The best comedy shows in NYC this month

By day, Original Barbershop in the East Village is a classic (and well appointed) place to get a solid haircut. By night—at least on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays—it's host to an intimate, hot AF comedy show called "Live at the Barbershop." While it's easy to think of this as a comedy speakeasy, it's actually a well-established, well-regarded show that's been around for nearly a decade, draws a consistent sold-out crowd and doesn't require a secret password to get in. Here's what you need to know before you go. Each night's lineup of comedians is a surprise, but they rarely disappoint. There's a very limited number of seats (and they're packed in pretty tightly), so make sure to buy your tickets in advance. This arrangement allows the comics to engage with the crowd more too. Speaking of tickets, they're amazingly affordable for a New York comedy show. No food or drinks are available. It's BYOB, so there's no minimum drink requirement (which is often a buzzkill) and no service that interrupts your view or your experience. The crowd tends to be young and engaged, so don't be boring.

Once a week, after closing time, 10 people convene at the city’s oldest magic shop, Tannen’s, for a cozy evening of prestidigitation by the young and engaging Noah Levine. The shelves are crammed with quirky devices; there's a file cabinet behind the counter, a mock elephant in the corner and bins of individual trick instructions in plastic covers, like comic books or sheet music. The charm of Levine's show is in how well it fits the environment of this magic-geek chamber of secrets. As he maneuvers cards, eggs, cups and balls with aplomb, he talks shop, larding his patter with tributes to routines like the Stencel Aces and the Vernon Boat Trick—heirlooms of his trade that he gently polishes and displays for our amazement.

If you've ever wondered what it’s like to grow up in the real Lala Land (spoiler: it’s not Los Angeles), Tahaa Kahn is here to give you the unfiltered, hysterical lowdown. With his show Halalarious, the only Pakistani comedian who’s actually lived the full-spectrum, global Desi experience is dishing out laughs hotter than your auntie’s biryani. Born and raised in Pakistan, Tahaa isn’t just another comic with a few immigrant jokes up his sleeve—he’s a walking, talking cultural intersection. He’s lived and worked across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Europe and now the U.S., which basically makes him the comedic equivalent of a diplomatic passport. His comedy is personal, punchy and peppered with enough insight to make you laugh and learn (even if it's against your will). Expect riffs on butter chicken and samosas that are somehow both relatable and revelatory. And while food is on the menu, it’s really just the appetizer—Tahaa's main course is a spicy blend of lived experience, sharp wit and just enough existential reflection to make you text your parents afterward. His jokes are the kind that sneak up on you, make you cackle and then quietly challenge your worldview while you're still wiping tears from your eyes. But here’s the twist: Tahaa doesn’t stop at laughter. He’s also the brain behind Comedy for Good, producing charity shows for UNICEF. Because apparently, he’s not content with just slaying on stage—he’s also out here saving the world one punchline at a time....

And Scene is a half-scripted comedy show where actors and improvisers are paired up to perform scenes together. The actors can only say the words as they come in the script, and the improvisers don't know what play they're in, making for a truly chaotic and hilarious evening. Upcoming shows are on April 21, May 19, June 16, July 21, August 18, September 15, October 20, November 17, and December 15.   

Coming off of his award-winning solo show "Connect the Dots," funnyman Natan Badalov will test out new material at Astoria's Tootles & French. The in-progress show will see Badalov try to wrench laughs out of tough subjects like empathy, family dynamics, and the Middle East. The show's on the first Sunday of each month (that's January 5, February 2, March 2, April 6, May 4, June 1, July 6, August 3, September 7, October 5, November 2, and December 7 in 2025). Tickets cost just $5 plus a one-drink minimum.    

Club Video—a "DIY freak video party" showcasing experimental comedy shorts from 30-plus creators—has moved into new and even bigger digs for its tenth iteration, which will take place at SILO Brooklyn on Wednesday, May 7. Participants, ranging from Adult Swim collaborators to alt-comedy internet darlings to first-time video makers, all have the same prompt: their videos have to be under three minutes and they can’t have been screened anywhere else before. There are no submission fees and no judging panels—just "an exciting and supportive space for innovative and genre-bending work," organizer promise. And make sure to stick around for the afterparty featuring a set by DJ John Swan.

At this live show, two comedians will watch Planet Earth, then you can try and stump them with animal trivia. Each time the hosts get a question wrong, they take a shot. Drunk Planet Earth is hosted by comedians Brian Morabito (Comedy Central) and Stephen Buckley (UCB). Find this delightfully nerdy free show at Caveat on the Lower East Side on Friday, January 24; reserve your ticket here. Upcoming shows are on: April 26, May 24, June 28, and July 26.

Jenny Hagel, an Emmy-nominated writer-slash-performer for Late Night with Seth Meyers, loves two things: comedy and telling people what to do. In her live show "Jenny Hagel Gives Advice," which is coming to Union Hall for several dates this spring (March 29, April 30, May 17, June 28), she hilariously gets to do both at the same time.  Hagel invites audience members to submit written questions about their relationships, careers and finances, then she and a special guest (the March 29 show will feature Justin Guarini—yes, that Justin Guarini) will give their best and most delightfully unhinged life advice. To humorously cap things off, our host then invites a real-life therapist on stage to either double down on the advice given or instruct the audience to totally ignore everything they heard over the past hour.

You won't believe how seamlessly good comedy can work with pole dancing (you can read about it here). While stellar stand-ups deliver sets, pro dancers give the crowd something stare at. Think of it as a full-brain experience. Comics Dan Goodman, Joanna Ross and special guests will welcome talented pole dancers and comedians from across NYC.  Each show features a different musical theme, and each one is full of surprises. This time, on Friday, January 24 and Saturday, January 25, the show is celebrating its its 12th anniversary with U2 theme. Think "With or Without You," "Beautiful Day," and more. Expect to hear jokes from five comics and see performances by five dancers. "They're not strippers, it’s not burlesque. It’s aerial dance with a side of crazy gymnastics, and death defying tricks that make your jaw drop," event planners explain. As the event organizers say: "If you don't see shows like this, why are you even paying the NYC rents?" See it at Drom in the East Village.

Written by up-and-coming playwright Onyi Okoli, one-act comedy Trynna Be A Playa But Don’t Know How To Play The Game is taking us back to the hilariously messy world of early-2000s college dating, complete with AIM away messages and Sidekick flip phones. Set in the early-aughts “where college life was still like A Different World and dating was a little like Two Can Play That Game,” the show centers on four freshmen students as they navigate their new lives at university, and the new romantic entanglements that pop up along the way. Trynna Be A Playa will premiere at Dixon Place in the Bowery for a three-day run with six performances, from Thursday, May 1 to Saturday May 3, with seatings at 7pm and 9pm.