The List: 3 Dec 2009 (49/100)

www.list.co.uk/comedy

5 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT

ROB BRYDON 1 Educated at a private school in Swansea which he described as ‘not posh’ but ‘quite English’, it seems Rob Brydon was not particularly sporty, given that he was stupendously last in the sack race, still hopping on while everyone else had moved on to the next event.

2 At the age of 12, he put on his own school production of Star Wars casting himself as Luke Skywalker. So carried away was he with the excitement of it all, that he appeared on stage during the interval to tell a few jokes and his ambition to be a comic was born. 3 Had Bill Hicks survived for another decade, it’s unlikely the pair would ever have got on well, given the US icon’s loathing of advertising and Brydon’s preponderance for ad voiceovers. He’s provided his liquidy Welsh tones for everything from Tango to Toilet Duck and even, good grief, had a job as a presenter on the Home Shopping Network in the early 90s.

4 David Walliams was an usher at Brydon’s second wedding. 5 He will provide the voice of the snake in the Beeb’s Christmas production of The Gruffalo alongside the likes of Robbie Coltrane, Helen Bonham Carter and John Hurt. Intriguingly, or otherwise, Brydon once played Mr Fang in Oliver Twist. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Playhouse, Edinburgh, Sun 6 Dec.

including Andy Sir and Stuart Murphy. Wednesday 9

Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 7.30pm. From £15. Janey Godley, Tommy Campbell and Simon B Cotter are joined by Glasgow’s finest bright young thing, Kevin Bridges. Ticket price includes a three course meal and dancing. Midweek Comedy Cabaret The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). John Ross and Scott Agnew bring the middle of your week to a blistering crescendo, with support from other comedy talents. Edinburgh Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 7.30pm. From £15. Four proper comedians entertain everyone who wants to be entertained tonight: Roger Monkhouse, Owen O’Neill, Steve Best and Craig Campbell. Ticket price includes a three course meal and dancing at the club thing afterwards. Melting Pot The Stand, 5 York Place,

558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £2.50). New comedy sketches are showcased by a group of actors, and then you pick your favourite. Simple, eh?

Thursday 10

Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 7.30pm. From £15. See Wed 9. Comedy Corner Bacchus, 80 Glassford Street, 572 0080. 8.30pm. £5 (£3). See Thu 3.

✽✽ Shaggers Capitol, 468 Sauchiehall Street, 331 1040. 8.30pm. £8 (£6). A

night where comedians reveal their funniest, most embarrassing and weirdest sex stories. Having featured performers such as Reg D Hunter and Ben Dover in the past, it’s promising to reward the open-minded with a night of, umm, climatic comedy on its Scottish tour. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Thank Elvis for weekends arriving so regularly. This one has comedy from host Fred MacAulay, Eric Krug, Andy Sir, Kai Humphries and wee Irish lass Elaine Malcolmson.

Edinburgh Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 7.30pm. From £15. See Wed 9. FREE Heresy The Jekyll & Hyde, 112 Hanover Street, 225 2022. 9pm. See Thu 3.

Friday 11

Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 7.30pm. From £15. See Wed 9. The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 10 for line-up. Edinburgh Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 7.30pm. From £15. See Wed 9. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). Ooh, The Stand are going all coy on us, with a mystery headliner on offer this weekend. They’ll be joined by Shazia Mirza, Rab Brown, Ed Patrick and the inimitable Raymond Mearns as host.

Saturday 12

Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 7.30pm. From £15. See Wed 9. Comedy @ The State The State Bar, 148 Holland Street, 332 2159. 9pm. £6. See Sat 5. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £13. See Thu 10 for line-up.

Edinburgh Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 7.30pm. From £15. See Wed 9.

✽✽ Shaggers The Tron, 9 Hunter Square, High Street, 226 0931. 8pm.

£12 (£10). See Thu 10. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £13. See Fri 11 for line-up.

8.30pm. See Sun 6. Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). As Sunday draws to a close, Michael Redmond gathers his followers together once more. This week features Michael Manley, John Gavin, Ben Verth and Stu & Garry. Amen to that.

Edinburgh ✽✽ Bill Bailey’s Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra Usher Hall,

Lothian Road, 228 1155. 8pm. £30–£55. Bailey turns his eccentric musical imagination to the orchestra in an evening of the educational and the utterly bizarre. The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). Controversial comedian Shazia Mirza headlines this evening, with joyful compering from Billy Kirkwood and support slots from Mikey Adams and Iain Stirling, who’s on kids telly and everything.

Monday 14

Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 7.30pm. From £15. Brendan Dempsey, Junior Simpson and Tom Stade demonstrate how large groups + ace comedians + alcohol = Christmas. Ticket price includes a three course meal and dancing after the funnies. Christmas Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). The Christmas shows have started (an appropriate distance from the big day, might we add) and this is set to be a high octane show with headliner powerhouse Phil Nichol. He’s joined by local comedy heroes Scott Agnew, Gary Little and MC Raymond Mearns. Edinburgh Fit O’The Giggles Absolute Beginners Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8pm. £2 (£1). The Grande Dame of Fit O’The Giggles, Keara Murphy, is showing the newer acts how it’s done as she tops off a jam-packed bill. Christmas Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). The Stand’s gone all festive with a grand slam of a Christmas show to tinkle your bells, featuring the weirdly beautiful Seymour Mace, Marcus Ryan and Keir McAllister.

Tuesday 15

Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 7.30pm. From £15. See Mon 14. Christmas Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). See Mon 14. FREE Comedy at the Halt Bar The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 352 9996. 8.30pm. See Tue 8. Edinburgh Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 7.30pm. From £15. It’s that time of year when everyone’s going out on any old day of the week, so cheer up your Tuesday with Joe Heenan, Marc Theobald and Rex Boyd. There’s dancing afterwards and a three course meal with your ticket. Christmas Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). See Mon 14.

Sunday 13 Wednesday 16

Glasgow ✽✽ Glasgow Kids Comedy Club The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870

600 6055. 3–4pm. £3. Live laughs for younger comedy fans with Shazia Mirza, Susan Morrison and Andy Sir. It’s the last one until 10 January so hurry on down. Ages 8–12. No under 5s; all kids must be accompanied by an adult. FREE Ha Ha Raw Comedy Ivory Hotel, Langside Avenue, Shawlands,

Comedy Hitlist THE BEST COMEDY *

✽✽ Pippa Evans The 2008 if.comedy Best Newcomer nominee does her character thing with the Courtney Love-inspired rock harridan Loretta Maine. The Stand, Edinburgh, Thu 3–Sat 5 Dec. ✽✽ Glasgow Kids Comedy Club Breaking up for Chrimbotime, the GKCC crew get two more shots at making the weans laugh with the likes of Bruce Devlin, Shazia Mirza and Andy Sir toning it down a bit. The Stand, Glasgow, Sun 6, 13 Dec. ✽✽ Rob Brydon This charming Welsh man delivers material too dangerous for TV. Actually, that might not be the case but if you’re expecting him to be the guy he plays on Gavin and Stacey, you may be in for a very mild shock. See 5 Things. Playhouse, Edinburgh, Sun 6 Dec. ✽✽ Shaggers A revolving crew of comics reveal some filthily funny tales of carnality. Capitol, Glasgow, Thu 10 Dec; The Tron, Edinburgh, Sat 12 Dec. ✽✽ Bill Bailey More musical amusement for the masses from the country’s leading hippie materialist. Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Sun 13 Dec.

0044. 7.30pm. From £15. Joe Heenan, Marc Theobald and Rex Boyd carry on the funnies, but are joined for the rest of the week by Irish comedian Keith Farnan. Ticket price includes a three course meal and aftershow dancing. It’s like it’s Christmas. Christmas Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). See Mon 14.

Thursday 17

Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 7.30pm. From £15. See Mon 14. Christmas Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). See Mon 14. Edinburgh Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 7.30pm. From £15. See Wed 16. Christmas Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9). See Mon 14. FREE Heresy The Jekyll & Hyde, 112 Hanover Street, 225 2022. 9pm. See Thu 3.

3–17 Dec 2009 THE LIST 47

The List: 3 Dec 2009 (Issue 645)