Hooters, labia, pink mango, and lizard kings – this month’s guide is just brimming over with all the things I specifically love. Add to that all the exciting news that’s been coming out and let me say, what a time to be alive.
Jayde Adams and Aisling Bea are going to be in the Take That jukebox movie; Helen Bauer just released a HILARIOUS pilot on BBC Three/iPlayer (Small Doses, watch it!); trailers and teasers have been doing the rounds for season three of Derry Girls; Tamsyn Kelly is developing a sitcom about her youth in Penzance; Nida Manzoor’s We Are Lady Parts has been acknowledged multiple times by the BAFTAs for the masterpiece that it is.
AND we have a date for the next series of Taskmaster featuring Sophie Duker, Judi Love, AND Bridget Christie on the line-up alongside Ardal O’Hanlan and Chris Ramsey. I’ve been rewatching some (all) of the previous series in prep and I’m confident that this is a really, really good spread of comics. Absolutely buzzing to see all of them completely lose their minds.
Live shows-wise, I’ve gone to town a bit on mixed bill shows this month, because I want to give you as many comedians as I can and I reckon that has been well and truly delivered. Strap in, and get your ticket-buying fingers at the ready.
Laughing Labia
Sunday 3rd April, Phoenix Arts Club (and later online)
Let’s kick things off with some labia. Just how I like it. 2012 Funny Women Awards finalist Alice Frick hosts this regularly sold-out comedy night, with this particular one being recorded for repeat viewing on Nextup (comedy fans, sign up). The gorgeous line-up includes Njambi McGrath, Shazia Mirza, Cecilia Delatori, Lauren Karl. For more information and tickets, click here!
Mama’s Comedy
Wednesday 6th April, Poster Hauss Stoke Newington
It’s a total smoke show down in Stokey with this one. Mama’s Comedy is a biweekly female-led night this time headlined by Heidi Reagan and MC-d by Hannah Brissenden, with Louise Bastock, Kathryn Higgins, Davina Bentley and Victoria Olsina leading the charge. There’s also an appearance from one lovely token male, Rajiv Karia, for a little sprinkle of variety. If you love it (which you will) and are a low-key risk-taker, you could book immediately for their next show on 20th — no line-up announced just yet but you know you want to. For more information and tickets, click here!
Jenny Bede: The Musical
Thursday 7th – Saturday 9th April, Soho Theatre
It should really be illegal to be both funny AND musically talented. Jenny Bede would be locked up in Zoe’s jealousy jail (jk abolish prisons). I haven’t seen this show since it was a work-in-progress in an Islington basement, but it was a genuine smash hit at Edinburgh and finally comes to London bursting with original songs and an entirely unironic appreciation of musical theatre. Quite right too. Very excited to see it again. AND as if that weren’t enough, she’s work-in-progressing her new show The First Pregnant Woman in the World at the end of the month. For more information and tickets, click here!
Hooters
Thursday 7th April, 2Northdown
Not one, not two but three comedy gifts here all in a row. You’ll know Funny Women Awards ‘one to watch’ Tatty Macleod from her hilarious French vs English vids but you’re missing out if you haven’t seen her live. Katie Norris, aka half of comedy duo Norris & Parker, is performing a one-woman west country cabaret (best thing I’ve ever heard). Jessica Aszkenasy is a fast-rising star performing at comedy nights in London all the bloody time being brilliant. You can’t say we don’t give you the gems. For more information and tickets, click here!
VFD: Queer Comedy Nights
Wednesday 13th April, VFD
Alert, alert. It’s a brand new regular set of queer comedy nights, people. And it’s in one of London’s best queer venues, VFD in Dalston. Kicking off the first of these nights, which will run up to Edinburgh Fringe (firmly in our sights now), features two total big name gems sharing the stage, both of whom you’ll have seen loads of recently. First up is Sarah Keyworth, whose hour you can catch on Amazon Prime, and secondly, Sophie Duker, a regular on the telly, including the upcoming new series of Taskmaster. For more information and tickets, click here!
Serena Flynn: Lizard King
Thursday 21st — Friday 22nd April, the Wardrobe Theatre Bristol
Tick tock, it’s drag king o’clock. Tbh I’d like to live in an all drag king timezone if that could be arranged, please. I’m of the opinion that drag kings and things are the best performers out there at the moment, a theory that can be backed up by Serena Flynn’s show. Which stars a big, powerful lizard, a very sexy lizard that you will be in love with before the hour is up. For more information and tickets, click here!
Pink Mango does The Birth of Venus
Friday 22nd August, Pleasance London
It’s clown time — you know me, I can’t get through one of these without talking about some clowns. And what’s better than a clown? TWO clowns! Comedy duo Pink Mango are bringing their show about sex and pleasure from the point of view of two alien women from Venus. Naturally. There’ll be music, there’ll be dancing, it’ll be the “risqué journey of a lifetime”. That’s what we like to hear. For more information and tickets, click here!
Cupidity Comedy: Easter Extravaganza
Tuesday 26th April, Comedy Cabin Hoxton
Alright fellow singles, time to get proactive about finding love. Speed dating is so passé, darling, now it’s all about the live set up. Cupidity Comedy’s vibe is: we’re gonna fight, fight, fight, fight, fight for the love of a random audience member, who then gets to choose their new beau at the end of the night. This month, we’ve got Fatiha El-Ghorri, Louisa Keight, and Niamh Curran battling it out for the lucky random’s heart (you could be that random). For more information and tickets, click here!
Tickled Pink
Saturday 30th April, 21Soho
Tickled Pink has been a real fixture over the pandemic, bringing loads of fantastic comics to stages AND front rooms on a monthly basis. Now taking over 21Soho, Judith Critchley’s fab night has a really stellar line-up lined up to celebrate women in comedy: Headliner Caroline Mabey, host Sharlin Jahan, Ginnia Cheng, Cheekykita, Heleana Blackwell, and Miss Mo’Real. For more information and tickets, click here!
Brighton Nights
Saturday 30th April, Komedia Brighton
Rounding off April, Funny Women’s monthly gig is serving another smashing line-up from the Funny Women Awards and beyond. This time we’ve got the wonderful returning host Fiona Ridgewell, who is joined by Arielle Souma, Julia Stenton, Claire Haus, Suchandrika Chakrabarti, and headliner Susan Riddell. Stunning stuff.
P.S. Make sure you check out Funny Women’s other night this month at Bristol’s Wardrobe Theatre on 19th April, hosted by Louise Leigh. For more information and tickets, click here!
