Comic cuts
‘HE PLAYS UP TO HIS CAN'T-BE-ARSED PERSONA'
This year’s Christmas lists will be groaning with live stand-up and sketch show DVD requests. Brian Donaldson assesses the good, the bad and the downright ugly.
DVD Jimmy (‘arr Live (‘ollection
The Show 0000 A double-whammy DVD set with an absolute avalanche of top-notch one and two-liners on topics including overweight and pregnant women. (ieordies and gypsies. freak accidents and fttck bttddies.
The Extras 0000 Pre-show footage including the by-now de rigueur chat with the make—up lady. a series of small ads planted by (‘arr in the press and performances at the Royal Variety Performance and on Comedy (‘entraL
Best Bit An epic attack on Trudi Styler.
DVD Dylan Moran: Like. Totally
The Show 000 Meandering on topics which in lesser hands would be lame (kids. ()APs. America) but are handled with surrealistic precision and effortless wit.
The Extras .0 Playing up to his 'can’t be arsed' persona. all we get is a short film of his alternative fitness programme and a couple of daft drawings.
Best Bit The sound he hears in his head when a (icrman speaks.
DVD Dara ()‘Briain Live at the Theatre Royal
The Show 0000 Making the art of stand—up look far
easier than it mttst be. the mercurial Irishman discusses (iillian McKeith. laws against hand—held microphone use and upsetting the social order in elevators.
The Extras .0. Kids and a semi-drunken debate about the show with lid By'rne.
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A chat with one of the Milky Bar
Best Bit A flawless ability to breathe invigorating life into the mordant practice of ‘audience banter".
DVD The League of (ientlemen Are Behind You! The Show 00. Their warped panto from 2005 in which the classic motifs of the form are given a boot tip
the furry backside by the darkly malevolent types of
Royston Vasey.
The Extras .0. The show as seen from backstage including the naked truth che/ l)enton.
Best Bit Tubbs' \el'sion of the last liood Song‘.
DVD Paddy .\1c(‘iuinness Live!
The Show 0 The worst end-of—the-pier hack nonsense you could possibly imagine in front of an adoring Blackpool crowd who won‘t bother going to another ‘comedy gig’ until the next Peter Kay tour. The Extras 0 A dire sketch filmed for Soccer AM. followed by a small doc which shows tts how they went about making that dire sketch for .S’m-t't'r.»t.ll. Best Bit The knowledge that it will all. eventually. come to an end.
DVD The Mighty Boosh Live
The Show .0. Howard Moon and Vince Noit’ go on a journey for the notorious Ruby of Kukundu. dragging along the likes of Bollo. Bob Fossil and a big- toothed sage who ‘goes by many names'.
The Extras 0.. The entire show viewed from backstage plus a tune by their London support act. the folk-walt/ Ralfe Band.
Best Bit ()ld (iregg. He drinks Baileys from a shoe.
Janey Godley The toughest dame in Scottish comedy is joined by Jason-- John Whitehead. Tony Woods and Geoff Boyz in setting up the boisterous gathering for a pre-Christmas treat. Jong/eurs. Glasgow, Thu M~Sat I 6 Dec.
Stand Christmas Special The Stand pull out all the stops for their festive fun with Bruce Devlin. Des Clarke. Stephen Carlin and Gary Little among those doing it for the Glasgow types while Susan Calman. Vladimir McTavish and Die Clatterschenkenfietermaus pander to Edinburgh tastes. The Stand. Glasgow. Edinburgh. Mon 78—-Sat 23 Dec.
Bumper Value Comedy Des McLean. Steffan Peddie. Alan Anderson and Scott Agnew will be on call during the yuletide mayhem to ease your festive tears. Plus some mystery guests would you believe. No. not Santa and Rudolph. silly. Black/rials. Glasgow, Fri 22--Sun 24 Dec; Fr/ 29-Sun 3 7 Dec.
Hootfest! An avalanche of year's‘end hilarity with Raymond Mearns. Joe Heenan. Gavin Webster. Vladimir McTavish and Susan Murray lighting up the west coast while Susan lvloriison. Torn Stade. Stephen Carlin and Steven Dick do pretty much the same for the men and women from the east. The Stand. Glasgow, Wed 27 ~~-Sun 37 Dec. Tue 2 8 Wed 3 Jan; the Stand, Edinburgh. Wed 27 Dec--~Wed 3 Jan.
Laughing Horse l-logmanay Special! Stand- up. scran and sounds til the wee small hOurs with .JotJo Sutherland. Bill Bruce. Bruce l-‘ummey and Rick Molland doing the comedy bit. laughing Horsetml indst'tv's. Edinburgh. Sun 37 Dec.
Fred MacAulay The man off the radio gets up on stage to make a whole room rock. With laughter. See 5 Things. The Stand, Glasgow. Thu 4 Jan.