London Stand Up And Sketch Comedy: 24-30 July

Rachel Holdsworth
By Rachel Holdsworth Last edited 152 months ago
London Stand Up And Sketch Comedy: 24-30 July

We’re giving up making one selection per day of where to find funny this week – it’s serious Edinburgh preview time.

Sunday: Edinburgh Edinburgh Edinburgh - catch a preview at this time of year and either see a finished piece getting a final polish or a comedian on the edge of a nervous breakdown. We're sure these will be the former: Sara Pascoe at the intimate Canal Cafe Theatre (7pm, £6.50) and Stephen Carlin and Phil Nichol at Rise of the Idiots in Balham (8pm, £5 / £7).

Monday: Anyone who thinks female comedians are too fluffy should head to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern and see Ava Vidal. She will rip your heart right out (7pm, £7). Over at the Soho Theatre, the Horne section warm up for Edinburgh with a three-night residency (7.30pm, £15 / £12.50). And since you can never see Helen Arney in Festival of the Spoken Nerd unless you book, like, six months in advance, see her host the London Air-Accordian Society at the Green Man, with Tom Goodliffe and Holly Walsh (8pm, £6 / £4.50).

Tuesday: Another show it can be impossible to get into is the Fitzrovia Radio Hour. This may be why they're at the New Diorama Theatre until Saturday (7.30pm, £10). Paul Sinha and Zoe Lyons are on a double bill at Rich Mix, MC'd by Jay Sodagar (7.30pm, £10 / £8) while Tony Law and Diane Spencer - both just bubbling under the surface - are at Stratford Circus (8pm, £10) and Thom Tuck and Bridget Christie play the New Red Lion (8pm, £8).

Oh, and Karaoke Circus is back at the 100 Club (8pm, £10).

Wednesday: We bloody love Andrew O'Neill, so take our recommendation and head to Stratford Circus to see him on the bill with James Sherwood (8pm, £10). Alternatively, Matt Green previews at the Etcetera Theatre (9.30pm, £7.50), Isy Suttie and Elis James play the bar at the Garage (7pm, £5) and this year's Cambridge Footlights bring their revue to the Leicester Square Theatre (7.30pm, £8 / £6).

Thursday: Alex Horne recreates your entire life in one hour at the Canal Cafe Theatre (7.30pm, £6 / £5), Idiots of Ants hone their sketches at the Etcetera Theatre (7.30pm, £6.50), Tim Key perfects being a Masterslut at Invisible Dot (8pm, £6) and Simon Munnery and Edward Aczel play Crack Comedy in Islington (8pm, £8 / £4).

Friday: There's a benefit gig for North London Action for the Homeless at the Bloomsbury, with John Hegley, Stewart Lee, Kevin Eldon, Bridget Christie, Simon Munnery, Andrew Bailey, Cath Drake and Dave Johns (7.30pm, £15 / £12.50).

Preparing to head north: catch Andi Osho dissecting dating at Stratford Circus (8pm, £10), Al Stick and Andy Zaltzman at the Lion and Unicorn (7.30pm, 9pm, £8 each), Daniel Sloss (now at least old enough to drink) at the Soho Theatre (7pm, £7.50) and Jerry Sadowitz in the late night slot at Leicester Square Theatre (11pm, £12). He's also on Saturday and Sunday at 5pm, but that feels wrong, somehow.

Saturday: Hip hop and comedy collide at Rich Mix at a new night called Dong. It's probably better than the name. Line-up includes Rich Fulcher, Abandoman, Nick Helm, Fergus Craig, Romesh Ranganathan and Jenny Bede (7.30pm, £10 / £15). Edinburgh previews from last year's Best Student Sketch group, The Leeds Tealights, at the Etcetera Theatre (7.30pm, £6.50), Matt Forde and Roisin Conaty at the Pleasance (8pm, £10) and Shappi Khorsandi and Seann Walsh at Jackson's Lane (8pm, £10).

Let us know about intelligent, alternative, friendly new comedy gigs, clubs and shows around Town: tips@londonist.com.

Photo by daveograve@ from the Londonist Flickr pool

Last Updated 23 July 2011