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Godley and Storrie put the world to rights
COMEDY PODCASTS
The explosion in free podcasts has been a boon for comedy fans, delivering intimate interviews, topical improv and experimental sketch shows, all the while plugging audiences directly into the psyches of their favourite stand-ups. US comic Marc Maron’s WTF is necessarily biased towards American acts, but hearing Brendon Burns on the differing racial tensions over there or Maron drawing out Patrice O’Neal’s views on women is fascinating. Maron also interviews the likes of Stewart Lee, Tim Key and Adam Bloom, while there’s a fantastic two- parter with Louis CK.
For the cream of home-grown comics baring their souls, try Marsha Meets, in which XFM DJ Marsha Shandur reiterates the importance of an informed interviewer, willing to let her subjects simply be funny. Rather more immediate is The Green Room, in which stand-up Phil Butler collars comics backstage for a chat and intersperses it with audio clips from their show. Warm as he is towards his kindred clowns, he can’t lay claim to the mother-daughter tensions of Janey Godley’s Podcast, in which the Glaswegian stand-up and her offspring Ashley Storrie have great fun at Mr Godley’s expense and passionately put the world to rights. For sublime arsing around, download sketch troupe The Trap’s
Sodcast, while the increasingly infrequent News with Jokes delivers exactly what it promises as Gary Delaney, Andy White and James Cook strive to make each other snigger over the tabloids. Sadly, Nick Doody and Rob Heeney’s Doubling Up is becoming increasingly sporadic, though it’s worth discovering to hear a young Doody’s interview with Bill Hicks. Prolific podcaster Robin Ince lends a touch of intellectual enquiry to Utter Shambles with sidekick Josie Long. Yet the ‘Podfather’ remains Richard Herring, whose long-running Collings and Herrin with journalist Andrew Collins is wonderfully supplemented by As It Occurs to Me, his inspired stand-up and sketch antics for a live audience featuring Emma Kennedy, Dan Tetsell and Christian Reilly. (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 18
Glasgow The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). The Reverend Obadiah Steppenwolfe III with Stephen Carlin, The Wee Man, Caroline Robertson and host Vladimir McTavish. Edinburgh FREE Heresy The Jekyll & Hyde, 112 Hanover Street, 225 2022. 9pm. Comedy basement for the grimier side of humour. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Raymond Mearns hosts a line-up including Neil Dougan, John Ross, James Christopher and Elaine Malcolmson.
Friday 19 Glasgow highlight Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844
0044. 7.15pm. £12. This weekend features Janey Godley, Gary Delaney and Adam Crow. Jongleurs Jongleurs, The Glasshouse 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.15pm. £15. Christian Reilly and Phil Walker are joined by a special guest for the weekend. The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 355 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 18. Edinburgh highlight Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £10 Special offers available, see website. See Fri 19. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 18. Upstairs @ The Beehive Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 9pm. £5. A selection of Scottish comedy talent this evening, with host Keara Murphy, headliner Bill Dewar and support from Alan Sharp and Jane Walker. The Improverts Bedlam Theatre, 11b Bristo Place, 225 9893. 10.30pm. £4.50 (£4; members £3.50). Edinburgh Uni’s long-standing improvised comedy troupe.
Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 7.15pm. From £12. See Fri 19. Jongleurs Jongleurs, The Glasshouse 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.15pm. £15. See Fri 19. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 355 8879. 9pm. £13. See Thu 18. Edinburgh highlight Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £10 Special offers available, see website. See Fri 19. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £13. See Thu 18. Upstairs @ The Beehive Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 9pm. £5. Scottish circuit legend Vladimir McTavish headlines, with performances from Jane Walker, Richard Gadd, Alan Sharp and MC Keara Murphy.
Sunday 21
Glasgow FREE Comedy at the Ivory Ivory Hotel, Langside Avenue, 636 0223. 8pm. Graham Mackie steers this free Shawlands gig with a weekly selection of guests.
✽✽ Ross Noble King’s Theatre, 297 Bath Street, 0844 871 7648. 8pm.
£24.75. The quick-witted Geordie is back on tour with his brand new show Nonsensory Overload. Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 355 8879. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). Joining Mr Redmond this week are Stephen Carlin, Patrick Rolink, Siân Bevan and Jonathan Paylor.
Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. Stu and Garry’s weekly improv show is getting more popular every week, so get in early for a seat. The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). Host Jojo Sutherland and headliner Susan Morrison are joined by Bruce Fummey, Daniel Webster and Alan Sharp.
Monday 22 Glasgow Improv Wars The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 355 8879. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). Battle commences between Garry Dobson, Stu Murphy, Chris Forbes and Billy Kirkwood.
Edinburgh Fit O’ The Giggles Out With the Old Beehive Inn, Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8pm. £2 (£1). Host Rik Carranza presents a new night for the Beehive on Mondays as comedians try out their latest routines. Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). The latest brave souls join grown-up stand-up Gary Little and headliner Sean Hegarty.
Tuesday 23
Glasgow FREE Comedy at the Halt Bar The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 352 9996. 8.30pm. New comedians have their shot behind the mic. Edinburgh Marlon Davis and Sean Percival The Pleasance Cabaret Bar, 60 Pleasance, 556 6550. 8pm. £5 (£4). Proper jokes from Davis and Percival. Non-students welcome. We Happy Few presents... The Banshee Labyrinth, 29–35 Niddry Street, 8.30pm. £3. A monthly showcase of comedy including Ben Verth, Who is Jean? and Mickey Anderson.
Comedy
✽✽ HITLIST
THE BEST COMEDY
✽✽ Ross Noble Still fighting it out with Bill Bailey to see who can come up with the most apt show title in the touring comedy business. Following hot on the surrealist heels of Noodlemeister, Sonic Waffle and Fizzy Logic, the Cramlington comic is going for Nonsensory Overload with this tour. Now that’s apt. King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Sun 21 Nov. ✽✽ Best of Scottish Comedy A top-notch line-up of local comedy geniuses including Danny Sloss, Susie Calman and Vlad McTavish. The Stand, Edinburgh, Wed 24 Nov. ✽✽ Stewart Francis With Tour de Francis, the UK-based Canadian comic will simply pour joke-liquid all over your head. And you’ll love how it feels. Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Thu 25 & Fri 26 Nov. ✽✽ Frankie Boyle The never- dull comic plays his home crowd and gives it to them with both barrels. SECC, Glasgow, Fri 26–Mon 29 Nov. ✽✽ Mark Watson He seems to have become less Welsh as the years have gone by. Then again he was never actually a boyo from the valleys in the first place. Still very funny though. See 5 Things. Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Fri 26 Nov. ✽✽ The Boy With Tape on His Face The Kiwi comic with the audacious act shows just why his mime affair should be shouted from the rooftops. The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 30 Nov; The Stand, Glasgow, Wed 1 Dec.
Woodlands Road, 0844 355 8879. 8.30pm. £7 (£6; members £3). Allow Stand resident Michael Redmond to introduce you to Caimh McDonnell, Chris Kent and Jason Coughlan.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Best of Scottish Comedy The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272.
8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). Tonight’s show is held together by Susan Calman, with spots from Vladimir McTavish, Chris Forbes, Garry Dobson and Daniel Sloss.
Thursday 25
Glasgow Desi Central Comedy Tour Hilton Grosvenor, 1–10 Grosvenor Terrace, 420 18 Nov–2 Dec 2010 THE LIST 57
Saturday 20 Wednesday 24
Glasgow highlight Comedy Highlight, UGC Glasgow Best of Irish Comedy The Stand, 333