January is the bluest month of the year but with the glut of comedy talent heading to Manchester in the second month of the year there’s an argument that the night is always darkest before the dawn. February’s stand-up offering is downright ridiculous with new shows from Jordan Brooks, Jamali Maddix, Josie Long, Jayde Adams and loads more whose names don’t begin with a “J”.
One of the most fascinating storytellers in comedy Carl Donnelly comes to XS Malarkey to headline an excellent bill of stand-up. XS never fails to book the biggest and best of British comedy and they’re kicking off the month with an absolute belter. Keep an eye out for the rest of the month’s lineup.
The man behind dystopic documentaries ‘Adventures in Futureland’ and ‘Hate Thy Neighbour’ brings his latest live show to The Dancehouse. ‘Strip Club Einstein’ is Maddix’s unfiltered, unflinching look at the current state of the world.
The most joyful comedian in the country turns her attention to her own bundle of joy as Josie Long chronicles her steps into motherhood. Honest and hilarious Long is always an absolute treat able to find the light in even the darkest of times.
Stephen Bailey is ready to have a conversation with you about the state of the world, but he’s categorically not talking about Brexit. Which makes a refreshing change. Listen to all the things Bailey has to say about all the important points* in his own inimitable way.
*except one
Jayde Adams excoriating look at self promotion in the social media age was released earlier this year on Amazon Prime under a less libellous title. You’d be best advised to watch this live version where she doesn’t have to worry about any censorship.
The best in cute confessional comedy comes back to the city with her new show ‘Say Hello To Your New Step Mummy’. Lou Sanders’ last show ‘Shame Pig’ was a real breakthrough and this one from the Taskmaster star looks to be equally as hilarious.
The Mash Report’s resident Irish spokesperson/queer reporter Catherine Bohart follows up her critically acclaimed and award nominated debut with this new work tackling the mix of her bisexuality with her Catholic upbringing.
‘A love story told through the medium of computer programming’ has no right to be the basis for a comedy show but in rising star Olga Koch’s capable hands it’s a hilarious dissection of our mangling of love and technology.
Surreal jokesmith Adam Hess promises a show to make you ‘laugh for an hour and not think once’, which is a lofty claim. The former is definitely true but the latter less so as you’ll constantly be wondering how on earth he comes up with his bizarrely constructed but brilliant material.
- Words:
- John Stansfield
- Published on:
- Tue 21 Jan 2020
Showing up with nothing and leaving with everything, Jordan Brookes semi-improvisational show was the big hit of last year’s Fringe eventually walking away with the Edinburgh Comedy Award for best show.