It’s official. Festival season has arrived, by which I mean, the season when I start my three-month-long panic about which comedy festivals I’m going to go to has arrived. I’ve already fallen at the first hurdle by missing Machynlleth Comedy Festival, which people are descending on RIGHT NOW, while I type away like a bitter little gremlin. I’m not making that mistake again — Brighton Fringe, you’re next, and you won’t know what’s hit you (it’s me, I’m gonna hitchoo).
There’s a whole buttload of exciting comedy shows taking shape at the moment — the next couple of months is one of my favourite times to go to gigs because you get to see how it develops. As a date recently informed me when I went off on a 10 minute monologue about WIPs, “dude, you’re, like, a massive nerd”. Yeah, I know, that’s why we’re on our first date at the Bill Murray. (This whole paragraph was a ruse so I could look cool by mentioning I went on a date.)
It’s not all dating and comedy WIPs this month, though, I’ve slipped in some theatre, some drag, some light alien invasions. Whatever your flavour, tis the season to be laughing, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Pickle
Monday 2nd — Saturday 7th May, Park Theatre
Ari is Jewish, she’s in her 20s, she works as a feature writer for a local newspaper — I’m starting to think Deli Segal might have stalked me (in 2016) to write this show. Pickle is a new comedy about being Jewish and secular in the UK, juggling overbearing parents, work, dating, bagels, and guilt (that’s about all there is, right?). For more information and tickets, click here!
Amy Gledhill & Alison Spittle
Saturday 7th May, 2Northdown London
Two shows from two A+ comedians: Amy and Alison! You’ll know Amy Gledhill from the incomparable double act The Delightful Sausage and brilliant podcast A Lovely Time, and now she’s making her solo debut with The Girl Before The Girl You Marry. Joining her in this double helping of work-in-progress is Alison Spittle, talking about her love for aqua-aerobics and scuffles and seeing these two worlds collide in WET. Being in the company of both of these two will be a total joy — guaranteed. For more information and tickets, click here!
Sara Segovia: ¡SUPERNUEVA!
Saturday 7th — Sunday 8th May, Rotunda Theatre, Brighton Fringe
It only takes one alien to invade the Earth and right now, the alien of the week is Sara Segovia, who is touching down at Brighton Fringe to take your jobs and your women. Describing herself as the “Spanish mutant lovechild of E.T. and a Powerpuff Girl”, I have a feeling she’s going to be successful. Her debut hour takes a wacky look at what it means to be an outsider, created together with her Pointy Finger clowny trio colleagues, Lachlan Werner and Laurie Luxe. For more information and tickets, click here!
Selena Mersey: Madonna/Whore
Saturday 7th, Saturday 14th — Sunday 15th May, Rotunda Theatre, Brighton Fringe
Oh Freudy Freudy Freud, how would we navigate the psychosexual quagmire without all your lovely cliches? Luckily, we never have to find out because that shit is ingrained in your subconscious, dude. Musical Comedy Awards finalist Selena Mersey is taking us on a journey around the Madonna/Whore complex with a gorgeous combo of everything cabaret, from comedy to music to burlesque and back to comedy again. It’s a full-length, filthy, feminist odyssey from a truly exciting performer. For more information and tickets, click here!
What The Funny?
Thursday 12th May, The Sundial Kitchen, Bristol
I’m starting to feel like laughing isn’t enough — more comedy nights need prizes. Jasmine Morton’s new monthly night in Bristol is bringing ‘two truths and a lie’ to the stage with What The Funny’s all women/non-binary/trans/queer line-ups, and it’s comedy you have the chance to WIN. The first one will have Natalie Durkin, Mel Owen, Jack Coles and Pravanya Pillay (who, by the way, is everywhere I look at the moment and I love it because she is hilarious) and an as yet unannounced, exciting, mystery headliner. For more information and tickets, click here!
Athena Kugblenu: Shaking Her Class
Monday 16th — Saturday 21st May, Soho Theatre
If you haven’t heard Athena Kugblenu’s recent Radio 4 special Magnifying Class, you really should go and listen to it, or (/and) go to see Shaking Her Class for the unabridged version of her new hour. Asking such questions as what does having quilted toilet roll and a conservatory say about her identity, she dives into the topic of class and whether we need to have a rethink about the way we talk about it. For more information and tickets, click here!
Judi Love
Monday 16th — Tuesday 17th May, Monkey Barrel Edinburgh
If you’re not watching Judi Love on Taskmaster at the moment, why not? This is your final warning. She is absolutely killing it with the catchphrases (“is there a duck on my face?”) and while she may not be top of the class on task performance, the newly self-styled Queen Zafoofoo is my number one contestant for laugh hit rate. Lucky Edinburgh locals can enjoy two nights of work-in-progress from her this month. For more information and tickets, click here!
Can I Call You Back?
Wednesday 18th — Thursday 19th May, Theatre Peckham
Last year’s Funny Women Comedy Writing Award nominee Emily Rennie is taking us back to August of 2016 with her new one woman comedy show. During one of the hottest summers on record and on the verge of university, Steph’s medication has stopped working and she’s been in her room for two weeks. The coming-of-age show explores visible auto-immune disorders, body image and overcoming grief. For more information and tickets, click here!
The Family Jewels: MANdemonium
Thursday 26th May, Camden People’s Theatre
Drag kings are my ultimate weakness. I just can’t help myself — The Family Jewels KNOW that and are using it against me. This group of kings (Beau Jangles, Dan Load, Dickie Martin, Raymond, and Sir) are armed with a new show full of comedy, singing, lip syncing and, obviously, raw sex appeal set in the year 3020. Taking place in the wake of the Gender Wars, MANdemonium charts the decline of Earth’s men, who have finally been banned, apart from this five — the 31st century’s last remaining men. For more information and tickets, click here!
The Geek Shall Inherit…
Monday 30th May — Friday 3rd June, Sweet @ The Poets, Brighton Fringe
Sci-fi + comedy + musical = a massive hell yes from us over here. Hattie Snooks’ new show is a celebration of all the best geek telly through song, while exploring anxiety, self-care and being a bit of a mess. As someone who manages their anxiety by constantly rewatching Doctor Who at a frankly alarming rate, this is one for me. For more information and tickets, click here!
