No, you’re definitely wrong, January is not miserable. It’s simply early spring. Days are getting longer, the daffodils are on their way and there’s loads of comedy. Look here.
An Evening of Eric and Ern at Christmas, The Lowry, until Sun 6 Jan, from £21 thereafter.
Last chance to catch this finely observed and executed homage to Morecambe and Wise with their best-loved sketches, routines and musical numbers.
Barking Tales, Zombie Shack, Wed 2 Jan, donations if you can afford.
The safe space where acts can weave comedic material from their mental health experiences. As ever, Harriet Dyer hosts introducing the fast up and coming Josh Jones, the self described ‘female Tim Vine’ Kat Molinari and vegan, bisexual, feminist goth Rouske Stellin.
In 2019, The Comedy Store and The Frog and Bucket continue their full and dedicated line ups with their weekend stand up shows. At the Frog there’s more new talent coming through the Beat the Frog gong style amateur nights. Then the improvising players return for another spell (sorry) making up a new Harry Potter adventure based on audience suggestion in Spontaneous Potter Wed 23. There’s an all Scottish line up to celebrate Burns Night on Fri 25, then a new stand up night on Sunday Night Live on Sun 27.
Over at The Comedy Store, newbie competition night King Gong is on Sun 6 and Toby Hadoke hosts pro comics performing New Stuff on Sundays 13 & 27. On the afternoon of Sat 19 it’s Comedy Store for Kids, then on Sunday 20 there’s Alex Boardman’s pick of New Comedians.
Comedy @ Chorlton Irish Club, Fri 4 Jan, £15 (£12 adv)
Winner of last year’s Britain’s Got Talent, Lost Voice Guy plus Andrew Bird, Daniel Muggleton and MC Justin Moorhouse.
The Didsbury Comedy Club, Didsbury Cricket Club & The Heatons Comedy Evening, The Heatons Sports Club. £9. Sun 6 Jan.
This month Andrew Bird, and Micky P Kerr do the doubling up while in Didsbury Brandon Craig is in support and MC is Alun Cochrane. Over at The Heatons Justin Moorhouse hosts and Mr Badger squeezes in the middle.
Adam Kay, The Lowry, Mon 7, Tue 8 & Mon 28 Jan £22
Formerly one half of musical duo Amateur Transplants, Kay is also a former doctor and his book This Is Going To Hurt was a huge hit in 2018. Containing diary sections from his time spent as a junior doctor, expect an evening of insight and song.
XSMalarkey, The Bread Shed, Every Tues, £5
XS returns with a headline set from a prince of comedy Stuart Goldsmith on Tues 8, the 15th is yet to be confirmed but on the 22nd it’s local legend Tony Burgess, and on 29th the magnificent tale spinner The Story Beast.
Sandi Toksvig, The Lowry, Wed 9 Jan, £28.50 – £30.50
A misunderstanding with a friend has led to the half-Danish comedian and host of QI being considered a National Trevor. Expect anecdotes, tall tales and very little physical exertion.
Trapdoor Comedy, The Old Monkey, Wed 9 Jan, £5
Tony Basnett’s comedy night returns. Line up yet to be confirmed.
Our Rita’s Comedy Roadshow, Manchester Palace, Fri 11 Jan,
Comedy show on the stage at the Palace with BGT’s Lost Voice Guy, the delightfully gossipy Stephen Bailey, storyteller Brett Goldstein and the tour de force, Jayde Adams.
Daniel Cainer, The Lowry, Sat 12 Jan, £12 (£10 conc)
Simultaneously moving and witty, beautiful and irreverent, Cainer presents another evening of stories within songs in Gefilte Fish and Chips. ‘For anyone who has ever wrestled with their home, their heritage and their heart.’
Applause Generator, The Dancehouse, Sat 12 Jan, £12
Clever techy nerd comics Foxdog Studios present a night of alternative comedy and mainstream variety to the theatre with the hugely innovative Simon Munnery headlining who may even bring some of his own off-the-wall inventions with him.
All Stars of Comedy, The Lowry, Sun 13 Jan, £22.50
An international line up as the US’s Will-E hosts introducing Jamaica’s White Yardie AKA Prince Harry and from the UK Curtis Walker, Judi Love and Gerry Kyei.
Hayley Ellis and Rachel Fairburn, HOME, Wed 16 Jan, £12.50 (£10.50 conc)
Lettuce Laugh Comedy joins forces with Push Festival to present two solo shows that were a hit at the Edinburgh Fringe last year. Hayley Ellis presents Once, Twice, Three Times a Hayley and Rachel Fairburn The Wolf at the Door.
Justin Moorhouse, The Lowry, Fri 18 & Sat 19 Jan, £6
Life is changing for this Northern Joker, Denton’s finest tries to work it out.
John Luke Roberts, The Lowry, Sat 19 Jan, £12 (£10 conc)
Truly one of the most innovative comedians around, you’re never quite sure what to expect nor what you’ve just seen but it’ll be beautifully crafted and bloody funny.
Ahir Shah, The Lowry, Sun 20 Jan, £12 (£10 conc)
The queues for this free show were massive at the Fringe last year, so here’s your chance to see Duffer without the risk of being turned away.
Alphabet Comedy Night, Alphabet Brewing Co, Thu 24 Jan, £10
The new(ish) comedy night down Ardwick way with the ever delightful Dan Nightingale, Kate Monnelly, Mike Carter and Tony Wright plus a special guest TV headliner… shh we can’t name them but they’ve been on Mock The Week and Live at The Apollo.
Sam Avery, The Lowry, Thu 24 Jan, £20.50
Scouser comedian Avery began his blog, The Learner Parent, when he was catapulted into parenthood with twins. Here he takes on the most stressful and wonderful of times and crafts it into gags.
Flo and Joan, The Lowry, Thu 24 Jan, £12 (£10 conc)
The musical duo packed out a sweaty free room in Edinburgh the other year, here they are with a new selection of twisted song.
Graham Fellows, The Lowry, Fri 25 Jan, £14 (£12 conc)
The creator of Sheffield hero John Shuttleworth and Jilted John of Gordon is a Moron fame goes it alone playing songs and cracking jokes as himself.
Trial By Laughter, The Lowry, Tue 29 Jan, £17.50-£29.50
New play from Ian Hislop and Nick Newman focusing on the largely forgotten hero of free speech William Hone. A bookseller, publisher and satirist who, in 1817, found himself on trial blasphemy and libel.
The Village Idiots, Iconic, Tues 29 Jan, Free.
The uber glam Scarlet SoHandsome hosts and with the as-seen-on-Channel4’s Cucumber, Bethany Black and support from North West’s best young LGBT+ comics.
By Marissa Burgess, Comedy Editor
