Comedy
5 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT . . .
5 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT . . . JANEY GODLEY 1 Having run a pub in Glasgow, Janey Godley was born to tame wild audiences and a stand-up career beckoned. But as well as her progression on comedy stages, she’s a playwright, serial blogger and community worker, having helped kids in drug-rampant areas by teaching confidence building through stand-up comedy. 2 In 2005, she published her autobiography, Handstands in the Dark, which told of her own sexual abuse, the murder of her mother and life growing up around gangsters. In the 1980s an incredible 22 of her friends died of heroin addiction, the subject of her play, The Point of Yes.
3 She claims her strangest gig was at a high security jail where she managed to freak the prison guards out by being on nodding terms with a fair few of the inmates. 4 Godley’s daughter Ashley Storrie first tried comedy at the age of 11 and two years later became the Fringe’s youngest ever stand-up act. In 2006, the pair took their own sketch show to Edinburgh entitled Square Street.
5 Earlier this year, she made a guest appearance as a psychic on River City. Her best memory of filming was getting to ad lib with Johnny Beattie. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Jongleurs, Glasgow, Fri 24 & Sat 25 Jul.
Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). Stu Murphy introduces a parade of new acts, crossing the stage of destiny to perform comedy for a few minutes of glory. Or dreadfulness. It’s funny either way. The Silence of the Trams Traverse Theatre Bar, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. 8.30pm. £5. The first of a series of Fringe previews from the fine collection of folks performing at The Stand this year. Tonight, it’s comedy from local rising stars Gordon Alexander, Martin McAllister, Jim Park and Jeff O’Boyle. Wild Colonial Boys Traverse Theatre Bar, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. 8.30pm. £5. Tonight’s sneaky Fringe peek is of the show brought to you by three Australian comedy exports: Marcus Ryan, Damian Clark and Ro Campbell.
Tuesday 28
Glasgow Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). One of the best value comedy nights around, as The Stand hosts a batch of newer comedians with the odd sprinkling of more experienced acts trying new material. 46 THE LIST 23 Jul–6 Aug 2009
Rebus McTaggart Limbering up at The Stand prior to his final-ever assault on the Fringe, Ecclefechan’s top cop is fair proud of having been elevated to the unchartered
watery heights of Joint Deputy Temporary Head Community Support Liaison Officer. We previously described this character show as ‘deadpan’ and ‘crowd-winning’, so there’s no reason to doubt it won’t be the same now. ■ The Stand, Glasgow, Wed 5 Aug.
Edinburgh Midweek Comedy Cabaret The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £4 (members £2). Susan Morrison introduces a wee selection box of rather good local acts, namely Andy Sir, Gordon Alexander, Niall Browne and Ben Verth.
Wednesday 29
Glasgow Best of Irish The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £7 (£6; members £4). All the best, all the way from IRELAND! Although some of them did set off for the gig about 20 years ago. Tonight’s show is hosted by the mad, mad Ian Coppinger, with Michael Smiley, Simon O’Keefe and Niall Browne, to be sure. Edinburgh Best of Scottish The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). There’s a fair old amount of talent in bonny Caledonia, and tonight is a celebration of the Scottish acts entertaining a comedy club near you. MC Susan Morrison introduces Gary Little, Antony Murray and Michael Adams. Gary Little Traverse Theatre Bar, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. 8.30pm. £5. Gary Little gives us a taste of his Fringe offering, He was Only Jail Gay, a show based on his recent sojourn at Her Majesty’s Pleasure.
Jojo Sutherland Traverse Theatre Bar, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. 9.30pm. £5. As Jojo Sutherland Stands Up for Herself, this Fringe preview takes you from debt to divorce with a swift detour into a brain haemorrhage. Lucky she’s funny . . .
Thursday 30
Glasgow The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8pm. £7 (£4). Hurrah for the weekend and holidays and Michael Smiley and John Ross and Simon O’Keefe and Siân Bevan and MC Billy Kirkwood and ice cream and beer and comedy forever. Edinburgh Elaine Malcolmson and Niall Browne Traverse Theatre Bar, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. 8.30pm. £5. The two Northern Irish comedians welcome you into their off-kilter wee world and explain why they’re All Kinds of Everything. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £3). It’s a beautiful mish-mash of every speed of comedy this weekend, as MC Scott Agnew brings forth witty talent from the likes of Ian Coppinger, Tom Allen and Elaine Malcolmson. Vladimir McTavish Traverse Theatre Bar, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. 9.30pm. £5. A great chance to see Mr McTavish
guide you through The Top 50 Greatest Scots of All Time Ever Part Two before the Fringe madness kicks in. Yours, not his.
Friday 31
Glasgow ✽✽ Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, UGC Building, 11
Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £8. Edinburgh might be already turning into the colourful mush of the Fringe, but Glasgow is keeping its comedy flag flying with acts such as Mike Milligan and the wonderfully dark Andrew Lawrence. DAM Fine Comedy Café Gramofon, 7 King Street, 552 7177. 8.30pm. £5. See Fri 24. The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 30 for line-up, but with Bruce Devlin replacing Billy as compere.
Edinburgh Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 7.45pm. From £11. Ooh, Jongleurs are being all mysterious. This weekend’s show features Scott Agnew, Ninia Benjamin and a ‘special guest.’ Maybe it’s the Queen! Or a member of the Rolling Stones! The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members