Where to find funny this week
Sunday 5 May: Andy Parsons brings his I've Got a Shed tour to the Rose Theatre in Kingston; it's nearly sold out so book fast if you want to see him (7.30pm, £10-£15 + bf).
Monday 6 May: Stewart Lee was meant to be playing Happy Mondays in New Cross tonight but has had to postpone until 9 September (consider this your in advance top tip). Instead you can see sketch duo Cardinal Burns plus Phil Wang, Jen Brister, Henry Paker and MC Holly Walsh (8pm, £5).
Tuesday 7 May: Steve Pretty and special guests – some of them instruments, some of them human – are at Leicester Square Theatre for an edutaining evening gig-slash-comedy night (7pm, £8 / £6).
Wednesday 8 May: Nina Conti (pictured) knocked everyone over with two documentaries last year; His Master's Voice and Make Me Happy. Now she's back doing rude and outrageous ventriloquism at the Soho Theatre, and it's selling out fast (7.30pm, £12.50-£20).
Thursday 9 May: See adorable (and very sharp) Canadian Mae Martin at the Camden Head for just £1, with support from Sarah Campbell (7.30pm).
Friday 10 May: The excellent Paul Sinha is on at Comedy Carnival in Leicester Square, with Keith Farnan, Sean Meo and Pete Jonas MCing (8pm, £12).
Saturday 11 May: This is another storming week for Invisible Dot; if we listed all the gigs we did little intakes of breath over we'd have nothing else mentioned on this page. So, instead, we're recommending Ed Byrne headlining Live at the Chapel tonight, with Tony Law, Doc Brown, Mae Martin and Andrew Maxwell (7.45pm, £18 / £16) and, winding back up through the week, you can see previews from Daniel Simonsen and Jamie Demetriou for £5 on Wednesday, Colin Hoult, Mike Wozniak, Kieran Hodgson and more of the New Wave on Thursday and Claudia O'Doherty for free on Friday.
Tip us off to friendly, intelligent, alternative comedy around town [email protected], read our guide to watching live comedy in London and our top 10 themed comedy nights.
