London comedy: From Ross Noble to Josie Long and Chris Tucker, the best stand-up shows this winter

Frankie Boyle: The Last Days of Sodom

The erstwhile Glaswegian comedian has had a tempestuous couple of years: being chastised for his comments on Rebecca Adlington’s appearance, quitting stand-up in 2010, getting his knuckles rapped for quipping about Paralympians and then winning a libel court case last month against the Daily Mirror, which labelled him racist.

Now he’s back on stage with a new show, and it is definitely not going to be for the fainthearted. You have been warned.

Nov 8-11, 7pm, £25
W6 9QH 
Tube | Hammersmith 
hammersmithapollo.com

Ross Noble: Mindblender

When you lose all of your belongings – Noble’s were destroyed in the bushfires in Victoria in 2009 – it can be difficult: “What if you need to peel a potato?”

This was among  the surrealist shit-talker’s ruminations on what for others would have been a traumatic event.

He’s back in town for three free-wheeling nights of flights of fancy, that may or may not end up with plates of meat attached to your head, Cunningham Lindsey or people being bummed in the face, as Noble fans will know.

Nov 29-Dec 1, 8pm, £25
W6 9QH
Tube | Hammersmith
hammersmithapollo.com

Trevor Noah: The Racist

Noah’s been on the stand-up scene for all of five years, but he has already become one of the most talked about young acts on the circuit.

Quickly outgrowing his native SA comedy circle, he wowed at the Fringe and now makes his London debut. With his sharpness of wit and astute commentary, he’s a star in the making – trust us.

Dec 5-Jan 12, 7.30pm, £10+
W1D 3NE 
Tube | Oxford Circus
sohotheatre.com

Josie Long: Romance and Adventure

Long’s sixth solo show is about growing up, climbing up a mountain and pretending to be Godzilla.

If you don’t like the sound of that, Long says, use the show’s hour duration “constructively, for your own thoughts”. Quite.

Nov 6-10, 8pm, £12.50
W1D 3NE 
Tube | Oxford Circus
sohotheatre.com

Doctor Brown: Befrdfgth

The physical comedian and Foster’s Best Comedy Show Award-winner 2012 brings his madcap clown show to town. Actual genius.

Oct 30-Nov 10, 9.30pm
& Mar 25-Apr 20, 7.30pm, £12+
W1D 3NE 
Tube | Oxford Circus
sohotheatre.com

Daniel Simonsen: Champions

A cracking effort on Russell Howard’s Good News shot this Norwegian on the path to fame, with his unique, quiet and confidence-deprived point of view offering a wholly different take on stand-up, and the world.

Jan 29-Feb 2, 7.15pm, £10+
W1D 3NE 
Tube | Oxford Circus
sohotheatre.com

Greg Davies: Back of my Mum’s Head

When he’s not berating The Inbetweeners boys as Mr Gilbert, Davies also tours excellent stand-up shows like this (the last was called Firing Cheeseballs At A Dog). Expect mental silliness.

Nov 17-27, 7pm, £20
W6 9QH
Tube | Hammersmith
hammersmithapollo.net

Read more: London comedy – Brand new kick-ass season of live comedy will blow away the winter blues