Katie Mulgrew, Newcastle upon Tyne
Anyone attempting to theorise about the genetic aspect of comedic ability will find some conflicting data in the case of Manchester’s Katie Mulgrew. The daughter of old-school funnyman Jimmy Cricket, she has her dad’s warmth and easy way with a crowd, but yokes it to a far more contemporary comic sensibility. Mulgrew’s set is all about oversharing: the awkwardness of her schooldays, the bizarre details of her deepest fantasies, the (sometimes literal) ins and outs of her marriage. All of this is presented in a spirit of effervescent positivity, so that even when her flaws make her the butt of the joke, we’re laughing along like indulgent mates rather than in sneery ridicule. Her combination of down-to-earth realism and effective gagsmithery means she will certainly float the boat of fans of Kerry Godliman and Sarah Millican.
The Stand, Mon to 20 Dec
Adam Riches: Adam Of The Riches, London
Winning the Edinburgh comedy award can be a passport to TV fame – as it was for the likes of Sean Hughes, The League Of Gentlemen and Russell Kane – but for many it doesn’t quite pan out that way. You could be forgiven for thinking Adam Riches (winner of the award in 2011) had missed the boat in some way, but in fact he’s taken a level-headed approach, taking the bauble as a recognition of his great live work but rejecting the blandishments of showbiz to concentrate on perfecting his distinctive comedy. If you haven’t seen Riches before, you’d be well advised to avoid the front row, since he specialises in an extremely immersive and provocative brand of audience participation. In the past, crowd members have been propositioned, forced to play wacky games and, memorably, required to dribble water into the performer’s mouth. It all makes for an outlandish spectacle that could be tailor-made for the festive season.
Soho Theatre, W1, to 3 Jan
Robin Ince, London
When Robin Ince called time on his annual atheist Christmas shows last year, there was some doubt that this really was the end. Appropriate, perhaps, since scepticism is the defining hallmark of Ince’s intellectual approach to comedy. Anyway, he’s back, dropping the Nine Lessons And Carols For Godless People title for a brace of shows targeted at his sizeable rationalist fanbase. Christmas Science Ghosts (Bloomsbury Theatre, W1, Mon to 21 Dec) assembles an impressive lineup of comics and clever people – including Stewart Lee, Josie Long and Mary Beard – to tackle topics loosely related to the ghosts of Christmases past, present and yet to come. Then, Brian And Robin’s Christmas Compendium Of Reason (Eventim Apollo, W6, Thu & Fri) sees him team up with Brian Cox for two nights of laughter, logic and A-list guests: last year had Hugh Grant turning up onstage to bring Ross Noble hummus.
