Ross Noble Pleusutiee. until 27 Aug, 8.45pm. Anyone who saw Ross Noble’s l‘ringe show last year (and there was plenty of you. cos you voted him 2000‘s Best Comedian in this very mag) will know that his show can be more than a little improvised. But whatever
you do. don‘t call him an improv comedian.
‘With improv there's that slightly poncy tradition of aetory sttiii.‘ says Noble in thick Geordie tones. ‘lt's like "hmm. I think Harold Pinter once said blah blah blah“. I'm more like a stand-up whojust gets bored with a script.‘
Not that the audience ever get bored. Noble‘s natural ai‘i'ability and keen eye for the abstird make his show one of the most refreshing around. What‘s more. he has to keep his material varied. as he spends virtually 365 days a year gigging.
‘li'l go for more than two days without a gig I start going mental.’ he says. ‘I start talking to people in the street. cos I've got all this stuii backed up in me head.‘ As a result of his eternal globe-trotting. Noble sees the Fringe as a welcome holiday. ‘l can‘t wait for the Fringe.‘ he says. ‘There‘s a little community vibe. It reminds me of the travelling Jindas in
the Ewok eartoon.‘ (Doug Johnstone)
Meaning you‘ll get to watch the iirst ballot three new sitcoms then \ote ior your layotii‘ite. lloorah. This all seems innocent enough. but slightly more sinister is the part w here they ask the audience to share their ideas ior original shows bei‘orc aw arding the w inner a pri/e. But as you're heading home with a winning bottle oi' Spanish plotik. won‘t there be a nagging worry that ne\t time you turn on the 'l‘\' it‘ll be your show as pei'i‘ormed by The Sitcom l'riols team‘.’ Most likely not. btit start reading tip your copyright law just in case. (Louisa l’earsont Skin Pickings [iv R(l_\'(l/ l)i\it/i/ioiiitmeiit. (‘ol .i‘ If) dilt’. III/mi. .-\ se\tet oi coarse iun.
Small and Large litmm litmm ill lllt' Iron. lllt' lion. 5 3-xlllg’. (i/mi. Supply teacher Rick Siiiallwood proy es that si/e is eyerything.
Gordon Southern I’lcoytttii'i' Home. toitil :.~.'llte. lll.()5/mi. Star oi" radio and teley isioii delivers an hour oi sharp shootiii' stand-up.
So You Think You’re Funny - Sponsored by Channel 4 (alt/mt Balloon ll li't'iot. .5 /5 Aug. lit/5pm. Follow the heats to iind the neyt big. funny thing.
Spasm (ii/iletl liolloo/i 'I'ln'ittre. .i‘ Jilite. (i. l5/ini. 'l'he loot and mouth oi sketch shows. Whatey er that means.
The Stand The .S'toiitl ('onit'tly ('luli. .i‘ 30 slug. 11.30pm. Late night big \alue comedy cabaret hosted by Joon Broon.
Stand up Scotland llli’ Siam! (‘mnutx- ('ltilt II. 4730 Aug. .5..5()])ttt. Bruce Dey liii introduces the i'uture oi ('aledonian comedy. The Show (illtlt‘tl Bill/(trill.
3 <26 slug. 9.1.5pm. l-‘our comics tor the price of less than one. Brian Damage. Barry Hall. Humphry Douglas and Randy Wilson are y'otirjapesters.
Star Wars Trilogy In 30 Minutes
l'i'itii'ol 'I'lietttn' ('.S'(' (XXI-l. lh‘llltlltittliil ('omniioiity' Theatre. 4 25 slug. times vary. It ain't broke so l’cstival 'l'heati'e l'S(' hay e no intention oi iising it.
Supergirly: No Faced (ii/(led Balloon ll li'l'lttl. 4 l‘lxltie. «\’.4.5/mi. Taking the piss out oi' pop stars is a bit like shooting iish in a barrel. but when it‘s doiie with as much scathing accuracy as Supergirly. it's still a joy to behold. The biggest success story oi the l‘ringe two years ago. Atistralian comedy duo Louise .\lc('latchy and Jai Simeone hay e gone from struggling to get gigs in gay clubs to perioi'ming at private parties i‘or pop nobility such as lilton John. Madonna and the Spice (iirls. Now with a sttccesslttl sitcom under their belts. the girls are more coniident than eyer. and this new show has its sights set on targets such as l)estiny ~s ('hild. Atomic Kitten and. ahem. liininein. Rumours oi‘ a .\lotorhead piss-take remain uneoniirmed. (Doug Johnstonei
Susan and Janice - Because We’re Worth It! slyseniltly Rooms. 3 Q," stile. HHS/mi. ‘(iet thee to a nunnery' might be the part oi lltltlilt’l that l-‘tinge regulars Susan and Janice hay e taken just a little too much to heart. What other eyplanation could there be tor two oi- their latest creations. Sister Josephine and Sister Mary 1 ‘the only man they are married to is (iod' i'.’ Or perhaps they got their inspiration watching .Villl) ()Il lllt' Riot. iiither way. alter last year's hit. [Hate My Sister. the ladies haye deyeloped quite a reputation i‘or ruthless satire. sketches and stand-up. proy ing that French .-\nd Saunders w eren't an
eyolutionary iluke laktng the theme oi sli-llllg‘ riyalry a step itirther. their latest show sees them sharing the toy\ oi co- habitation. Just don't mention unwashed dishes tl ouisa l’earsont
Tally Ho! Creepy Latrine Choirs (iiltlt (l liullooii. .i' :5 tile. 4 45pm. (‘liarlie and Nicholas bring you the light side oi the new s including odes cunnineg described as .lilk' dtt‘flls iit'iitk‘s.
Catherine Tate l’l. admit tom/taut (“14/ ()i (l lllt' lx’otnl. ioittl :5 .lue. V 35pm 'I'm not doing stand-up; it's a character \how with iotii sctpieces ‘ l’crriei' \c'yy comet nominee ('athei‘ine late cannot emphasise this enough in her slightly tremulotis meandering southern accent. Since appearing in Ice \lack‘s HIM at last yt'.ti"s lesli\;tl she has been on a worldwide tour with the RS('. ('omic wise though. she is i'celmg a little bit ilaky. 'llaying been out oi circulation i'oi’ ten months. I didn't want to not giye my sell the best start with character things you ieel slightly more protected than staiid-up.' Despite the double negatiy e. this i'unny. intelligent comedy actress w ho counts Julie Walters and Janeane (iaroialo among her heroines is bound to entertain with her ‘belieyable btit grotesque characters. tl’atil Dalet
Those Meddling Kids l’l'tlllllt’ li’t'il/it'otl l’t'ttillti'llitliy. (.Iilltllt' l’ltlfll “will. 4 3/) glue. ll/Wl. Acclaimed l..-\ ensemble act with itiii and physicality.
3 Radicals (illili'il Hill/(NHL .i 27mm. ‘I/mt. ('oine and be held hostage by three comic anarchists who'll peri'orm as many sketches as they can beiore a time bomb esplodes.
The Treason Show (amp/mum I’I'oi/iii llHIH. Koriieilio Soul/Milli: .t’ 3/) .‘lllL’. 8.50pm. Biting satire and scary songs irom ('ackophonics.
Uberarmy ('lii'ryoiooee. (I ioitil 3/) slite. 5..1‘(I/mi. The Natural Born (irillers bring its another \el‘sitiii oi their oiten disturbing act. War is the theme.
Ubernacht l'lii'ryotisoei'. ('ol. .i’ 3/) .‘lllL’. ll/mi. ('ult cabaret show with stand-up and music.
Useless Guide Scotland 2001 - A Pie-based Odyssey Boom Boom (II The lion. Illt’ lt'ttli. 5 37xlue. ‘l/mi. Bill Dewar and Brian llennigan another brilliantly hapha/ard send up oi all things Scottish. l‘our stars irom 'l‘lie I.i\t last year. iQBeing Johnny Vegas (ii/(lot liol/ooti IlH'tlll'l’. .i' 37.-lue. ll). l5/mi. liyeryone‘s iayoiirite cuddly. angst-ridden potter-ctimedian returns to the l-‘ringe ai'ter liy ing the high Inc with his poncey TV mates. See prey iew.
Velvet Laughter Master Series Boom Boom (ll 'I'ltt' lion. 'I'lie lt‘ttll. 5 37 due. lila‘lI/mi. (ii'eat chance to see
Of Doom
You, the audience, will vote for the best argument: should the planet survive or do we deserve to be destroyed?
Andy Zaltzman Versus The Dog;
(ilasgow's liiuce \lorton «.5 lil \ugi. \.incoti\ei"s (ilenn \\ool i ll 1.5 .-\ug t. (ilasgow 's l’arrot l lb .‘l -\ug i and t’anada's (‘raig (‘ampbell if: I“ -\tigI in intimate suriounds
Very, Very Small Things lion/"5(- t rte. Ilia/nu. Ilit' l'iait I‘l‘t‘.'.'\. 5 3/) lug \ l5ltin: Double l'dge drama deliy er a mi\ed bag oi mad w eiidness which has been described .is worthy oi the Inteinational l-estiyal
Mark Walker — The Man Who Fell to Mirth lyyt iii/"Ky Rooms. ,“ .‘~.‘ll\'. 3"!” Stand-up mimic and w it irom the north oi l:ngland
Wax On/Wax Off Hot Hm. (I ioitil :0 lite. l“ 15pm .\lis .\leitoti. llasil lawlty and \ti \iitl llii'('1t\ aie the iiiilucnces toi these scaty chicks Suki Webster: Best Man
l’li tl‘tllitt (.t’llll‘ulltl and (“(7 tin /\'otitl. iotti/ Salim. .i'lwi leathei tiouseis atid laughs aplenty tioiii \\ il .idllilied by liddle l//aid
The Weird Sisters Get Around l’lutyiitit (' Norm. _ 35mg.
5 55pm Directed by (‘al .\lc(‘i‘y slal. two award w inning aciiesses chuck insults around in this comedy travelogue.
The Whore Whisperer - Confessions of a Madam (ii/ital liolloott /I It'itot. ." 3—..‘illL', N l5/mi (‘leyei’ lllJL'. l'ilihy show, l'ittlil .-\usti'alian madam.
Wild on TV! Hooil tk' llttli'y. (it/ilt'il li’ollooii. .i‘ .Vislue. b.45pm. Wood tk Hides. sketch show promises (til characters in oil minutes. lltit that‘s impossible, ()i' is it’ Mike Wilmot :lyyi'lttltl\ Roomy. ." :5 .liie. ‘l/5/mt New show irom the ('anadian “DU gay e \\ hat [iii In! called "l'he L'ittdesl show on the l-i'iiigc btit also esti'emely iiinny'
Women Behaving Badly Rn «II a1 llieeiity. Konii'tlto Soul/mile. .i' 3/) .lue. ll/mi. Rey ell N lliggins lei men see what women are like when there are no men around.
Andy Zaltzman Versus The Dog Of Doom l’li'iiuttii (' ('oio'tyitttl (llli/ (her the kill/(I. lllllll 37.-liie. «\ymi. llay mg entranced audiences in last year's ('oninly /IUI¢‘. this year sees .-\tidy Xalt/iiiaii putting his topical surrealism up against the Dog ()i Doom in a debate that may well seal the late oi the planet. You. the audience. w ill yote ioi‘ the best argument: should the planet sury l\ e or do w e desery e to be destroy ed'.’ lhis Is [alt/man's debut solo show haying been a iiiialist m l‘)‘)‘)‘s So You lliiiil l'ou're l'ittllH .’ atid the Zililil /)(lll\ li'lt'L’I'tl/lll ()pmi .ilti’ xltutt‘il. Which ey er side til the debate you iall on you are bound to hay c a wry diii'creni and highly amusing night out. illenry .‘s'oitlimorei
“ h ’ , Evening Standard
Have we found . the new Friends? the new Frasier? the new Fawlty Towers?
Only YOU can decide
'I‘IIE Si'i‘tztn
.'l‘ltIALS
Gllllfll BIllllllN 0131 226 2151 ° MIG 3-10, 18-27 ' 4.30
24;: Aug 23:1 rue LIST 37