Comedy
STAND-UP STEWART FRANCIS The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 11 Jan; The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 12 Jan
Stewart Francis used to open his set with, ‘Don’t worry, I haven’t heard of you either.’ Between hosting schlocky gameshow You Bet Your Ass in his native Canada, then moving to Spain, his memorable one-liners were an itinerant treat on the UK circuit to be enjoyed whenever possible. Since settling in London, though, profile-raising appearances on Mock the Week and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow have compelled him to dispense with the introduction, and in a gruelling echo of its namesake, he’s been performing his inaugural Tour de Francis while supporting Ricky Gervais. ‘Lovely fella,’ he reports. ‘It’s a strange dynamic doing my show the night before with 400 people hanging off my every word, then being the support act for a superstar. But I just do the best I can to set the room up right for the man.’ As with Steven Wright, Emo Philips and Milton Jones, there’s appreciable art in his daft wit and every reason to suspect Francis’ gags will be quoted long after he’s left live comedy. Especially as that could be sooner rather than later. Like his great inspiration, Steve Martin, Francis would quit stand-up ‘in a heartbeat’ to pursue acting, and has penned a screenplay about a naive American arriving in London and a sitcom-sketch show in which he plays a sitcom producer, ‘a show within a show’. He still enjoys crafting a fine joke, though: ‘It puts a bounce in my step and I can’t wait to get on stage and share it with the world.’ (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 Siân Bevan. ✽✽ Indicates Hitlist entry Thursday 7
Glasgow The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Weekends return, with caustic wit from Tom Stade, Zoe Lyons, Jonathan Elston, John Gavin and host Billy Kirkwood. It’s like that whole sparkly, jingly thing never happened. Edinburgh FREE Heresy The Jekyll & Hyde, 112 Hanover Street, 225 2022. 9pm. The
42 THE LIST 7–21 Jan 2010
darker side of comedy in this free show, heralded over by MC Rick Molland. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Vladimir McTavish hosts this weekend, with esteemed company in the shape of Teddy, Sharon Mannion, Garry Dobson and the take-no-prisoners comedy of Susan Murray.
Friday 8
Glasgow ✽✽ Famous for Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 9pm. From £12. It looks like Jongleurs, but it’s got a fancy pants new name. Still comedy though, so fear not, as this weekend hosts Alex Boardman, Mike Wilkinson, Alistair Barrie and Keith Farnan.
The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 7 for line- up but with Joe Heenan replacing Billy Kirkwood. Edinburgh Famous for Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £11. The beast formerly known as Jongleurs has a new name and a cracking line-up to kick-off its new look: Martin Bigpig, Mark Nelson, Smug Roberts and Craig Hill. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 7 for line-up.
Saturday 9
Glasgow Famous for Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £12. See Fri 8. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £13. See Thu 7 for line-up but with Joe Heenan replacing Billy Kirkwood. Edinburgh Famous for Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £11. See Fri 8. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £13. See Thu 7 for line-up.
Sunday 10
Glasgow Glasgow Kids Comedy Club The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 3pm. £3. Comedy for fans not allowed in normal clubs, but who want to see proper comedians. This week features Billy Kirkwood, Zoe Lyons and Jonathan Elston doing funnies for ages 8–12. No under 5s; all kids must be accompanied by an adult. FREE Ha Ha Raw Comedy Ivory Hotel, Langside Avenue, Shawlands, 8.30pm. The Shawlands’ gig continues into the new year, with a different line-up every week. Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). This week Mr Redmond comes up against the whirlwind of Zoe Lyons, whipping your Sunday into shape. They’ll be joined by Andrew Learmonth, Amanda Gray and Graham Mackie. Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1pm. Stu and Garry lark about in an afternoon of high-quality improvised comedy. There’s hot food available and everything. The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). End the week in the company of hyperactive host-machine Billy Kirkwood as he brings forth Mark Davies, Daniel Webster, Gordon Alexander and fabulous headliner Vladimir McTavish.
Monday 11
Glasgow Stewart Francis: Tour de Francis The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £10 (£8). A regular on the tele-box on such comedic vehicles as Mock the Week and 8 Out of 10 Cats, Francis is widely acknowledged as a master of the cracking one-liner. A surreal, free-thinking evening awaits. See preview. Edinburgh Fit O’ The Giggles Absolute Beginners Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8pm. £2 (£1). The cosy comedy room re-opens for visitors tonight, with Michael Connell, Ro Campbell and a crateful of newish acts polishing their material in a night of chirpy laughs.
Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). Red Raw continues to set the standard in new talent nights, with a packed bill of hopefuls and a tinge of the professional with compere Stu Murphy and headliner Bruce Fummey.
Tuesday 12
Glasgow Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). It’s Glasgow’s turn to host a throng of newer comedians hoping to make you laugh. The night’ll be topped off by headliner Antony Murray, with hosting duties performed by John Ross.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Stewart Francis: Tour de Francis The Stand, 5 York Place,
558 7272. 8.30pm. £10 (£8). See Mon 11.
Wednesday 13
Glasgow Midweek Comedy Cabaret The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). It may be the middle of the week, but that’s no reason to sit there drawing stickmen on your hand, wishing your life was better. Why not go and make real friends and enjoy some comedy at The Stand? You’ll thank us. Edinburgh Melting Pot The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £2). The land of the sketch is celebrated at this comedy institution, with another selection of new ideas performed by actors. The audience vote for the best and everyone goes home happy. Well, not everyone, but nearly.
Thursday 14
Glasgow The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Susan Morrison is your host this evening, as she prepares to take you by the hand into the weird lands of Carey Marx, Andy White, The Wee Man and Michael Adams. Some of those places will be very, very wrong, but you know you like it. Edinburgh The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £4). The weekend has rolled around already and this one features entertainment from that there Northern Englandshire in the shape of Matt Reed and Gavin Webster. They’ll be joined by host Scott Agnew, Rhonda Downie and Andrew Learmonth.
Friday 15
Glasgow Famous for Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £12. The newly rebranded not-Jongleurs presents Joe Heenan, Nige and Smug Roberts. There’s still the hot food and dancing afterwards. It’s like when Prince changed his name, eh? The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 14 for line-up. Edinburgh Famous for Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £11. Michael Legge, Des Clarke, Markus Birdman and Tony Hendricks do the entertaining, before the chairs are pushed back for an after-school disco. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 14 for line-up but with Susan Calman replacing Scott Agnew as host.