Bill Bailey
Par
The combination of comedians with musical instrument often equals rubbish. There are occasional exceptions to the rule, like New Yorker Demetri Martin, who has pulled off some funny moments with both a guitar and even a keytar on Flight Of The Conchords, and Rich Hall, whose alter ego Otis Lee Crenshaw can produce some hilarious tunes as a redneck country music singer. One other notable exception is Bill Bailey. The master of the pastiche, Bailey is able to carry it off so well due to his talent as a musician, but he's much more than just a pastiche pedlar - his improvisational skills and surreal insights make up a large part of his appeal. Quite an appropriate selection for Cornwall's Eden Project, who present their first comedy event among this summer's music sessions.
· The Eden Project, Fri 11
Newbury Comedy Festival
Newbury
For those of us for whom a music festival is perhaps not how you are looking to spend a leisurely weekend, the Newbury Comedy Festival has a great lineup this year, with a nice mix of both established and up-and-coming acts. Highlights among include the wonderful, old school, observational comic sensibilities of Michael McIntyre, surreal genius Simon Munnery and the the sparky, irreverent mother of all female stand-up comics Jenny Eclair. Of the newer acts, there are the joyous comedy stylings of sketch troupe Pappy's Fun Club, confessional comic Zoe Lyons and the baseball cap-wearing David O'Doherty with his whimsical, musical observations.
· Various venues, Sat 5 to Jul 12
The Mighty Boosh Festival
Tonbridge
It's almost 15 years to the day since Janet Street Porter coined the phrase "comedy is the new rock'n'roll". In hindsight she was wrong - comedy was actually the new house and garage, a fad. Now seems like a good time to dust off the phrase though, as the Mighty Boosh launch their very own festival this weekend. Half rock band half comedy act, the Boosh have assembled quite a bill for their maiden festival, featuring Flight Of The Conchords' Arj Barker, the surreal geordie ramblings of Ross Noble, a rare appearance from Matt Holness's alter ego Garth Marenghi, Josie Long, Wil Hodgson and a whole host of rising stars from the current alternative comedy scene.
· The Hop Farm Country Park, Sat 5
Stephen K Amos
London
Amos jokes that it'll take Lenny Henry dying for him to get more TV work, but it's surely not long until the acid-tongued wit cements his place in TV schedules. He's previewing his new Edinburgh show this week, and while you might find an hour laced with pathos, humour and insight elsewhere, with Amos you simply get pure humour and jokes. The man was born to entertain.
· The Wilmington, EC1, Sun 6; The Grey Horse, Kingston-upon-Thames, Sun 6; Arts Theatre, WC2, Mon 7; Tattershall Castle, SW1, Mon 7; The Corner Store, WC2, Thu 10; Hen And Chickens, N1, Fri 11; The Oxford, NW5, Fri 11