Laughter is certainly the best medicine - even if you’re not ill! Why not get your ribs well and truly tickled over the next few weeks by attending one or more of the following laughter-fests...  

ARDAL O'HANLON

“I make lots of mistakes,” admits Ardal O’Hanlon, “but I guess I’m not that interested in being shocking when I do stand-up. I think the best place to start is your own life, and sometimes that will touch on taboo subjects. I think it’s kind of lazy and generic to shock just for the sake of it. You’ve got to have some sort of take on it, but I think things become fashionable in comedy, as with everything else. If there’s a massive scandal in the press, then many comedians feel compelled to do something about it just because everyone else is, even though it’s not particularly funny. To me, that’s lazy and a bit too obvious.”

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Sat 1 November

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ED BYRNE

A highly regarded master of observational comedy, Ed Byrne is bringing his latest stand-up offering to numerous Midlands venues this month and next. 
So does he enjoy touring the country? “Apart from the travel involved, which no comic likes, I love it. You have people responding to something that you’ve written alone in your office, and the work comes alive in a roomful of people. I like the TV things I do, but nothing can beat a live comedy audience.”

Evesham Town Hall, Sun 2 November; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 8 November; Rosies Nightclub, Birmingham, Thurs 13 November; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Fri 14 November

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MARK WATSON

Well established on the UK comedy circuit, Mark Watson was born in Bristol to Welsh parents and initially delivered his act with a Welsh accent, claiming he felt “more comfortable talking in a voice that I didn’t quite recognise as my own”. 

“Comedy is certainly a time-consuming element of my life,” he admits, “but then while I’m out touring and on stage, there are people at home doing far less glamorous things. There have certainly been times when I’ve been very happy to say, ‘Of course I’d like to stay and help out with that plumbing crisis, but the Midlands awaits!’”

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sunday 2 November; Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Saturday 16 May

 

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JASON MANFORD

Becoming successful in comedy is no walk in the park, as Jason Manford knows. And the former One Show presenter has some sage advice for wannabe comedians: “Don’t take any of my work!... I would also say to people, compare yourself to yourself. Don’t think, ‘Why has that guy got that?’ or ‘Why is Michael McIntyre doing so well?’ or ‘I’m really funny, so why is so-and-so doing that gig, not me?’ You know what, just don’t worry about it. If you’re doing better now than you were six months ago, then you’re doing well.”
Jason is stopping off in the Midlands with his brand-new show, A Manford All Seasons.

Walsall Arena, Thursday 6 November 

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DARA Ó BRIAIN

Charismatic, fast-talking and very, very funny, Dara Ó’Briain is a familiar face on the telly thanks to shows like Mock The Week and Have I Got News For You.

Jokes include: “If we were truly created by God, why do we occasionally bite the insides of our mouths?” and “Even though you’re still allowed to smoke in your own house, do you have to stub it out when a burglar breaks in, as your house is now his workplace?” Dara stops off in the region with his new touring show, Re:Creation.

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Wednesday 5 - Thursday 6 November

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MARK STEEL

“I started doing standup in 1982, around the circuit of bizarre gigs,” recalls highly regarded writer & comedian Mark Steel. “I’d go on after jugglers and escapologists and people who banged nails into their ears!”
A well-established performer on the UK comedy circuit, Mark’s CV includes the BAFTA-nominated Mark Steel Lectures for BBC Two, BBC One’s Have I Got News For You and Radio Four’s Mark Steel’s In Town. 
He visits the Midlands with The Leopard In My House, a show in which he chronicles his battle with throat cancer.  

Lichfield Garrick, Wednesday 5 November; The Roses, Tewkesbury, Friday 14 November; Birmingham Town Hall, Wednesday 26 November 

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SARA PASCOE

At a time of significant global upheaval and uncertainty, Sara Pascoe is clear about one thing - there are no off-limit subjects when it comes to comedy.
“People forgive the subject matter when they find something funny,” she says, “but that doesn’t mean the comedian has no responsibility to question their own material. If they’re going to tell a joke about rape, they should first consider how you might feel if you’ve been a victim of it. If, after that, they still feel it’s a joke worth telling, then they’ll be doing so with complete faith in their own material, which is great.” 
Sarah visits the Midlands this month with her latest show, I Am A Strange Gloop.

Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Thurs 6 November; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 14 November 

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CALLY BEATON

Comedian Sally Phillips is among Cally Beaton’s many and varied admirers. “She spins tales like Aisling Bea,” says Bridget Jones star Sally, “has the hair and strength of Pippi Longstocking, and the punk edge of Debbie Harry. Do I want a Cally Beaton rebrand? Hell yeah!” 

Cally is visiting the Midlands with Namaste Motherf*ckers, a show described by its publicity as ‘a quick-witted, unexpected and unapologetic insight into life in midlife’.

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Thursday 6 November; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Saturday 21 February

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ANDY PARSONS

With complimentary reviews including such observations as ‘what he lacks in hair, he more than makes up for in originality,’ Andy Parsons is a sharp and topical comedian who’s well known from TV shows such as BBC’s Mock The Week and Live At The Apollo. 
Jokes include: “If you’ve been affected by any of the issues raised in tonight’s episode of EastEnders, they must have been acting better than they usually do.”
Andy’s currently performing his new touring show, Please #@!$ Off To Mars.

Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Thurs 6 November; Lichfield Garrick, Sat 21 March; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Thurs 26 March

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ROSS NOBLE

Geordie laughter merchant Ross Noble may not have hit the heights once expected of him, but he’s a hugely talented comedian nonetheless. Peddling a nice line in surreal and quirky stream-of-consciousness humour, he’s heading for the Midlands this month with latest touring show Cranium Of Curiosities. Examples of his comedy include “How come Miss Universe is only won by people from Earth?” and “I had to take the batteries out of the carbon monoxide detector. It was beeping all night.”

Victoria Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, Thursday 6 November; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Thursday 27 November; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Thursday 26 February; Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Thursday 19 March

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LADIES OF LAUGHTER

This latest Ladies Of Laughter gig sees Noreen Khan (pictured), Kyrah Gray and Tej Dhutia being joined by Brummie comedian Shazia Mirza.
Muslim Shazia is certainly not averse to treading a delicate line when it comes to her material. Her post-9/11 joke, “My name’s Shazia Mirza - at least, that’s what it says on my pilot’s licence”, marked her out as a comic who was happy to balance on the precipice of acceptable humour. Other examples of her style and content include: “My parents really want me to get married. But Muslim men don’t want to marry me because... I speak”, and “My dad said if I went out with a black man, he’d burn me. Which would be good, because then I’d be black too.”
Not to everybody’s taste, obviously, but then which comedian ever could be?

Birmingham Hippodrome, Saturday 8 November

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EMMANUEL SONUBI

Emmanuel Sonubi has been clambering up comedy’s greasy pole at spectacular speed and looks set to achieve big things in the coming years. 

An Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee, he’s visiting the Midlands with a show in which he contemplates his life after surviving heart failure, in the process exploring the ‘strange and funny ways we all find to keep going when life gets hard’.

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Tuesday 11 November; Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Thursday 13 November

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HELEN BAUER

Helen Bauer is a real force of nature, a fact which is emphatically reflected in her high-energy comedy routines. Her latest show, Bless Her, finds the 6ft 1inch 34-year-old grappling with the issue of self-loathing - not to mention various other similarly intrusive problems, including toxic female-friendship groups and the propensity to binge-eat. 
Bless Her is Helen’s fourth solo show and is further cementing her reputation as one of the UK’s brightest and most engaging comedians. 

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Thursday 13 November

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JENNY ECLAIR

“I think women get dirtier as they get older,” says long-in-the-tooth comedian Jenny Eclair. “The more your body lets you down, the more you have to find it funny. It produces more emissions, farts and little noises, and bibbly-bobbly bits that appear and disappear. And then there’s giving birth. As soon as you do that, you have to lose all respect for your body. Maybe it’s a cheap device, but it does make me laugh. I just think bumholes and fannies are hilarious. The first joke my father told me was a fart joke, and I still find it funny.”
Jenny’s in the region this month and next with her new show, Jokes Jokes Jokes Live!.

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Thurs 13 November; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Fri 21 November

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A LAUGH SUPREME

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s Laugh Supreme evening makes a welcome return mid-month.
Described as ‘a show bringing together the best of comedy and jazz in the incredible Eastside Jazz Club’, the event’s November edition features top-ranking Conservatoire jazz musicians the Aidan Pope Quartet and comedians Frances Keyton and Jacob Nussey. Alex Milner (pictured) is the host. 

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Friday 14 November

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BANGLA MONTH COMEDY WITH SMASHBENGALI

BBC Asian Network presenter Hashu Mohammed, better known as Smashbengali, is the host for this Bangla Month Comedy Night, an event which turns the spotlight on some of the UK’s most promising up-and-coming talent. 
The evening includes an open-mic session, allowing courageous audience members to take to the stage and show off their comedy talent.

The Rep, Birmingham, Friday 14 November

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NICK HELM

Nick Helm has described his comedy shows as ‘a call to arms to anyone who feels hard done by and short-changed by this ugly new world.’
Nick, who visits the region this month with latest touring show No One Gets Out Alive, once won the Edinburgh Fringe award for best joke with the following rib-tickler: “I needed a password eight characters long, so I picked Snow White And The Seven Dwarves.”

Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, Saturday 15 November; Glee Club, Birmingham, Sunday 16 November; Royal Spa Centre, Leamington Spa, Friday 21 November

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SUZI RUFFELL

Gay, quirky and delightfully self-deprecating, Suzi Ruffell presents an unquestionably likeable persona and imbues her act with an impressive dynamism. 
Suzi’s mid-month Coventry appearance sees her presenting latest touring show The Juggle, while next month’s Birmingham stop-off finds her in the company of Tom Allen, performing a live-on-stage festive version of their popular podcast, Like Minded Friends. 

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Saturday 15 November; Glee Club, Birmingham, Tuesday 16 December

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ANDREW WHITE

Benefitting from the enthusiastic cheerleading of Birmingham’s very own Joe Lycett, Andrew White stops off in the city this month with Rhinestone Comedian. 
The show sees him tackling a range of big topics and deep-diving into all manner of nonsense, from contemplating the politics of all-you-can-eat buffets to calling out the technological shortcomings of racists.  

The Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, Wednesday 19 November

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ROB BECKETT

First tickling the nation’s funny bone in 2009, Rob Beckett’s TV work includes 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Celebrity Juice. A high-tempo comedian who’s been described by one newspaper as ‘a little short of a revelation’, Rob claims his relationship with comedy began as a youngster... 

“I was the middle child and desperate for attention,” he explains, “so I decided to try and get it by making my friends and family chuckle - or better still, belly laugh.”

Gags include, “You know you're working-class when your TV’s bigger than your bookcase,” and “My girlfriend worries about me cheating on a night out. I say to her, ‘Why would I have a burger when I’ve got steak at home?’ The only problem is, when you’re drunk, burgers are well nice.”

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Thurs 20 - Sat 22 November

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TOM STADE

Clever, controversial and Canadian pretty much sums up Tom Stade, a familiar face on television programmes including Live At The Apollo and Mock The Week. 

Having racked up 30 years on the comedy frontline, Tom is visiting the region with brand-new touring show Naughty By Nature.

Huntingdon Hall, Worcester, Thursday 20 November; Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton, Saturday 29 November; Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, Staffs, Sunday 21 June 2026

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JIM JEFFERIES

Boasting a brash, confrontational style that goes down a treat in all manner of far-flung destinations around the world, Australian-born Jim Jefferies is one of the most accomplished stars on the global comedy circuit, delighting and shocking his audiences in equal measure.
Jim’s brand of comedy is most definitely not for the faint-hearted, and includes plenty of observations along the same lines as the following: “The Bible’s too wordy. The 10 Commandments are a load of shit. You don’t need all these things. The Bible should be one sheet of paper, and on that sheet of paper it should just say: ‘Try not to be a c**t’.”

bp pulse LIVE, Birmingham, Saturday 22 November

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JEN BRISTER

As she attempted to establish herself on the circuit back in the early noughties, Jen Brister received a much-needed boost from a comedy legend. The occasion was the BBC New Act semi-finals in Brighton. The legend in question, Spike Milligan, who was one of the judges. Although Jen didn’t get through to the final, she did find out from the show’s producer that Spike had voted for her. “He’d also remarked that I had ‘a great pair of Bristols’,” she recalls. “So clearly he had great taste in comedy and, er, tits!”
Jen visits Birmingham this month with latest show Reactive.

Birmingham Town Hall, Friday 22 November & Friday 27 March; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Friday 8 May

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RUSSELL KANE

Past publicity blurb for this fella said it all: “Strap in for some super-speed sunderings and inconvenient sociology in a show of self-soiling merriment that will leave you with rickets.” 

In short, Russell Kane is a very funny man - and it’s not just his publicist who thinks so. Russell has been drawing a crowd since bursting onto the scene more than 20 years ago, serving up liberal doses of humour at a frenetic pace. 

The London-born comedian visits the Midlands with latest touring show HyperActive.

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Friday 5 & Saturday 6 December   

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ANGELA BARNES

When Angela Barnes’ inspirational father died, it proved to be the catalyst for her to follow his advice - finally - and hurl herself into the rough, tough world of standup comedy... 

And her success since then has proved that she definitely made the right decision. 

A BBC New Comedy Awards winner, Angela is this month visiting the region with Angst, a new show that ‘mostly features stories of unmitigated failure, a distinct lack of wisdom, a little bit of German and loads of jokes’.

Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Saturday 6 December

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LUCY BEAUMONT

“I started out acting but quickly realised I needed to try something else,” says Hull-born comic Lucy Beaumont, who was diagnosed with ADHD a couple of years back and more recently separated from her husband and fellow comedian, Jon Richardson. “I’ve had all sorts of humorous things happen to me in my life, so I thought it made sense to see how I’d do at being funny.”

Birmingham Town Hall, Wednesday 10 December; Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, Thursday 11 December 

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RIA LINA

The state of the world, the eternal battle of the sexes - and the delight of throwing life up in the air after years of following the rules - are among the subjects that comedian and forensic scientist Ria Lina puts under her microscope in brand-new touring show Riabellion. Her jokes include: “I wanted to do a show about feminism, but my husband wouldn’t let me.” 

The Edge Arts Centre, Much Wenlock, South Shropshire, Sat 14 February

 

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SHAPARAK KHORSANDI

A regular contributor to radio and television programmes, Iranian-born comedian Shaparak Khorsandi describes herself as a ‘spit and sawdust’ stand-up comic, happily pulling on her wellies and trudging through muddy fields to perform at any and every music festival that boasts a comedy tent.
She visits the Midlands with long-touring show Scatterbrain.

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sunday 1 March

       

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DANIEL O'REILLY

Daniel O’Reilly reckons his life has resembled a rollercoaster ride - and he’s stopping off in the Midlands this month to tell his legion of fans all about it.
The London-born comic originally made his name over a decade ago as the character Dapper Laughs, but an ill-advised joke about rape put the brakes on what had seemed to be a promising career. 
The years which followed saw him battling a drug and alcohol addiction, and fighting hard to reestablish himself on the UK comedy scene.  
Now, having been sober for more than 1,000 days, Daniel is out on the road again. He’s performing his latest stand-up show, Let’s Have It, under his own name - and joking that he hopes he gets cancelled, as he could do with a bit of a break.

Walsall Arena, Sat 21 March; Swan Theatre, Worcester, Sat 2 May; Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Sat 26 September; Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Fri 2 October