Comedy Picks of the Week ft. Sam Simmons, Hayley Ellis + more

Mrs Barbara Nice | The Railway Inn | Mon 8 Dec | 7.30pm | £5
Tony Basnett’s Trapdoor Comedy is showing itself to be on eof the best comedy nights in Manchester with its dual run at both The Old Monkey in the city centre and then this little ripper of a gig at The Railway in West Didsbury. Attracting star talent every month to these quaint Joseph Holt pubs. December is no different with the wonderful Mrs Barbara Nice, Stockport’s favourite housewife, and Manchester Wire’s favourite mad auntie at a party. Support comes from Alyson June Smith.
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/298732

Sam Simmons (pictured) | The Pub/Zoo | Tue 9 Dec | 7.30pm | £5/3
Technically their last show of the year (the host a comedian’s Christmas party the following Tuesday) and they seem to have saved the best for last. Twice nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award (most recently in August), Australian stand up Sam Simmons has his own take on comedy. And he doesn’t seem to care whether you like it or not. Throwing in bizarre artwork of his own making this antipodean funnyman is a unique performer that should really have a larger stage. Support comes from Rob Rouse, Alfie Brown and Nina Gilligan in what could be XS’s best show since it moved to The Pub/Zoo at the start of the year.
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/293282

Twisted | The Frog & Bucket | Wed 10 Dec | 7.30pm | £5 (£8 OTD)
Last month Frog and Bucket debuted its new bizarre twist on the standard stand up gig fittingly entitled ‘Twisted’ and it was since the talk of the Manchester Comedy circuit with acts eager to try their hand at this new take on a comedy night. This time they have Barbara Nice headlining and setting the rules for the other comics, and Kiri Pritchard Mclean hosting and helping test the comics that take to the stage. A fresh spin on a tired system that’s well worth you trying out.
https://frogandbucket.ticketsolve.com/shows/873522934/events?show_id=873522934

Quippodrome Quipmas Quarol | Mono | Thu 11 Dec | 8pm | £3
Dubious puns aside this Christmas installment of Quippopotamus’ sketch, stand up and weird stuff night is sure to be a real treat. The Quippodrome consists of Jack Evans, Jon Whiteley, Jayne Edwards, Edy Hurst and the infrequent use of a projector. A collection of Manchester’s brightest and strangest comedy minds the show itself takes in all manner of styles and no two performances are alike. Opening the show is the equally madcap Harriet Dyer, a nice surreal aperitif for the strange entrée that those Quip kids serve up.
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/299641

Hayley’s House Party | Three Minute Theatre | Sun 14 Dec | 7pm | £4 (£5 OTD)
Hayley Ellis is throwing a house party and doesn’t care who comes. Probably because it’s not at her actual house, it’s at 3 Minute Theatre and they’re the ones that’ll have to deal with fall out of sick on the stairs, crying in the bathroom and ket in the kitchen. Though she probably won’t have to contend with those issues she did have to book some outstanding acts, which she has done so with aplomb. She will be joined on this Sunday evening event by one line meister Danny Sutcliffe, award winning sketch act Gein’s Family Giftshop, the beautiful mind of Liam Bolton and affable American Kate McCabe. There’ll also be music provided by Jess Kemp, making for one party you should really clamber to get an invite to. Or just pay the entry fee like a good egg.
http://www.threeminutetheatre.co.uk/#!product/prd2/3157309851/hayley’s-christmas-house-party