Quippodrome | Gullivers | Mon 9 May | 7.30pm | £3
Manchester’s weirdest and most inventive comedy night celebrates another night in residence at Gullivers by inviting the proprietor of Manchester’s second weirdest comedy night (The Delightful Sausage) Chris Cantrill. In just a few short months Chris has opened up the sausage (just over the road at The Castle) and had star supporting turns with such heroes as Nick Thune and Sam Simmons, holding more than his own all the way. Now he faces his toughest challenge yet, kicking off the sketch, video, powerpoint night that is the Quippodrome. Can he do it? Probs. Head down to find out.
www.skiddle.com

Ed Gamble | The Pub/Zoo | Tue 10 May | 7.30pm | £5/3
As if it weren’t enough that Ed Gamble, one of the UK comedy scenes brightest hopes, were headlining there’s also a wealth of great comedy talent in the support bill for this evening’s edition of XS Malarkey. Sean McLoughlin recently put out his excellent 2014 show ‘I Will Prevail’ on youtube, Laura Lexx who recently hit the headlines (comedy headlines at least) for taking down a sexist heckler with great aplomb), and sometime double act but here performing separately Julie Oliver and Phil Lucas. So get down early to catch all these wonderful acts for bargain prices.
www.wegottickets.com

Carey Marx | Solomons | Tue 10 May | 7.30pm | £5
If you’d rather not venture into the city centre on a school night then Trapdoor Comedy Club offers top stand up at a snip in Withington café bar Solomans. This week they have double headliners in the shape of Carey Marx and Steve Shanyaski. The mischievously dark Marx has won numerous awards including best international show at the New Zealand twice, and the wry observations of Shanyaski have been seen on The Royal Variety Show and Jason Manford’s Comedy Rocks so for just a fiver this night is an absolute steal.
www.wegottickets.com

Jon Hastings | Sandbar | Wed 11 May | 7.30pm | FREE
A weekly dose of free live comedy from the most prolific comedy stable in the city Dead Cat Comedy, here introducing Canadian cut up Jon Hastings on their Guinea Pigs platform. Guinea Pigs is Dead Cat’s new material/new act night where more seasoned performers try out their fresh bites and debutants dip their toes in for the first time. As Hastings gears up for another assault on the Edinburgh Fringe there’s no better place than in the snug of Sandbar to try out this work in progress show no doubt filled with the Cannuck’s surrealist observations.
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New Comedians | The Comedy Store | Sun 15 May | 7.30pm | £42
Alex Boardman welcomes a new crop of young guns to take the famous stage of Manchester’s comedy store. Always a great night as the charming and disarming Boardman introduces his favourite up and coming acts from around the country with a lovely atmosphere and a chance to see the future stars of British comedy. Only £4 a pop, and with students entry set at just a pound it’s a great way to end the weekend.
www.thecomedystore.co.uk

Mon 9 May - Sun 15 May
Words:
John Stansfield
Published on:
Mon 9 May 2016