncle mix of surrealism and naked love of prog has made him one of the biggest comics in the country, and rightly so.
What is it? Cult comedy gameshow ‘Taskmaster’ makes the leap from small screen to live experience with this undeniably intriguing show, which takes place at the Dock X complex in Canada Water.
Why go? If you’ve ever dreamed of taking part in the show’s zany tasks then this, presumably, is for you, with the opportunity to step into a recreation of the Taskmaster house and take part in one of two ‘gameplay experiences’ dubbed Melon Buffet and Absolute Casserole.
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