Comedy
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 22 Glasgow Whose Round is it Anyway? Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. £5. A new comedy improv show from Glasgow-based Q-Fusion, topped off with a 30-minute improvised play. See preview. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Lovely tall Scott Agnew hosts this weekend, with Patrick Rolink, Chris Henry, Erin Judge and the offbeat charms of James Dowdeswell.
5 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT
ROY ‘CHUBBY’ BROWN 1 OK, this is one you’ll probably all know, but it’s a good one so it’s going in. Born Royston Vasey in 1945, the moniker was used by the League of Gentlemen as the name for their fictional location where all the grotesques come out (or stay in) to play. In the second series, he made a cameo appearance as the town mayor.
2 His first taste of showbiz came in the late 60s, when he played drums in a covers band. Because there was more cash to be made for musical comedy acts, Vasey started telling gags in between songs. The group soon split up but two stayed behind and called themselves Alcock and Brown. 3 In 2003, Brown was fined in a Blackpool court after assaulting a fan with a golf umbrella. Which makes you wonder what he’d do to his detractors. Seems that he took exception to a Glaswegian chap who had caught sight of his hero walking towards the stage door and hurled some naughty words at the delicate Brown.
4 In his 2007 book, A National Joke, gay academic Andy Medhurst claimed that Brown was the ‘most important comedian of the past 25 years’. Though having attended one Chubby gig, he did admit to being taken aback at the audience’s rather gleeful reaction to gags having a pop at homosexuality.
5 He appeared on Opportunity Knocks in the 1970s, coming fourth in his heat. It was won by a spoon player. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Playhouse, Edinburgh, Thu 5 Aug.
58 THE LIST 22 Jul–5 Aug 2010
Edinburgh The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £4). A weekend injected with quality comedy energy, with compere Joe Heenan, Dave Fulton, Ro Campbell, Tom Goodliffe and Gordon Alexander. FREE Heresy The Jekyll & Hyde, 112 Hanover Street, 225 2022. 9pm. The den of dirty comedy, led by Rick Molland.
Friday 23 Glasgow highlight Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £12. Not to be muddled with Jongleurs, tonight’s gig includes top comedy followed by dancing at Club Risa. Featuring Jojo Sutherland, Neil Dougan, Mike Milligan and Ron Vaudry. The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 22 for line-up.
Edinburgh FREE Comedy Club at The Station Station Tavern, 316 Gorgie Road, 347 8955. 7.30–9.30pm. Free night of comedy with a rolling roster of fantastic comics and a cracking compere. highlight Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. From £10. Solid laughs from Philberto, Michael Manley and David Hadingham. Well, hopefully laughs from the audience, rather than the performers. Dancing afterwards. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £13 (£9; members £5). See Thu 22 for line-up.
Perth ✽✽ Jimmy Carr Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, 01738 621 031.
8pm. SOLD OUT. Afraid you’re too late to get tickets for the wicked gagsmith. Sorry.
IMPROV Q-FUSION Highlight, UGC Building, Glasgow, Thu 22 Jul
You may not have heard of Q-Fusion. They have avoided the crusty tracks undertaken by most comedy troupes and, rather than crawl through grotty backroom venues, they had their debut gig in a solo show at Glasgow’s Highlight. It’s unconventional to slam-dunk into such a big venue, but this group of improvised comedy performers is taking a more theatrical approach to a career: practising in workshops and then launching themselves straight onto the (relatively) big stage. One of the devisers of the idea, Paul Crommie, explains the workman-like attitude that led to the group’s creation. As he worked on a (serious) production last year with Colin Healy, the pair decided that ‘there was not enough work, or chance for performances, so we should make some’. A few months later they were holding open sessions in Glasgow, leading to a core group of 17 hopefuls, who’ve been honing their craft since February. Q-Fusion stands out from other improv groups by combining what Crommie calls ‘short and long-form games’. The audience is initially presented skits based on audience suggestions, like a high-pressure dinner party with performing monkeys and a stagelight. These are followed by long-form games, which means leaping off a higher cliff, shoved by an idea which then leads to a 40-minute play, complete with plot, scenes and characters.
Q-Fusion is keen to keep up the momentum, and will be found lighting up
the Laughing Horse Free Festival programme over August. In an industry where the lack of opportunities is a much whinged-about subject, this enterprising team is set to elbow slower competition out of the way with ambition alone. One of the benefits, maybe, of thinking on your feet. (Sian Bevan)
Saturday 24 Glasgow highlight Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £12. See Fri 23. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £13. See Thu 22 for line-up.
Edinburgh highlight Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. From £10. See Fri 23. Fit O’ The Giggles Upstairs Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 10.15pm. £5. A special Fringe preview of Keara Murphy’s Travelling Circus Fringe offering. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £13. See Thu 22 for line-up.
Sunday 25
Glasgow Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). The end of the week is brought to you by the most Irish of men, introducing the most Scottish of line-ups: Susan Morrison, Patrick Rolink, Phil Differ and Richard Melvin. Edinburgh Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). The end of the week shines with the gawky glory of James Dowdeswell. He’s joined by host Billy Kirkwood, Tom Goodliffe, Chloe Philip, Caroline Robertson and Robert Parker.
Monday 26
Glasgow ✽✽ Dance, Monkey Boy, Dance The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870
600 6055. 8.30pm. £4. Another dose of the all-improvising Monkey Boys: Raymond Mearns, John Ross and Allen Chalmers, as they prepare to hand over power to their faithful audience.
Edinburgh Fit O’ The Giggles Absolute Beginners Beehive Inn, Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8pm. £2 (£1). Newer acts stack up the bill, complete with experienced headliner and compere. Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). You’ll be inundated with aspiring comedians over the festival, but here’s a last chance to catch one of the best new talent nights in the land. With Scott Agnew.
Tuesday 27
Glasgow Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). Some of the freshest talent on the circuit tries to make a room full of strangers laugh. Go watch before despair and beer take over. With Keir McAllister. Edinburgh FREE Stand-up @ The Still The Illicit Still, 2 Brougham Street, Tollcross, 228 2633. 8pm. This jolly little weekly gig plays host to more comedy, glee and downright stupidness. Susan Morrison and Bruce Fummey The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £7 (£6; members £3). A Fringe preview double bill from two Scottish favourites. Susan Morrison’s F is For . . . looks at everything from fornication to funnels, while Bruce Fummey brings you 2012: The End of Time (It’s Not About the Olympics, Honest).
Wednesday 28
Glasgow ✽✽ Best of Irish The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055.
8.30pm. £7 (£6; members £3). The finest in