.iIlIlIGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT . . .
The A stands for Alison, the L for Louise. She chose to go with the initials as she was keen on a certain degree of anonymity when starting out as a writer and her favourite authors as a kid were JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis and EE Nesbitt.
She doesn't come across as being too happy with the way interviewers concentrate on how she looks and sounds when they meet her. Her website contains lots of pointed comments about her appearance with a pithy quote or two from Kennedy. To verdicts such as ‘she often seems pale to the point of translucence' and 'she is round- shouldered, blue-jeaned and a bare- faced small. hunched person,‘ she generally replies: 'must have been an off day.’ Mind you, she writes that when complimentary comments come her way as well. such as ‘her eyes were dazzling' and ‘she is radiantly well-scrubbed looking.’
Kennedy chose to enter the world of stand-up partly for the buzz of a live interaction with audiences that she doesn’t get from burrowing away in her bunker writing books and stuff. And she loves the sound of people laughing at the funny things she says.
She whiles away some of her time watching DVDs of 9/11 conspiracy theories and Doctor Who.
Her motto is “pursue perfection. It may pursue you back.‘
(Brian Donaldson)
The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 3 Jun;
The Stand, Glasgow, Wed 4 Jun.
Edinburgh
Benefit in Aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £tbc. A lovely bunch of comedians give up their time to help raise funds for Marie Curie Cancer Care which provides care and support for tenninally ill people.
Glasgow
Best of Irish The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £7 (£6: members £4). Coincidence of birthplace has never been funnier. as Michael Redmond hosts an evening of Irish comedy. Representing the Iimerald Isle are Michael Smiley. (irainne Maguire. Iiric Lalor and Jeff ()‘Boyle.
Madness Comedy Gong Madness. 30 Bothwell Street. 204 5999. 9pm. Comedians battle against the gong for a chance to win £1000; how much you laugh will determine how far they go.
Edinburgh
Best of Scottish The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). The monthly trip to the sweetie shop that is the Best of Scottish. Tonight you can
44 THE LIST 22 May- 5 Jun 2008
tuck into the delights of Dougie Dunlop. Neil Mcl‘arlane. (ius Tawse and Vladimir McTavish.
, Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs.
UGC Building. 1 l Renfrew Street, (1870
787 ()707. 8pm. £8. You‘ll have been paid.
so you‘re as well spending it on comedy rather than anything else. And with a line- up including John Ryan. Phil Butler and
3 the lovely Steve Day. it becomes more
tempting than ever. The Thursday Show The Stand. 333
Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £7 (£6: members £3). MC Sandy Nelson
presents a medley of comedians: Michael Smiley. Teddy and Jeff O‘Boyle. no less. (irab a pint and listen to the language of
laughter.
Edinburgh Heresy The Jekyll & Hyde. l 12 Hanover Street. 225 2(122. 9pm. £3. See Thu 22. The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £7 (£6: members £3). The devilish Bruce Devlin comperes this evening‘s festivities. with Dougie Dunlop. Seymour Mace, (irainne Maguire and Austin l.ow performing their finest comedy tricks.
Glasgow
~ Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs.
llGC Building. 1 l Renfrew Street. 0870 787 07(17. 8pm. £12. See Thu 29.
The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 087(1 600 6(155. 8.30pm. £9 (£8: members £5). A weekend of acts with nothing but comedy in common. all hosted by Susan Calman. With Michael Smiley.
. Teddy and Jeff ()‘Boyle doing the do. Edinburgh
Bruce Morton Cruz. 14 The Shore.
Leith. 554 4104. 8pm. £8. ()ne of the foremost names in Scottish comedy performs in a unique full-length show. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. (ireenside Place. 08707 870707. 8.15pm. £1 1. Some of the finest circuit comedians come to the Jongleurs den. with tonight‘s performers including Raymond Meams and Jason-John Whitehead.
The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place.
558 7272. 9pm. £9 (£8; members £5).
v Two of the great minds of Scottish comedy
perform together as MC Susan Morrison introduces Dougie Dunlop. With
performances from the marvellous
Seymour Mace. (irainne Maguire and Austin Low.
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. UGC Building. ll Renfrew Street. 0870 787 0707. 8pm. £15. See Thu 29.
Comedy 0 The State The State Bar.
148 Holland Street. 332 2159. 9pm. £5. An Aberdonian theme for this evening. with headliner Gus Tawse and support from Andy Learmonth. All hosted. of course. by Chris ‘The Ram‘ Broomfield.
The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. (18706006055. 9pm. £12. See Fri 30.
Edinburgh
The Essential Chic Murray South Leith Parish Church. 6 Henderson Street. Leith. 554 4104. 7.30pm. £8. A tribute to the late. great comedian by his daughter Annabelle featuring music and footage of the legendary act.
The Best of Scottish Comedy sz. 14 The Shore. Leith. 554 4104. 8pm. £8. Where better to demonstrate Scottish talent than Leith Festival. eh‘.’ (ietting all tartan on us are MC Bruce Devlin. Dougie Dunlop. Paul Pirie and Keir McAllister. Jongieurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. (ireenside Place. 08707 87(1707. 8.15pm. £14. See Fri 30.
The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £12. See Fri 3().
Glasgow
Ha Ha Raw Comedy Ivory Hotel. Langside Avenue. Shawlands. 8.30pm. See Sun 25. Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. ()870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £5 (£4: members £1). Stan the month as you may or may not mean to go on. Chilled out comedy from Michael Redmond. with guests Joe Heenan. Austin Low. Rab Brown. Kim Griflin and Michael Adams.
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch is it The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. lprn. See Sun 25. The Best of lrish Comedy Cruz. 14 The Shore. Leith. 555 4104. 8pm. £8.
; Some of the best acts from over the water
perform. all led by their wee Irish hands by MC Niall Browne. Featuring Michael Smiley. Grainne McGuire and Jeff O‘Boyle.
The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). The human sherbert Billy Kirkwood hosts a splendid end to the week. with Des McLean. Gordon Alexander. Derek Johnston. Lucy ()ldham and Ross Baillie.
Glasgow Magners Comedy Monday McChuills. 40 High Street. 552 2135. 8.15pm. £2 (£1). See Mon 26. Daniel Kitson The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £10. Mr Kitson. the bearded one in need of no introduction or hype. presents his show The [In/mien! Fury of the Privileged. with much tutting at the world from one's armchair.
Edinburgh
Kevin Bridges C ruz. 14 The Shore.
Leith. 554 4104. 8pm. £6. After his roarineg successful show last year. Mr Bridges returns in triumph to the Leith Festival with a little bit of help from Martin McAllister. Fit 0’ the Giggles Absolute Beginners The Mercat. 28 West Maitland Street. 225 3861. 8.30pm. £2. See Mon 26. Red Raw The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. Another evening of new and experimental comedy. tonight with irnprov dudes Stu and Gany with the marvellous Vladimir McTavish. The Absolute Best of Absolute Beginners Cruz. 14 The Shore. Leith. 553 6699. 10pm. £5. Seven of the best acts from the successful and awesomely friendly Mercat night. headed up by Keara Murphy.
Glasgow Daniel Kitson The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £10. See Mon 2.
Edinburgh
The Thermos Museum Leith Community Education Centre. New Kirkgate. 554 4104. 7.30pm. £tbc. Intriguing. A show based around an MP3 tour of the heady world of flasks. We have no idea.
The Heresy Project Bar Diesel. 19 Shore Place. 554 4104. 8pm. £5. Sully ()‘Sullivan and Rick Molland calmly (kinda) explain why God is a nonsense and you‘re all wrong. All of you.
Improvised Comedy with Stu 8: Carry Cruz. 14 The Shore. Icith. 555 4104. 8pm. £5. (let your answers ready. as Stand favourites Stu Murphy and Garry Dobson live by their wits alone in their improvised show of glory.
Wicked Wenches The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members
£3). Regular host Susan Calman jollies up this evening which grants you access to some of the finest lady-comedy in the land. Tonight showcases the talents of Jo
: Enright. Wendy Wason. Al. Kennedy and ; Katie Craig.
The Absolute Best of Absolute Beginners Cruz. 14 The Shore. Leith. 553 6699. 10pm. £5. See Mon 2.
Glasgow
Wicked Wenches The Stand. 333
Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm.
£7 (£5; members £3). See Tue 3. Madness Comedy Gong
Madness. 3() Bothwell Street. 204 5999.
9pm. See Wed 28. ' Edinburgh
The Themes Museum Leith Community Education Centre. New i Kirkgate. 554 4104. 7.30pm. £tbc. See Tue 3
The Best of Red Raw Cruz. 14 The Shore. Leith. 555 4104. 8pm. £4. The ’ Stand’s famous new talent night showcases some of its shining stars of the local comedy scene. with headliner Chris Forbes and compere Sian Bevan.
Black Bo’s Comedy Night Black Bo‘s. 57—61 Blackfriars Street. 8.30pm. Free comedy gems presented to an unsuspecting public at Black 80‘s. with some of the freshest voices in the Scottish circuit. The Stand lmprov The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£2.50 members). Stuart Murphy and Crer Dobson let their minds and imaginations roam across the fields of comedy. to the improvisational gold at the foot of the rainbow of mirth. The Absolute Best of Absolute
inners Cruz. 14 The Shore. Leith.
553 6699. 10pm. £5. See Mon 2.
Glasgow DAM. Fine Comedy (iramofon Bistro. 7 King Street. 552 7177. £7 (£6). 8pm. See Thu 22. The Thursday Show The Stand. 333 ’ Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £7 (£6; members £3). A truly lovely. sunshiney line-up for a summer's eve: (iavin Webster. Jo Enright. Andy McPartland and Derek ‘DJ' Johnston. With host Raymond Meams.
Edinburgh
The Thermos Museum Leith Community Education Centre. New Kirkgate. 554 4104. 7.30pm. £tbc. See
Tue 3.
Ash Dickinson Bar Diesel. 19 Shore Place. 555 4104. 8pm. £5. Slam champion Ash Dickinson explores life in verse in Unrest a! the Dolphinurium.
Jason Rouse Cruz. 14 The Shore. Leith. 554 4104. 8pm. £7. He ain't for the easily offended but if you want comedy to scrape past your knuckles only to hit a kitten in the eye. then this is the man for
. you.
Heresy The Jekyll & Hyde. I I2 Hanover Street. 225 2022. 9pm. £3. See Thu 22. Laughing Horse at Meridian Meridian. 138 Leith Walk. 554 4238. 9pm. A mash-up of comedy. jazz and blues in a Laughing Horse special. ) Featuring comedians Paul Pirie. Lizzie Maran and Barty McDonald. as well as i music from James B Carr & the Fabulous Corvettes and Alice Cavaye. The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York 1 Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £7 (£6; members . £3). It’s another Thursday Show i extravaganza. with an incredible line-up at ) less-than-weekend prices. Try this for size: MC Lucy Porter. Jason Rouse. Gary Delaney. Wendy Wason and Rab Brown. I‘an-blrmming-tastic. Little Love Affairs: Behind Bars! Cruz. 14 The Shore. Leith. 554 4104. I 10pm. £6. Keara Murphy brings back her 1 show crammed full of character comedy to make you laugh and cry.