Comedy
5 SHOWS WORTH WATCHING ON TV
Him and Her Ex-Cowards chap Stefan Golaszewski brings us his own ‘anti-romantic comedy’ about a young couple who are madly in love but with little appetite for the outside world. So the outside world decides to come to them. Russell Tovey, Sarah Solemani and Joe Wilkinson star. BBC3, Mon 13 Sep, 10.30pm.
The Inbetweeners Without a shadow of a doubt E4’s finest home-grown comedy hour, the misguided adventures of Will, Simon, Neil and Jay are back. This sad quartet fail to be invited to a school fashion show but manage to ruin proceedings in their own inimitable fashion. E4, Mon 13 Sep, 10pm. School of Comedy This mischievous bunch of youngsters get a second series with characters including The Filth (a pair of self- referential 70s coppers), Leonard Lizard (a repressed 80s city trader) and Museum Perv (fairly self- explanatory that one). Surely some of this lot will have left school by now? E4, Mon 13 Sep, 10.35pm.
Ideal Series six is rumbling along rather nicely with old faves such as Cartoon Head and Judith (‘sorry’) being joined by a post-op female- male transsexual who opted to keep her ample breasts (played by who else but Sean Lock) and an American interior designer (given plenty of life by Janeane Garofalo). BBC3, Tue 14 Sep, 10.30pm.
Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow Whatever you think of the posh chap, he has a vast following and plenty comics who are pretty grateful for the leg-up he’s offered them with this Live at the Apollo-esque affair. The opening episode of series two was filmed at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal and features Kevin Bridges and Daniel Sloss, with quality later comics getting the McIntyre seal of approval including Tommy Tiernan, Sarah Millican and Noel Fielding. BBC1, Sat 18 Sep, 9.30pm. (Brian Donaldson)
50 THE LIST 9–23 Sep 2010
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 9
Glasgow The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Two fine acts from across the water (not that water, that water) come to Glasgow: Ron Vaudry and Bernadette Pauley. They’re joined by Scottish gems Phil Differ, Mikey Adams and host Bruce Devlin. Edinburgh The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Settle in for the weekend with Al Ducharme, Keir McAllister, Iszi Lawrence, Garry Dobson and host Joe Heenan. Get in early for the yumbo home-cooked food.
Friday 10
Glasgow highlight Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £12. You’ll have a grand night tonight as the irrepressible Martin Mor is joined by Anthony King, David Hadingham and Brian Higgins. Dancing after.
✽✽ Jongleurs Tiger Tiger, Glassford Street, 08700 111 960. 8.30pm.
Price tbc. Janey Godley and others head to the new home of Jongleurs for a night of comedy. Get in early for food. The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £10 (£9; members £4). See Thu 9 for line-up.
Edinburgh The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 9 for line-up.
Saturday 11
Glasgow highlight Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £15. See Fri 10.
✽✽ Jongleurs Tiger Tiger, Glassford Street, 08700 111 960. 8.30pm.
TBC. See Fri 10. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £13. See Thu 9 for line-up.
Edinburgh The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £13. See Thu 9 for line-up.
Sunday 12
Glasgow Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). Calm yourself and have a lovely evening of stand-up with that there Michael Redmond and guests. Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. Free improvised comedy show from Stand fixtures Stu and Garry. There’s hot food on offer too. It’ll be like going to yer granny’s house, if you have a supercool granny. The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). End the week with some fine comedy faces, including host Scott Agnew, Al Ducharme, Bernadette Pauley, Caroline Robertson and Dee Custance.
MY COMEDY HERO ISY SUTTIE The Pleasance, Edinburgh University, Mon 13 Sep
I think Tim Minchin and Tom Basden are brilliant, but I find it more difficult to watch musical comedy because I’m more critical of it, or I think, ‘Oh god, why didn’t I think of that?’ But the way that Tim Minchin can flip from one thing to another is amazing. But I’d say Phil Kay is my favourite comedian because he breaks it down and he makes it magical in a way that I haven’t seen in anyone else. I love loads of comics but Phil Kay chimes with me in a way that no one else does and watching him live, anything can happen and I love that feeling. It’s so rock’n’roll, he’s a real inspiration because he just doesn’t care. Apparently, he once ate a load of rubbish, old food and dirt and stuff, off
the floor in front of his mate’s kid. I just think he’s brilliant and I think I genuinely could keep watching him for ever and I don’t think I could say that about anyone else. I first met him when I was gigging with him and I’d heard that he was brilliant but I wasn’t prepared for how raw and vulnerable he is on stage, and how full of joy and despair it is at the same time. (Interview by Brian Donaldson)
Monday 13
Glasgow Improv Wars The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). Another battle commences between improv experts Garry Dobson, Stu Murphy, Chris Forbes and ‘Improv Warlord’ Billy ‘the hair’ Kirkwood.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Isy Suttie Edinburgh University, Pleasance, 650 2252, 8pm. Price tbc.
Her what plays Dobby from Peep Show revisits her 2007 Fringe show, Love Lost in the British Retail Industry, for her first national tour. See My Comedy Hero. Fit O’ The Giggles Absolute Beginners Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8pm. £2 (£1). More comedy goodies from the increasingly long list of hopeful comedians in Scotland. Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). Some people who think they have the capacity to be comedians take to the stage. Some of them will be right. Involved are proper grown-ups Ron Vaudry and Jeff O’Boyle. The Improverts Bedlam Theatre, 11b Bristo Place, 0131 225 9893. 10.30pm. £3. Late night laughter from Edinburgh’s
long-standing improvised comedy troupe. There may be madness, but by goodness, it’ll be improvised madness.
Tuesday 14
Glasgow FREE Comedy at the Halt Bar The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 352 9996. 8.30pm. Another showcase of newer comedians from this popular weekly gig. Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). You know the deal, right? Lots of newer comedians join experienced ones (in the latter camp are Ron Vaudry and Stu Murphy), and you all laugh, clap or look a bit confused.
Edinburgh Freefall Bedlam Theatre, 11b Bristo Place, 0131 225 9893. 7pm. £3. Sketch comedy from Out the Window, fresh from a run at the Fringe. Well, maybe ‘fresh’ is the wrong word after the sweatiest month of the year. . .
✽✽ Josie Long The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £10 (£8).
Another chance to see the Foster’s Comedy Award nominated Be Honourable! from the ever-lovely Long.