15 STOREYS HIGH
With questionable wisdom, voters in the BBC’s Best Sitcom Ever poll back in 2004 utterly ignored 15 Storeys High, instead opting to find slots near the business end of the top 100 for the risible likes of ‘Allo Allo’ and Vicar of Dibley. History shall prove these people to be fools. Sure, 15 Storeys High was never going to trouble everyone’s tastebuds, veering too far into subtlety and oddness for those who prefer their hilarity to ensue from people misunderstanding each other rather than just loathing one another.
He may have since fled to Channel 4 and the yankee dollar of the pointless panel show, but Sean Lock cemented his reputation (garnered over many years on the stand-up circuit) of being among the most influential thinkers and writers on the British comedy scene. Granted, the show’s set-up seems vaguely familiar: a tale of flatmates forced into co-habitation despite being polar opposites (you can detect the audible echoes of The Odd Couple, The Young Ones and Mary, Mungo and Midge, here) while we also get to see glimpses into the bizarre, scary and futile existences of other residents in this south London tower block which include reggae fitness regimes, boy band auditions and helium conversations.
Who could fail to be seduced by the quaint surrealism present in this two- series DVD that has Errol (the brilliant Benedict Wong) inadvertently discovering that his bedroom has been used and abused in the pages of a men’s magazine or displaying a hidden genius for table tennis? And is there anyone who wouldn’t at the very least find a smirk on their face as Wnce (Lock) tries to turn an airport calamity into a positive story, starts to hallucinate about a horse in another flat or accidentally steals a plough from a pub?
Maybe we shouldn’t completely blame the voters for failing to find a place for 15 Storeys High. There’s a fair chance that many of them wouldn’t have even heard of the show, such was the Beeb’s lack of faith in it. First transmitted on BBC Choice, which later morphed into BBC3, its sole terrestrial airing was in the ludicrous graveyard hell between Newsnight and Casualty for the deaf. This DVD release would be the best way for everyone to make some small amends. (Brian Donaldson)
I Released by 2 Entertain, Mon 79 Feb.
38 THE LIST 15 Feb-1 Mar 2007
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 Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £7 (Ur-£3 members). Die Clattcrshenkentietermaus are coming all the way from German techno-hell to show you their minds. You will enjoy it. even if you are scared in a happy way. They stand on the stage with Stewart lirancis. Saj and Martin Bigpig Mor.
Edinburgh
Out to Lunch - Live! The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. l.05-—l.55pm. £5 Meal & Show. Squeeze some life into your lunch hour courtesy of the good folk at the Stand: just £5 gets you top quality itnprov comedy and yummy scran in 55 minutes of fun.
Heresy The Jekyll & Hyde. l 12 Hanover Street. 225 2022. 8.30pm. £3. The increasingly popular night of dark and depraved comedy. with host Rick Molland and a galaxy of guest comedians releasing their demons.
The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £7 (£6-v£3 members). 'l‘hursday fun with energetic host Joe lleenan and comedians John Moloney. (ius Tawse and (ieordie ghost hunter Barry Dodds.
The Snatch Social The Liquid Room. ()c Victoria Street. 225 2564. l lpm-«3am. £5. Cotnedy capers from Harry Ainsworth and Tony Carter at this legendary cabaret-cum-disco.
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. C(iC Building. Renfrew Street. 08707 870707. 7pm. £10. You know the deal. fab night out with food. comedy then dancing afterwards. In case you‘re interested. the line-up includes Raymond Mearns. Daliso Chaponda and Steve Harris.
The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 08706006055. 8.30pm. L") (CS-£5 members). Martin Bigpig Mor (daft name. good comic) is your jolly MC this weekend. He is joined by the esteemed Stewart lirancis. the (‘lattershenkenlietermaus guys and Saj.
Edinburgh
Out to Lunch - Live! The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. I05 l.55pm. £5 Meal & Show. See Thu l5.
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. (ireenside Place. 08707 870707. 7pm. L‘ It). Jongleurs offers you a classic night out. with dancing. drinking. eating. comedy and fat orange girls squee/ed into sparkly tops. Distracting you from all that flesh are Danny Buckler. Johnny Candon. Richard Morton and Kevin Bridges.
The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £9 (£8 £5 members). Cheery Joe Heenan hosts the weekend in the company ofJohn Moloney. Barry l)odds and Rick Kieswetter. A jolly nice line-up that is too.
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. l}(}C Building. Renfrew Street. 08707 870707. 7pm. £13. See ["11 I6. Comedy Womb The State Bar. 148 Holland Street. 332 2l5‘). 9pm. L‘). The non-'l‘ravis Fran llealy hosts the successful Comedy Womb at The State Bar. featuring a line-up of top comedians every week.
The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 6006055. 9pm. £10. See l’ri l6.
Edinburgh
Comedy Academy 4 Kids The Bongo Club. Moray House. 37 llolyrood Road. 558 7604. noon—3pm. £90 for three workshops. Comedy workshop for 7 to 12—year-olds hosted by James Campbell. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. (ireenside Place. 08707 870707. 7pm. £12. See l-‘ri l6. The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £10. See Fri 16.
Sunday 18
Glasgow
Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 08706006055. 8.30pm. £5 (tell—til members). Die Clattershenkenlietermaus. Barry l)odds. Nick .\1orrow. and Phil Differ join Mr Redmond in this semi- relascd end to your week.
Edinburgh
7 Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The
Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. lpm. l’ree. Regular freestyle comedy wizards Paul Graham and Stuart Murphy lire up the imagination with another slice of improv action.
The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4 ~t.'l members). MC Susan Calman wrecks the mic with comedy homies (iraeme Thomas. Scott Agnew. Sian Bevan. Scotty Domhnallaeh and Martin McAllister. That is like phat. innit'.’
Monday 19 .
Glasgow
The Amazing Bastards! The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £3 (£2). Steven Dick. Allan Miller and Teddy are a bunch of scruflballs who have cobbled themselves together to merge their sullied brains into a night of stand-up. characters and sketches. If you have morals or dignity. stay away. If not. see you there.
Edinburgh
Out to Lunch - Live! The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 1.05—1.55pm. £5 Meal & Show. See Thu l5.
Red Raw The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. Aww . . . look at all the little new comedians. aren't they cute‘.’ And the bigger comedians trying new material. showing them the way. And here come the comedy farmers. Jane Mackay and Kevin Bridges. to make sure they don't escape. Sweet.
Tuesday 20
Glasgow
Red Raw The Stand. 333 \Voodlands Road. 08706006055. 8.30pm. £2 if) members). Jane Mackay and Keir McAllister headline and MC this evening of up-and-coming comedy talent. Well. sortie of them might be rubbish but that‘s funny too.
Edinburgh Out to Lunch - Live! The Stand. 5
’ork Place. 558 7272. 1.05 l.55pm. £5 Meal & Show. See Thu l5.
The Amazing Bastards! The Stand.
5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £3 (£2). See Mon l‘). Hairy Watt Comedy Club The t'nion. lleriot Watt t'niversity. Riccarton. 45] 5333. 9pm. £3. Like a scary uncle you desperately want to like you. Raymond Mearns presides over the evening. (iraham Thomas and Patrick Rollink also star in this blokey but strong line-up. Out of the Bedroom - Out of the Closet The Canons' (iait. 232 Canongate. 556 4-18 I. lidinburgh's open mic night for original songwriters opens its doors to I.(iBT performers. or those who want to support the community and celebrate its rich history. Poetry. comedy and storytelling also welcome at this special night. To book a slot. contact James via big‘jimct‘outofthebedroom.co.uk.