PREVIEW: Delaney, Donnelly & Lawrence fill the long weekend with laughter

It's Bank Holiday weekend (yay!), the weather's looking good (yay!) and spirits are high (yay!) - what better excuse to get out there and check out the fine comedy line-ups coming up over the next few days? WELL? I'm waiting for an answer...

Tonight and tomorrow at Just the Tonic we have the nation's premier purveyor of smart, finely-crafted one-liners Gary Delaney, with support from everyone's favourite 'bloke' Paul McCaffrey, angel-faced filthmonger Diane Spencer, and wide-eyed silliness from Eric Lampaert. Tickets vary in prices and are available from http://www.justthetonic.com/leicester-comedy/

Meanwhile over at The Y on Saturday, Bottle Rocket Comedy present the delightfully deadpan Carl Donnelly, who's cemented his reputation as one of the most inventive and assured comics on the circuit with appearances on Mock the Week and Russell Howard. Carl is backed up by likeable Irishman Andrew Ryan, grumpy Geordie Carl Hutchinson, and intelligent wordplay from Jessica Fostekew. Tickets are ten of your actual pounds, get 'em here: http://brcomedy.com/the-y/bottle-rocket-comedy-club-4th-may-ft-carl-donnelly

Then on Sunday, the unstoppable Andrew Lawrence brings his latest show 'Andrew Lawrence is Coming to Get You' to Just the Tonic. A few years back, Lawrence was the first act I ever reviewed and I instantly fell in love with his misanthropic take on the world and his stunningly-delivered rants filled with inventive insults and lashings of self-deprecation. Back then he was calling himself 'too ugly for TV', but the quality of his material has overcome this perceived barrier and he is now regularly seen on Channel 4's Stand Up for the Week as well as popping up from time to time on telly's big 'showcase' programmes (you know which ones I mean). Tickets be here: http://www.justthetonic.com/leicester-comedy/shows/sunday-5-may-2013/1057/

NEWS: Leach cancels Cookie Show, Loretta appearing tonight only

A couple of bits of comedy news concerning this weekend's shows:

If you were hoping to go and see comedy lothario Jeff Leach tonight at the Cookie Jar, you can't. Jeff has had to cancel the show at short notice due to being "shaky, weak and expelling everything from my guts violently at both ends". A pleasant image for his fans, I'm sure you'll agree.

So I suggest getting yourself over to Just the Tonic instead. Troubled singer/songwriter and alcoholic, unappreciated genius Loretta Maine is headlining tonight, and the previously billed Saturday show is no longer on, so you'd best get along tonight!! Support comes from Andrew Bird, Eric Lampaert and Mike Wilkinson.
Tickets here: http://www.justthetonic.com/leicester-comedy/

Also, the DMU Footlights open mic night, previously billed for this Wednesday (7th Nov) is now taking place on Monday 5th Nov at The Cookie Jar.

So now you know.