Remember, remember the 5th of November…but can’t recall why off the top of my head. Oh yeah, that’s it. We burn an effigy of a long dead Catholic. Hmm. You’re probably best off watching some comedy instead. Here you go.
There’s loads and loads of comedy at the Frog and Bucket and the Comedy Store all year round, keeping us going through the quieter months when the other shows have a bit of a rest. So, remember to support them this month when there are frankly truckloads of visiting shows to see too.
And of course, the Store and the Frog have their own special shows too.
At the Store this month new act gong night King Gong is on Sun 4, New Stuff – where professional acts test out new material watched over by Toby Hadoke – is on Sundays 11 and 25 then Alex Boardman’s New Comedians is on Sun 18. There’s Comedy for Kids on the afternoon of Saturday 17 and a special visit from WWE wrestler Edge on Tues 13. Not strictly comedy but WWE is not without its laughs so worth checking it out.
Over at the Frog, there’s plenty aside from Beat the Frog newbie night starting all over again every Monday after the World Series competition last month, and the Christmas shows – with festive meal and disco! – starting at the end of the month.
There are also visits from two Irish comedians. Shane Todd contemplates whether he lives up to his Western cowboy namesake in Hero on Tues 6, and on Sun 25 viral sensation Colin Geddis brings his dark humour in the form of his latest solo show Transblender. On Sun 11 there’s not one but two solo shows. Firstly, from Geordie Carl Hutchinson with I Know I Shouldn’t Behave Like This… and musical double act Harry and Chris attempt to Save the World – they wouldn’t go amiss starting with Brazil now. Plus, there’s the faster paced, edgier Late-Night Laughter show after the regular evening show on Sat 24.
Abandoman, Gorilla, Thu 1, £12
Improvising rapper Rob Broderick wows with his entirely free styling hip-hop show. Pirate Radio is set to be a bombastic, high-energy romp.
Comedy @ Chorlton Irish Club, Fri 2 Nov, £12 (£10 adv.)
This month in Chorlton the deliciously acerbic Jo Caulfield and crazed Canadian Bobby Mair with support from Tom King. Justin Moorhouse hosts.
Felicity Ward, The Lowry, Fri 2 Nov, £12 (£10 conc)
The highly acclaimed Aussie with her latest show Busting A Nut, which unsurprisingly garnered her rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Dead Cat Comedy at Tap7, Fri 2 Nov, £10
Red Redmond presents the (literally) sparkling talents of Jonathan Mayor, easy going laughs from Chris Washington and the delightfully bonkers Amy Gledhill – though probably minus her usual hot dog outfit.
Marcus Brigstocke, The Lowry, Sat 3 Nov, £19.50
Clever humour from the master satirist in Devil May Care. The Dark Lord himself sheds some shade on the divisive nature of society.
Group Therapy Gorilla, Sat 3 Nov, £11 (£10 conc)
The GT team presents a fab double headliner this month with the gloriously acidic Scot Fern Brady and the brilliantly scattershot and hyperactive Adam Hess.
Adam Rowe, The Lowry, Sun 4 Nov, £14 (£12 conc)
Rowe may have won Dave’s best gag of the Fringe in Edinburgh this year but there’s far more to him than just a one liner. Here Rowe explores his working-class background in Undeniable.
The Didsbury Comedy Club, Didsbury Cricket Club, £8; The Heatons Comedy Evening, The Heatons Sports Club, £8.50. Sun 4 Nov.
The ‘as-seen-on-Britain’s-Got-Talent’ Robert White and the sharp humour of Jo Caulfield double up. Paddy Young provides the support and Danny McLoughlin emcees in Didsbury whereas Ben Bridgeman is in the middle and Justin Moorhouse hosts at The Heatons.
XSMalarkey, The Bread Shed, every Tuesday, £5 (£3 members)
Fantastic line ups at XS this month as per usual. Here’s a hint at how good the line ups are. Headlining on Tues 6 is the bad boy of comedy Alfie Brown, Irish act who started out with Ardal O’Hanlon in Dublin – Kevin Gildea – is on Tues 13. Manchester scene favourite Dan Nightingale tops the bill on Tues 20 and the as heard on Capital FM Tom Deacon rounds off the month on Tues 27. As ever, the wonderfully chic Toby Hadoke hosts.
Iliza Shlesinger, The Lowry, Wed 7 Nov, £27
Not busy enough writing her first book Girl Logic: The Genius and The Absurdity, American comic Shlesinger follows up her successful run of gigs last year with another tour, Fluent in English.
Grayson Perry, The Opera House, Wed 7 Nov, £23.65-£47.65
One of the most joyous art exhibitions this critic ever witnessed was Perry’s at the British Museum as the halls rang with the sound of its visitors giggling. Best known for his pots and tapestries, Perry is a grand wit. It’ll be an entertaining night for sure.
Barking Tales, Zombie Shack, Wed 7 Nov, donations at end.
This month at this safe space of a comedy night where acts are free to chat about mental health but still make jokes Harriet Dyer introduces Jonny Pelham, Amy Vreeke and AJ Hill.
Dylan Moran, Opera House, Thu 8 Nov, £29.15
A veteran of the comedy circuit having won the Perrier award at just 24 two decades ago Moran has never let the quality drop. Catch his latest musings in Dr Cosmos.
Gary Delaney The Lowry, Thu 8 Nov, currently sold out.
The king of the one liner, Delaney has busied himself writing a whole new show, Gagster’s Paradise, that’s a lot of jokes.
Graham Fellows, The Dancehouse, Thu 8 Nov, £13 (£11 conc)
Despite having spent many years hiding inside characters – John Shuttleworth being the main one – Fellows steps out from behind the retired Sheffield security man and amateur musician to appear as himself, singing songs and telling tales.
Slaughterhouse Live, The Lowry, Fri 9 Nov, £15.50-£17.50
There was a time when a new Slaughterhouse Live show was a regular, sometimes monthly, event. Not so much now so appreciate it while it’s here. A cavalcade of bizarre and esoteric characters will populate and glorious it will be.
Jason Byrne, The Lowry, Sat 10 Nov, £23
Fast talking Irish act who, like Moran above, has been consistently entertaining for the last twenty years. You Can Come In, But Don’t Start Anything it’ll be Byrne himself that will causing the mischief.
Jen Brister, The Lowry, Sun 11 Nov, £12 (£10 conc)
Is it all Meaningless? Brister attempts to take time out away from her twins peeing in her shoes to find out.
Lost Voice Guy, The Lowry, Sun 11 Nov, £13.50-£15.50
The winner of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent whose cerebral palsy and inability to talk hasn’t held him back when it comes to stand up. A uniquely dry wit.
Luisa Omielan, Ritz, Mon 12 Nov, £20-£23
Omielan’s star just keeps on rising. First garnering fame with the smash hit What Would Beyoncé Do?, the untimely death of her wonderful mum last year woke up Omielan to politics, so here she is wither response, Politics for Bitches.
Trapdoor Comedy, Solomon’s Tues 13; Old Monkey, Wed 14, £5
Laura Lexx performed a bravura show at the Edinburgh Fringe this year with an hour that managed to channel her trademark upbeat demeanour into a deeply personal and uniquely moving tale of the difficult time she’s had across the last couple of years. So, catch her here, she’s fantastic.
Dane Baptiste, Gorilla, Thu 15, £12
Another fast-rising star of the comedy circuit takes on G.O.D. in his new show. That is what he considers to be the human race’s new preferred religions – gold, oil and drugs.
Amy Vreeke, Contact at New Adelphi Theatre, Fri 16 & Sat 17 Nov, £8 (£6 conc)
Finally diagnosed with endometriosis in 2016 after many years of misdiagnosis, the comedian and theatre maker tells the story of The Year My Vagina Tried to Kill Me. A part of SICK! Festival.
Ayesha Hazarika, The Lowry, Sat 17 Nov, £14 (£12 conc)
The former Labour Party adviser with her call for women everywhere to ditch the bitchin’ and join forces in Girl On Girl: The Fight for Feminism.
Kevin Bridges, Manchester Apollo, Wed 21 – Sun 25 Nov, currently sold out.
The every-man charm and perspective observations have garnered this affable Scot his deserved massive following. Catch his latest aptly named The Brand New Tour.
John Cooper Clarke, Bridgewater Hall, Thu 22 Nov, £37.95
The bard of Salford, and all round Manc conurbation legend, continues his run of later life gigs with no signs of slowing up. Go see.
The Thinkers and Drinkers – Pub Crawl, The Lowry, Fri 23 Nov, £18.50
A brand new ‘bar-hop through history.’ Enjoy five free drinks as they take you through from Ancient Greece to the great British boozer via the Wild West.
Ari Shaffir, The Dancehouse, Fri 23 Nov, £15
Stand up, podcaster and producer of two Netflix specials Double Negative, Shaffir describes his comedy as “a puppet show – but way filthier and without the puppets”.
Iain Stirling, The Lowry, Sat 24 Nov, £20
The voice of Love Island’s show about millennial observations U OK Hun? x proved so popular he’s back for another run. Last chance to see…
Daniel Sloss, The Lowry, Sun 25 Nov, £12 (£10 conc)
The ridiculously successful Scot considering his youth. He has two Netflix specials, his last show was performed in 28 countries, has put on numerous Edinburgh Fringe runs and made many telly appearances. Go see what the fuss is about, you won’t be disappointed.
David O’Doherty, Albert Hall, Mon 26 Nov, £19
The low-fi Irishman who’s a whizz on the Bontempi with You Have to Laugh. Stealth comedy at its finest.
The Village Idiots, Iconic Bar, Tues 27 Nov, Free
Dead Cat Comedy presents and the uber glamorous Scarlet Sohandsome hosts a fine line up headed up by wry Yank now resident in Manchester, Kate McCabe.
Jason Manford, Manchester Arena, Fri 30 Nov, £32.15
Whalley Range’s funniest son takes on the biggest room in Manchester with another date for his latest show Muddle Class. Pondering the joys and confusions of social mobility.
Ross Noble, Manchester Apollo, Fri 30 Nov, £30.25
And to round the month off it’s the master noodler himself. Not a single one of the individual shows in the El Hablador will be the same, guaranteed.
By Marissa Burgess, Comedy Editor
