Gordon Southern 000 l’lt'it.\tlltt'(’ Dome. until 27.4142. It).()5/nn. (iordon Southern will try to conyince you that he'x no xtranger to lonelinexx. Initially. when he appearx on .xtage one man and hix wee dictaphone and Mix yoti abotit hix intimate relationx with frexh fruit. you might be inclined to belieye him. (iradually though. eyen ax he'x dexci‘ibing the degradationx of .xupermarket .xhoppmg for one. it will occur to you that thix engaging lad ix pretty good company. Like a good pub chat. Southern‘x xet conxixtx of kookie obxeryationx. peppered with a couple of whimxical momentx. Being nice doex not necexxarily make you funny. but while thix ix not innovative xtuff. warm deliyery. and the .xenxe that you are being talked to. rather than at. make thix xhow a refrexhingly friendly experience.
(Minnie Scotti
Spasm ... (iiltlt’tl Bill/Holt lltt’ttlt‘i'. until 27Aug. 0. 15pm. Spaxm ix a xlick run of xkctchex performed by a caxt of three whoxe preoccupationx with weird xcx inducex iiioxt latighx here. Take fixh. add a xex-changc and a porn \oice-oyer and you get the idea. It ix orin when the trio attempt to inject certain comedy xtereotypex with adain of noyelty that the xhow fallx flat. 'lihc c‘lic‘c‘xy tclly prexentcr doexn't become hilarioux becauxe xhe ix interyiewing a tlaxhcr and equally the idea of reyerxing the Ali (1 formula by having the DJ character (who often xoundx more Welxh than rude boy) confuxed by the double-entendre of hix bank manager ix xirained in performance. Neyerthelcxx. ax the xelf-xtyled ‘foot and mouth' of comedy. their brand of xttipidity hax the potential to catch on. (Roxc l-‘oleyi
The Stand The Stu/til ('onu'ily' (‘luli I. until 2().'ltlt’. ll..\’()/nn.' .i’tt A'- .il .‘lllL’, ‘lp/n.‘ / Sty). ‘l/nn. Late night big yalue comedy cabaret hoxted by Joon Broon.
Stand up Scotland The .S'tiitul ('ontt'ily ('luli II. 39.111! 3!) Aug. 5.50pm. Bruce Dey lin introduccx (‘aledonian comedy.
The Stand Show (iiltlt't/ llttlloott 'I‘lieutre. until 3/) Aug. 9.15pm. Brian Damage. Barry llall. llumphry Douglax and Randy Wilxon are yourjapexterx.
Star Wars Trilogy In 30 Minutes 0... I't’.\lll'(ll lhllt’tlll‘t’ ('.S'('-( ISA. ])I'tllttltlitlttl (‘oniniunity' 'I‘Iit'utn'. until 35.4142. litttt'.\ rury. Brilliantly inyentiye. no-budget Sl‘X mutate a hy peractiye caxt into ('l’3() (glammed up in gold). RIDE ta painted duxtbin). Yoda (tatty drexxiiig gown pltix thumbx). ('hewbacca (doubling tip ax Darth Vader) and bext of all the lie fighterx (blink and you'll mixx them). Somehow the l-‘orce ix xtill with them and you'll be laughing for eyery intergalactic minute. (Robin llodgei Supergirly: The Immaculate Selection The Queen} Hull. 3.? 35 Aug. III/nn. Muxical comedy from the bext m the buxinexx. Well. the bext Atixxie female ftmny xinging duet in the buxinexx. any road.
Susan And Janice - Because We’re Worth It! 0... .'l\\t’HI/ll\’ Roonn. until 27.'lll_k’. ltl.45/nn. With the aid of muxic. xkctchex and a huge black and white cardboard cut-out of lily ix S tk J chart their
journey from xquabbling flatmatex to Roman
(’atholic iiunx.
Tally Ho! Creepy Latrine Choirs (iiltlt'tl Balloon 'Iltt'utrt’. until living. 4.45pm. ('harlie and Nicholax bring you the light xidc of the newx including odex cunnineg dexci‘ibcd ax ‘thc dog'x Bcllocx‘.
Catherine Tate O... l’lt'ttxtint‘t'. until 37xlue. ()..i.‘-/tlll. Formerly part of [we .lltul "x Bit.\. (‘atherine 'l‘ate pei'formx four xolo character pieccx in under an hour and leay e ux gaxping for more. There ix nothing laugh-out- lotid here btit thix ix akin to being xtuck in a lift with Victoria Wood and Jane llorrockx llflldl“? )our armx while (‘aroline Aherne headbuttx you with a ginger quiff: painful and xotir. yet oddly pleaxurable. ller boring foul- mouthed drag queeii. excitable cockney oftice worker. pixxed-tip bride and bitter old lady all ring xtrangely true. The excellent Jonathan Mc(iuincxx groundx the w hole thing ax the .xtraight fall guy. underplaying eyery xketch and ney er mixxcx a heat. It ix not difficult to .xce Why late ix xuch a cherixhed actt'cxx of xtage and the xmall xcreen. tl’aul Dale) Those Meddling Kids 00 (‘rowiic l’lala Hotel. until 2b Atig. llpm. Roikex. Raggyl Like. what are tlioxe goofy kidx doing up there in that creepy old hotel. Scoob'.’ ltmmn . . . a yery good quextion. Shaggy. And. while thix xextet oll‘alifoi‘tiiati upxtai'tx would dexcribe themxely ex ax improy ixerx. they xccm to hay e failed to graxp the entire poiiii of that exercixe. which ix to make the rexultx \L‘L‘Ill xktllcd and xpotitattcoux. Mix all yery well boaxtiiig that eyery night ix a different xhow. (with the audience determining the genre and certain plot elementxi bill if
ey cry xhow producex a mexx ol xloppy xelf- indulgence tliat‘x barely accexxibly to rioti- .»\merican audiencex. you might ax well xtick to the xcript. Still. thix ix the only xhow l'ye \L‘L‘Ii Where the caxt applalltlx the audience: lhc‘ only element that xliould be retained for future perftti'manccx. (Allan Radcliffe)
3 Radicals ... (iiltli’tl Hill/HUN 'I'lu'ittn'. until 37Aug. (llnn. they call themxely ex ‘thrce comic anarchixtx‘. btit it truth be told. the xhort man. the tall man and the plump woman who make up the 3 Radicalx purxue a fairly coiixeryatiye \ariant on the improy ixed comedy genre. their alleged aim ix to perform ax many xkctchex otll of a lixl of .ill topicx c‘ltoxcti it} the audience in 45 minutex. they xeem to enjoy thcttixchcx. thotigh. which ix alway x a good xign. and by and large the engaged crowd do ax well. ()n thix particular exerting. lireddie lx'ruegcr w reckx a High School prom. a Spanixh hooker named Stixic puxhex rhubarb to a rugby referee. a dwarf fallx in [me with
hix croxx-ey ed friend. and a ('hrixtian union group meet on Marx. It‘x all xuitably Name. and occaxionally \ery funny. (Jamex Smart) 0 Tommy Tiernan I’lt'uxunt‘t'. until 27 Aug. 7.15pm. The former l’errier winner delightx ux with a xct of traditional .xtand-up giy en tw ixtx of the tmcxpccted.
The Treason Show (tulo/ilionitiy l’t'mltir'liottx. Kitttti’iliu .S'otilltxlili’. uttlll 2/) Aug. 3.50pm. Biting xatire and hard-hitting tuiiex. liour xtarx in The (iutinliun. three in The Scots/non”
Trev and Simon’s Circus of Evil
.. I’lt'tixiint‘t'. until .‘7Aug. ‘lpin. Probably a good idea on paper btit on xtage. xummoning up the
dey ilixh ty rantx of the paxt ix the proyerbial damp xquib.
Nisted Tales fill/(THINK Slim/ow \. lt’ttt‘ki’l (‘1 Soul/i lit'iilg'i’ Ri‘uttit't‘t' (it'll/['12 until 35 Aug. 0. l5/nn. l-unny follow .up to the troupe‘x Seyen Deadly Sinnerx.
Uberarmy O... ('ln'rxuuxuut'. (‘ it’ltlli'. until 3/) glue. .‘-..i(l[tttt. From the outxide they look frexh-faced and innocent. btit their mindx are horribly xiek and twixted. to the point of being quite dixturbing. l‘ortunately. they 're bloody funny with it. Ubernacht (lti't'ulllHlL’l’. ('of. until 26 Aug. llpm. ('ult cabaret xhow.
Umbilical Brothers coo (if/(It’d Balloon (1! li'riot Row llouxt'. until 37xlue.
7'. lip/n. Sec i‘cy iew.
Useless Guide Scotland 2001 - A Pie-based Odyssey Boo/It Boo/ti at the lion. until 37.4142. ‘llnn. Bill Dewar and Brian llennigan in another brilliantly liapha/ai'd xend tip of all thingx Scottixh. liour xtarx from 'l'lu' l.i\l laxt year.
0 Being Johnny Vegas 0000
(ii/ilt'tl Bulloon 'Ilu'tttt't'. until 37xlug.
ll). li/nn. Sec t'ey iew.
Velvet Laughter Master Series Boo/ti Boom at The lt‘ott. until 37.-lue. [URN/mt. (‘auada'x ('raig (‘ampbell ix thix w cek'x ttmnyman in the intimate xtirrouiidx.
Very, Very Small Things 0000 Double lit/cc [Mi/nit. lltt' (ttt/t'l’l’t'lll'. until 3/) Aug. N. lfipni. Six l’ythonexque xhort playx. deliy cred without hcxitation bttt with much dey iation by four llaryard xtudcntx. l’okci' play in' redneckx. juggling midgctx, xemiotic metaphorx. bi/arrc electrical experimcntx and blood xtained bureauci'atx all feature. (Robin llodgct
Mark Walker - The Man Who Fell To Mirth C. .txxt'ni/t/y Roomy. until 37 glue. 7pm. Walker'x perfunctory act ix more xuitable to the club circuit than anything elxe.
night
Perfect late-
entertainment, off-beat, melancholic
and funny Rebranding Mr God
The Umbilical Brothers ooo
(ii/(It'll Balloon (Ii li'i‘iiit Row House. until 37 xtill". 7.15pm While not really in the same league ax laxt year'x excellent l'llonu '5' (m6. thix quirky and funny piece of madcap mayhem xtill helpx to till the Void left by the Spaniin diabolixtx.
'l'he xhow. .S/it't'iltiiouse .xtartx well. a pillow caxe-headed roadie trundlex onxtage in a clow ii-xuit and warnx u.x that what we are about to xee ix all real. The boy.x come on xtage. all pretend neryex and .xmilex with lame xtand-tip linex like ‘where are you from'." Not that they really want to know the anxw er. they juxt want to explain that they are controlled by a remote control. xo whoever hax it better not touch certain buttonx.
What follow-x are inventive and occaxionally hilarioux xcqucnccx where they play to the audience'x knowledge of home video yixualx ax they .xpeed tip. slow down and baxically mime their way round the xtage.
Shane Dundax (the one with xhort hair) creatcx a lot of the .xotmd effectx simply through a hand-held mic which i.x amazingly effectiyc. w hilc Day id (‘ollinx tlixplayx .x'plit- .xeeond timing. The material could be .xtronger. btit thix ix an accexxible. entertaining xhow. (Paul Dale)
24 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE (21% Aug (5 Sup ?()()1
Wax On/Wax 0" Hot Box. (' l'i'nue. until 26 Aug. [0.15pm. er Merton. Baxil l-‘awlty and Set Am! The (’ity' are the intiucitcex for thexe .xcary chiekx.
Suki Webster: Best Man 000 l’leuxuni‘t'. until 27Aug. .ipltt. A .xhow about re-empowering yourxelf alter being dumped xoundx dangerouxly cloxe to xomething otit of the pagex of ('oxnio/mlitun btit Stiki Webxter .xteerx clear of the ‘buy new xhoex‘ and ‘learn how to give the perfect blow job‘ rehabilitation methodx and .xo retainx a modicum of dignity. Part Ilig/i I'iilt'lity without the recordx. part Kate Buxh yideo (.xhc'x poxh. .xlightly unhinged and wayex her armx about a lot). the xhow rcy‘oly'ex around her day ax ‘Bext Man' at her friendx' wedding. Playing to a very xober. middle-aged audience. Webxter hax her work cut otit at creating an atmoxphere btit valiantly wrextlex a poxitiyc rexponxe from the fuxty crowd. Dexpite occaxional dipx in her material. Webxter hax the .xaxx and froth to keep the xhow flowing with confidence. (Mark Roberixon)
The Weird Sisters Get Around
0. l’lt'usunt‘t' Dome. until 37 Aug. 5.55/nn. Irixtead of directly attacking .xexixm. thix entire xhow i.x filtered through the conceitx of two y'ain actrexxex.
Dawn WhitweII: Brevity Is The Soul of Whitwell Holyrootl litt't'rtt. until 2!) Aug. Huillltlll. Acclaimed .xtand-up Dawn Whitwell bringx her brief .xhow to the l‘ringe. Subyerxiye. xlacker xtyle.
The Whore Whisperer - Confessions Of A Madam oooo (iiit/t’tl Balloon (1! li't'iot Row House. until 27Aug. 8.15pm. The iionchalance of the whole whore act ix affecting and will have you reaxxexxing your ow n yiewx. 'I‘hix i.x raw pimpology babe: dig it and laugh.
Wild On TV! 0.. Wood it'- Hit/ex. (ii/(led Bolloon 'I‘lu'otrt'. until 2/) Aug. 6.45pm. Jaxon Wood. one half of Wood and llidex. hax an eye infection. Apparently he wanted to check himxelf otit of hoxpital and do the xhow tonight. btit they wouldn't let him. He may well be back by the time you read thix reyicw. although on tonight'x baxix. the reduced Wild ()n 'I’\’ ix pretty entertaining in itxelf. ()ur hoxt ix Angelina 'l‘oi'tclloni. a catty bitch (played by other half ('harlie llidcx) who .xlagx off the audience like an eyen lewdcr Dame lidna. The audience. needlexx to xay. loye it. although gagx about anorexia go down a little lexx well. llidex makex a decent Delia Smith and a belieyable Anne Robinxon. who he gctx to perform laxt year'x moxt oy‘cr-play'cd .xketch. the liminem paxtiche. Btit while the targctx may be oby ioux. they're far from undexerying. (Jamex Smart)
Mike Wilmot O... :‘lyx‘t'tnlily Roomy. until 37Aug. 9.15pm. Mike Wilinot playx the world-weary. mixanthropic. fucked-up. xex-obxexxed comedian almoxt ix'rfectly. Women Behaving Badly o
Rt'rt'll & Iligginy. Ix'onti'tlitt Soutltxirle. until 36 Aug. llpm. About a third of the way through the xhow. the xound of tumbleweed rollx acroxx the xtage. lt'x actually the introduction to one of Rey ell & lligginx' xkctchex. btit it xumx tip their ey ening pretty nicely. It all xtartx otit with a chance meeting with he on the tube. after which the pair trayel through time looking at how the rolex and behay tour of women haye changed through hixtory. 'l‘he conceit proyidcx the background for a few epixodex. in which
w itchex are equated with put-upon xingle motherx and (‘harlottc and limin Bronte argue about .xex and literature. Btit many of thexe xkctchex are utterly dire. conxtructed witliotit punchlinex. performed without panache. crude when they .xhould be xalacioux. and chioux when they would be radical. (Jamex Smart)
Andy Zaltzman Versus The Dog Of Doom 0... l’lt'uyunt't'. until 37xlug. 8pm. [alt/man ixn't really a comedian at all. he ix a xmart humoroux polemicixt.