The most popular comedy shows in London

Improv gets a bad rap in this country, but anyone who dismisses the genre clearly hasn't seen Austentatious. This highly impressive troupe perform a completely improvised Jane Austen novel, complete with period dress and cello accompaniment, with marvellous results. Made up of Andrew Murray, Amy Cooke-Hodgson, Joseph Morpurgo, Cariad Lloyd, Graham Dickson and Rachel Parris, they're all hugely talented performers, able to keep the gag rate high and the made-up story rolicking along. Tremendous fun.

Alternative sketch, character, musical and improvisational humour from special guests.

Back in 2008, not long after the Millennial Dome switched to the O2 Arena, US stand-up superstar Chris Rock became the first comedian to play the 16,000-capacity aerodome. Ten years later, he finally returns. Not that the 52-year-old comic’s been twiddling his thumbs for the last decade – he’s been a little busy hosting the Oscars, starring in broadway plays and, err, filming both ‘Grown Ups’ 1 and 2. For fans of (good) comedy, these three London dates are pretty unmissable – Rock’s hard-hitting, issue driven stand-up is pricky, smart and hugely funny. 

Razor sharp observations from the Cockney comic, who has appeared on BBC Radio 4 and various comedy panel shows on TV.

Unlike most ’70s rock bands, not many comedians can play a 'greatest hits' tour. But sharp, edgy one-liner merchant Jimmy Carr has such a back-catalogue of gags he's packaging his funniest joke together for these 'best of' dates.  The TV regular is one of the hardest working comedians in the country: constantly touring, always writing and somehow finding the time to host all those things on telly, like '8 Out of 10 Cats' and 'The Big Fat Quiz of the Year'. Plus, his blocked-drain laugh is recognisable from a mile away.

It's been seven years since Ricky Gervais's last stand-up show. In the meantime he's been busy reviving David Brent, sorting deals with Netflix and making US TV networks nervous as host of the Golden Globes. 'Humanity' is 'The Office' co-creator's most personal and honest show to date, and has been well-received by the critics on tour so far. Don't be surprised if yet more Apollo dates are added, as tickets are flying out.

The controversial stand up embarks on his latest tour inspired by the birth of his first child in 2016. In this tour Brand attempts to explore modern media, politics, sex, fatherhood and death trying to make sense of life having just created a new one.

Loud shirt-wearing 'Mock the Week' regular Milton Jones is back on the road. Jones weaves a hypnotic web of lunacy with his bizarre and hysterically surreal one-liners. He's a one man laughter factory. But his new show sees him dip his toe into politics and asks: is his nonsense of any value? (We reckon so, Milton.)

The comical giant, known for his acting work in The Inbetweeners, Cuckoo and We Are Klang, presents his new stand-up show in four years.