Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jonglettrs. l'(i(' Bttilding. Renfrevv Street. 08707 870707. 8. l 5pm. £10. Tvvo highly intelligent and understated cotnedians for Jongleurs tonight: Anvil Springstein and Bill I)evvar. There‘s the normal food and dancing malarky going on too.
The Stand The Stand. 333 \thxllands Road. 0870 (300 6055. 8.30pm. £9 (£8 £5 membersl. Sattte line-up as Thttrsday but it's not a school night so yott can drink beer and chat \v ith the other boys and girls as late as you like.
Edinburgh
The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £9 i£8 students £5 members). Talk l07's breakfast host Susan Morrison is the vveekend’s fiery M('. Riding her tidal vvave are Jttttior Simpson. John Scott.
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to comedy@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Sian Bevan.
Glasgow
The Thursday Show The Siam . 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 (300 6055. 8.30pm. £7 (£6 £3 membersl. Radio Scotland's l-‘red MacAulay' is the esteemed M(‘ for the vveekend. Performing with him are lan (‘ognito. Tony (‘atter .\'eil Mcl‘arlane and Rick ‘Heresy' Mollattd.
Edinburgh
Heresy The Jekyll (V Hyde. I I2 llanovet‘ Street. 225 2022. 8.30pm. £3. More depraved comedy from the basement of Jekyll (t Hyde. as cotttedians are unleashed iii this uncensored night. Killian Monson and Sian Bevan. That‘s a The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York comedy tidal vs ave. by the vvay. .Metaphors. Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £7 (£6 £3 eh'.’
menthersl. The first T'TS of 2007 gets off
to a cracking stan under the auspices of Saturday 6 host Joe lleenan vv ith Jtmior Simpson. John
Scott. Killian Monson and Stan Bevan. .\e\\ year's resolution to have tnore fttn. by
any chance‘.’
THE BEST COMEDY
Fred MacAulay The man oft the radio gets up on stage to make a whole room dizzy with his mirthftil ways. All of which sounds sarcastic. but it's really not meant to be. Our Fred is one of the most reliably hilarious stand-ups on the circuit. The Stand. Glasgow. Thu 4--‘Sat 6 Jan.
Out to Lunch: Live!! The Stands excellent new innovation should have comedy fans spluttering crumbs over each other. In a good way. of course. The Stand, Edinburgh. Mon—Fri from 8 Jan.
Simon Munnery The big— specced Ioon has been one of comedy's pioneers for longer than even he would care to remember but it stand-up of the anarchic kind is your bag. a treat awaits. The Stand. Glasgow. Thu 17—Sat 13 Jan.
Live at the Hive A chance to check out some fresh funny folk with Steven Davidson gripping the compere’s mic. Beehive Inn. Edinburgh. Fri 12 Jan.
Simon Brodkin This iSSue's other hilarious Simon. See panel. The P/easance. Edinburgh, Tue 76 Jan; the Stand, Edinburgh. Thu 18 Jan.
Glasgow Bumper Value Comedy Blacklt'iat's. 36 Bell Street. 552 5024. 8.30pm. £3. If you're feeling the January-and-l'm-skint hlues. then fear not as Blackfriars contedy is having a Jattttary sale. vvith all tickets half price. Tonight. the extraordinary Janey (iodlcy headlines. vvith M(’ Scott Agncvv. The Stand The Stattd. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 (i055. 8.30pm. £l0. See Fri 5. Comedy Womb The State Bar. I48 llollaitd Street. . 32 2l5‘). 9pm. £9. The inimitable liran llealy hosts the successful (‘omedy Womb at The State Bar. featuring a line-up of top comedians every vveck.
Edinburgh The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £10. See Hi 5.
Glasgow
Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand. 333 \Yoodlands Road. 0870 000 6055. 8.30pm. £5 l£4 £l members). The affable Mr Redmond returns for 2007. \v ith the consistently top notch Sttttday Service. This vveek sees performances from John Scott. Killian Monson and Phil Differ.
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. lptn. l’ree. Regular freesty le comedy vvi/ards Pattl (iraham and Stuart Murphy lire tip the imagination with another slice of itnprov action.
The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4 £l members). As is fitting on the Sabbath day. the Reverend ()hadialt Steppenvyolfe III is the evening's host. His tin-holiness is joined by Tony (alter and .\'eil Mcliarlane.
Glasgow
Ricky Gervais Royal ('oncen Hall. 2 Sauchiehall Street. 353 8000. 7.30pm. £25. Mr (iervais takes time otit from conquering the vvorld to bring his nevv tour I-ium' up to Scotland. He looks at the idea of celebrity. a concept he's become overly familiar with. and in true form treads a fine line of good taste. Sec caption.
Dance, Monkey Boy, Dance The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 (i055. 8.30pm. £4. The Monkey Boy/ are back. Sandy Nelson. Allen Chalmers. Paul l’irie attd Ray tnond Mcarns bring ottt sketches. sotigs and stand-up for yottr delectation.
Edinburgh
Out to Lunch: Live! Tltc Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. I05 l.55pm. £5. The Stand Players launch their nevv lunchtime shots to cheer up your
CHARACTER COMEDY SIMON BRODKIN
There are few things which will elicit ashamed giggling or an audible intake of breath with a comedy audience these days quite like racial humour. Ashamed giggles and breath intakes can change in an instant to all-out hostility and vocal outrage, as in the case of Michael ‘Kramer’ Richards. With the likes of Simon Brodkin though, we are in assured, sensitive hands. During his August Edinburgh shows, the hushed acceptance of him browning up as his character Dr Omprakash was a sign that modern comedy audiences are mature enough to resist jumping towards stark conclusions about a comic’s intentions. The character Brodkin played was simply a reflection of the many sides of the UK which he seeks to represent while on stage.
‘You’ll be surprised how much I hadn’t spoken to people about it,’ Brodkin told me when I asked about the inevitable debates he must have had into the wee small hours, tossing and turning the pros and cons of tackling such a creation. ‘When people find things funny they tend not to talk to you about it; it’s only when people don’t find things funny that they’ll ask you whether something was the right or wrong thing to do.’ Less contentious but brilliantly observed and hilariously written and performed are his naive trustafarian Hugo Victor-Grant, the tactless holiday rep Chris Young and the freewheeling chav Lee Nelson. It’s all too unlikely, but if this comedy lark should go belly- up, then Brodkin can always go back to his day job. ‘Yes, I’m still a doctor. Unless I’ve been struck off without being told.’ (Brian Donaldson)
I The P/easance. Edinburgh. Tue 76 Jan; The Stand. Edinburgh, Thu 78 Jan.
vvcckdays. A fiver gets you some top-notch improv comedy and a home cooked meal. all timed so you cart leave vvork at I and get back to your desk at 2.
Red Raw The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. The first Red Ravv of 2007 lays out some more fresh comedy talent for your delectation. (it) and see the folks vvho could be amusing you in the year ahead. in the company of M(‘ and headliner Steven Dick and Kevin Bridges.
Tuesday 9
Glasgow
Ricky Gervais Royal (‘oncen Hall. 2 Sauchiehall Street. 353 8000. 7.30pm. £25. See Mon 8.
Red Raw The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 (i055. 8.30pm. £2 t£l members). A hargainous night of nevver talent. vvitlt professional comedian Pattl Piric overseeing events. l)on’t vvorry. they only do short spots so you vvon't have to fake lattglt for too long.
Edinburgh
Out to Lunch: Live! The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. I05 l.55pm. £5. See Mon 8. Melting Pot The Stand. 5 York Place. 558
7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4 £2.50 membersl. lTpcoming vvriters shovv you their vvares in a series of comedy sketches and you. yes you. can vote for the vvinner.
Wednesday 1 0
Glasgow
Ricky Gervais Royal Concert Hall. 2 Sauchiehall Street. 353 8000. 7.30pm. £25. See Mott 8.
Rough Cuts The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 (>00 6055. 8.30pm. £5 (£4—-£2.50 members). A special shovvcase of the best in nevv comedy material that's attempting to clamber its vvay onto our television screens.
Edinburgh
Out to Lunch: Live! The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 1.05 l.55pm. £5. See Mon 8. Comedy Arena Gong Show Holyrood 'l'avern. ‘) Holyrood Road. 557 4072. 8.30pm. £2. (‘ome attd pick the winners (and losers) as comedians try their lttck against the Tavern (‘omedy (iong. Harsh bttt funny. Dance, Monkey Boy, Dance The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £4. See Mon 8.
448 Jan 2007 THE LIST 39