m;in i r
JASON BYRNE
Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 16 Nov, Fri 10 & Sat 11 Dec: Stand, Glasgow, Wed 17 Nov
Stand-up comedians generally fall into two categories: the ones who get up and tell a bunch of pre-prepared jokes, and the ones who just make shit up. Unpredictable Dubliner Jason Byrne is very much of the latter camp, although it’s apparently not all off-the-cuff stuff. ‘I always have a load of stand-up prepared and then I weave all the improv in and out so it looks like I'm making it all up,’ he says. ‘But I never make it all up, because that‘s quite selfish, going on with nothing. Then again, when I do Edinburgh the crowd sit back and go: “No material, just make it up“, cos the Scottish are as miserable as the Irish. “Go on, fail. Fail, you fuck".'
Byrne has certainly established a reputation as a wonderful and charismatic live performer. 2004’s festival jaunt was entitled That’s Not a Badger, based around a truly ridiculous game involving loads of badger photos. Byrne never rests on his laurels, though, and for the forthcoming visit the badgers have been laid to rest. ‘I did that badger thing in Edinburgh for a month, and at the end of it I didn’t want to see a fucking badger ever again,‘ he says. ‘I still like doing games with the audience though. But in the Stand, the stage is tiny so I’ll probably just bring some miniature games along. Maybe miniature Connect Four.’
For all his spontaneous silliness Byrne is also unafraid to go for the comedy jugular. In a recent Guardian article, comedians were asked to pose questions for the legendary Richard Pryor, now suffering from MS. In amongst the tedious platitudes and general sycophancy, Byrne‘s question (hidden away at the arse end of the article) was Pryor-esque in its awesome brutality: “You talk about Muhammad Ali in your latest DVD and how frightening it was to be in the ring with him. But do you reckon you could beat him now that the two of you shake like maracas?‘ Pryor‘s reply was succinct: ‘That's your fucking question?‘
‘They weren‘t going to put it in,’ Byrne says. ‘But I‘m probably a bigger Richard Pryor fan than any of them. I know what he‘s like, and I‘m quite suspicious that that‘s his wife‘s answer not his, because he‘s so fucked up now his wife deals with all his business.‘ Jason Byrne as the new Richard Pryor? Stranger things have happened. Although to be honest, I can‘t think of any. (Doug Johnstone)
44 THE LIST -'- \
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to comedy@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Rachael Street.
Thursday 4
Glasgow
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I The Thursday Show llic Si.iiiil. 5 Milk l’lm‘c. 555 “3‘3. ‘lpiii. L'li 1L5» l.\l‘ltl\l\k' liml l l.llll\l\' liiitlc llllL‘\ iip lllt' t‘iiiiit'il} l.llt'lll\ nl lllllx lllll\lL‘l.lll llllllt‘il t'iiiiicilmii liiliii \lnluiic}. l.iii \l;it'plit'i\iiii .llltl \iccl Hiit‘klaiiil
I The Snatch Social lllt‘ liquid lx’iiiiiii. ‘lt' \ It'liiim Slim'l. 335 Jilil Kim. Ll iL' Kim l’lllll_\ \'.ll\llk‘l ilixt‘ii lll\lHll lt'.iliiiiii}: l.ip \\;ll\'l .\\\.ll\l \iiiiiici liill_\ (".iilt'i .iiiil |l:iii_\ \lll\\\iillll li.il\t'\.iiiil lit-nil} \\ciiil_\ iiiiniillil} lt'\ltlt'llll \uppl} Iiip limp .llltl liiiik} liiiit'x.
Glasgow
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I Ha Ha Comedy ( )‘Ncill‘x. 15" Suiigliiclmll Slit‘t'l. ‘5‘ -l ;"H. .\piii Ll). Llll iiit‘liiiliiiu t‘lili’) in Illl\l \llll\\ tll\\'l‘, (Illdl'llk' Riixx l.ll\t'\ ll‘ lllk' \[NilllL'lll \\ llll t'iiiiiit‘ \lljll‘llll llHlll Kll\l} \liux .iiiil lllk' tl.lll\l'\ [Uplt'dl Vlk'tlkl}.
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Glasgow
I Clare Summerskill: Her Finest Bits llHll lllL'.lllt'. (ii liuii;'.ilt'. QR: allli" \piii L5 1U” l)t'\\lll‘k'll .l\ ".i lL'\l‘l.lll \it'luim \\imil'. \iiiiiiiit'i\|>.ill l‘llllj_‘\ .i llll\ nl \l.llltl iip. \HllL'\ .iiiil iiiuiiulnggiitw lu lllt' \l.ij:c I’m! 11/ (r/(HIUH'
I Four Poofs and a Piano 'l llt' Slilllil. H: \\1Nllll.lll\l\ Rihltl. “5*” “ll” N55 \ illpiii Llll \lll\lL.ll tuiiit'il}. liniii Ilimc lHlll \‘.llll[‘\lt'l\ \‘.llH it';ii|.iil_\ \Pl\t' up lnii.illi.iii Rm! \liuv. I Disposable Theatre lllk‘ \.iiili.
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Edinburgh
I Whose Lunch is it Anyway? ’I llL‘ Sigiiitl. 3 York Place. ‘55 "I": lpiii. l'lL‘L' Rcuiil.” lit-mult- tniiit'il} \‘-l/illtl\ l’.iul (ii.ili.iiii .llltl \iimil \liiipli} hit up llic iiii.ij_'iii.ilinii xi. iIli .iiinllit-i \lit't' iil iiiipim .itiinii