Where to find funny this week
Sunday: Pappy's kick off the last-in-the-series Flatshare Slamdown podcast recording at the Phoenix pub; guests are mysterious and unannounced but we imagine they'll be good (£6 / £4).
Monday: You might have seen trailers for Cardinal Burns's new show being trailered on E4; catch the absurdist sketch duo IRL at Happy Mondays in New Cross, alongside Lucy Montgomery, Thomas Nelstrop with Holly Walsh keeping order (8pm, £4.89 in advance).
Tuesday: Back to the Phoenix again, to indulge in some musical comedy and funny music from The Distraction Club, with Mitch Benn and the Distractions (the clue's in the name), Loretta Maine, Duncan Oakley, Matt Blair, Biddy O'Loughlin, Pete Gold and The Segue Sisters (8pm, £7.50 / £10).
Wednesday: Helen Arney and Rob Wells test out their Domestic Science show at the Green Man, with more new material from Helen's fellow Festival of the Spoken Nerders Matt Parker and Steve Mould, plus Andrew Pontzen, Peter Zeidman, Viv Groskop and excellent space enthusiast Helen Keen (8pm, £4).
Thursday: Sweet-faced ventriloquist with a fantastic line in filth, Nina Conti tries out new material at the Canal Cafe Theatre (7.30pm, £6 / £5).
Friday: Gina Yashere (pictured) plays the big purple cow on the South Bank tonight (also Tuesday and Saturday, if Friday's not good for you). Hear about how she ended up living in Los Angeles during this brief sojourn back on home turf (£17.50).
Saturday: Tin Can Podcast release a new audio comedy or drama short each Monday. They're recording their 100th piece live at Kiss the Sky Bar in Crouch End from 4pm (free), and performing the best of the previous 99.
Tip us off to intelligent, alternative, friendly comedy around town: [email protected]
