Where to find funny this week
Sunday: H Anthony Hildebrand hosts An Event of Some Kind at Camden's Black Heart, a night of alternative comedy and music. Bec Hill, Richard Sandling, Pat Cahill, David Trent, Matthew Highton and David Callaghan provide the laughs, DJ Jamie Smith the tunes (6.30pm, £7).
Monday: Likeable Irish comedian with growing bite, Gráinne Maguire (pictured) previews her Edinburgh show at Leicester Square Theatre (9pm, £5). The show is now called Where Are All the Fun Places and Are Lots of People There Having Better Fun? LSQ still has the old title of Unrealistic Expectations. We think you can gather the gist from that.
Tuesday: Sir Ian Bowler's creator, Natt Tapley, hosts a topical show that's more than just stand up: it's character comedy, sketches, songs and stuff about the news. We can't find the line-up for this month's show at the Vandella (8pm, £7), but previous guests have included Kate Smurthwaite, Pippa Evans, Nadia Kamil and Michael Legge.
Wednesday: Readers of a certain age will remember Whose Line is it Anyway, the Daddy of improv shows (and we don't mean the American version that's repeated on some random Freeview channel during the day). Sarcastic stalwart Greg Proops is at the Soho Theatre – less a show, more a conversation (9.30pm, £10). He's also doing Udderbelly on Friday and Saturday (9pm / 7.45pm, £15.50).
Thursday: Mark Allen is trying to find an heir to Renaissance polymaths among London's comedy circuit: it's just a Humble Quest for Universal Genius. Good luck, that man. Tonight he pits Paul Foot against Nick Helm at the Leicester Square Theatre (8.30pm, £10 / £8).
Friday: Tony Law, Simon Munnery, Holly Walsh and a guest who's so special they can't be named, are at Bush Hall tonight from 7.30pm (£15).
Saturday: Always Be Comedy festival is on all weekend at the Tommyfield pub in Kennington. Saturday's acts are Sarah Kendall, Pat Cahill, Tim Shishodia, Pappy's, Totally Tom, Jigsaw and Luke Capasso (tomorrow you've got Nick Helm, Max and Ivan, Joel Dommett, Rob Beckett, Matthew Crosby and Sara Pascoe). It's £15 for a weekend ticket, £10 per day or £5 per gig.
Tip us off to friendly, intelligent, alternative comedy around town [email protected]
