With little in the way of tech or overheads, stand-up comics are typically good to go after the Christmas break, with little of the sleepy start to the year experienced by the other arts. January is a fairly typical month, then, with a lively mix of shows of all size and stature, with the biggest news probably the return of Natalie Palimedes’s tour de force Weer, fresh from a blockbuster off-Broadway run.
There are far, far too many one-off, multi-performer comedy nights in London for us to compile a single coherent page with our favouites on, which is entirely to London’s credit. So do check individual bills of comedy clubs online for that sort of thing. But if you’re looking for an individual comedian with a full headline show then this page is here to compile the Time Out editorial team’s top choices, often with our reviews from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The best comedy clubs in London.
The best new theatre shows to book for in London.
What is it? In this sweet debut Fringe hour, Lewisham-born-and-bred stand up Toussaint Douglass threatens us with 55 minutes of jokes about pigeons. That’s not quite what we get (maybe 15 minutes) but it’s a charming show that deservedly netted him the best newcomer award at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Where is it? Soho Theatre.
What is it? Louis CK now exists in a weird hinterland: following accusations of sexual misconduct (that he owned up to) he’s seemingly inextricably alienated from critical favour and a good chunk of his original base. But he remains fairly popular, and if you accept his apology as sincere there are certainly more problematic cultural figures you could be giving your money to, even if the core of righteousness that powered his glory days has long evaporated.
Where is it? Eventim Apollo Hammersmith.
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