Five for a fiver

Five for a fiver

12 April, 2011
by: Spoonfedcomedy

Strapped for cash? There are plenty of great comedy nights around London for £5 and under.

There’s nothing worse than forking out your last tenner for a night of comedy, leaving you with no money for a pint. Okay, there are plenty of things worse, but it’s pretty darned inconvenient.

Fortunately, there are plenty of comedy shows around London that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Generally, mid-week club nights offer the best value and you can often save £5-10 just by avoiding Saturday gigs.

Preview shows are always cheap, as established comedians test out new material before national tours. Edinburgh previews run throughout April-July and will cost you around £5, but keep an eye out for great value shows throughout the year at the Pleasance, Etcetera, Canal Cafe, and Hen and Chickens theatres.

The Spoonfed team know how important it is to tighten the purse strings during times of recession, so we’ve put together this list of regular comedy gigs for £5. Now that we’ve saved you some money you can buy us a round, right?

The Fortnight Club
Established 20 years ago by a handful of comedians including Lee Hurst, Mark Billingham and QI’s Alan Davies, The Fortnight Club is London’s longest running new material night. Acts to test out new material at the club over the years include Lenny Henry, Jo Brand, Andy Parsons, Lucy Porter, Lee Mack, Milton Jones, Catherine Tate, Stephen Merchant, and Eddie Izzard. Phew! The Fortnight Club left its Camden Head home in February 2011 for the much larger New Red Lion Theatre, so now you’ll have guaranteed elbow room as well as laughs.

Good Ship Comedy Club
Monday night is comedy night at the popular Kilburn boozer, the Good Ship. Every week it recruits the best in stand-up to give you a night of hilarity to wash away the Monday blues. At only £5 (£4 if you book online), the award-winning comedy club consistently sells out. With line-ups regularly featuring big names like Milton Jones, Simon Munnery and Andi Osho, it’s not hard to see why.

Old Rope
This popular and innovative Monday night show encourages leading comedians, circuit regulars and newcomers to drop their safety net and try out new material. Old Rope gets its name from the noose that hangs above the stage, which comedians must grab onto ("hanging"/"killing" their new material) if they bomb, at which point they can go back to their old routines and gags.

Test Tube Comedy
Another monthly comedy night with consistently good line-ups, Test Tube Comedy features some of the best up-and-coming stand up and sketch acts on the circuit, some offbeat acts and (usually) one well-known headliner. Past headliners have included Jerry Sadowitz, Scott Capurro, Stephen Carlin, Tony Law and Pappy’s Fun Club. Tickets at the door are £7, but you can save £2 by booking in advance.

We Love Comedy
Held on the third Thursday of the month at the Old King’s Head near Borough Market, We Love Comedy showcases the best possible comedy in an intimate setting. The organisers describe the monthly night as “boutique comedy”, but at £5 (advance tickets only), you don’t have to be part of the bourgeoisie to get in. Recent acts to feature here include Abandoman, Dr George Ryegold, and Patrick Monahan.


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Image credit: Nick Reynolds

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