Comedy '

CHARITY GIG

GIVE US A LAUGH Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, Wed 12 Dec.

Lynn Ferguson might have difficulty making her appearance at Give Us A Laugh more memorable than last year. The Cumbernauld-born funny lady got engaged to ‘the lovely Mark’ while in Edinburgh for the same gig last year. Two months later and she was back in her home town cramming in rounds of engagement parties and five nights of the National Theatre’s The Good Woman Of Setzuan at Cumbernauld Theatre. That would be enough to bring most people back down to earth with a bump,

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but Lynn Ferguson’s feet never left the ground. ‘There’s a whole thing that goes with being in the National; people will make assumptions about how good you are if you’re in the National,’ she explains. ‘And actually it’s just

an employer; it’s no big deal. My parents came to see it and were giving it,

“Hmm, well it’s not Judi Dench, is it?”’

The transition from cabaret act to respected actor isn’t an obvious one - even brother Craig hasn’t managed it to the same renown. These days, work for Lynn Ferguson involves weeks of writing punctuated by highly acclaimed performances in the Fringe First-winning play Mental at this year’s Edinburgh Festival, and her recently aired Radio 4 monologue Aria. With the exception of sporadic compering at London’s Bound & Gagged comedy club, Ferguson has put stand-up firmly on the back burner, but was coaxed out of near-retirement by her ‘comedy mum’ Karen Koren. ‘The thing that’s great about benefits is that it’s like everybody having a party, and I’m never really up for the idea of doing my news - you know Lynn Ferguson’s story about me. I get bored with me, so I’d assume that an hour of me would probably drive everybody else crazy too.’

All going to plan, Ferguson will be compering the second half of the show, and with Johnny Vegas (‘a babe’), Rhona Cameron (also ‘a babe’), Phil Kay (‘mad as a bucket’) and Adam Hills among those confirmed to appear, it should make for a benefit night of orgasmic laughter proportions. Bearing in mind Mr Vegas’ fondness for won’t-take-no-for-an-answer singalongs, could we witness the ultimate full cast finale? ‘Generally, what happens at these things, which is terrible, is that in the dressing room everybody’s giving it: “Have a beer, right what’s happening with you?” It gets terribly, terribly pally. If people are still standing at the end of the show, then possibly Johnny will get us on, but there’s a fair chance that we’ll all be in a corner somewhere going: “Oh, they’re a lovely audience, aren’t they?” You know just shite, we’ll all be talking shite.’ (Maureen Ellis)

Glasgow

The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £5 (£3 ). ()ne third ol' .\Ir Trellis Barry Murphy. plus Ben Darcy and I’rankie Boyle.

Edinburgh

New Material Comedy Night (iilded Saloon. 233 ('o\\ gate. 326 6550. 7.30pm. £2. .lill Peacock introduces Bruce l)e\‘lin and guests.

The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£3). Young .‘yiartin liurby headlines. \y ith (‘olin Ramone. Marjorie and Joon Broon. Reg Anderson’s Comedy Cellar liin .\lac('ools. l6l l.othian Road. 622 7 I09. ()pm. l’ree. (ierry (irant. John Littlejohn and Tim Laurence.

Snatch Club The Liquid Room. 9c Victoria Street. 225 256-1. 10pm 3am. £3.50 (£2.50). l)J llarry :\lli\\\’t)l‘lll hosts this weekly debauched cabaret.

Glasgow

The Stand The Slttlitl. 333 \Vootllttlltls Road, 0370 600 6055. 9pm. £6 (£5). Iii/arrc rambling (ieordie japestcr l)a\e Johns. \\ ith (‘olin Ramone. l‘rank Quinn. and cotnperc Jane .\lackay.

Edinburgh

The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £6 (£5). Subtle musings

lrom Irishman Barry Murphy. plus .-\llan .\liller. James l‘erguson and compere Susan Morrison.

Greenock

Rico’s Comedy Church Rico‘s. 1/3 Tobago Street. 0797‘) 550602. 7.30pm. £3. liast end liunny lady Janey (iodley. James (‘ampbell and Raymond .\learns.

St Andrews

Alternative Guide To Scotland By re 'l‘heatre. Abbey Street. 0 l 334 475000. 8pm. £‘) (£7). (iot‘don Brunton and Kenny Harris present their satirical look at all things Scottish.

Tartan Chuckles Comedy Club Byre Theatre. Abbey Street. (ll 334 475000. 10.30pm. £6 (£5). Jimmy Mooney and singing stand-up ('raig llill

join compere Jill Peacock.

Glasgow

The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £7 (£4 ). See Hi 30. only \\ ith compete Susan Morrison.

The Joke BOX lltllltlsll‘s House, 43 ()Id Sncdtlon Slt'ecl. l’aislcy. 56l 7l07. ()Plll. l’rcc. Bruce Morton. (icrry (irant and Raymond .\learns.

Madcap Comedy Club The State liar. HS llolland Street. 332 215‘). 9.30pm. £5 (£4). (‘ommanding humour l'rom (iordon llrunton. l.ec .\'css and Great White Shall.

listings Comedy

Queen’s Hall, Wednesday 12 December 8pm

Kandy Kane’, Jill Peacock, Des Clarke, Craig Hill and friends

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