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Chortle - the UK comedy guide

Before we get to our own London listings, in terms of keeping fully up to date with what’s happening in comedy, stay tuned-in to Chortle – the most up-to-date listings guide and critique of the UK comedy scene. Their priority is to keep right on top of anything to do with stand-up comedy gigs and you can sign-up for their weekly digest that arrives in your inbox every Friday. 

My Box Office - great ticket deals

My Box Office offers members the opportunity to see a wide range of shows and events for a fantastic price - in many cases for free! The reason we can do this is many events have special performances, previews or press nights and want to ensure houses are as full as possible. For this reason, many of our discreet ticket offers will be at very short notice (many times on the actual day of the event).

Applause Store - apply for FREE audience tickets to comedy TV shows (and more)

First up, it’s not a comedy club in its own right and certainly not a place for hidden comedy or breaking acts. But, if you’ve ever wanted to go and see the comedy greats on TV, then you need to get connected to The Applause Store. Briefly it’s a one-stop-shop for free official radio and television tickets for comedy and sitcoms (and music). That includes all the top BBC, ITV and satellite and cable channels. You don’t just get to see the show – you also get to see the bits they don’t broadcast! Check it out. 

Soho Comedy Club - one of the best stand up clubs in the capital, says Time Out.

Voted one of London’s top comedy venues by Time Out, the Soho Comedy Club shows a,, quirky sense of humour by being not in Soho, but in Covent Garden. Monday nights, compered by David Mulholland, make a great first visit when you can see up to 10 stand-up acts ranging between the well-known and the obscure, trying out new material hoping to secure a weekend spot.  

Soho Theatre - in the heart of Soho

21 Soho - Soho's newest comedy gem!

A recent addition to the Soho stand-up scene, 21 Soho has become a well-known ‘work-in-progress’ venue for top comedians trying out new material. That means it can be a bit hit-and-miss but if you catch them in the act early you can look very smug when you see the finished article at some future date on TV.  

The Top Secret Comedy Club - Covent Garden

The fact this venue claims to have the highest rating on Trip Advisor and Google Reviews makes the name something of a conundrum – if so many people know about it then it’s not exactly ‘top secret’ – is it? Actually that’s no surprise as it only ever closes for three days over Christmas and presents a line-up of proven acts and raw talent. Fridays and Saturdays you’ll find an early 7.00pm show and a later 9.00 pm offering. They claim the bar is ‘dangerously cheap’ – we hope that’s not a joke! 

The Seven Dials Club - top stand up comedy in Covent Garden

A half-way house between Soho and Covent Garden, this venue regularly hosts top TV stand-ups such as Reginald D Hunter, Sara Pascoe and Jack Whitehall. Check the listings and pick your favourite. 

Boat Show Comedy - aboard the Tattershall Castle on the Embankment

The ‘Tatty’ Castle has been running comedy nights for over 20 years. Recently refurbished the not so tatty Tattershall Castle has resumed business down on the Thames by Temple Pier allowing acts to showboat in style whilst you float off into peals of laughter. Gigs are every Friday and Saturday night.  

News Revue at the Canal Cafe Theatre - Little Venice

The Museum of Comedy - a treasure trove of amazing talent in a church in Bloomsbury!

If you think that old stand-ups never die, they simply have a night at the Museum, think again. Based in the repurposed crypt (and there must be a joke in that) of Grade 1 listed St George’s Church, the venue blends artefacts and architecture with modern performance spaces and a well-stocked bar. Expect the normal mixture of new and old work from upcoming and established performers coming to worship the Great God of Comedy. The gags may remain the same but the surrounding are rather special.  

Banana Cabaret at the Bedford - Balham

Many (in fact most) won’t remember, but the fact is that Balham, home of Banana Cabaret, has been at the centre of English alternative comedy ever since 1949. That was the year Peter Sellers performed a radio sketch written by Frank Muir entitled ‘Bal-ham, gateway to the south’. If you don’t know it look it up on YouTube. Anyway gentle reader, we digress. Banana Cabaret at The Bedford pub in Balham may be somewhat south of Soho, but it’s well worth the trek to take in one of the weekend shows.  

Outside the Box - comedy clubs in SW London

If your sense of humour travels as far as Kingston-upon-Thames, Outside the Box won the prestigious ‘Best Small Venue’ soubriquet as awarded by Chortle (see above). It’s now become something of a comedy franchise and expanded its philosophy of mixing star names with breaking acts to a range of other locations across the South West. Come and take in a show where it all began!