If you are from, or just visiting, the city of Manchester during this autumn you might be in need of some shelter from the (usually) hefty amounts of rain in the region. Don't waste your money on a crap umbrella that flips inside at the merest hint of a soft breeze, buy you and your mates or partner a ticket to one of the impressive comedy shows at the Deansgate Locks venue, The Comedy Store.

Comedy Store

As well as the usual array of club nights such as 'Stand Up Night' on most evenings, "The Best In Stand Up" on Fridays and Saturdays and the monthly "King Gong" on the first Sunday of the month, the venue has booked a pile of key acts to keep you occupied earlier in the week.

All tickets cost between £12 and £17.

Alun Cochrane

Born in Glasgow, raised in Yorkshire - he's gotta be good at comedy surely and he is. He's played the Edinburgh Fringe, on and off, since 2004 and has appeared on 'Have I Got News For You', as well as 'Mock The Week', '8 Out Of 10 Cats' and 'Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow'. Droll and deadpan, he will appear in Manchester as part of his national tour on 20th Sep (click on his name for full tour details).

Rob Deering

Famed for the inclusion of a Stratocaster-guitar in his set some years ago (or was it last week), Rob Deering has a cheery cheeky charm about him and uses music to raise gormlessness to a new level - a funny level. His previous Fringe shows have covered his love of cinema ("Rob Deering - The Movie") and er boobs in "Boobs", but he is pretty hilarious when going through his Prodigy skit, acapella style - check the 'Rob Deering - Prodigy' link in the sidebar - and gape in wonderment. He plays here on 4th October.

Paul Zerdin

Ventriloquists are not just about shoving your hand up a furry doll's jacksy and saying 'gottle of geer'. Paul Zerdin is sharp-witted, occasionally near the knuckle but really clever. His key companion on stage is the lippy Sam but others include Baby and Albert and some pacey dialogue to boot. He appeared on the Royal Variety Performance in 2009 - you might have seen him stuffing Sam into a holdall. Shocking way to treat a kid. You can see if the NSPCC have caught up with him on tour, as well as here at the Comedy Store on 19th October.

Jim Jefferies

He's highly direct, controversial and a tad on the blasphemous side but Jim Jefferies is never afraid to confront taboos like religion, holocausts, sex toys and football, but this time his show is called "Alcoholocaust" and deals with, well you figure it out from the title. Manchester holds a special place for the Aussie comic - a disgruntled punter decided to ask for his money back by going straight to the performer in person during his act. Probably didn't need to use his fists though. Jefferies hit the big time in the US with the "I Swear To God" DVD a few years back - not for the easily upset. He plays here on 25th Oct as part of his national tour.

Other performers include Russell Kane with the show "Smokescreens and Castles" (also on tour) on 26th October and the surreal Dan Antopolski on the 11th of the month.

Manchester Comedy Festival 2010

Not forgetting: October is the time of the mighty Manchester Comedy Festival - full programme to be announced soon - watch this space.