Larmer Tree to Latitude, Greenwich to Ealing: the best live comedy this week

 

 

Good grief there's a lot of good comedy combinations tonight, and they're spread all over Lahndan Tahn. Top of the bill and starting in the east is Com Comedy's Summer Party at the Queen of Hoxton, with Helen Arney, Joe Rowntree and Ben Target.   

 

Heading north you can join Sam Simmons and the they're-going-to-be-big-aren't-they sketch troupe Oyster Eyes, who we can only imagine will be having some sort of Surreal Off at the Invisible Dot. There's a BBQ in the interval, incredibly. 

 

Down south at the Herne Hill Comedy Festival are Marcel Lucont and Stewart Lee tribute act Stuart Leigh, which is particularly exciting as it is at the Half Moon, as it is basically at the end of my bed. 

 

If you're in Boring Old Town then there's the tremendous pairing of Sara Pascoe and robust sketch from Jigsaw at the Queen's Head in Piccadilly Circus. 

 

And Larmer Tree Festival is getting under way with a distinctly Latitude-esque line-up – expect Tim Minchin, the Horne Section and Terry Alderton.

 

 

 

 

Eddie Izzard starts a work-in-progress run at the Soho Theatre, although as it's sold out you'll be on stand-by tickets only now.

 

The Vandella has Oram and Meeten's Club Fantastico, which could be a good chance to see Oram and Alice Lowe before the Sightseers comes out in cinemas and they get all popular and that. 

 

And Latitude begins, with a distinctly Larmer Tree-esque line-up – expect Tim Minchin, the Horne Section and Terry Alderton. 

 

 

 

 

It's the big night for the Herne Hill Comedy Festival, with Bridget Christie, the Oblivion Boys (including Stephen Frost), Darren Maskell and Bob Slayer all playing.

 

The Greenwich Comedy Festival lands par-tic-u-lar-ly early this year what with the Olympics and all. It opens tonight with Jerry Sadowitz who's playing the first of two nights – albeit at £17.50 a ticket. There's also a combo bill of Stephen K Amos, Richard Herring, Pete Firman and Arthur Smith MCing.

 

On the other side of town, Ealing plays host to mega line-ups: the opening night has Ricky Grover, Terry Alderton, John Fothergill, Steve Best, Paul Sinha and Pete Firman for £18.50.

And in one token piece of non-festival news, see Through The Looking Screen at Deansways, which you can read our interview with Charlie Hanson about over here.  

 

 

 

 

Sam Simmons moves to the Soho Theatre for tonight and Monday; tonight's also the last night to catch Lawrence Leung before his run finishes there. 

 

Also in town, Kieran and the Joes are on preview form at the Leicester Square Theatre, while Nick Sun and Adam Larter are previewing for free (that is FREE)  at the Harrison in King's Cross.  

 

Greenwich hasn't announced its headliner for Saturday, although Des Bishop, Terry Alderton and Josh Widdicombe will be supporting. John Shuttleworth and Sean Hughes each have shows on in the afternoon for £15 a pop. 

 

 

 

 

The most balanced night of the opening weekend at Greenwich sees Mark Watson supported by David O'Doherty, Seann Walsh and Elis James.

 

And the Pleasance have science lady Helen Keen and comedy man Richard Herring in a preview pairing.