Best Places: Laugh Until You Cry

The Boston comedy scene may be more well-known, but the Granite State comedy scene deserves its time in the limelight. With dozens of venues across the state, New Hampshire has plenty of options for venues to visit when you’re in the mood to laugh until you cry.

Stranger Than Fiction Improv & Comedy, Portsmouth & Newmarket
www.stfimprov.com

Stranger than Fiction is New Hampshire’s premier improv comedy group. Touring across the Granite State, Stranger than Fiction is a must-see group. Their talented performers are able to think on their feet faster than you can possibly imagine, and they’ll be sure to leave you howling with laughter. Improv may not usually be your thing, but it will be after you see this sensational troupe tell joke after joke without ever missing a beat.

Headliners Comedy Club, Manchester
www.headlinersnh.com

For the past 30 years, Headliners has been making New Hampshire Laugh. As NH’s longest running Comedy Club, Headliners knows comedy. With rotating weekly lineups that feature some of New England’s top comics, you never know what you’re going to get … but you know you’re going to laugh.

BLEND.Comedy, Portsmouth
www.blend603.com

On Fridays and Saturdays, the BLEND.603 gallery in downtown Portsmouth transforms into BLEND.Comedy. The comedy club is new to the Granite State, but week after week you can hear the laughter coming from the intimate venue all the way down the street. They’re always putting together a hilarious lineup of talented stand-up comedians, from local up-and-comers to West Coast headliners.

McCues Comedy Club, Portsmouth
www.mccuescomedyclub.com

McCues Comedy Club is truly for everyone. Comedy enthusiasts and those who are just looking to find something new to do on a weekend are sure to love McCues. Their rotating weekend lineups will keep you coming back week after week, and their hilarious stand-ups will have you on the floor with laughter.

Insider’s Comedy Pick

The Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom in Hampton is the most iconic place in New Hampshire for comedy. When I was a kid, I’d ride my bike down the beach at night, and I’d sit on the back steps and listen to Buddy Hackett and George Carlin and Jay Leno. Years later, I was able to perform there myself, and it was humbling. The first time — when I opened for 38 Special — was anything but special. They hated me! But I was able to “hold on loosely” and do my 20 minutes. Many years later, when I performed on a Boston All-Star Comedy show, it was magical. Now, after being in the business for so long, many of the best comedians in the world have become good friends. And when my friends like Lewis Black or Emo Phillips or Brian Regan come through the Ballroom, I still ride my bike down the beach to see the show. Who knows? Maybe someday, I’ll perform there again. I’d love another crack at those 38 Special fans! —