BAGGAGE Radio 4, Wed 5 Dec, 11.30am
With the Grumpy Old Women back doing their grumpy old thing on the nation’s stages, it‘s good to hear of another female comic trio who aren‘t just wielding rolling pins and frying pans while moaning about the council and youngsters. The threesome on Radio 4’s Baggage still have their own
troubles to lug around but they do so in a quaintly 40$omething Marchmont
Radio 4 way.
Written by Hilary Lyon, Baggage is now in its third series, featuring Phyllis
Logan as Fiona, Adie Allen as Ruth and Lyon herself playing the core of the show‘s bother, Caroline. As the opening episode begins, Caroline is returning from a foreign jaunt and dreaming of a hot bath and cold drink. But at the other end await her woe-filled friends while Caroline has to face the fact that her ex-husband has now shacked up with a new love: a man called Peter. She may be fine with that and perfectly happy to have dinner round their place, but she is wholly unprepared for the indecent proposal
that’s in store for her.
‘I think the old adage about writing about what you know is probably very sound,‘ reckons Lyon. ‘lt’s fascinating to look at a group of women who have known each other for a very long time and l marvel at people’s resilience to get through this “stuff” and still have a sense of humour.’ And have a bit of a grump now and then, too. (Brian Donaldson)
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 Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. l'(i(‘ Building. ll Rentt'exx Street. 08-0 "S" 070". 8pm, £8. With a line-up .is strong as an m on steroids. e\et'} no“ and then Jongleurs pros e \\h} the} '\ e got the clout to get some ot' the best comedians in 38 THE LIST 3:“ “lg—‘3
9’) \ sh»—
the countr}. Tonight’s a line e\amp|e. \tith (ireg Danes. Sarah Millican. Ton} Hendricks and Brian Higgins.
The Thursday Show The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £7 i£(»£3 metnhersi. .\lr Smoothness Tired .\lae:\ula} hosts this exening. like an ambassador at his hall. He introduces the charming John Scott. the international Daltso (‘haponda arid the nice And} MePartland. u ith the tia'oulous Des (‘Iarke headlining.
Edinburgh Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. (ireenside Place. 0870‘
V050" S 15pm ill (iood lord. theyre onto their (‘hrtstmas shous alreads in Jongleurs land It _\ou iust can't nail to get )our Santa hat on. then go and see the tahulous Jane} Uodle}. Simon (anon. ('ohn (‘ole and the marsellous Paul Sinha Heresy The Jek}ll ck Hsde. 112 Hanoxet Street. 225 2022 S 30pm L" Richard Hollands night ot depra\ ed humout continues in its lzdtnhurgh home. as audiences keep returning to he suhiected to more \ tle lilth
The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 “2‘2 ‘lpm L" ith £I memhetsi Joe Heenan is in charge ol a littt'l'li‘l} Itiendl} line-up lot a Thursda} e\enmg Stenart T'l'dllch. \hchael Mee. Bill} Kirkxsood and Janice Phasre
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleuts. l'(i(‘ Btiilding. ll Renlteu Street. (LS-'0 "8" 0‘0" 8pm £|5 See Thti 2‘)
The Stand Tlte Stand. “3 \Voodlands Road 0870 (till) ()055 8 10pm {ll iLS {5 membersi. Des Clarke. John Scott. I)ahso ('haponda and And} .\1cPartland return. hut \tith Stisan (alman replacing l'red as compete.
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni ('entie. (ireenside Place. 0870_ 870707. 8.l5pm £1 l. See Thu 2‘). The Stand The Sland. 5 York Place. 558 7272. llpm. £9 i£8 £5 ntemhersi. It yin go otit tonight. sou can totth open )our ad\ent calendar at nndnight. ('alm )our anticipation h} \Mtlclilllg‘ a night ol \er) energetic coined} hosted h} the square- tau ed Joe Heenan. \sith Steuart T'TtlllL'lS. Michael .\1ee. Bill} Kirkuood and Janice Pha} re.
Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. l‘(i(' Building. ll Renlress Street. 0870 787 0707. 8pm. £45. See Thu 2‘), Comedy @ The State The State Bar. l-l8 Holland Street. 332 2l5‘). 9pm. £5. Head doun to the basement oi to}. as The State Bar soothes sour a ruler hlues \t ith headliner Mark Nelson. a man so urong he prohahl) pulls the legs on lad) birds. The Dark Lord is ~toined h} .‘\1(‘ (iraham Mackie and a host ol special guests. The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £12. Satne line-up as _\esterda_\ hut Stisan Morrison replaces Stisan ('alman. The} 're hoth \see. Scottish. tunn) and a Susan, You won't spot the difference.
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. (ireenside Place. 08707 ‘70707. 8pm. £35. See Thu 2‘). Laughing Horse at Linsay’s Laughing Horse(n l.insa_\'s, 15 Brunswick Street. 556 897-1. 8.30pm. £3. T’orglusi £3. yin can enlo} a line-up and a hall \sith Ja} Sodagar. ('arl) Baker. Bohh} ('arrol. Tomm} Mack. Barr} McDonald. lid Patrick. (iUs Tau se and Dec (‘Ustance With resident compere J'tljtl Sutherland perlorming like a cherry on the coined} L‘ttkc. The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 72-2. 0pm. £9, See Fri 30.
Glasgow
Michael Redmond's Sunday Service The Stand. 533 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £5 i£4~£l members). Another packed bill for a Sunda) exening \tith Mr Redmond. so en_io_\ the thrills prmided h) John Scott. Daliso (‘haponda Chris Forbes. Sean Grant and Jim Park.
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch is it Anywaf? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. lpm. Free. Whose Lunch otters tuo hours of tree tmprmised comed} counes} of The Stand
THE WEE MAN
Who's he then? Creation of Neil Bratchpiece. smallest comedy member of the not very tall Bratchpiece Family, The Wee Man is a pure wee basturt Burberry fiend whose stage demeanour ranges wildly from quite threatening to really very threatening indeed.
Oh right, yet another ned character then? Yes. maybe. but this one is actually very funny indeed. As well as appearing with his brethren and faither at the Fringe this year, his greatest success was nabbing a place in the final of the Scottish Comedian of the Year Awards in 2006 and 2007. Didn’t win then? Afraid not. but he certainly made a vivid impression on judge Steve Bennett of comedy website Chortle. Having written a less than complimentary review of The Wee Man in 2006. the pair came face to face this year in the Old Fruitmarket with confrontational and amusing consequences. Whether Steve will return north ever again is uncertain. What kind of thing does The Wee Man do In his spare time, of whlch we imagine there must be loads He's an enthusiastic swinger whose favourite TV shows are Crimewatch, Britain’s Dumbest Criminals and Watercolour Challenge and numbers Malcolm X, Ving Rhames and Sandi Toksvig among his heroes.
(Brian Donaldson)
I The Stand, Glasgow
Sun 9 Dec.
Plasers (lair) IJohson and Stuart Murphy There's also delicious lood axailahle
GRV Comedy Lounge The (iRV. l7 (iuthrie Street. 220 2987. 8pm. £5 t£3l Joe Heenan comperes this night tn the rather spanking (iRV in a retreshing change for a Sunday exe. He's Joined ht Kenn Bridges. Jelil ()‘Biisle. Austin Lovs and headliner the Reserend ()hadiah Steppenuolle HT.
Andrew Maxwell Special The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272 8.30pm, £8 «in l. The official King ol ('omedy returns to Scotland to cheer up our dark days oi winter with his ](l_\’()U\ uee Irish lace.
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. L'GC Building. ll Renl‘reu Street. 0870 787 0707. 8pm. SOLD OUT. Christmas comes and the prices go up. but the draw of Raynond Mearns. Marc Theobald. Brian Higgins and Jim JCiTrlCS haten‘t stopped the punters gobbling up those tickets. Magners Comedy Monday MeChuills. 40 High Street. 552 2l35. 8pm. £2 (£1).