hsfings

Shows are listed by date, then by city. Performances will be listed, provided that details reach our offices at least eight days before publication. Comedy listings compiled by Steve Cramer

THURSDAY 20

Glasgow

Cosy Comedy Cafe State Bar, 148 Holland Street, 357 5387. 9.30pm. £4 (£3). Dougie Dunlop and Fin MacArthurjoin comp Lee Ness for comedy capers.

Edinburgh

The Stand 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £4 (£3). Tickling your fancy tonight are John Gillick, David Kay, Michael Ilardie, John Sinclair and comp Joon Broon.

Glasgow

Jester's Comedy Club hilansion's Cafe Bar, 63 St George ’s Road, 333 I418. 8pm. £5 (£4). Alan Miller headlines the hilarity, with support coming from John McGuinness, Colin Ramone and MC Janey Godley.

Edinburgh

The Stand 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.15pm. £6 (£5). Cooking tip a comedy brew are llirking Neil star Brendan Dempsey. Joe lleenan, Graeme Thomas attd Susan Morrison.

SATURDAY 22

Glasgow

Cosy Comedy Cafe State Bar, 148 Ilolland Street. 357 5387. 9.30pm. £5 (£4). Richard Allen, Viv Gee and Dougie Dunlop share jokes and japes with comp Billy Bonkers.

Edinburgh The Stand 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.15pm. £7 (£4). See Fri 21.

Glasgow

The Comic Club Blackfriars. 36 Bell Street, 552 5924. 9pm. £5 (£3.50). Janey Godley headlines at the newly re- opened Comic C‘lub, sharing the limelight with David Kay and support to be confirmed. Viv Gee comps.

Edinburgh

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1-3pm. Free with drinks or a meal. Inspired improv courtesy of Stand stalwarts Jack and Paul.

Pint-Sized Comedy The Stand. 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8—10pm. £2.50 (£2). Allan Miller is your host and, for the price of a pint, you get five newer acts plus a seasoned closer.

Kirkcaldy

Fife Comedy Club Path Tavern, Mid Street, 01592 263671. 8.30pm. £4 (£3). Comedy in the Kingdom courtesy of Brendan Dempsey, Brendan Moohan, Nick Findlay, Scott Deass and comp Joon Broon.

MONDAY 24 Edinburgh Stewart Lee The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6. The Stand launch their new season of big name comedy, the Connoisseur Comedy Collection, with off-the-wall antics from Fringe regular and This Morning With Richard Not Judy co-presenter Lee.

58 THE LIST 20 Ian—3 Feb 2000

Edinburgh

Burns' Night Special The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 7.30pm. £10 including supper and a nip. Bawdy humour in the bard‘s footsteps from Jane Mackay, Donna Krachan, comic poet Brendan Moohan and comp Susan Morrison.

WEDNESDAY 26

Edinburgh

Skitters The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 7.30—8.30pm. £2. The Stand takes its first foray into the strange world of sketch-based comedy with an event that may or may not feature up to twenty skits from the best up-and-coming local writers and performers.

World Of Comedy Quiz The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £1 per person to play. Bill Dewar initiates you into the strange world of comedy trivia, spurred on by a potential £100 rollover jackpot.

THURSDAY 27

Glasgow

Cosy Comedy Cafe The State Bar, 148 llolland Street, 332 2159. 9.30pm. £4 (£3). Lee ‘thc gay Bernard Manning’ Ness is the host at this weekly laugh-fest, featuring familiar faces from the comedy circuit.

Edinburgh

The Stand 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £4 (£3). Laughter to the rafters courtesy of Bill Dewar, Rutherford and Merson, the single-barrelled Kenny, Nick Findlay and comp Joon Broon.

FRIDAY 28

Glasgow

Jester’s Comedy Club Mansion‘s Cafe Bar. 63 St George’s Road, 333 1418. 8pm. £5 (£4). Gag-tastic goings-on with Ian McDonald, droll duo Rutherford and Merson, John Flint and comp Janey Godley.

Divine Comedy Bacchus. 80 Glassford Street. 357 5387. 9pm. £7 (£6). A new comedy club at Bacchus, featuring headliner Bruce Morton and his meandering memoirs, with comp Billy

, Bonkers and support to be confirmed.

Edinburgh

The Stand 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.15pm. £6 (£5). Gag-tastic comedy from fast-paced funster Tim Vine, with support from Allan Miller, Brendan Moonan and comp Susan Morrison.

SATURDAY 29

Glasgow

Cosy Comedy Cafe State Bar, 148 lIoIland Street, 357 5387. 9.30pm. £5 (£4). Tall tales from Bruce Morton, with supporting Aussie antics from Ian McDonald.

Edinburgh

The Stand 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.15pm. £7 (£4). The same as Fri 28, except Jane Mackay comperes.

Paisley

Joke Box Mister P’s, 42 Wellmeadow Street, 561 7117. 10pm. Free. Standing centre-stage tonight is Ian McDonald, with support to be confirmed.

Glasgow

The Comic Club Blackfriars, 36 Bell Street. 552 5924. 9pm. £5 (£3.50). Headlining tonight‘s hilarity is Ian McDonald, with compere Viv Gee.

NEW COMEDY CLUB

Jesters

Glasgow: Mansions Cafe Bar, St

George's Street. With well established venues like

The State Bar and Blackfriars packing in the punters with top names from all over the world, Glasgow looks to be on the fast track to becoming an international haven for stand-up comics. But according to Janey Godley, the woman behind Jesters, the latest laid-back addition to Glasgow's vibrant comedy scene, there’s still a long way to go.

'We really do need more comedy clubs,’ she says. ’The fact is, in Glasgow, comedy just doesn’t get the support it deserves. Ballet, opera and theatre are all subsidised, but according to the bloody council, comedy is not an "art-form". So what I've been doing for the past five years is obviously just a pile of shite, actually.’ Keen to sidestep the usual territorial rivalry that bogs down newer venues, Godley’s pledge to support up-and-coming comics and big-name crowd-pullers alike is something that plays a major part in the running of the new club.

’We'll book anybody that's funny,’ she insists. 'All you need to get a gig at Jesters is to be funny. We

Court jester: Janey Godley

basically want it all to be open and free.’ Jesters' relaxed attitude doesn't just apply to bookings its open plan, cafe-style atmosphere breaks the mould of the typical boozy ‘comedy cavern' style venue - there’s even disabled access, an unusual merit in a comedy club.

’We serve decent food too,’ Godley points out. 'We've one of the best chefs working for us I mean, it’s nothing like a comedy club really. If you like you can just get a cappuccino or hot chocolate, sit back in a leather armchair and watch good comedy.’ (Olly Lassman)

Jesters Comedy Club is open on Fridays from 8pm.

Cosy Comedy Cafe State Bar, 148

Ilolland Street, 357 5387. 9pm. £6. A new, monthly comedy event. featuring bigger names - high speed hijinks tonight from everyone’s favourite funster Phil Kav.

Edinburgh

Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. l-3pm. Free with drinks or a meal. See Sun 23. Pint-Sized Comedy The Stand, 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8—10pm. £2.50 (£2). See Sun 23.

Kirkcaldy Fife Comedy Club Path Tavern, Mid Street, 01592 263671. 8.30pm. £4 (£3).

; Comedy antics in Kirkcaldy from Richard Allen, double act Paul and Ray, Bill Bruce, Calum Waddle and hostess

with the mostess Joon Broon.

Edinburgh

Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8pm. £2.50 (£3). Keara Murphy steps in as host of this novice night, featuring eight guaranteed comedy virgins plus a closing set from comic duo Paul and Ray.

Edinburgh

Useless Guide To Scotland The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £4 (£3). Bill Dewar and Brian llennigan take you through Scotland's hits and misses in a

revamping of their Fringe shows of ()8 and ()9.

Glasgow

Velvet Cabaret Glasgow Film Theatre, Rose Street, 332 8128. 7pm. Free. but tickets are required from 338 3233. The opportunity to get a sneak preview of this BBC Scotlaan sketch show as the TV pilot is filmed.

Edinburgh

Just Jane The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 7.30pm. £4 (£3). Saturday night comp Jane Mackay, who came out during last year‘s Fringe as a housewife and a Marxist, turns her tongue to vicious purpose with this new comedy chat show.

Glasgow

Cosy Comedy Cafe State Bar, 148 Ilolland Street, 357 5387. 9.30pm. £4 (£3). Surreal stories and visual antics from French funnyman Eric Bouvron, with comp Lee Ness and support to be confirmed.

World Of Comedy Quiz The Stand, 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £1 per person to play. See Wed 26.

Edinburgh

The Stand 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8pm. £4 (£3). Tonight's laughfest line-up I features Richard Allen, west coast wits Paul and Ray, Fin MacArthur, Bill Bruce and compere Joon Broon.