book tickets
Lucy Porter: Be Prepared
TV favourite Lucy returns with another fantastic stand-up show.
At Brownies, Lucy thought she’d be prepared for anything as long as she had her emergency 10p for a phone box and knew how to tie a Fisherman’s knot.
Life turned out to be slightly more complicated than Brown Owl let on.
Recent TV includes Would I Lie to You, QI and Impossible, she’s a regular on Radio 4’s News Quiz and The Now Show.
WHY? ‘A treat from start to finish’ The Herald
‘Impeccably punch-lined anecdotes… genuinely delightful‘ The Telegraph
Age Guidance 14+ years.
Courtyard Theatre
£16 (£14 conc)
other events you may be interested in
Justin Moorhouse: Northern Joker
These days Justin’s not certain about anything apart from his uncertainty – Brexit looms, it appears the Cold War is being rebooted and that’s before we begin to worry about what’s happening in America…..closer to home he’s starting to feel redundant as a parent.
One kid is leaving home, the dog is getting older and doesn’t need much walking, and the youngest kid hits thirteen and cancels the family subscription to The Beano.
On top of this the golden age of the Northern straight white male comedian has gone the way of the dinosaurs. How will he adapt if he wants to survive? What next for this Northern Joker? What can he talk to his daughter about now she cares little for Dennis the Menace and the Bash St Kids?
Hang on. Perhaps nothing has changed that much. When he was thirteen, the Russians were scary, the White House was a madhouse and he’d never been to Europe anyhow. Thinking back this was when his reading habits changed too, more Dark Knight than Desperate Dan, more Catwoman than Minnie the Minx. Perhaps our heroes never went away….they just waited for us to pick them up again. Perhaps she just needs a different type of comic.
WHY? 'Comedic tour-de-force… brought a tear to a critical glass eye' The Herald
'Simultaneously down-to-earth and out of this world' The List
'The amount of first-rate comic craft that goes into his deceptively simple routines is worthy of admiration' Guardian
Age guidance: 14+ years.
Studio
£14 (£12 conc)
The Scummy Mummies Show
Join comedians Ellie Gibson and Helen Thorn as they celebrate the scummier side of parenting, from drinking wine at teatime to hiding from the PTA.
Expect stand-up, sketches, songs, and some very scummy stories. Guaranteed to make parents laugh and non-parents happy about their life choices.
Based on the hit Scummy Mummies podcast and best-selling book. As seen in The Sunday Times and heard on Radio 4.
WHY? 'Likeably straight-talking' The Telegraph
'Very funny' The Guardian
'Hilarious' Broadway Baby
Courtyard Theatre
£17
- 1 Nov LIMITED
- 22 Nov SOLD OUT
Susie Dent presents The Secret Life of Words
Lexicographer - Best Selling Author – Queen of Dictionary Corner
Take a journey into the curious, unexpected, and downright surreal origins of the words we use every day. Susie will retell the adventures that lie hidden within such words as lasagne (involving a chamber pot) and bugbear (a terrorising monster), and explain such oddities as the silent h in ghost and the mysterious disappearance of kempt, gormful, and ruly (and yes, you really can be gruntled). She will look to the lexicon of the past to fill some of today’s linguistic gaps – such as the frenzied fit of tidying we all do just as guests are about to descend (that’s a scurryfunge).
Alongside such forgotten stories you will hear Susie’s selection of the funniest moments from her 25 years on Countdown and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, as well as some startling results from eavesdropping on a group of waiters.
Each evening will include some of Susie’s favourite words from the towns and regions she visits, and she’ll be asking the audience for theirs. In fact, she’ll be welcoming any questions about word origins, usage irritations, the dreaded impact of Americanization, and the very future of our language in her very own ‘word surgery’.
WHY? 'Funny, fact-filled and delightful' Jonathan Ross
'Wonderfully clever and funny... a national treasury from a national treasure Richard Osman
'Susie Dent is a one-off. She breathes life and fun into words' Pam Ayres
Disclaimer: Susie explores the many meanings and origins of everyday words including a short section on swearing. Some may view it as unsuitable for the younger ears.
Courtyard Theatre
£20
Jayde Adams' The Ballad Of Kylie Jenner's Old Face
As seen on 8 Out Of 10 Cats does Countdown, Comedy Central's Roast Battle & BBC's upcoming TV show Good Omens.
In 2019 if you want to be a 'successful independent woman person' you better have something you want to say and you better be wearing a Serious Black Jumper™. In her SBJ™ Jayde will rifle through all the noise and self-promotion and figure out what's actually going on.
WHY? 'She’s a star' The Guardian
Studio
£12
A Festive Evening of Burlesque and Vaudeville
Have you been naughty or nice this year?
Whatever the answer, Hundred Watt Club's glorious gift to you is this hot toddy of a show!
Jam packed full of festive, glittering showgirls, bawdy comedy, classic vaudeville and awe inspiring circus acts. Always seductive, always sublime and always that little bit ridiculous - enjoy an evening of vintage inspired, Christmas themed entertainment.
‘Harking back to the gin drenched halcyon days of a grimy Berlin nightclub in the 1930s, The Hundred Watt Club sparkles, fizzles, and shines brightly on a dark night’ Fringe Review
Hundred Watt Club employ and embrace adult themes, strong language and partial nudity - not for the faint hearted or easily offended!
There’s no dress code: Hundred Watt Club love it when their audiences dress in their vintage finery and red-carpet glamour, but if you're more comfy in jeans and sneakers - wear them!
WHY? The perfect festive night out!
Age Suitability 18+ years.
Courtyard
£16
Presented by Hundred Watt Club
Stephen K Amos: Everyman
Stephen K Amos is on a mission to bring about world peace.
Or, to at least bring about an evening of peace, one venue at a time. In an age when arguments are started over everything from politics to bendy straws, Stephen is rising above the anger to remind us of what we have in common.
Bringing achingly funny anecdotes, hilarious takes on the everyday and his infectious charm, Stephen K Amos will warm your cold, stiffened hearts. Join together with your fellow man and experience the universal language of laughter.
WHY? 'Comedy at its purest and richest form' ★★★★★ The Advertiser
'Amos has the sort of commanding presence and confidence that could only have come from years of working the circuit' ★★★★ Arts Hub
'One of the most likable figures in British comedy' Radio Times
‘Much loved King of stand-up’ ★★★★ North West End
Suitable for ages 16+ years.
Courtyard Theatre
£18
Flo & Joan - Before the Screaming Starts
Following last year’s sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Festival, London's Soho Theatre, national UK tour and at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, musical comedy sisters Flo & Joan have a new hour of their dark and waggish songs to parade about the place.
“These intricately crafted, flawlessly performed numbers will have you howling with laughter one minute,wiping away a tear the next” The Telegraph
‘Their style is stiletto sharp, their diction perfect as they race through their complex rhymes’ Evening Standard
Courtyard Theatre
£14
Christina Bianco: First Impressions
Presented by Broken Robot Productions & So Comedy by arrangement with Curtis Brown.
From The Ellen Degeneres Show, The Paul O’Grady Show, and ITV’s The Imitation Game, the girl with thousand voices returns to the UK with a brand new show for this nationwide tour. Through her uncanny impressions and musical mash-ups, this ‘comic firecracker with a pyrotechnic voice’ (Time Out) will celebrate the stars who’ve made lasting impressions on us all.
WHY? ‘A Tour De Force!’ New York Times
‘It's likely anyone observing this vocal obstacle course will spend many dazzled moments wondering how Bianco does it. Well, she does it with heart-stopping facility.’ Huffington Post
‘There’s no doubt – she’s a star’ Playbill
Courtyard Theatre
£15
Presented by Broken Robot Productions & So Comedy by arrangement with Curtis Brown.
have your say