"OI MATE - CHEER UP, IT'S EDINBURGH PREVIEW SEASON!"

Greetings comedy-gannets! I trust you are having a pleasant summer so far, despite the whole country going batshit mental in the last couple of weeks.

There's been a lot of furious arguing going on, and everyone's been getting rather worked up about everything, so I think what we all need right now is a bloody good laugh to ease the tension. How lucky we are then, that Edinburgh Preview Season is upon us.

Every July, the city plays host to some of the finest comics in the land, who like to test out their Edinburgh shows on the refined palates of Leicester's comedy-savvy punters. This helps them to make sure that their new hour is as finely tuned as possible, ready for the month-long slog that is the Edinburgh Fringe.

So what cut-price delights can we expect to see this month?

Panel show royalty - Jon Richardson

THE COOKIE

The Cookie has, for many years now, been the home to the finest comedy in Leicester, and this year sees another stellar line-up of familiar faces from TV and the national circuit over the coming weeks.

Their preview season includes master of nonsense Tony Law; the dark and disturbing Bobby Mair; TV favourite Seann Walsh; Edinburgh winner Sofie Hagen and nominees James Acaster & Joe Lycett; cardigan-wearing panel show favourite Jon Richardson; and bile-spitting controversy-magnet Andrew Lawrence. Here's the full line-up:

Tue 5th July - Tony Law & Bobby Mair
Fri 8th July - James Acaster & Sofie Hagen
Tue 12th July - Joe Lycett & Luke Kempner
Wed 13th July - Seann Walsh & Mark Simmons
Thu 14th - Carl Donnelly & Lloyd Griffith
Tue 19th & Wed 20th - Jon Richardson & Lloyd Langford
Thu 21st - Andrew Lawrence
Wed 27th July - Paul McCaffrey & Jenny Collier
Fri 29th July - Joel Dommett & Tom Lucy

Get your advance tickets for all shows, plus time/price details right here.

Free entry, pay to get out - Joey Page

JOKES ON US

New kids on the block Jokes On Us pride themselves on offering top quality comedy from both new and established acts, with every show using the 'free entry/donations in a bucket at the end' model that is so popular in Edinburgh now. They're obviously doing well, picking up a clutch of award nominations in their debut at Leicester Comedy Festival including Best Promoter, and winning the Liberty Award for 'spirit of the festival'.
Their programme is essentially a five-day mini-festival taking place in the Cultural Quarter from Sunday 24th-Thursday 28th July, and the programme is as follows:

Sun 24th July:
- James Cook: Ready, Steady, James! (7pm, Soundhouse)
- Chris Purchase: Distracted (8.30pm, Soundhouse)

Mon 25th July:

- Eleanor Conway's Walk Of Shame (8pm, Exchange)
- Joey Page: Jowie (9.30pm, Exchange)

Tue 26th July:

- Jack Campbell: TBC (8pm, Exchange)
- Diane Spencer: Seamless (9.30pm, Exchange)

Wed 27th July:

- Alex Hylton: I Came, I Saw, I Complained (8pm, Manhattan34)
- Late Night With Boabby Roaster (9.30pm, Manhattan34)

Thu 28th July:

- Daniel Nicholas - Scripted (8pm, Manhattan34)
- Peter Fleming and Wilbur Bilb: Over the Airwaves (9.30pm, Manhattan34)

Click on the show names for more details.

Prop wizard - Spencer Jones

BOTTLE ROCKET COMEDY

Bottle Rocket continue their tradition of bringing Edinburgh previews to Firebug. This year's selection features childlike prop wizard and critical praise-magnet Spencer Jones; improvised rap supergroup Abandoman; Chortle's 'Best UK Club Comic' Felicity Ward; and star of stage, screen and radio Tom Allen. For advance tickets go here.

28th July – Tom Allen & Felicity Ward (8pm)
31st July – Abandoman & Spencer Jones (8pm)

Now if that lot doesn't make you feel better about the state of the nation then I really don't know what will. See you there!