June sees the beginning of the Edinburgh Fringe preview season. Your chance to check the shows out in their early stages before they head up to Scotland for August. Though it might not be the polished final article seeing them this early does have its advantages - it's cheaper, you can roll to your own bed from the venue and you won't have to sit in a shipping container pretending it's a theatre. Plus you can always pop a pizza in the deep fat fryer when you get in for the full Scottish capital experience.
As ever there's a full line up of comedy this month in Manchester that's not planning on heading to the biggest comedy festival in the world too.
Group Therapy at Tiger Lounge, Thu June 4, £5
First in a special run of Edinburgh preview gigs run by Group Therapy Comedy Club at Tiger Lounge. The multiple personas of Will Franken play out in a dark and twisted set plus bankable Fringe regular Carl Donnelly reveals his latest hour.
Laugh Local, Chorlton Irish Club, Fri June 5, £12 (£10 conc) in advance
The monthly comedy club handily situated on your doorstep for all you maturing hipster types in Chorlton. And any others that like fine comedy. Cheeky Oldham fella Alex Boardman takes the reins introducing Northern Irish comedian and writer Michael Legge, Aussie comic Mickey D and the 'as seen on Britain's Got Talent' Jack Carroll.
Best in Stand Up, The Comedy Store, Fri 5 & Sat 6 June, £12 - £22
A typically fine line up of acts from the weekend show at the Store. Compere and fine tale spinner Ian Coppinger introduces bombastic Kiwi Jarred Christmas, free thinking Pete Johansson, the acid tongued Jo Caulfield and musical comedy from Christian Reilly.
Group Therapy, Gorilla, Sat June 6, £11 (£8 conc)
Another great line up from the monthly gig with two idiosyncratic acts of the circuit, veteran Paul Foot and relative newcomer Bobby Mair. Foot has a brilliantly unique ability to be pant-wettingly funny without his audience knowing exactly why they're laughing so hard and Canadian Mair runs a line in nice weirdo shtick.
End of the Pier, The Dancehouse, Sat June 6, £8 (£6 conc)
The Stockport housewife and mother of five Barbara Nice in another set full of joyous comedy headlining this homage to the comedy of yesteryear. Red Redmond comperes plus there's performance poetry from Thick Richard, sketches from Richard and Edward Barry and music from The Ben Miller Band.
Trapdoor Comedy, The Old Monkey, Sun June 7, £5, £3
The monthly comedy night plays host to the now Derbyshire based comic and general live wire (despite being a dad) Rob Rouse. Local act, begrudging Disney aficionado and also a dad Jay Hampson provides the support. Dads out on the town.
Luisa Omielan, The Lowry, Sun June 7, £13.50
It was hard to imagine how Omielan would top the tour de force that was her first solo show 'What Would Beyoncé Do?', but then last year at the Fringe she returned with this show, 'Am I Right Ladies?', where she let fly about society's expectations of women's bodies. Ridiculing obsessions over thigh gaps and celebrating having a starter and a dessert. As sassy as she is funny.
Trapdoor Comedy, The Railway – West Didsbury, Mon June 8, £5
The monthly night in the tidy little pub in West Didsbury this time sees performances from Bethany Black and Vince Atta. Black is probably better know to viewers of Russell T Davies' 'Cucumber' as Helen, in which she was the first transgender actress to play a transgender character. Vince Atta meanwhile is a confident performer with tales of growing up in Moss Side.
Group Therapy at Tiger Lounge, Thu June 11, £5
The second of the Group Therapy Edinburgh preview shows with some cerebral but fast paced humour from Nish Kumar and some equally intelligent daftness from Pappy's bearded one Matthew Crosby. The trio of shows finishes up this month with next Thursday's, with Gary Delaney alongside another yet to be announced.
Hal Cruttenden and John Hastings, The Lowry, Sun June 14, £14
Over at The Lowry, Cruttenden and Hastings are also working through some material in progress in preparation for Edinburgh. Cruttenden plays on his excessive middle class-ness in his set and looks uncannily like a younger Tony Blair. But don't worry he's not likely to be invading Iraq any time soon. Meanwhile Canadian Hastings is a skilled and beguiling stand up with an ability to improvise – nor is he up for invading the Middle East either.
XSMalarkey, Pub/Zoo, Tue June 16, £5 (£3 members)
Last year's recipient of the Edinburgh Comedy Award James Acaster gears up for this year's Fringe. Last year's show was a tightly plotted meander through deception and faked identity where he pretended to be an undercover police officer pretending to be an acclaimed stand up. Or was he just pretending? Best not do anything naughty just in case.
The Horne Section, The Lowry, Thu June 18, £18
The only band to have ever hosted 'Never Mind The Buzzcocks', Alex Horne's 'Section' are a mash up of stand up, music and silliness. After four series on Radio 4 and several critically heralded Edinburgh shows, if you haven't seen them already here's your chance to catch them here in Manchester. Or rather Salford.
Stephanie Laing and Matt Winning, The Dancehouse, Fri June 20, £10 (£8 conc)
Dead Cat Comedy presents a series of double bills. In 'Nincompoop' Laing is facing up to her silliness and embracing it fully – her show promises 'odd noises, several drawings of ducks and a song about a newt.' Filling the other half is Winning with 'Filibuster' where he 'talks nonsense for an hour'
Manford's Comedy Club, Grosvenor Casino – Didsbury, Sat June 21, £12.50
As well as Jason Manford's regular weekly club night at Tiger Tiger in the city centre, there's this monthly one too in Didsbury. Harriet Dyer has an endearing and distinctive kooky style with plenty of ticks and catchphrases to decorate her tales. The engaging Barry Dodds and Jason's little brother Colin Manford comperes.
Matt Forde, The Lowry, Sun June 21, £12
The Nottingham comedian and former advisor to the Labour Party with his latest show '24 Hour Political Party', which has spent much of its run counting down to May's election. So expect something of a post mortem – particularly given the result.
XSMalarkey, Pub/Zoo, Tue June 23, £5 (£3 members)
Another Edinburgh preview show at XS this week - the seemingly underrated sketch troupe Beasts. Their show last year 'Solo' was a tour de force with each member fighting to launch their solo careers, which generally culminated in a lot of flashing of flesh and them garnering them plenty of favourable reviews. Get to see them too, they're set to be big. Next week it's the tun of storytelling double act Max and Ivan.
Barrel of Laughs, Frog and Bucket, Fri 26 and Sat 27 June, £8 - £20
The weekend shows at the Frog and Bucket are frequently packed out and a lot of riotous fun. The irrepressible Lou Conran introduces Malawian comedian Daliso Chaponda, rising star Hayley Ellis and Oldham comedian with the occasional unlikely sense of the surreal - Mick Ferry.
Jimmy Carr, O2 Apollo, Sat June 27, £25
It's that naughty Carr again with his cheeky jokes. 'Funny Business' promises more one liners than you can shake a stick at. He's bound to tell a risqué gag, a tabloid may even attempt to make a story out of. He will be paying his taxes this time.
Laughing Cows, Frog and Bucket, Sun June 28, £7 (£5 conc)
This month with local comedian Hayley Ellis and the 'goofy and peculiar' (her words) Stephanie Laing providing the funnies at the all women comedy club run by Hazel O'Keefe of Dulcet Sounds.
Ellis has been slowly rising through the Manchester circuit in recent years with her affable and witty stage presence. She also has a dog called Kevin.
Sidekick Comedy, Via, Mon June 29,£2 or free with student card
Great little gig in the city's gay village. American Kate McCabe introduces chatty Canadian comic Allyson June Smith and Brennan Reece who performs a great line in slightly giddy self-deprecating humour. Plus support from Graham Milton and Jack Evans. You can't really go wrong for that price.