Edinburgh
Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. lpm. l-‘ree. Banish that morning-alter l'eeling with a dose ol‘ tree ttorm) laughter ll'Utt) iinproy doctors Paul (iraham and Stuart Murphy. The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £4 i£l £3). Prestwick‘s Dayid Kay teams up with comedy cutie Matt Kirslien. Ricky Sparkle. .-\ndy MePartlan and a l'ew- Red Raw hopel'uls lot more laughs in the company ol'outrageous host Bruce
l)e\ lit).
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
Comedy editor Brian Donaldson picks his highlights of 2005
If you happen to be the agent of either Lee Evans or Billy Connolly, you would be a very happy person indeed. Not only would you be laughing quite a lot, but you would have a client absolutely raking in the coins with sell-out tours, extra Scottish dates in the case of Connolly and a Guinness Book of Records entry for Evans’ audience numbers. Sketch show mayhem came to our auditoria this year with the League of Gentlemen and Little Britain freaking the bejesus out of us within days of each other.
The Glasgow Comedy Festival grew in strength once more and the Stands tenth birthday made it a very happy year all round for the club's owner Tommy Sheppard. During the Fringe. we were thoroughly amused by Andrew Maxwell, Penny Spubb's Party. Demetri Martin. Robert Newman and Chris Addison. though the barnstorining performance of the year must go to Tommy Tiernan (pictured). Seven years on from his glorious Perrier Win and he really should be wallownig in a inire of TV game shows and ropy vorrzeovers. but instead he is provnig to be the most Inventive. passionate and downright hilarious stand-up of his generation.
Finally, a notable mention should be made of the One Big Laugh 36-hour charity comedy gig at the Three Tuns in Edinburgh, hosted by Michael McEwan and Mac Star. This gagfest in aid of Depression Alliance Scotland crossed over into April Fool’s Day and made Mark Watson's 33 hours and 25 minutes during August seem positively lightweight.
56 THE LIST 1:3 lltr'. :/'.-’,.-'. -'. in 2930
Monday 19
Glasgow
The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 (i055. 8.30pm. £8. Seasonal entertainment from mistress ot mirth Jane Mackay. pop bunny Sandy Nelson. Parrot and tull-l‘orce comedy preacher Reyerend ()badiah Steppenwoll‘e lll.
Edinburgh
The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £8 £14.95. (iet into the festive spirit with l‘eisty lass Susan Morrison. mischieyous
joker Joe lleenan. (ireg Mcllugh and
(ieordie dttt) Mat & liaron.
Tuesday 20
Glasgow
The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 (300 6055. 8.30pm. £8. See Mon l‘).
Edinburgh
The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £8 £l-t.t)5. See Mon 1‘).
Wednesday 21
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleui‘s. l'(i(‘ Building. Renl'rew Street. 08707 870707. 7.l5pm. £l0. l'thhl'lght tunny lady Janey (iodley heads tip this (’hristmas comedy team. aided and abetted by Scots-Italian laughter-meister Stetatto Paolini. Rick Right and Aussie hoy Jim Jell‘rics.
The Don Quixote Christmas Comedy Night The Liquid Ship.
l7] I75 (ireat Western Road. 33] 1901. 8.30pm. £2. ('hic ()‘(‘onnor joins Lucy Brouwer. l)ayid Barr and headliner Jay Lal‘l‘erty' lot‘ this l'estiye Don Quixote Appreciation Society session.
The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 ()00 6055. 8.30pm. £8. See Mon l‘).
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleiirs. ()mni Centre. (ireenside Place. 08707 870707. 7.l5pni. £l0. Pre-(‘hristinas laughs with .-\l Pitcher. Irish raconteur lan ('oppingei'. Stti Who'.’ and l)aye Williams.
The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £8 £14.95. See Mon ll).
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. l'(i(‘ Building. Renti‘ew Street. 08707 870707. 7.l5pni. £l0. See Wed 21. The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 33.3 Woodlands Road. 0870 ()00 6055. 8.30pm. £8. See Mon 1‘).
The Big Bluu Comedy Gong Show Bluu. 50 'l'rongate. Merchant (‘ity. 548 I350. ()pm. l-‘ree. See Thu l5. btit with the added boiitis ol‘ guest I)es ('lar'ke.
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jonglettt's. ()mni (‘entre. (ireenside Place. 08707 870707. 7.l5pni. £l0. See Wed 2|.
The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £8 til-L95. Sec Mott l‘).
The Snatch Social The Liquid Room. 9c Victoria Street. 225 25o4. l lpiii 3am. £5. See Thu l5.
Glasgow
Curlers Bumper Value Comedy Curlers. 250 260 Bytes Road. 338 ()5l l. 8pm. £5. l‘estiye laughs from motor- mouth l)es ('larke. V'iy (iee and M(' Alan Anderson.
The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 (>00 6055. 8.30pm. £8. See Mon l‘).
Edinburgh
The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £8 £l-l.‘)5. See Mon 1‘).
Saturday 24
Glasgow
Ha Ha Comedy Blackl'riat's. 36 Bell Street. 552 5924. 8pm. £o l£5). ('hristmas liye laughs from local lads l)es McLean. Raymond Mearns and M(‘ Alan Anderson. Cosy Comedy Caté The State Bar. I48 Holland Street. 332 2l5‘). ()pm. £(i (£5). The eyer-ebullient Raymond Mearns stands up. supported by the linpro-Babble (‘oinedy Players and host Billy Bonkers.
Glasgow
Hoottest! The Stand. 33.3 \Yoodlattds Road. 0870 ()00 ()055. 8.30pm. £l0 t£8). (iet ready tor the big night with the Stand laughter team. featuring the comedy talents ol' Bruce Morton. northern lrish jester Martin 'BigPig' Mor. Jane Mackay and Kevin Bridges.
Edinburgh
Hootfest! The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £l0 t£8). ('ontedy campster Bruce l)eylin leads you up to llogmanay and beyond. accompanied by blonde bombshell Vladimir MCTttVish. raconteur Dougie l)unlop and Mandy Muden.
Wednesday 28
Glasgow
Hoottest! The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 ()00 6055. 8.30pm. £l0 (£8). See Tue 27.
Edinburgh lloottest! The Stand. 5 York Place. 5.58 7272. 8.30pm. £10 (£8). See Tue 27.
Glasgow Hoottest! The Stattd. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 ()00 6055. 8.30pm. £l0 l£8).
See Tue 21 .
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. lpm. l-‘ree. See Sun l8.
Hootfest! The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £l0 t£8). See Tue 27.
The Snatch Social The Liquid Room. 9c Victoria Street. 225 2501. l lpm 3am. £5. See Thu l5.
Glasgow
Hootfest! The Stattd. 333 \Yoodlands Road. 0870 ()00 ()055. 8.30pm. £l0 (£8). See Tue 27.
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. lpm. Free. See Sun l8.
Hootfest! The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £l0 t£8). See Tue 27.
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleiirs. t'(i(‘ Building. Renl’rew Street. 08707 870707. 7.l5pm. £20. llogmanay bash with the blaspheinous Reyerend ()badiah Steppenwoll’e lll. Wil. (ireg Burns and Dame Williams.
Ha Ha Hogmanay Blackt‘riars. 3r» Bell Street. 552 5924. 8pm. £l-l. Three comedians. two Venues and one M('. as l)es (‘larke. big man (iary Little and Susan ('alman proyide New Year’s liye entertainment. supported by compere Alan .»\nderson.
Ha Ha Hogmanay (‘urlers. 25o Zoo Byt'es Road. 338 ()5l l. 8pm. £l2. See Sat 3|.
Hootfest! The Stand. 33.3 Woodlands
Road. 0870 ()(X) (i055. 8.30pm. £ l 7.50 l£l5 £l2.50). See Tue 27.
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch is it Anywaf.’ The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. lpm. l-‘ree. See Sun l8.
Jongleurs Comedy Club Joiigleiirs. ()mni ('entre. (it‘eettside Place. 08707 870707. 7. l5pin. £I5. ()ddball Stti Wlio‘.’ keeps the laughs rolling. with support from lan lidwards and Ponimy Johnson. Hootfest! The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £l7.50 l£l5 £l2.50). See Tue 27.
Edinburgh
Free 8: Easy The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. lpm. l-‘ree. Paul (irahain and Stuart Murphy dust away those lloginanay hangoyer cobwebs with this tree helping ol~ laughter and iinproy mayhem.
Hootfest! The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £l0 l £8). See Tue 27.
Glasgow
Dance, Monkey Boy, Dance The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 ()00 ()055. 8.30pm. £4. Team Monkey ibettei' known as Sand)‘ Nelson. :\llen Chalmers. Paul Pirie. l)es McLean and Raymond Mearns) spice up Monday night with more sptntlitnentls sketches. music and gags.
Edinburgh
Free 8: Easy The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. lpm. Free. See Stiii l.
Hootfest! The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £10 t£8). See Tue 27.
Glasgow
Red Raw The Stand. 33.3 Woodlands Road. 0870 ()0() (i055. 8.30pm. £2 l£l ). John Ross guides more stand-up
new comers along the rocky road ol' comedy.
Edinburgh
Soup The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 l£3). The brains and brawn behind ci'a/y (iernian pop duo l)ie (‘latterschenkenlieterniaus ithat's Jason ('ook and Lee l'enw ick to you and me). present this new sketch and character comedy show.
Wednesday 4
Glasgow
Bob Doolally‘s Fitba Crazy! The Stand. 333 \thxllunds Road. 0870 ()00 ()055. 8.30pm. £(i i£-l). Reliye the we? Scotland y lingland game in the company ol~ \odka- l'uelled pundit Bob l)oolal|y and two special guests.
Edinburgh 5009 The Stand. .5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 i£3). See Tue 3.
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Joiiglcui's. l'(i(' Building. Renl'rew Street. 08707 870707. 8pm. £7 i£3). Jongleui's kick oil the New Year with comedy capers troni Mike Milligan. smart (‘aiiadian (ilent) Wool. (‘olin (‘ole arid lrish leprechaun lan ('oppinger.
The Thursday Show The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 o00 (y055. 8.30pm. £0 t£3 £5). Laughs li'oni comedy giant Brendan Dempsey. Rory Motion and cheeky canipster Bruce l)e\ lin.
Edinburgh
The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 0pm. £o i£3 £5). ('ra/y :\tissie Brendon Burns joins laid back .iokei‘ Pete (am. John Ross and hostess with the inostess. Jane Mackay.
The Snatch Social The Liquid Room. ‘lc Victoria Street. 225 2501. l lpiii 3am. £5. See Thu l5.