Comedy Picks of the Week ft Bad Comedy, Andrew O’Neill + more

Sidekick | Via | Mon 27 Apr | 7.30pm | £2
Kate McCabe welcomes four of the brightest young comics currently working in the Northwest to her monthly gig in the Village. Jonathan Pelham has been championed by comedy demagogues Bruce Dessau and Steve Bennett, Manchester institution Comedy Balloon’s favourite Lukas Kirkby, PBH-backed Bobby Murdock and Liam Bolton who is one of the most original comic voices to ever come out of Merseyside. All in all a phenomenal line up of future talent for only two of your English pounds.
www.skiddle.com

Worst Comedy Night in Salford | Tue 28 Apr | 8pm | FREE
For a show unashamedly pointing out it’s awfulness in the title, it is rather impressive that WCNIS has made it to the toddler stage, celebrating its second birthday at King’s Arms this Tuesday. A welcoming atmosphere and a chance to see new and untested everythings from the assortment of stand ups, sketch artists and performers that gather in the snug of the Salford haven twice a month, this is a rare honest gem of a night in the sometimes cynical world of comedy. Here’s to many more birthdays.
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Mae Martin (pictured)| Kosmonaut | Thu 30 Apr | 8pm | £5
The impossibly likeable Mae Martin leads the charge of an all-female lineup (not including compere Red Redmond – there are some glass ceilings that might never be broken) at Kosmonaut’s MACE in what is an all too rare turn in Manchester for the London-based Canadian. Whimsical and witty, she makes even the ickiest of material seem saintly with her charming manner and terrible polite Cannuck upbringing. Also on board are Katie Mulgrew who is currently mining some comedy gold from her position as ‘pregnant lady’ (you can check out her blog here), the dark and delightful Rachel Fairburn and Leicester Mercury comedian of the year finalist Kiri Pritchard-McLean.
www.skiddle.com

Andrew O’Neill | Joshua Brooks | Fri 1 May | 7pm | £12
The metalhead and amateur occultist Andrew O’Neill is presenting ‘The History of Heavy Metal’ to those that might want to learn a little about the art of moshing that’s brilliantly funny for those that aren’t too au fait with the more hardcore end of rock music, but even funnier for die hard fans of the dark arts. An art form that’s more than ripe for parody (and has been mined more than once) but treated here with love as well as consternation, as his knowledge is unsurpassable and his joke writing ability undeniable.
www.skiddle.com

The Magnificent 7 | Gorilla | Sat 2 May | pm | £10
‘Comedy connoisseurs’ (Manchester Wire) Group Therapy bring another round of their favourite up-and-coming acts from the last year they have spied whilst drinking in as much stand up as is humanly possible. The two acts that they have deigned to announce are a solid indication of the caliber of the rest. Joshua Ross recently won Jewish Comedian of the Year and headliner John Robertson will be making his first appearance in Manchester after dazzling audiences around the World with his antipodean charm. Holding the whole thing together will be regular MC Danny McLoughlin. You can read our full preview here.
www.seetickets.com