The darker side of John Mulaney

The week’s best live comedy The best of the week’s live comedy, picked from the 5,176 events Chortle currently has listed. Use our search panel to check our full listings by date and region.

Sunday January 15

SALFORD: Man Like Mobeen creator and Taskmaster contestant Guz Khan embarks on an 11-date tour of the UK, starting at the Lowry. Guz Khan tour dates

Monday January 16

LONDON: Amy Gledhill brings her Edinburgh best newcomer-nominated The Girl Before The Girl You Marry to the Soho Theatre for a week, offering a joyful, uplifting romp through all her relationship disasters. Review.

And why not make it a double-bill with the ‘precision-tooled sillines’ of Crybaby’s Bagbeard, a three-man time-travelling monster movie, born from the idea of a man with a bag on his face. It runs here till March 11. Review. The venue also hosts the over-the-top showbiz pizzazz of Zach Zucker’s Spectacular Industry Showcase from tomorrow until Saturday.

BRISTOL: Comic Mark Olver‘s charity Belly Laughs project – also continuing in Birmingham and Bath across the week, as well as Bristol – hosts one of its showcase events tonight. Comedy On The Cobbles comprises 10 gigs in one night around King Street in Bristol. For details of all the shows in the project, visit ticket platform Yuup.

Tuesday January 17

BELFAST Classy American comedian John Mulaney, the former Saturday Night Live writer with several acclaimed stand-up specials to his name, brings his latest show, From Scratch, to the Waterfront Hall, ahead of two dates in Dublin tomorrow and Thursday, The show plays against the positive, easy-going image he had – at least until his marriage publicly collapsed as he began dating actress Olivia Munn – with dark stories of drug addiction and rehabilitation.

He also has shows at the Manchester Apollo on January 24, and the Hammersmith Apollo on the 25th and 27th.

Wednesday January 18

MANCHESTER: US ‘party king’ comedian and podcaster Bert Kreischer, known for performing shirtless on stage, begins a short run of UK dates of his new Tops Off World Tour at the Apollo. Hammersmith, Newcastle, Glasgow and Birmingham are also on his agenda later. The stand-up is also known for hosting The Go-Big Show – featuring large-scale entertainment such as monster trucks – on America’s TBS network

Friday January 20

LONDON: Seann Walsh continues his impressive career bounceback, following his Strictly Come Dancing shaming in the tabloids, with an appearance at Headliners in Chiswick, in a strong bill that also includes Stephen K Amos, Laura Lexx and much-tipped up-and-comer Alexandra Haddow. Tickets

Published: 15 Jan 2023