(El lAHAClLH (LUMP-DY AL MURRAY Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Sat 4 Apr
As Al Murray’s cabinet of characters expands from just the one well- developed incarnation as the Pub Landlord to a whole myriad of personae in his current ITV1 series AI Murray's Multiple Personality, he notes that he never really considered doing comedy as anything other than a character.
‘In the beginning, I did a weird act, doing sound effects but it was more like a glorified pub trick. But I never wanted to go on stage as me.’ After all, there’s an element of a performance in every comedian’s act. ‘Stand-ups are always in a persona, they’re always lying, they didn’t just break up with their girlfriend. So when I stumbled across the landlord character I thought “this is the way to do it.”’
So he did, creating the type of Little Englander seen at the helm of public houses across the nation spouting his carefully-crafted playful digs at the continentals. In a spectacular case of fourth time lucky The Pub Landlord was nominated annually for the Perrier Award before finally winning in 1999 and in more recent years his faux-bigoted approach was used to great effect to ask impertinent questions of celebs on Al Murray’s Happy Hour chat show. On this latest tour, rest assured recession-worriers, he’s going to put the country straight. ‘l’m single-handedly promising to fix Broken Britain. To offer youngsters today five golden rules to live their lives by and I'm starting a truth virus about the 2012 Olympics that will sweep the country.‘ Plus there’s a theory so poetic about air travel and its role in proving the existence of God it brings tears to the eye like chopping an onion. A British one, of course. (Marissa Burgess)
We have five DVD copies of AI Murray’s Happy Hour series two and the entire collection of Time Gentlemen Please to give away. To enter, just log on to www.list.co.uk/offers no later than Wednesday 15 April.
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to comeMlist.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Sian Bevan. Indicates Hitlist entry
Watson’s Wind-up (ilasgtm liilm Theatre. l2 Rose Street. 332 SIZS. (’ome arid be one of those lolks chuckling oti the radio iti this weekly recording ol' \Vatson's Wind-up.
Edinburgh
Fit 0’ The Giggles @ The Mercat The Mercat. 23 West Maitland Street. 225 S7 lo. S30pm. £3. .-\ celebration of all things brilliant that \sent do\\n iii the t'estiial. \xith comedy bubblings trom (iraham Mackie. The Wee Man. Patrick Rolink arid charming hostess Keara
Glasgow
The Thursday Show The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 o00 6055. 8.30pm. £8 (£7: members Hi. Host Raymond Meanis is the pilot of this
weekend's t'estix ities. with (iay iti Webster.
l)a\'e Ward. lilaine Malcolmson and John (iaytn comprising the pretty impressive line-up.
Murphy.
Heresy The Jekyll cfi Hyde. l l: Hanm er Street. 225 2022. 9pm. £3. 'l‘hursday eyenings are the night to head to the
Heresy basettietit tor dounrtght \sicked itiatertal. headed tip by .\l(‘ Rick Holland The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 55S "272 ”pm 18d". members L-li It‘s nearly the Spring no“ to celebrate all the lambs and exerythmg
\\ ttli host Susan ('alman. as she intrtkluces acts such as Sean Percisal. Teddy. Nick (‘oxxan and Stan Bexan
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. l‘(i(‘ Building. ll Rentteys Street. tiSl-l SJ-l 00-14 Spm tl2 Slick comedy gold trotti Scott .-\gne\\. Sitiioti Bligli and Hand lladttigham lll the Jongleurs deti all the ttiakings tor a proper night ottt \s rtli hot tood. and a “CC disco dtmberry open til 3am .tllt'l'\\.tltl\ The Friday Show The Stand. 33.3 \Voodlands Road. ”3-.” till“ 00.55, S. 30pm. (10 l W. members {5| See Tlitt 2 lor line—up.
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni (critic. (it'eenstde Place. llSJ-l SH 0014. 7.45pm. Mom {I l. l'ood. comedy tlicti dancing llll that orderi lrotn the Jongleurs crexs. This \xeeketid teatures the “it til \desor. Victor Daniel. I)es ('lat'ke arid Joliti l-otliergill.
Laughing Horse New Act of the Year Quarter Final The Meadoxs s Bar. .1: ~14 Buccleuch Sll'eel. (iti7 (i007. 8.30pm. £5 tL'3i. The ne\t round ol' the Laughing Horse competition. mcrseen by resident cottiper'e Rick Holland and headliner Marcus Ryan. \\ itli tieucr talent such as Seati (irant. Martin .\1c:\||ister and Jell ()‘Boy Ie.
The Friday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 553 7272. 9pm. U0 tic“); metiibers £5i. See Thu 2 lor line—up.
Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. l‘(i(' Building. ll Renl‘t'eys Street. 0344 S44 004-1. Spin. l; l 2. See Fri 3. The Saturday Show The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 (Ml) (i055. 0pm. L l .3. See Thu 2 lot‘ line—up.
Edinburgh
AI Murray liesti\al Theatre. 13/2‘) Nictilstin Street. 52‘) (illlll). 7.30pm. £25. l‘ollou ing the success ol his hit [TV show Happy Hour. Al Murray returns to the stage \\ ith The Pttb Landlord's Beautiful British Tour. See pres ieyi. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni ('entt‘e. (ireenside Place. 03-14 S44 0014. 7.45pm. l‘rom {I I. See Hi 3. Laughing Horse New Act of the Year Quarter Final 'l‘he Meadou s Bar. 42 4-1 Btleeletleh Sll‘eel, (i(i7 (i907. S.3()pm. £5 (£3 I. The nest le\el til the Laughing Horse quest to lind the best next comedy talent. \iitli .\l(' Rick .‘ylollatid. headliner Jojo Sutherland and newer acts sttcli as l)ee ('ttslance. Michael Adams and Scott bodies.
The Saturday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. l." l 3. See Tliti 2 tor line-up.
Glasgow
Michael Redmond‘s Sunday Service The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 (i055. 8.30pm. £51£~l; members {I l. It'll be weird and uonderl'ul tonight. perhaps ex en iieirder than normal. as Michael Redmond guides on comedians such as Day e Ward. lilaine Malcolmson. liddie ()‘l)\tyer. Daniel Webster arid Michael Adams.
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch is it Anywaf.’ The Statid. 5 York Place. 553 7272. lptn. A brilliant \say to spend ati afternoon. liat some nice lood \shile listening to a tree shots from improy masters Stu and (iarry.
Scott Agnew The current owner of the Scottish Comedian ol the Year crown keeps showrng us why he's worthy of such a feted honour. Jongleurs. Glasgow. Fri 3 8. Sat 4 Apt.
Dance, Monkey Boy, Dance The Simianit: comics give us more of then improv and sketchy fun. 7he Sta/id. Glasgow. Mon 6. 73 Apr.
Russell Brand Havrng cancelled wrth a wee sore throat. Mr Brand makes it up to his Glasgow tanbase With these reJigged dates. SECC. Glasgow. Thu 9 8 Fri 70 Apr.
Wil Hodgson Everyone's favourite My Little Pony tan from Chippenham delivers another set of memories from smalltown Britain. The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 74 Apr.
The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand. 5 York Place. 553 7272. H.30pm. £5 (£4; members {I l. lind your week It] the amiable. yet intortiiatiye. cotiipatiy of MC Sttsan Morrison \sltti's here to introduce the talents ol (iat'y l.illle. John Whale. Dee (instance. ('arly Baker and lien \t‘t'lh.
Glasgow
Dance, Monkey Boy, Dance The
Stand. 333 \N'oodlands Road. 0370 (s00 (i055. 8.30pm. £4. The comedy train keeps on chugging auay l'rom the popular Monkey Boys: Allen ('halrtiers. Paul Ptrie arid Raymond Mearns. Improy, sketches and comedy galore.
Edinburgh
Fit 0’ The Giggles Absolute Beginners Beehiye ltiri. (irassmarket. 225 7171. Xpm. £2 (Ll l. ('ompere Stan Beyan introduces a selection of nev. acts. all keen tti prox e thetnselyes in the l'riendly environment ot the Beeline. all topped oil by headliner (‘hris Henry. Red Raw The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2 til members). Behold the l'resli young comedy ttieat set belore you. all juicy and ready to try and entertain. ()r. at least make you feel a wee bit sorry tor them. With help from Jeff ()‘Boyle.
Glasgow
Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road. 08706le (i055. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). Stan Bevan and John Ross help along a
u ee selection box til~ neuer comedians. in this top yalue opportunity to see your new favourite comedian. ()r. ones to avoid at hUs stops.
24‘; Apr 2009 THE LIST 41