THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT . . .
In 2000 at the tender age of 19. Des Clarke was runner-up in the prestigious So You Think You're Funny awards. The victor was one Drew Rokos. He’s Australian. That's all we know about him.
His first major TV exposure was on lTV's Saturday morning kids show. SM-TV (which more than likely stood for Saturday Morning: Television). Pop pixie Rachel Stevens once left the studio with Clarke's jacket in tow. which contained the comics notes for a gig he was to perform that same night.
When most comedians would be staggering through the door at 4am. Des would be up and at them at that very hour to head off for his Beat 106 breakfast show. He has had quite a few lie-ins since amicably leaving the station in 2004.
He's a rather nifty impersonator. having done a devilish take on David Dickinson for the TV tots while last year's Fringe affair. Destiny. featured him mimicking Kermit the Frog and George Galloway.
He has never been mistaken for Des Clarke. one of the original characters on Neighbours.
(Brian Donaldson)
The Pleasance Cabaret Bar.
Edinburgh, Tue 19 Feb.
451 5333. 9pm. £4 (£3 in advance). Joe Heenan comperes this popular comedy night that's student-friendly. Also perfonning are Bill Dewar and Gus Tawse.
Glasgow
OOT II: The Second Comlng The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £8 (£6). See Tue 19. I Peter Powers Pavilion Theatre. 121 Renfield Street. 332 1846. £1 1—£13. See Thu 14.
Edinburgh
I Benefit In Aid of the Butterfly That The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £7 (£5). Lovely and talented comedians give up their time for free to raise funds for the Butterfly Trust. which supports those affected by cystic fibrosis.
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. UGC Building. 11 Renfrew Street. 0870 787 0707. 8pm. £8.
Janey Godley. Cole Parker (not to be confused with Cole Porter). Jason-John Whitehead and Rudi Lickwood. Nomtal Jongleurs rules apply. even though it‘s a weeknight.
I The Thursday Show The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £7 (£6; £3 members). lt's Charlotte Church's birthday today. so celebrate with some comedy. Raymond Mearns hosts. with David Kay. Addy Van Der Borgh and Susan Calman.
I Peter Powers Pavilion Theatre. 121 Renfield Street. 332 1846. £1 1—£l3. See Thu 14.
Edinburgh
I lmpnobabble The OuthoUse. 12a Broughton Street Lane. 557 6668. 8.15pm. £2 (£1). See Thu 14.
I Heresy The Jekyll & Hyde. 112 Hanover Street. 225 2022. 9pm. £3. See Thu 14.
I The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £9 (£8: £5 members). The march led by Susan Morrison continues. You‘ve got no excuse not to catch Vladimir McTavish. Joe Heenan. Padraig Hyland and Jack Whitehall. Well. you might have an excuse but we simply do not want to hear it. I The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £7 (£6; £3 members). Joe Heenan comperes this evening which features a sample of some of the finest Scottish comedy. with Vladimir McTavish. Ailsa Johnston and improvised comedy from Stuart Murphy and Garry Dobson.
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club
Jongleurs. UGC Building. | 1 Renfrew Street. 0870 787 0707. 8pm. £12. Same line-up as Thursday (Janey Godley. Cole Parker and Jason-John Whitehead) but Simon Bligh replaces Rudi Lickwood. I The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870600 6055. 8.30pm. £9 (£8; £5 members). Raymond Mearns hosts this weekend of amusement. with Phil Differ. Addy Van Der Borgh and the strange wee world of David Kay. I Peter Powers Pavilion Theatre. 121 Renf'ield Street. 332 1846. £1 l—£1 3. See Thu 14.
Edinburgh
I Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. Omni Centre. Greenside Place. 08707 870707. 8.15pm. £1 l. John Ryan. Owen O’Neill. Nick Wilty and Rudi Lickwood amuse the troops all weekend. There‘s food and there's a disco after the show. is top comedy alone isn't enough.
I The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £12. See Thu 21.
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. UGC Building. 1 1 Renfrew Street. 0870 787 0707. 8pm. £15. See Fri 22. I Comedy 6 The State The State Bar. 148 Holland Street. 332 2159. 9pm. £5. Scott Agnew comperes with. no doubt. aplomb as headliner Patrick Rolink returns to the State Bar basement. Also appearing are David HefTron. Scottish Comedian of the Year Sean Grant and the YouTube legend that is The Wee Man. I The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £12. More fun from Raymond Meams. David Kay and Addy Van Der Borgh. with Susan Calman replacing Phil Differ. I Peter Powers Pavilion Theatre. 121 Renfield Street. 332 1846. midnight. £1 1-£l3. See Thu 14.
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. Omni Centre. Greenside Place. 08707 870707. 8.15pm. £14. See Fri 22.
Glasgow
I Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; £1 members). The best of the weekend liven
up Sunday evening. as Addy Van Der Borgh. Susan Calman and Phil Differ. as well as Barry McDonald. 10111 host Michael Redmond.
I Peter Powers Pay ilion Theatre. 121 Renfield Street. 332 1846 £11 £13 See Thu 14.
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272 lpm See Sun 17. I The Sunday nght Laugh-In The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; £1 members). Another Sunday night of fun. hosted by Steven Dick and his cheeky face Pretty smart line-up too. with Joe Heenan. Padraig Hyland. Nick Morrow and Carly Baker.
Glasgow
I Magners Comedy Monday McChuills. 40 High Street. 552 2135.
8.15pm. £2 (£1). See Mon 18.
I Dance, Monkey Boy, Dance The Stand. 333 thdlands Road. 0870 600
6055. 8.30pm. £4. See Mon 18.
I Peter Powers Pavilion Theatre. 121 Rentield Street. 332 1846. £1 1 £13. See Thu 14.
Edinburgh I Flt O’ The Giggles Absolute
Beginners The Mercat. 28 West
Maitland Street. 225 3861. 8pm. £1. Keara Murphy's new talent night continues. jam packed full of eager young (and not so young) comedians. 'l‘onight‘s headliner Keir McAllister shows them how it's done. I Red Raw The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. Padraig Hyland heads up a bill jam packed with aspiring comedic talent. in a night of fantastically varied comedy. It's the perfect place for comedy virgins to start.
’ Glasgow
I Red Raw The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 08706006055. 8.30pm. £2 (£1 members). Wee comedy acorns plant themselves in the soil of the stand. hoping
to grown into big oak trees. like host and
headliner Keir McAllister and Padraig Hyland.
I Peter Powers Pavilion Theatre. 121 Renfield Street. 332 1846. £1 l-£13. See Thu 14.
Edinburgh
I Pleasance Comedy The Pleasance Cabaret Bar. 60 Pleasance. 7.30pm. £6 (£5). More fabulous comedy is plonked into the lap of The Pleasance. for students and proper people alike. Tonight‘s japery comes from Christian Reilly and hyper-kid Paul Pirie.
I The 50p Show The (‘anons' (lait. 232 Canongate. 556 4481. 8.30pm. £50p. Two hours of fresh. student-friendly comedy for only 50 shiny pence. with sketches and stand-up aplenty from sortie
of the juiciest young talent.
Glasgow I Best of Irish The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 6(X) 6055. 8.30pm.
£7 (£6; £4 members). It's another of The Stand‘s famed nights of Irish comedy. hosted by the most Irish man in Scotland:
Michael Redmond. With Martin Bigpig and Padraig Hyland also flying the Irish
flag.
I Peter Powers Pavilion Theatre. 121 Renf'ield Street. 332 1846, £1 1—£l3. See Thu 14.
Edinburgh
I Best of Scottish The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; £3 members). The monthly celebration of the
best of Scottish comedy with host Bruce Devlin and jock comedians Bmce Morton.
Teddy and Keir McAllister. Positive
discrimination at its best.
THE BEST COMEDY
Al Pitcher The New Zealander behind Idiot ltlnd thrusts us a show about the embarrassment we do to ourselves on a daily basis, Capitol. Glasgow, Thu 28 Tot),
Jo Caultield 1he (thaiiiiing lady With the Wicked tongue does her worst it? best. See preview. The Stand. Glasgow. Thu 74—Sat 16 Feb.
Des Clarke Everyono's favourite cheeky Scot does it for the Edinburgh students alonQSIde Similarly naughty .Joo Heenan. Pleasance Cabaret Bar, Edinburgh, Tue 79 Feb.
Oot II: The Second Coming Craig Hill hosts the return of the gay-friendly stand- up institution With Barbara Nice and Scott Agnew among those keeping the cainpoineter at a seriously high level. The Stand. Edinburgh. Tue I 9 Feb; The Stand, G/asgow. Wed 20 Feb.
Janey Godley The official Godmother of Scottish Comedy strides among her people to tell them about life's ups, downs and roundabouts. lots of sweary words guaranteed. Jongleurs. G/asgow, Thu 27—Sat 23. Thu 28 Feb.
Glasgow AI Pltcherfapitol. 468 Stltlcltlclltlll Street. “3444 771 Hill). 8pm. £6. liver done anything 111 public that you wish you hadn‘t" 'l‘he Kiwi comic brings us a onc<off performance on that very theme. entitled lt/llll 111ml. Jongleurs. Comedy Club Jongleurs. l'(i(‘ Budding. Renfrew Street. (1870 787 (1707. 8pm. £8. Janey (iodley performs in front of her home crowd. with Andrew Bird. Stcyc Harris and Re\ Boyd, I The Thursday Show The Stand. 33% “'(mdlitnds Road. 0870 6le (“1.55 8.30pm. £7 (£6; £3 members). Sandy Nelson hosts tonight. with Andrew Learmonth. Keir McAllister and the Northern Irish beard attached to Martin Bigpig. I Peter Powers l’ayilioti Theatre. 121 Renfield Street. 332 1846. £1 1 £1 3 Sec Thu 14.
Edinburgh
I Impmbabble The ()uthoUse. 12a Broughton Street Lane. 557 6668. 8.15pm. £2 (£1 i. See Thu 14.
I Heresy The Jekyll a llyde. 112 Hanover Street. 225 2022. 9pm. £3. Sec Thu 14.
I The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £7 (£6; £3 members). Sean Percival and (iraeme Thomas perform this fair evening with host Raymond Mearns. lf (ilasgow was a man. it would be Raymond Mearns.
141—28 Feb 2008 THE LIST 43