Where to get laughs in London this week.
Sunday: Paul Sinha, Paul Tonkinson, Jarred Christmas and more stand-up courtesy of the Comedy Store's monthly residency at the Rose Theatre, Kingston. 7.30pm, £12 adv, £14 on the door.
Monday: Last chance to catch The Horne Section at the Lyric, Shaftesbury Avenue. Tickets £17.50-33, 7.30pm start.
Tuesday: A quarter-final of the Laughing Horse New Act of the Year competition 2011 takes place Upstairs at the Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford St W1S 4RP. 15 comedians take to the stage, including Stuart Laws who rather charmed us in Unweaving Rainbows. Tickets £6.
James Sherwood's Piano Bar is on at the Wilmington Arms in Exmouth Market, where all acts finish on a song. Guests include John Finnemore (from The Now Show), Nick Revell and Oompah Brass. Tickets £7.
Wednesday: Get a double dose of something different and off the cuff with The Curt Hatred Salamander Project bunked up with a Music Box Improvised Musical at the Miller, Snowsfield Road SE1 3SS. 8pm, £5 on the door.
Stewart Lee, Andy Parsons, Omid Djalili, Idiots of Ants, Sean Hughes and more appear at the War on Want comedy benefit at Shepherds Bush Empire, 7pm. Tickets £15.
Thursday: Our wildcard of the week: the Electric Lobster in Tooting. We haven't been and we don't know anyone on the bill but it's got an excellent name. At the Long Room, 130 Mitcham Road, SW17 9NH, show starts at 8pm. £3 on the door or 2 for £5. Please let us know if you go!
Friday: Boothby Graffoe plays the Bull and Gate in Kentish Town midway through the Return of Boothby Graffoe tour. Never heard him on Radio 4? Well, Stewart Lee says: 'Boothby Graffoe conceals sharp political satire under a veneer of funny folksy whimsy, like Iron Man in a velvet romper suit.’ And we agree.8pm, tickets £18.
Catherine Tate and Chris Addison top the bill at a 'them off the telly' name packed benefit gig for Mencap at the Hammersmith Apollo. Tickets £40.
Saturday: Live at the Chapel returns to the Union Chapel, Highbury and Islington with Alun Cochrane, Roisin Conaty, Phil Nichol and more. 7.45pm, tickets £16.
Booking ahead: There are only standing tickets left for the Sod Cancer gig at the Bloomsbury Theatre on 30 April starring Mitchell and Webb. If you miss out, have a look at the series of charity comedy nights also at the Bloomsbury on 14 April, 13 June and 12 July which are raising money for the UCLH Charitable Foundation's Cancer Centre appeal.
Tip us off to great, good, alternative, intelligent, funny comedy around town: [email protected]
