Cheer up gloomy January with plenty of top Manchester comedy

Kick off 2015 with a fab line up of comedy. You may have given up drinking/carbs/hard cheese but you can still have a laugh - it's good for you.

Gein's Family Giftshop, King's Arms, Mon, Jan 5, Free
The acclaimed and darkly funny sketch troupe in their monthly residency.    

XSMalarkey, The Zoo, Tue Jan 6, £3 (members) £5
The long-running comedy night returns from the Christmas break with a headline set from the cerebral James Dowdeswell.

The Worst Comedy Night in Salford, Kings Arms, Tue Jan 6 & 20, Free
It's probably not the worst... but here mostly fledging acts test out their material. As an audience member sometimes it's more like an anthropology study than a gig but interesting nevertheless.

Sara Pascoe, The Lowry, Sat Jan 10, £10-£12
Intelligent humour from Pascoe in her Edinburgh Comedy Award nominated show 'Sara Pascoe V History'.

Trapdoor Comedy, The Old Monkey, Sun Jan 11, £3. The Railway, Mon Jan 12, £5
The acclaimed comedy club returns with a headline set from daft musical comedian Silky with support from Danny Deegan (Old Monkey) and Jay Hampson (Railway).

Barbara Nice, The Lowry, Fri Jan 16, £12.50
That's 'Barbara' as in Streisand and 'Nice' as in the biscuit. Nice brings her unique line in feelgood interaction to the Lowry.

Alun Cochrane, The Lowry, Sat 17 & Sun 18 Jan, £13
You can pretty much guarantee the laughs as Cochrane delivers his latest solo show in his trademark deadpan style.
 
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, The Lowry, Sun Jan 18, £28
The legendary Radio 4 comedy panel show, as ever, records in front of a live theatre audience.

Joke Thieves, The Lowry, Wed Jan 21, £12
Incredibly successful show that started life in the Free Festival at the Edinburgh Fringe where comedians attempt to perform each other's material.

Robin Ince, The Lowry, Fri Jan 23, £18
In this show, 'Blooming Buzzing Confusion' Ince continues his explorations into free thinking. They'll be plenty of laughs and lots of gesticulating.

Manford's Comedy Club, The Waterside, Didsbury, Fri Jan 23, £12.50
Jason Manford nationwide comedy club starts up again in Didsbury with little bro Colin introducing  Jessica Fostekew, Josh Howie and Jonny Awesome.

Shits and Giggles, Antwerp Mansion, Sun Jan 25, £5
The monthly comedy night in the crumbling chic of Antwerp Mansion with Oldham's own seasoned surrealist Mick Ferry.

Laughing Cows, Frog and Bucket, Sun Jan 25, £7 advance, £10  on the door
The all female comedians comedy club this month with the precociously talented Suzi Ruffell.

Tom Stade, The Lowry, Sun Jan 25, £19
The drawling, gravel-voiced comedian with a new show about those decisions you can't avoid in life.

Captain's Comedy Club, The Mark Addy, Wed Jan 28, £5.
The monthly comedy night at the revamped Mark Addy. Smug Roberts presents Manchester's own Tony Burgess, the affable Kerry Leigh, and St Helens' Dave Twentyman. All for a fiver. Bargain.

Phoenix Nights Live, Phones 4U Arena, Sat Jan 31 – Mon Feb 16, £41-£62.75
The surprising reconnecting of the Phoenix Nights team, under the helm of Peter Kay, presenting a brand new live show in aid of Comic Relief.

Words: Marissa Burgess