Comedy Picks of the Week ft Milton Jones, Found Footage + more

Big Green Comedy Show | Dancehouse | Thu 23 Apr | 8pm | £10
The don of Dead Cat Comedy Red Redmond is a very vocal Green Party supporter, and now he’s putting his money – or rather, your money – where his mouth is. For this benefit show he’s assembled an admirably great lineup: XS Malarkey ringmaster Toby Hadoke, Foster’s nominated Liam Williams take to the stage along with Ben Van Der Velde and Harriet Dyer, who’s stepping in eleventh hour for Kiri Pritchard-Mclean. A lineup well worth the asking price, and with all proceeds going to that political party that’s slightly less evil than the other ones.
www.ticketline.co.uk

Frog’s 21st Birthday | Frog & Bucket | Thu 23 Apr | 8pm | £10
Love it or loathe it, The Frog & Bucket has played a huge role in shaping comedy in Manchester over the past 2 decades. Now turning 21 years – which means it’s old enough to get a pilot’s licence – it’s still business as usual for the club. David Longley introduces circuit fixtures Jeff Innocent and Justin Moorhouse who’ll be doing their thing. Also on the bill are newcomers Bisha K Ali and Jamali Maddix, the latter of whom won last year’s Chortle award.
www.frogandbucket.ticketsolve.com 

John Hegley (pictured) | The MET, Bury | Fri 24 Apr | 8pm | £14
As a performance poet, comedian, writer and musician, John Hegley has tried his hands at a lot over the years and excelled in all fields. One of the old guard of alternative comedians, he never scored the glittering television career of some of his contemporaries and you won’t find any talking heads proselytising his work on a mawkish Top 100 programme. This aside, he tours relentlessly and has firm, genuine connection with his adoring audience. Definitely worth a trip on the tram to see this hilarious, influential polymath.
www.themet.biz

Milton Jones | The Lowry | Sun 26 Apr | 8pm | £27
Jones comes hot on the heels of the godfather of puns Tim Vine, who’s already sold-out two dates at this venue for this week. Milton’s standup is a similar remit to Tim’s, but whereas as Vine bombards you with an end-of-the-pier assault of quick-fire gags, Jones proceeds at a more leisurely pace allowing his daft wordplay to really sink in. He’s a master of his craft, but if you’re not into ‘joke’ jokes then you really won’t like this at all.
www.thelowry.com

Found Footage Festival | Deaf Institute | Sun 26 Apr | 8pm | £10
Found Footage Fest returns to Manchester, this time with a Salute to Weirdos. The show’s pretty much what it says on the tin, a compendium of hilarious and weird clips scalped from basements and garage sales all over the world, topped off with a wry commentary. Being in American touring festival, it’ll be a while before they come back round these parts so it’s best to catch them while you can.
www.seetickets.com