The best: Manchester comedy of the week FT Christopher Macarthur-Boyd, Will Owen and Paul Black

Spingboarded somewhat by his part as one of a pair of co-hosts on Frankie Boyle’s Here Comes The Guillotine podcast (alongside the also excellent Susie McCabe), Christopher Macarthur-Boyd (CMB for short) is continuing to prove himself as more than an equal to those two more experienced comics. Whipsmart and with a turn of phrase to rival any stand-up, CMB is one to watch at these intimate gigs while you still can.

Another rising star on the UK scene, Will Owen brings his debut tour to Manchester after a couple of smashing Edinburgh Fringe runs. A deep thinker with a shallow tone, Owen veers from profound to catty in the blink of an eye, and it’s a joy to behold. After having toured with the likes of Ania Magliano and Rhys Nicholson, Owen looks set to break out on his own.

Another Scottish rising star coming to the city as Paul Black is at The Frog to close out your week in some style. Primarily known for his hilarious online sketches, Black is also a master storyteller on the stand-up stage, and where his last tour leaned more into his sketch tendencies, here he showcases a mix of sharp observations, colourful characters, impressions and no shortage of Glaswegian charm.