MY COMEDY HERO ALEX HORNE
Before I start, I want to stress that, while I admire people like Woody Allen, Peter Cook and Bill Hicks, I actually grew up watching a lot of Hale and Pace and Russ Abbot so my genuine options here are unfortunately somewhat limited. Heavily influenced in a Derren Brown (my actual hero, incidentally) sort of way by the title of this feature, I was therefore initially tempted to nominate Ardal O’Hanlon. Having found salvation in Father Ted in the latter part of my childhood, I still count Dougal as one of my favourite comic creations.
Whilst I did then become obsessed with Ardal’s stand-up, repeatedly listening to his 005 and adopting a slight Irish twang and a lot of whimsy when I first and disastroust attempted stand-up, his subsequent mental safari and starring role in that programme, My Hero, does, however, immediately disqualify him from that very title here. I’d choose Cooperman over George Sunday any day of the week.
So instead I’m going to plump for the similarly dozy character in Linehan and Mathews’ next great sitcom, who had his own cult series in the late 905 and has remained steadfastedly brilliant ever since. I first saw Bill Bailey in a suitably rustic corn exchange ten years ago. I’ve always been acutely jealous of musical talent but it was the rest of his performance that got me that night; the technical playfulness, quickfire gags, lustrous hair, inclusive chaos. All things I strive to emulate today.
(Interview by Brian Donaldson) I The Stand, Glasgow, Thu 79—Sat 27 Apr.
40 THE LIST 12—26 Apr 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 'l‘hc Stand. 333 \Yoodlands Road. 0870 ()00 (i055. 8.30pm. £7 (£o £3 mcmhcrs). 'l'hc clicct'icst of thc chccry‘ .'\l(‘s. Joc Hccnan hosts tonight. \y ith Scan Pcrciyal. Andy Sir. Papa ('J and .\'iall Broyy'nc. yy ho rcally likcs chccsc. (it). my prcttics. and cnjoy yoursclycs.
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jonglcurs. l'(i(' Building. chl‘rcyy Strcct, 08707 870707. 8pm. £7 (£3). A rathcr lunky linc-up. including (ilcnn Wool yy’ho stormcd thc [-‘ringc last ycar with You Don 'I (in In [It'll/or liming [flap/units. Also up arc Stcyc Williams. Stu Who'.’ and Ian (‘oppingcr
Edinburgh
Out to Lunch - Live! 'l‘hc Stand. 5 York Placc. 558 7373. 1.05 l.55pm. £5 mcal & shoyy. Plop sonic lilc into your lunch hour courtcsy of thc good l‘olk at thc Stand: at liycr gcts you top quality improy' comcdy and yummy scran in 55 minutcs ol tasty lun.
Heresy 'l‘hc Jckyll & Hydc. I I3 Hanoycr Strcct. 335 3033. 8.30pm. £3. .\lorc dcpraycd comcdy I‘rom thc hascmcnt ol‘Jckyll & Hydc. \inh .\l(' Rick .\lolland. Scc prolilc. pagc 4]. The Thursday Show 'l‘hc Stand. 5 York Placc. 558 7373. 9pm. £7 (£(i £3 mcmhcrs). l.oycly Brucc l)cylin is thc host of tonight‘s prm‘ccdings. ioincd by Susan ('alman. Patrick Rolink. Andy Robinson and Ron Yaudry.
The Snatch Social 'l‘lic Liquid Room. ()c \‘ictoria Strcct. 335 350-1. 1 lptn 3am. £5. (‘omcdy' capcrs l‘rom Harry .-\llls\\'ol‘lll and Tony (‘artcr at this chccky caharct—cum-disco.
Glasgow Watson’s Wind-up (iiztsgoyy' i'Hlll 'l'hcatrc. l3 Rosc Strcct. 333 8l38. lpm. ["I'L‘L‘. \YL‘Clsiy topical contcdy Hill (It th‘ rccording ol BB(‘ Scotland's popular skctch shoyy. starring Jonathan Watson. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jonglctn's. l'(i(' Building. chlrcyy Strcct. 08707 870707. 8pm. £10. Scc Thu l3. The Stand 'l'hc Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 ()00 ()055. 8.30pm. £9 (£8 £5 mcmhcrs). Bc \yarncd: .\l(' Susan .\lorrison takcs no prisoncrs. although that would hc prctty unncccssary tor a comcdy night. Instcad. shc pcrl‘ornis on stagc. alongsidc Scan Pci'ciyal. Andy Sir. Papa ('J and Niall Bl'oyy nc.
Edinburgh
Out to Lunch - Live! 'l'lic Stand. 5 York Placc. 558 7373. 1.05 l.55pm. £5 mcal & shoyy. Scc 'l‘hu l3.
Jongleurs Comedy Club .longlcurs. ()mni ('cntrc. (irccnsidc Placc. 08707 870707. S. l 5pm. f '0. \Yt‘t‘kclld I't-stiy'itit's courtcsy ol 1 'nclc .longlcurs. yyith hot l'ood. drinking. dancing and. oI~ cottt'sc. good old-lushioncd L‘omcdy. Simon l-‘ox. Scan .\lco. Ronnic lidyyards and (icoll Boy / arc thcrc to pokc thc gigglcs out oI‘ you.
Live at the Tron 'l'hc ’I‘ron. ‘) Huntcr Squarc. High Strcct. 33h 0031. 8pm. £(r (£4.50). Jtist to conl'usc mattcrs thc lolk l'rom l.i\ c at 'I‘hc Hiyc/l.oll arc moy ing again to thc hascmcnt ol'lhc Iron. i'i/lhnlllh Billy Kirkyyood is hcadlining. yyith ('olin Ramonc. .\'iall Broyync and Sian chan. Stcy cn l)a\idson .\l('s. The Stand 'l'hc Stand. 5 York Placc. 558 7373. 9pm. £9 (£8 £5 mcmhcrs). ()oh. l‘riday thc l3th? Stay ayyay l'rom suinmcr camps and hidc in thc salcty ol' thc Stand. Any il Springsticn. Ron Vaudry. Susan (‘almaiL Patrick Rolink
and host Brucc l)c\ lin yy ill kccp you sal'c. ()r yy ill thcy 1’
Saturday 14
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jonglcurs. l'(i(‘ Building. chlrcyy Stt‘cct. 08707 870707. 8pm. £13. Scc 'l'hu I3.
Comedy @ The State The Stalc Bar. 1-18 Holland Slrcct. 333 315‘). 8.30pm. £5. 'l'hc \cry popular ('omcdy' Womh is noyy undcr ncyy managcmcnl. \yho hayc rcmoycd thc thought ol lady'- hits I'rom your mind \yith this rcnaming. 'l'onight’s linc-up. hosch by Billy Kil'kyyood. includcs Qucnlin Rcynolds and Scott Agncyy. The Stand 'l‘hc Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. ()870 600 6055. 0pm. £ l 3. Scc l'ri
l3.
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jonglcut‘s. ()mni ('cntrc. (irccnsidc Placc. 08707 870707. 8.l5pm. £l3. Scc liri l3. Saturday Circus Rcd. 73 (‘oyy'galcn 335 I757. 0pm 3am. l‘rcc. (Earth ('rtiikshank (Snatch) yy‘ill hc ringmastcr at this ncyy comic takc on Saturday cluhhing.
The Stand 'l‘hc Stand. 5 York Placc. 558 7373. 0pm. £13. Samc liuc-up as ycstcrday‘. hut tonight you can walk undcr laddcrs and put your shocs on thc tahlc.
Glasgow
Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service ’I‘hc Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 (100 (3055. 8.30pm. £5 (£4 £l mcmhcrs). A laid-hack cnd to your \ycck yyith \yhimsical ramhlings l'rom host Mich;th Rcdmond. Hc's joincd by Andy Sir and Sian chan.
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Placc. 558 7373. lpm. l-icc. ('urc your hangoy cr hlucs \y ith sonic cycr—populat' improy l‘rom thc Stand ('omcdy Play crs. It‘s Ii‘cc and thcrc's l'ood ayailahlc so just put a coat oycr your pyjamas and hcad doyy n thcrc. The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand. 5 York Placc. 558 7373. 8.30pm. £5 (£4 £l mcmhcrs). .\londay 's looming so go otit and call in sick tomorroyy: you knoyy you “ant to. l.cading you astray arc Ron \'audry. Kcir \chHlle‘l'. .lanc Walkcr and .lim Park.
Monday 16
Glasgow
The Amazing Bastards! 'l‘lic Stand. 333 \Yoodlztnds Road. 0870 ()00 ()055. 8.30pm. £5 (£3). Stcycn l)ick. Allan Millcr and 'l‘cddy hayc got togcthcr to mcrgc thcir sullicd hrains into a night ol' stand-up. charactcrs and .skclchcs. [I' you hay c morals or scnsc ol‘ dignity. stay anay. It" not. scc you thct‘c.
Edinburgh
Out to Lunch — Live! 'l‘hc Stand. 5 York Placc. 558 7373. 1.05 l.55pm. £5 mcal tk shoyy. Scc 'l'hu l3.
Red Raw 'l‘hc Stand. 5 York Placc. 558 7373. 8.30pm. £3. 'l‘opncu comcdy.
\y ith tip to tcn acts. including Pl'olt‘ssionals .lamic Andcrson and Paul Piric \y ho arc on hand to mop up thc ICLII‘s.
Tuesday 1 7
Edinburgh
Out to Lunch - Live! Inc Stand. 5 York Placc. 558 7373. I05 l.55pm. £5 mcal tk shoyy. Scc Thu 13.
The Amazing Bastards! 'l‘hc Stand. 5 York Placc. 558 7373. 8.30pm. £5 (£3). SCL‘ Mon |().
Hairy Watt Comedy Club llci‘iot- \Vatt l'niycrsity l'nion. Riccarton.-151 5333. Studcnt li'icndly comcdy I'rom thc l'olks at Hcriot Watt. 'l‘hc mighty