The Final Laugh: Your Guide to Show Finish Times at Top Secret Comedy Club

Your Guide to Show Finish Times at Top Secret Comedy Club

You’ve had a brilliant night. You’ve laughed so hard you’ve cried, you’ve seen a surprise TV-level comedian, and you’ve sunk a couple of ridiculously cheap pints. But as the final act takes a bow, a familiar London panic begins to set in: the race for the last tube. Knowing what time a comedy show finishes is a crucial piece of logistical intel for any night out in the capital. It dictates whether you can leisurely stroll to the station, whether you need to make a frantic Usain Bolt-style dash, or whether you should just give up and start looking at night bus schedules.

At a venue like Top Secret Comedy Club, with its multiple shows and two different locations, this question becomes even more critical. Their schedule is a beautifully complex beast, packed with comedy from the afternoon until late at night. So, to help you plan your post-show escape (or your next round of drinks), here is your definitive guide to show finish times at London’s worst-kept comedy secret.

The Weekday Wind-Down (Monday - Thursday)

During the week, the schedule is relatively straightforward. The main shows at both the Drury Lane and Kingsway venues are designed to give you a full evening of comedy without keeping you out until the wee hours on a school night.

The main show at the flagship Drury Lane venue typically kicks off at 8pm. With a running time of about two and a half hours, including two intervals for drink refills and loo breaks, you can expect the final comedian to be wrapping up at around 10:30pm.

Over at the newer 23 Kingsway venue, the show starts a little earlier at 7:30pm. It follows a similar format but is slightly shorter, generally finishing up at around 10pm. This makes it a great option if you have an earlier start the next morning. These weekday shows are typically composed of a compere (MC) and three or four acts, giving you a fantastic cross-section of the London circuit in one sitting.

Weekend Warriors: Friday and Saturday Finish Times

This is where things get a bit more complicated, but also a lot more exciting. On Fridays and Saturdays, Top Secret transforms into a veritable comedy multiplex, with a packed schedule of back-to-back shows catering to every kind of night out.

On Fridays, both venues host two separate shows. At Drury Lane, the Early Show runs from 7pm to approximately 8:30pm, perfect for a pre-dinner laugh. The Late Show then follows, starting at 9pm and finishing around 11:15pm. The

Kingsway venue has a similar pattern, with an 8pm show finishing at 9:30pm, and a late 10pm show that wraps up around 11:30pm.

Saturdays are the busiest day of the week, with a marathon of comedy running from the afternoon until late. At Drury Lane, you can often find an Afternoon Show at 3:30pm, an Early Show from 6pm to 7:30pm, the main Late Show from 8pm until about 10:15pm or 10:30pm, and for the true night owls, the Late Late Show which starts at 10:45pm and runs until around midnight. The

Kingsway venue keeps it slightly simpler with a 7pm show finishing at 8:30pm and a 9pm show finishing around 11:15pm.

The Sunday Session

Sunday sees the week out in style with shows that generally mirror the weekday format. Hosted by the fantastic Nico Yearwood and Dave Chawner, there are typically two shows at 5pm and 7:30pm. Following the standard 2 to 2.5-hour runtime, you can expect these to finish around

7:30pm and 10pm respectively, getting you home at a reasonable hour before the Monday blues kick in.

At-a-Glance Guide to Top Secret Finish Times

To make things crystal clear, here’s a handy table summarising the estimated finish times. Remember, these can vary slightly depending on the night, so always check the specific listing when you book!

Day	Venue	Show Name	Start Time	Estimated Finish Time
Mon-Thu	Drury Lane	Main Show	8:00 PM	10:30 PM
Mon-Thu	Kingsway	Main Show	7:30 PM	10:00 PM
Friday	Drury Lane	Early Show	7:00 PM	8:30 PM
Friday	Drury Lane	Late Show	9:00 PM	11:15 PM
Friday	Kingsway	Early Show	8:00 PM	9:30 PM
Friday	Kingsway	Late Show	10:00 PM	11:30 PM
Saturday	Drury Lane	Afternoon Show	3:30 PM	~5:30 PM
Saturday	Drury Lane	Early Show	6:00 PM	7:30 PM
Saturday	Drury Lane	Late Show	8:00 PM	10:30 PM
Saturday	Drury Lane	Late Late Show	10:45 PM	~12:15 AM
Saturday	Kingsway	Early Show	7:00 PM	8:30 PM
Saturday	Kingsway	Late Show	9:00 PM	11:15 PM
Sunday	Both	Early Show	5:00 PM	~7:30 PM
Sunday	Both	Late Show	7:30 PM	~10:00 PM

Export to Sheets

But Wait, There's More! The After-Show Experience

Just because the comedy has finished doesn't mean the night has to. One of the great things about Top Secret is that it’s a proper late-night venue. On weeknights and Sundays, the bar will normally stay open until around midnight. On the buzzing Friday and Saturday nights, you can keep the drinks flowing until around 2am. On some special event nights, the venue even transforms into a party spot after the show, so you can stick around and have a dance. So, even if you miss your last tube, you’ve got a great, affordable place to wait for the night bus.

The Final Joke

Navigating the end of a night out in London is an art form, but with this guide, you’ll know exactly when to expect the final laugh at Top Secret Comedy Club. Always remember to double-check the specific showtimes on their website, as special events and previews can have varying lengths.

And if you’re looking for a guaranteed great night of comedy with a finish time that will definitely get you home, our shows at Comedy in Your Eye in Camden are perfectly timed for a post-show pint or a swift journey home from Camden Town station, which is literally right opposite the pub.

Catch the best comedians off the London Comedy Circuit by buying tickets to our shows on the main page