August 2021 Update: It looks like the scene is finally getting back on its feet – most of the long-running stalwarts of open mic comedy in London are running again, plus a few new ones.
Some important notes:
- To book a spot you will need to apply via the night’s website or Facebook page. Some nights use booking forms, others just ask you to email, and sometimes they only accept booking requests at specific times when they are ready – they’re all different, read their pages.
- You’re very unlikely to get walk-in spots (where you just show up and sign up on the night without pre-booking) anywhere at the moment, except for Lion’s Den Comedy Car Crash.
- The nights marked “Bringer” will require you to take a friend along to join the audience on the night as a condition of performing. The nights which are not bringers will still be very appreciative if you can take any number of friends along – it all helps support the venue, the night, and the scene.
I’ve added a Google Calendar so you can see what gigs are running on any night of the week, and the full list of nights is below that. The calendar is starting to look a bit crowded, so click here to see the full version.
Please let me know if there’s a night that needs to be added to this list or if any details need to be updated. You can also check out the London Standup Comedy Map, which has lot of information on nights currently running in the city.
| Name | Venue | Nights | Link | Notes |
| We Are Funny Project | Farr’s School of Dancing, 19 Dalston Lane, London E8 3DF – Map | Tuesday Wednesday | WAFP FB Page | One of London’s longest running open mic nights. Popular with both newbies and established acts trying out new material. Each night features a professional headliner, so there’s usually a good audience. |
| Comedy Virgins | Cavendish Arms 128 Hartington Road Stockwell SW8 2HJ – Map | Monday Tuesday Wednesday | Comedy Virgins FB Page | Bringer. Popular, long running night, ideal for newbies. Almost every aspiring standup in London has been on stage here. Currently running as a hybrid socialy distanced live and online event. |
| Lion’s Den | Bar Rumba, 36 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 7EP – Map | Tuesday | Lion’s Den FB Page | A popular, long-running new act/material night in the West End. No need to book – just sign up on the door between 5:30pm and 6:30pm to get a spot. First come, first served. |
| Rising Star Comedy Club | The Old Crown, 33 New Oxford St, London WC1A 1BH – Map | Monday Tuesday | Rising Star FB Page | Bringer. Another popular, well established night which often draws a good audience. You can Be Your Own Bringer, which means if you attend one show as an audience member, you don’t need to bring a friend on the night of your own spot. |
| Instant Laughs | The Willoughby Arms, 47 Willoughby Rd, Kingston upon Thames KT2 6LN – Map | Wednesday | Instant Laughs FB Page | New act, new material night. Now running at a new venue in Kingston, as of August 30th 2021. |
| The Blackout | Up The Creek, 302 Creek Rd, Greenwich, SE10 9SW – Map | Thursday | Up the Creek Web Page Beat the Blackout Page | A gong show where the aim is to last a full five minutes without the audience kicking you off the stage. Email/Call for a spot. |
| Comedy Cabin RAW | Hoxton Cabin, 132 Kingsland Road, Hoxton E2 8DP – Map | Monday Saturday | Comedy Cabin Booking Page | Regular comedy nights throughout the week, but Monday evening and Saturday afternoon are RAW new act/material nights. You can book a spot through the FB page. More info about the club here. |
| Ding Dong Gong Show | Vauxhall Comedy club, 6, South Lambeth Place, London, SW8 1SP – Map | Sunday | Ding Dong Gong Show website | A new gong-show at Vauxhall Comedy Club, with a twist. As well as audience members being able to red-card acts off the stage, a panel of judges will give acts their feedback. The upside is that the best acts win a paid spot at one of the club’s pro-nights. |
| G&B Comedy | Arch1, Unit 1, West Ham Arches, Cranberry Lane, E16 4BJ – Map | Wednesday | G&B Comedy FB Page | Bringer. A popular, well established new act/new material night. |
| Comedy at the Birkbeck | 45 Langthorne Road, Leyton, London, E11 4HR – Map | Thursday (twice a month) | Comedy at the Birkbeck FB Page | A twice monthly new act/new material night, book via the FB page. |
| King Gong | The Comedy Store, 1a Oxendon St, London SW1Y 4EE – Map | Last Monday of every month | King Gong Web Page | Monthly Gong Show at London’s best known comedy club. It’s the easiest way for an open-mic act to perform in front of a large audience, but it’s an ordeal. The audience is encouraged to heckle from the beginning of your set, and only the best acts survive the full five minutes without getting gonged off. |
| Jollies at the George | The George Tavern, 373 Commercial Road London, E1 0LA – Map | First Monday of the month | Jollies at the George FB Page | Monthly open mic. Book via FB page. |
| Healing Comedy | Open Ealing, Unit 14 School Lane, Dickens Yard, W5 2TG – Map | Thursday | Healing Comedy FB Page | Two shows each Thursday night – it’s an arts center without a bar, so BYO booze. Not a bringer, but preference is given to acts who can either bring friends, or go along to support any of the preview shows they’re currently running. |
| The Late Gay Comedy Show! | Bar CMYK, 105 – 109 The Broadway, London SW19 1QG – Map | Tuesday | Booking Form | Bringer. New night run in an LGBT venue, but open to all acts. |
I just found an open mic night on Facebook in a pub called Bohemia in North Finchley called BoHeeHee: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boheehee/
Also, the Lost comedy open night is still on the google map under the table. Could you remove it? Thanks
Just seen that Lost Comedy closed as of 27th August last year:
“Hey people. It is with a heavy heart that I am announcing that we are shutting shop at Lost. It was a fun mess and I hope everyone enjoyed it while it was there. Unfortunately opportunities and circumstances have arisen making Lost unworkable. Thanks to everyone who made it fun and I will see you around at other shows. Cheers”
Thanks, removed it.
Yeah, you’ve done a great job- thanks so much for putting time into this to make it easier for the rest of us.
Hi there,
I’m running an open mic in Hoxton that’s starting in January. How do I go about adding it to this list?
Cheers!
Just emailed you!
Hi, Mark from Comedy-by-Bow here. Could you amend our wee listing to say “go onto the Facebook page and follow the email instructions”, please?
Done, thanks.
Hello. I am hosting a Comedy night, Wednesday evenings at 48 Bar, 48 Brixton Road. London SW9 6BT. Paid Headliner Slots available. Its a bringer night. 4/6/8/10m and paid headline slots available. Email danielbenisty@yahoo.co.uk to get a slot – submit showreel if you want longer slot or headline. Starting 26th June 2019. Many Thanks. Piano Available for variety. Daniel
Hey Mr Lance
I will be hosting a 5 minute open mic night every Tuesday starting from Tuesday 2nd July. Registration will start at 7pm for a 7:30/8pm kick off. It is a bringer event with the possibility of walk in spots. The good news is that happy hour is all night (all drinks half price) audience go free. It will be held at The Chapel Bar N1 9PX. Book via email- tcbcomedy@outlook.com
Kind regards
Ric
Hi Lance, this is a really useful and straight forward page! Thank you for doing it.
I help run Lewis Schaffer’s Comedy Open Mic in Borough, we’ve been going just under a year now and it’s good fun – a cross between and open mic and a workshop. If you would be interested in adding the details they are
Mondays, 8pm – 10pm (not Bank Holidays, pub is closed, and not August)
King’s Arms, 65 Newcomen St London SE1 1YT
All spots are 5 minutes, Lewis interrupts to ask questions, not hostile just out of curiosity and makes for an interesting night
For spots text Blanche 07731 304 966 (no character or musical acts)
Not a bringer or pay to play, £3 for audience – book here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lewis-schaffers-comedy-open-mic-tickets-49914657083
Facebook page for more info is here:
https://www.facebook.com/LewisSchaffersComedyOpenMic/
Any questions let me know, thanks again and good luck with this, it’s excellent.
Blanche
Don’t have faceybook to tell you this: Thank you. It’s simple, direct and comprehensive…refreshing! Hope to see you and thank you in person. Nice one, cheers
Hi! Here’s a new one I’m helping to run
Brewery Bantz
At The Small Beer Brewery, 70-72 Verney Road, South Bermondsey, SE16 3DH
Every Second Wednesday starting September 5th.
15 total slots including room for walk-ins, plus host and headline. Any ability/experience welcome. 8pm start.
Free entry for punters, donations encouraged, money split between comics.
Flexible bringer policy.
https://theoriginalsmallbeer.com/comedy
Thank you for this you absolute hero! if we’re ever performing in the same venue, come and speak to me and redeem your voucher for 1 free alcoholic drink of your choice*
*dont take the piss and order a double.
Comedy-by-Bow is a new open mic night I’m running in the east end. Every Monday at the Galvanisers Union in Bromley-by-Bow, 2 Devas St E3 3LL. Not a bringer, but a stayer. Facebook page is Comedy-by-Bow, book by email at comedybybow@gmail.com
Thanks Mark, I’ve added the night to the listings.
Really interesting to read of your ‘journey’. Hopefully see you around on the circuit. 🙂
This is a really helpful website. It’s organized in a way that I can easily see which nights to go different places.
I’m from the US so I’m not quite fluent in English and it’s hard to navigate these sites!
Thank you!
Really useful. Thanks. Ceciliax
Hey,
Thanks a million for this!! Super useful. Did myn first open mic last night, hitting up my second tonight, aiming for 4 next week… keep it up, you can do it!
HI , I’m thinking of doing a first time stand up , over the years many people have told me to do this but i’ve always just washed it off , I moved house a few weeks ago and an ex-comedian told me I should just give it a go . can you give me any advice . thanks Eddie
Just find a local open mic, book a spot and give it a go. There are no short cuts. Write material, perform it as often as possible, record your performances and listen to which bits are working or not, then try to improve it.