Time to get your comedy calendars out – there are plenty of dates to put in your diary as rising stars of the circuit and seasoned veterans hit the boards in Stevenage and North Herts.

After dipping a toe into the comedy waters late last year, The Forum banqueting suite in the town centre is serving up another double bill of mirth on Wednesday, February 24.

Prolific purveyor of sharp social media quips Philip Simon is one of the acts on the bill. Here’s an example of one of his recent tweets: “I want to produce Twitter the Musical but with all these cuts to the arts I’d no doubt have to employ six actors to play all 140 characters!”

And commenting on the deaths of actor Alan Rickman and music legend David Bowie within days of each other, he observed: “Clearly there’s no afterlife but if there were, this would be the best week to be working on the door!”

He’s won a string of festival awards over the last couple of years and been nominated for more, and he’ll be joined on stage by Robyn Perkins – another multiple awards finalist who has crossed the Atlantic to make her name on this side of the pond.

Advance tickets are £10 – you’ll pay £12 on the night – and you can get them by calling Terry Sullivan (07941 045536) or Kerry Mitchell (07795 488172), but you can also pop in and buy one from the reception desk at the town centre Ibis hotel.

Doors open at 7pm for an 8pm start, and all proceeds to the Brompton Fountain children’s charity.

Looking a little bit further into the future, Mark Maier will be joined by Noel James, John Scott and compere David Ward when the Jesterlarf Comedy Club sets up shop in Stevenage’s Gordon Craig Theatre on Saturday, April 30. Tickets are £12.50, and you can get more details by visiting www.gordon-craig.co.uk.

Mark featured at the first Lastminute Comedy gig in Hitchin earlier this month – and MC Paul B, Edwards has cult comic Ian Cognito and Dave Thompson lined up for next month’s gig at Woodside Hall in Walsworth Road on Friday, February 6. Tickets will be available in advance from the Hitchin Initiative offices in Churchyard or on the door.

And at the town’s Sun Hotel the Mostly Comedy club – which hosts a sold-out show featuring Richard Herring tonight – will welcome veteran Arthur Smith with support from Harriet Kemsley on Thursday, February 18. Visit www.doggettandephgrave.co.uk for more.