The Comedy Store Players


The Comedy Store Players is a group of improvisational comedians who perform at The Comedy Store in London. The group first came into being in October 1985.
Members of the group have included:
Currently there are seven regular cast members; Josie Lawrence, Paul Merton, Neil Mullarkey, Lee Simpson, Andy Smart, Jim Sweeney and Richard Vranch. Sweeney retired from performing in 2008 but is still listed as a member and is also the group's President.
The Players perform twice a week, Wednesday and Sunday, usually with a combination of six out of the seven regulars, although occasionally a guest performer will appear such as Niall Ashdown, Marcus Brigstocke, Stephen Frost, Eddie Izzard, Greg Proops, Steve Steen and Phill Jupitus. Shows start at 8pm on Wednesdays and 7.30pm on Sundays. They last approximately 2 hours, in which time they play 6 or 7 games. There is no one host of the show, and no points to be won, so every performer should get to have a go and are able to support each other.
They are also in the Guinness World Records for being the world’s longest-running comedy show with the same cast.
Usually, the games are:
Several of The Comedy Store Players appeared on the Channel 4 comedy game show Whose Line Is It Anyway?. Andy Smart is the only one of the seven regulars named above to have not appeared on the TV show, although he has appeared in its live spin-off.