Leicester Square theatre, LondonThe up-and-coming Scottish standup's first UK tour finds him in Gervais-ish territory, and his performing flair can't disguise the tired old chauvinism of his…
Soho theatre, LondonAcross 75 haywire minutes, Zach Zucker's variety show features fire-breathing, copious nudity and superb performances from acts including Natalie Palamides 'It's taken us…
In their new shows, anarchic theatre company Spymonkey and sketch duo Max and Ivan place the spotlight on their own lives more than ever before If you're making comedy, or funny theatre, wha…
Soho theatre, LondonThis quartet " familiar from Veep, SNL and Second City " respond well to audience suggestions but keep rebooting the process rather than delivering a full story As anyone…
Her midnight agony aunt clown show became the hot ticket of the fringe " despite the fact that the Estonian never regarded herself as a comic. In fact, she says, she much prefers making audi…
The new year's hottest shows include stage versions of Minority Report, Spirited Away and La Strada, performances by Keeley Hawes and Ian McKellen " plus laughs from Julia Masli, Rhod Gilber…
Our critics' highlights of the year include a 24-hour marathon, a standup welcoming hecklers, a reboot of The Matrix and a bus ride filled with emotion' More on the best culture of 2023 10. …
Indigo at the O2, LondonAlex Horne's musical comedy band serve up peachy and puerile puns in an endearing, occasionally festive show The Horne Section. A Christmas show. You can see the logi…
Indhu Rubasingham has been named as the National's new head. But elsewhere, theatres are ditching this once coveted role altogether. Can a theatre really manage without one? The king is dead…
Soho theatre, LondonBoris Johnson and his successors Less Trust and Riches Sooner are satirised in a superb political pantomime directed by Patrick Marber Keenly anticipated since its summer…
Shaftesbury theatre, LondonHi-vis hijinks are here aplenty as the Britain's Got Talent winner revisits his triumphant routines It's been quite the year for Viggo Venn. Twelve months ago, he …
Old Fire Station, Oxford Alison Spittle's story of three women who meet and reconvene annually for a Christmas Day dip is fun nonetheless There's more to Christmas than Santa, Jesus and stuf…
Festive variety show hosts Sanjeev Bhaskar and Jayde Adams are stodgier than Christmas dinner, with all the chemistry of a broken Bunsen burner To those of us of a certain age, few things a…
Bloomsbury theatre, LondonThe Hull comic continues to riff brilliantly on her home city's quirks but you wish she'd reveal more of the 'small angry woman' she describes herself as Hull is m…
Theatre Royal Stratford East, LondonIt may not attempt anything new but there are eye-catching costumes, catchy songs, some sparkling performances and a droll script by Anna Jordan Mud, glor…
Richmond theatre, LondonPausing her political campaigning to revisit routines that made her name, Izzard seems to be enjoying herself as much as we are Everyone wants rock stars to play thei…
O2 Arena, LondonRoutines about rude Parisians and airline seats should have passed their tell-by date long ago " but Noah's skill reanimates the fun Trevor Noah opens with a joke about taki…
Soho theatre, LondonThis one-woman play aims to dramatise Wax's globe-trotting spiritual quest but gets sidetracked into anecdote This isn't what she usually does, Ruby Wax confides in the p…
The opening shows at London's Underbelly Boulevard " Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett and Batsu! " are less edgy than you might expect, and more pricey, but there are some impressive turns It w…
Soho theatre, LondonIn this giddily inventive show, Minnitt plays a woman trying to bag a beau before her sentence to spinsterdom is declared 'I'm starting to get hysterical," says Rosalie M…
Rose Theatre, Kingston upon ThamesFrom a killer song about cosmetic surgery to ditties on doppelgangers and dogging, Dillie Keane, Adèle Anderson and Liza Pulman are still going strong How …
Can the surreal comedy superstar parlay comedy chops into political power? Izzard certainly wouldn't be the first standup to pivot from telling jokes to canvassing for votes From Eddie Izzar…
Hampstead theatre, LondonRichard Bean's new play touches on ageing and alienation, care and family love, but focuses on making us laugh You might guess what kind of night you're in for by To…
The everyman standup delivers substantial comic payloads by itemising the oddity of human behaviour. A successful formula his new tour continues to exploit All the countries of the world hav…
Theatre Royal, BrightonThe comic brings an assured touch to tales of everyday humiliation, and even her terrible musicianship is endearing for a while Tig Notaro has never had an interval on…