The Stand 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £4 (£3). Neil Shackleton headlines. partly in the form of Neil Gallacher (as in Oasis. The band. not the shop). With support from John Gordon and Teddy and hostess Joon Bt'oon.
Christie's Comedy Cellar W.J. Christie & Son. 27~3l West Port. 228 3765. 9.30pm. £4 (£3). \"iv and Jill make are back. alongside Craig Crookston.
FRIDAY 26
Edinburgh
The Bearpit W.J. Christie 61: Son. 27—-3l West Port. 228 3765. l.3()am. £2. See Thtt 18.
Dorothy Paul King’s Theatre. 2 Level] Street. 52‘) 6000. 7.30pm. £6 -£l(l (£4—£8). See Tue 23.
The Stand 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £6 (£5) (£4). Liverpudlian Brendan Riley mixes gags and improv. With support l'ront Alan McQueen. Colin Ramone and Paul McNeill. Susan Morrison makes a pie-maternity leave l‘inal appearance.
Reg Anderson's Comedy Explosion The Tron. Hunter Square. 337 8340. 9pm. £4 (£3). Dave Williams. Brian Hennigan and the exoticly-nametl Sebastian McPlamll light the blue touch paper and stand \\ ell back.
East Kilbride
Bruce Morton Village 'l‘lteatre. Maxwell Drive. “13552 4866‘), 7.3(me. See Wed 24.
SATURDAY 27
Glasgow
Cosy Comedy Cafe The State Bar. 143 Holland Street. 332 215‘). 0.30pm. £5 (£4). IVttI/it'r 'lt't/‘s Michael Redmond and (iur's Noel James keep Reg .-\nderson company.
Edinburgh
The Bearpit W.J. Christie & Son. 27—31 West Port. 228 3765. l.3()am. £2. See Thu 18.
Dorothy Paul King's Theatre. 2 Leven Street. 52‘) 6()()(). 7.30pm. £6—£ l() (£4—-£8). See Tue 23
The Stand 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £6 (£5) (£4). Same line up as yesterday. minus Mother Morrison btit plus Jane Mackay.
East Ktlbride
Stick It Up Your Empire East Kilbride Arts Centre. ()ld Coach Road. ()1355 261000. 8pm. £6 (£3). See Sat 20.
Paisley
The Joke Box Mister P‘s. 42 Wellmeadow Street. 561 71 17. 10.30pm. 1-‘ree. Noel James. David Kay anti Skank . line tip at the behest of MC Raymond.
SUNDAY 28
Glasgow
The Comic Club Blackl't'iat's. 36 Bell Street. 552 5924. 9pm. £5 (£3.50). Gay's Noel James headlines. with support from Dick & Dick and Gary Hagen.
; Edinburgh
' The Bearpit W.J. Christie 8; Sort. 27—31
West Port. 228 3765. l.3()am. £2. See
Thu 18.
Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand.
5 York Place. 558 7272. l—3pm. Show is
tree with drinks or a meal. See Sun 2|.
; Pint-Sized Comedy The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 7.3(lpni. £2.50 (£2).
5 Allan Miller says howdy doody to seven
new acts and pld staget' Bill Dewar.
Christie’s Comedy Cellar W.J. Christie
& Son. 27 -31 West Port. 228 3765.
9.30pm. £3. .lames l)onlan shares the
‘ spotlight with musical impressionist
Craig Hill.
COMEDY CLUB REVIEW The Bear Pit
W.J. Christie and Son, Edinburgh, Thu 11 Mar
At 1am things don’t look good downstairs at The Bearpit in Christies. There’s a small smattering of drunks, insomniacs and social misfits who have nowhere else to go dotted about the room. Although the place is tiny it initially seems practically empty despite the dozen or so people here. The shit brown walls (why on earth did they paint over the old superhero murals?) are becoming oppressive and the gold foil on the stage is looking forlorn.
Fifteen minutes later, almost miraculously, people start appearing from nowhere. It's the fag end of the night and like a magician pulling lager-
End of the century fantasy hecklers: The Bear Pit
bedraggled bunnies from a top hat, the place fills up and actually starts to
buzz.
The Bear Pit welcomes hecklers. Which is just as well since on the strength of Joe Heenan‘s performance there would be no show without a lot of audience participation. Don't come here unless you are prepared to be part of the act. Fortunately, by this stage of the night, most people are well enough oiled to give as good as they get and before long there’s a fair exchange of personal insults and a trading of favourite jokes between the
floor and the stage.
It all makes for a somewhat surreal yet good-natured experience. It’s the middle of the night and there's a crowd of piss heads in a cellar shooting the shit. Heenan recognised a woman in the crowd who had once been the front end of a pantomime cow when he had been the arse half. Anywhere else it would seem truly bizarre. Here, it seems to make perfect sense.
MONDAY 29
Glasgow
Laugh Out Loud Comedy Club
l.' Attache. 27 Waterloo Street. 221 32 10. 8.30pm. £3 (£2). Craig Crookston headlines with Robert Aitken Knox and MC Coco Banio.
Mark & John’s Comedy Quiz Tron Theatre Bar. 63 Trongate. 552 4267. Free. See Mon 22.
Edinburgh
The Bearpit W.J. Christie a Son. 27-31 West Port. 228 3765. l.3()am. £2. See Thu 18.
Red Raw The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 7.30pm. £1. Special showcase for The Stand's work-out graduates. Liane Ellis hosts as always with Dougie Dunlop guest closer.
TUESDAY 30
Edinburgh
The Bearpit W.J. Christie a Son. 27-31 West Port. 228 3765. l.3()am. £2. See Thu 18.
Brian Hennigan's House Of Fun The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8pm. £1 per person to play.
See Tue 23.
Glasgow
It's A Scream Curlers. 260 B yres Road. 338 651 1. 8.45pm. £4 (£3). Stu Who'.’ headlines. with Neville Raven and comp Janev Godley.
Mark 8: John's Quiz Special l3th Note Club. 260 Clyde Street. Free. See Wed 24.
Edinburgh
The Bearpit W.J. Christie & Son. 27-31 West Port. 228 3765. l.3()am. £2. See Thu 18.
World Of Comedy Quiz The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £1 per person to play. See Wed 24.
l
listings GDMEDY
It's a scream queen: Janey Godley
THURSDAY 1
5 Glasgow
Cheshire Cat Comedy Club Waxy-s. 2t) Candleriggs. 552 8717. 9pm. Free. Fools include Reg Anderson. Brian Hennigan
and John Gordon.
Cosy Comedy Cafe The State Bar. 148 Holland Street. 332 215‘). 9.30pm. £4 (£2). Michael Redmond and Gary Hagen
darken Billy Bonkers~ doorstep.
Edinburgh
The Stand 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £4 (£3). April 1‘ool's Day shenanigans with Allan Miller. Benni lisposito. Graeme Thomas and compere Liane lillis.
Christie’s Comedy Cellar W.J. Christie & Son. 27—31 West Port. 228 3765. 9.30pm. £4 (£3). Gerry Grant of The Mimics headlines. with support from Canadian comic Jason Whitehead.
The Bearpit W.J. Christie & Son. 27—31 West Port. 228 3765. l.3()am. £2. See
Eating & Drinking Guide 1999
Available 15 April
l8 lvl(ll"l Apr 1099 THE LIST 63