Comedy Picks of the Week ft Will Franken, Sara Pascoe + more

Will Franken | Fri 5 Sep | Chorlton Irish Club | 6.30pm | £10
Another fantastic comedy night that took a short break for the month of August whilst compere Justin Moorehouse scratched his Edinburgh break Laugh Local is back with a bang. The best comedy night in Chorlton welcomes ball of energy and some time character comedian Will Franken, a man who just won the Barry award at the Fringe, which is the only award voted for by fellow comedians. There’s more than an air of Robin Williams break neck inventiveness in Franken and he really is a maelstrom of wit and ridiculousness. An absolute treat for a Friday night.
www.ticketline.co.uk

Tom Stade | Sat 6 & Sun 7 Sep | The Lowry | 7.30pm | £17
The UK comedy scene is awash with émigrés looking at our quaint society from a different slant and pointing out just how ludicrous our country and its various conventions and pecadillloes really are. One such comic, and one of the best is Tom Stade. Bounding up and down the stage like he’s ready to leave but he’s forgotten his coat in this bizarre country, Stade points out the home truths with a great degree of vitriol and an ounce of love. Tearing up stages across the country he is a comic to catch whilst he’s still playing the smaller gigs.
www.thelowry.com

Sara Pascoe | Sun 7 Sep | The Old Monkey | 7.30pm | £5
Fresh of the back of a Foster’s comedy award nomination for best show at the Edinburgh Fringe Sara Pascoe comes to The Old Monkey on Portland Street for a show that really shouldn’t only cost a fiver. With a comedy rap sheet everyone should aim for she has appeared on Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo and Never Mind the Buzzcocks, as well as appearing in The Thick of It and Twenty Twelve. She is a master of self deprecation and pitch perfect delivery this is a steal for Tony Basnett’s comedy stable. Support comes from the giant mind of Sam Gore.
www.wegottickets.com

Carl Hutchinson | Tue 9 Sep | The Pub/Zoo | 7.30pm | £5/3
XS Malarkey never went away whilst all this Edinburgh Fringe nonsense was going on, it loves you too much for that. Such is its reputation as the best gig in town it pulled in some of the brightest comedy crop not in Scotland during the notoriously fallow month of August. It continues such good form with its acquisition of the talents of Carl Hutchinson. Recent recipient of Magner’s comedian of the year award Hutchinson brings fine observational comedy that is accessible and downright hilarious. Ably supported by Daniel Kennedy, Anth Young and Stephanie Laing there’s a good reason why everyone loves XS.
www.wegottickets.com