STAND—UP COMPETITION
Sean Grant, fight
SCOTTISH COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, Sun 28 Sep
Approaching its third anniversary, the Scottish Comedian of the Year final looms ever more influentially in the stand-up calendar. Inspired by Manchester’s City Life contest — won by the likes of Peter Kay, Chris Addison and Caroline Aherne early in their careers — the SCotY is open to all-comers, with eight regional heats and a semi-final dictating the ten hopefuls competing at the Old Fruitmarket. Despite the winner pocketing £1000 and the chance to gig in Australia, arguably the most important prize is the opportunity to deliver an hour’s show at the Glasgow Comedy Festival in March, an incentive that boosted previous winners Mark Nelson and Sean Grant to greatly enhance their material, the latter performing a 30-minute set at the Edinburgh Fringe barely a year after commencing
stand-up.
Both finals to date have courted controversy and critics cite the Scottish Comedian of the Year title as unreflective of the many established acts who don’t enter. But you have to be in it to win it, and as the contest’s reputation has grown, so has the quality of the entrants, with seven of last year’s beaten finalists returning for another crack in 2008. Among this year’s judging panel are Sanjeev Kohli and Jane McCarry, better known as Naveed and Isa from Still Game, the irrepressible comedian Stu Who?, Alan Tyler, head of comedy and entertainment at BBC Scotland, and Steve Bennett from comedy website Chortle. One final place in the final remains for the winner of the Grand Gong Show at Maggie Mays in Glasgow on Thu
25 Sep. (Jay Richardson).
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to comedy©list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Sian Bevan. Indicates Listpicks entry
Glasgow The Thursday Show The Stand. 333 Wotxllands Road. 0370 000 6055. 9pm. £7 (£6; £3 iiieiiibersl. Insert
your own espletives here. ladies and gents.
as Brendon llippin‘ Burns comes to The Stand. lle’s performing with acts such as Pete (am and host Susan Morrison.
Edinburgh
Heresy The Jekyll & llyde. I I2 Hanover
Street. 225 2022. 9pm. £3. Another Thursday night iii Rick Molland's basement of doom. with comedians unleashing the rankest material they can conjure tip otit of their filthy minds. The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £7 (£6; members £3). Acid-tongued wit monster Bruce Devlin is your host for the weekend. bringitig eager audiences the delights of Wayne I)eakin. (‘hris .\lc(‘ausland. Sizin Bevan and Ross Baillie.
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. l'(i(' Building. 1 l Renfrew Street. 0844 8-1-100-1-1. 8pm. £l2. Joe lleenan and Stti Who'.’ give tonight a decidedly Scottish llavour. with the additional help of Roger
1). There's dancing afterwards included in the ticket price.
The Stand The Stand. 333
thxllands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £9 (£8; members £5). Brendon Burns is the magnificent headliner for the weekend. with help from Pete Cain. Phil Differ and glittery M(' Susan Morrison.
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni (‘eiitre. (ireenside Place. ()8-1-1 8-1-1 001-1. 8.l5pm. £l l. A selection of Jongletirs favourites to cheer you tip: Siiitig Roberts. Susan Murray. Anthony King and Steve Harris. The ticket price gets you into ('ltib Risa. where there's dancing and sttiff until 3am.
The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £1) (£8: members £5). Sing hurrah for the weekend. and pop down to The Stand to see Wayne l)eakin. (‘hris .\lc(‘ausland. Siaii Bevan and Ross Baillie. all lorded over by fabulous M(‘ Bruce Devlin.
Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongletirs. t,'(i(‘ Btiildiiig. l l Renfrew Street. 08-1-1 8-1-1001-1. 8pm. £l5. See l‘ri 1‘). Comedy 6 The State The State Bar. l-18 Holland Street. 332 215‘). 9pm. £5. The Ram. also known as (‘hris Brtmnifield. brings his jovial wit as the host of the wee basement gig. With Dee (‘tistaiice. Alan Sharp. Billy Kirkwood and headliner Mark Bratchpiece. The Stand The Stand. 333 thdlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £l2. Sec l'ri l‘).
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club .longleurs. ()mni ('entre. (ireenside Place. 0811 8-1-1 001-1. 8.l5pm. £l-1. See l-‘ri l‘).
The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272.1)pm. £l2. See Fri 1‘).
Glasgow
Ha Ha Raw Comedy Ivory llotcl. Langside Avenue. Shawlands. 8.30pm. A night of new comedy talent led by M(' Alan Anderson and a different professional headliner each week. Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 6006055. 8.30pm. £5 i£-1: members £l ). Pete (‘ain joins Michael Redmond and a selection of the best new talent to have recently swung by The Stand doors.
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. lpm. Knights of the an of improvised comedy Stti & (iarry return valiantly to their Sunday afternoon slot. Willi free comedy. hot food and lemonade. what peasant could ask for more'.’.
Brendon Burns Special The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £10. An entire evening dedicated to the foul-mouthed rantings of Burns is the perfect way to while away a Sunday
Glasgow
Dance, Monkey Boy, Dance The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £1. The comedy train keeps on chugging away for the popular Monkey Boys: Allen Chalmers. Patil Pirie and Raymond Mearns. lmprov. sketches and comedy galore.
Edinburgh
Fit 0’ the Giggles Absolute Beginners The Mct‘cat. 28 West Maitlattd Street. 225 386i. 8.30pm. £2. A weekly dose of supportive new comedy. headed up by Keara Murphy.
Red Raw The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. More new comedy talents walk behind the tnic to try their
Brendon Burns The
hectically-minded Aussie chap lets rip with more of his confrontational mirth-making. The Stand, Glasgow, Thu 78—Sat 20 Sep; The Stand, Edinburgh, Thu 27 Sep.
Jeremy Hardy A slightly more laidback experience is in store from the possibly be- cardiganed satirist. Just as cutting nonetheless. The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, Sat 27 Sep.
Bruce Morton The godfather of Scottish comedy brings us his Souths/den inadvertently marking 20 years as a stand-up king. Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Sat 27 Sep.
Jenny Eclair The comic who was the only solo female to win the Perrier until pesky Laura Solon came along is back with a tour which she hopes will help fund her lifestyle as she becomes progressively older. See 5 Things. Tron Theatre, Glasgow, Sun 28 Sep.
Scottish Comedian of the Year The third annual bun fight to see who is the current top stand-up Scot has chirpy old Des Clarke helping to keep the contestants calm. See preview. The Old Frui'tmarket, Glasgow, Sun 28 Sep.
luck. egged on by professionals Scott Agnew and Ro (‘atiipbell who are there to show them how it's done.
Glasgow
Red Raw The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 08706006055. 8.30pm. £2 (£l members). A crammed night of comedy. with a selection of live-minute spots for newer performers. With professional (ills Tawse.
Edinburgh
Stand Up 0 The Still The Illicit Still. 2 Brougham Street. 228 2633. 8pm. Tommy McKay. Barry McDonald and Rick Molland join host Ben Verth for a night of radiating laughter and rosy- cheeked drinking.
Glasgow
Best of Irish The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 08706006055. 8.30pm. £7 (£6: members £-1). Once more you‘re being handed a select platter of comedians from the land of the funny: Joe Rooney. Stevie (‘ummins. Sharon Matinian and host Michael Redmond.
18 Sep—2 Oct 2008 THE LIST 41