The Secret Comedy Club Tuesdays

The Secret Comedy Club is back at Artista on Tuesday 3 November, part of their See You Next Tuesday series. It's billed as the leading new-material and open-mic comedy night on the South Coast, and it runs on Tuesday nights throughout the autumn and winter — 10, 17, and 24 November, then 1, 8, and 29 December. The venue is Artista, an independent spot at 42 Brighton Square, and it welcomes professional, semi-professional and amateur comedians alike.

The format is fast-paced: comics test their latest jokes in short slots, and the night is split into three sections with breaks in between. Up to 15 comedians each take a five-minute slot, so you get a good range of voices in one sitting rather than one or two long sets. It's a new-material night, which means you're hearing things as they're being worked on, and well-known TV comedians are known to drop by. The club also scouts the room for its weekend gigs and for the Brighton Fringe, so it's a place where new acts get a proper look.

There's a strict no-heckling policy, which keeps the atmosphere friendly and inclusive. For the performers, there's a bit more on offer: they can book a spot and get video and audio of their set for a small fee, so it works as a workshop as much as a gig. The line-up for this particular Tuesday hasn't been announced yet, but that's part of the open-mic draw — you turn up and find out who's on the bill.

Doors open at 19:00 and the comedy runs from 20:00 to 22:30. A standard ticket is £6.50, a guide price.