South London has an embarrassment of riches as far as comedy goes and its not afraid to use it! With nearly 60 venues to choose from on southlondonscene.co.uk I thought a little discernment was needed. This list features those establishments that have consistantly high quality frequent comedy that you can rely on.
Up The Creek 302 Creek Road Greenwich, London SE10 9SW
Easily the greatest comedy venue in south London was opened in 1991 by comedy impresario and performer Malcolm Hardee and has featured many of the most famous comics around since that time. They have headliner weekend shows Friday to Sunday together with an open mic night on Thursdays and a London comedy course graduation performance. After the comedy at the weekends the chairs are swept away and there is a nightclub until the early hours.
Banana Cabaret at The Bedford 77 Bedford Hill Balham SW12 9HD
Another famous venue which used to be a hotel and has the huge Globe theatre in the back together with a number of upstairs rooms available for hire. Banana cabaret is on Fridays and Saturdays with access to a club afterwards and midweek new acts nights upstairs. The Globe at the Bedford is not an exclusively comedy venue but hosts bands and singer-songwriters midweek.
The Miller 96 Snowfields Road London Bridge SE1 3SS
Formerly the Old Miller of Mansfield the pub was demolished in the 60's and rebuilt. The interior is quite nice and the room used for the comedy is a respectable size. There are comedy nights midweek with impov evening Tuesday and Wednesday and €Hungry Miller's Comedy Laughbag' is a regular Monday night with impressive line ups, Hal Cruttenden, Stfano Paolini and Arthur Smith gracing the stage in recent weeks. Not bad for 4 on a Monday.
The Cavendish Arms 128 Hartington Rd, Stockwell, SW8 2HJ
Since 2008 this pub has been presenting bands and comedy in a back room turned into a very intimate theatre. There are €comedy virgin' nights Mondays and Tuesdays together with other regular comedy nights such as Bob & Jim's Sunday special once a month and €Comedy Slappers' fortnightly on Wednesdays. Best for up and coming acts. Some Shows are FREE.
Bromley Comedy Club at The Churchill Theatre (An Ambassador Theatre Group Theatre) 108 High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA
Founded in 2004 and moving home several times, Bromley Comedy Club has come to rest in the bar of the Churchill theatre. Upcoming acts include headliners Sean Hughes and Imran Yussuf with 4-5 acts per night. Weekly on a Friday. It is the only comedy club in Bromley and I think it should gain kudos for Throgmorton Comedy, the company that established it, for that reason.
Outside The Box Kingston at The Fighting Cocks 56 Old London Road, Kingston-Upon-Thames KT2 6QA
A small but friendly weekly club featuring many of the latest talents. Apparently €star comedians' use the club to try out material before bringing it to TV. So the blurb on their website says anyway.
Comedy Carnival at The Clapham Grand 21 - 25 St John's Hill Clapham Junction (opposite Clapham Junction station) London SW11 1TT
Built as a music hall and now a live music and nightclub venue, it is a huge place with excitingly garish decor. The comedy club takes place on one of its three floors and it currently hosts the C4 show €Stand Up for the Week' as well as the €Comedy Carnival' Saturday show, a regular here since 2004. A range of tickets including dinner and club entry are available.
Gagster's Paradise at The Horse 124 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7RW
A regular comedy evening (fortnightly) that is free to enter apart from the occasional charity event which asks for donations. There are ten or so acts per night and it is a great place to spot new talent.
The Bearcat Comedy Club at The Turk's Head 28 Winchester Road St. Margaret's Twickenham London TW1 1LF
Situated in the function room of a grand old pub in Twickenham, Bearcat Comedy Club has been going since 1984! Saturdays are the days to see it and it has a line up of four or five comics per night from the circuit.
The Comedy Tree at The Wahoo Bar & Grill 14-16 Putney High Street Putney SW15 1SL
Founded in 2002 The Comedy Tree, so called because it started in a pub called the Litten Tree, is the brainchild of Pete Jonas and E. McElroy. The twice weekly gigs, on Thursday and Saturday, attracts the some of the best comics around. Tickets including dinner available.
Up The Creek 302 Creek Road Greenwich, London SE10 9SW
Easily the greatest comedy venue in south London was opened in 1991 by comedy impresario and performer Malcolm Hardee and has featured many of the most famous comics around since that time. They have headliner weekend shows Friday to Sunday together with an open mic night on Thursdays and a London comedy course graduation performance. After the comedy at the weekends the chairs are swept away and there is a nightclub until the early hours.
Banana Cabaret at The Bedford 77 Bedford Hill Balham SW12 9HD
Another famous venue which used to be a hotel and has the huge Globe theatre in the back together with a number of upstairs rooms available for hire. Banana cabaret is on Fridays and Saturdays with access to a club afterwards and midweek new acts nights upstairs. The Globe at the Bedford is not an exclusively comedy venue but hosts bands and singer-songwriters midweek.
The Miller 96 Snowfields Road London Bridge SE1 3SS
Formerly the Old Miller of Mansfield the pub was demolished in the 60's and rebuilt. The interior is quite nice and the room used for the comedy is a respectable size. There are comedy nights midweek with impov evening Tuesday and Wednesday and €Hungry Miller's Comedy Laughbag' is a regular Monday night with impressive line ups, Hal Cruttenden, Stfano Paolini and Arthur Smith gracing the stage in recent weeks. Not bad for 4 on a Monday.
The Cavendish Arms 128 Hartington Rd, Stockwell, SW8 2HJ
Since 2008 this pub has been presenting bands and comedy in a back room turned into a very intimate theatre. There are €comedy virgin' nights Mondays and Tuesdays together with other regular comedy nights such as Bob & Jim's Sunday special once a month and €Comedy Slappers' fortnightly on Wednesdays. Best for up and coming acts. Some Shows are FREE.
Bromley Comedy Club at The Churchill Theatre (An Ambassador Theatre Group Theatre) 108 High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA
Founded in 2004 and moving home several times, Bromley Comedy Club has come to rest in the bar of the Churchill theatre. Upcoming acts include headliners Sean Hughes and Imran Yussuf with 4-5 acts per night. Weekly on a Friday. It is the only comedy club in Bromley and I think it should gain kudos for Throgmorton Comedy, the company that established it, for that reason.
Outside The Box Kingston at The Fighting Cocks 56 Old London Road, Kingston-Upon-Thames KT2 6QA
A small but friendly weekly club featuring many of the latest talents. Apparently €star comedians' use the club to try out material before bringing it to TV. So the blurb on their website says anyway.
Comedy Carnival at The Clapham Grand 21 - 25 St John's Hill Clapham Junction (opposite Clapham Junction station) London SW11 1TT
Built as a music hall and now a live music and nightclub venue, it is a huge place with excitingly garish decor. The comedy club takes place on one of its three floors and it currently hosts the C4 show €Stand Up for the Week' as well as the €Comedy Carnival' Saturday show, a regular here since 2004. A range of tickets including dinner and club entry are available.
Gagster's Paradise at The Horse 124 Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7RW
A regular comedy evening (fortnightly) that is free to enter apart from the occasional charity event which asks for donations. There are ten or so acts per night and it is a great place to spot new talent.
The Bearcat Comedy Club at The Turk's Head 28 Winchester Road St. Margaret's Twickenham London TW1 1LF
Situated in the function room of a grand old pub in Twickenham, Bearcat Comedy Club has been going since 1984! Saturdays are the days to see it and it has a line up of four or five comics per night from the circuit.
The Comedy Tree at The Wahoo Bar & Grill 14-16 Putney High Street Putney SW15 1SL
Founded in 2002 The Comedy Tree, so called because it started in a pub called the Litten Tree, is the brainchild of Pete Jonas and E. McElroy. The twice weekly gigs, on Thursday and Saturday, attracts the some of the best comics around. Tickets including dinner available.
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