Comedy
5 BEST
COMEDY GIGS OF 2010 Bo Burnham After receiving top marks from both The Guardian and The Independent, little Bo Burnham really needed to be taken down a peg or three. Yet, the uber-talented wee tyke simply got on with his job and showed what a prospective comedy superstar looks like. If you were lucky enough to have witnessed any of his Edinburgh Fringe dates, cherish the memory: now that Judd Apatow has his number, it’s unlikely BB will be back this way for some time. Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh, August. Tommy Tiernan Having stuck some necks out by slapping the former Perrier winner on the cover of our Festival Guide in July, it was a blessed relief to see that the Navan rabble-rouser hadn’t lost any of his firebrand genius. Crooked Man was a beautifully poetic set full of lyricism, charm and passion. Gilded Balloon Teviot, Edinburgh, August.
Stewart Francis There are few comics around who can fill over an hour’s stage time with as many cracking one and two-liners as this London-based Canadian-born gagsmith. If you missed Tour de Francis first time around, do yourself a favour and fork out for the DVD. The Stand, Glasgow, January.
Jenny Eclair A tiny bit of history was made when this year’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards shortlist included two female comics in the shape of Sarah Millican and Josie Long. An old-timer showed the pack how to be proper crude and downright hilarious with it as Lady Eclair stoked up the Glasgow International Comedy Festival with her uncompromising wit. Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, March. Stewart Lee Though his Silver Stewbilee event at the same venue in August got some attention for unveiling the long-lost Japanese outfit Frank Chickens, it was a treat to see Lee in full flow with his touring show, If You Prefer a Milder Comedian, Please Ask for One. Top Gear fans, cider ad buffs and pirates might be compelled to disagree. Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, February. (Brian Donaldson)
62 THE LIST 16 Dec 2010 – 6 Jan 2011
Edinburgh ✽✽ Laughing Horse New Act of the Year Meadow Bar, 42-44
Buccleuch Street, Southside, 667 6907. 7–9pm then second show 9.30–11.30pm. £5 per show (students £3). See Sun 19.
✽✽ Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). This
week’s brave adventurers (or foolish pirates) are helped by funny north American ladies Rebecca Donohue and Hailey Boyle.
Tuesday 21
Glasgow ✽✽ highlight Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street,
0844 844 0044. 7.15pm. £24.95. Celebrate the final run up to Christmas with two of Glasgow’s finest: Janey Godley and Raymond Mearns, who’ll be joined by Mat Reed and Ron Vaudry. Free entry to club afterwards; see website for special price offers. FREE Comedy at the Halt Bar The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 352 9996. 8.30pm. One of the more successful new talent nights on the Scottish scene, with different hopefuls every week.
✽✽ Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879.
8.30pm. £2 (£1). Yet more examples of the large number of gallant fools wanting to try stand-up, with help from proper comedian – look, there she is again! – Hailey Boyle.
Edinburgh Midweek Comedy Cabaret The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). It’s the middle of the week, and now everyone’s dead in Corrie, so you may as well go and watch some comedians.
Wednesday 22
Glasgow ✽✽ highlight Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street,
0844 844 0044. 7.15pm. £24.95. See Tue 21. Best of Scottish Comedy The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). Glasgow’s episode of fine local talent includes a very fine line-up this evening: Sandy Nelson, Gus Tawse, Gerry McDade, Ray Bradshaw and host Susan Calman.
Edinburgh Best of Scottish Comedy The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). Flying the flag this month are Gary Little, Mark Nelson, Daniel Webster and inimitable host Joe Heenan. highlight Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £19.95. Comedy from Dave Williams, Colin Cole and the truly stupendous Canadian stoner (and sometime Frankie Boyle collaborator) Tom Stade.
Thursday 23
Glasgow ✽✽ highlight Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street,
0844 844 0044. 7.15pm. £24.95. See Tue 21. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Ooh, would you look at the talented Scottish comedians on this bill? Sandy Nelson joins host Susan Calman, gag-machine Gus Tawse, Gerry McDade and Ray Bradshaw.
Edinburgh highlight Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £19.95. See Wed 22. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Four funny Scottish gents cover everything from weirdness to filth via a dose of fun: Gary Little, Mark Nelson, Daniel Webster and Joe Heenan.
Monday 27
Glasgow ✽✽ Hogmanay Hootfest! The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335
8879. 9pm. £12 (£10). The bells are ringing (in a good way) and comedy’s here with the relentless Tom Stade, Gary Little, Hailey Boyle and ever-ready host Raymond Mearns.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Hogmanay Hootfest! The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £12 (£10). The New Year spirit is upon us, mainly in the alcoholic sense, so join host Bruce Devlin as he introduces three highly respected circuit comedians, Jo Caulfield, Stephen Carlin and Vladimir McTavish.
Tuesday 28
Glasgow ✽✽ Hogmanay Hootfest! The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335
8879. 9pm. £12 (£10). See Mon 27.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Hogmanay Hootfest! The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £12
(£10). See Mon 27.
Wednesday 29
Glasgow ✽✽ Hogmanay Hootfest! The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335
8879. 9pm. £12 (£10). See Mon 27.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Hogmanay Hootfest! The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £12
(£10). See Mon 27. Thursday 30
Glasgow ✽✽ Hogmanay Hootfest! The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335
8879. 9pm. £12 (£10). See Mon 27.
Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. See Sun 19. Hogmanay Double Scotch The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 5.30pm. £7 (£5). Susan Morrison guides you through the darker history of Auld Reekie in Whores and Sores, while Vladimir McTavish investigates the joy of a dram in Whisky: An Idiot’s Guide.
✽✽ Hogmanay Hootfest! The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £12
(£10). See Mon 27. Friday 31
Glasgow ✽✽ Hogmanay Hootfest! The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £19.50 (£17.50; members £13). See Mon 27.
Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. See Sun 19. Hogmanay Double Scotch The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 5.30pm. £7 (£5). See Thu 30. highlight Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £19.95. See in the new year with Janey Godley, Dave Williams, Sandy Nelson and Joe Heenan. There’s a special menu on offer, plus some tunes to get you dancing after the show. See website for special offers.
✽✽ Hogmanay Hootfest! The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £19.50
(£17.50; members £13). See Mon 27.
Saturday 1 Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. See Sun 19.
Hogmanay Double Scotch The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 5.30pm. £7 (£5). See Thu 30.
✽✽ Hogmanay Hootfest! The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £13.
See Mon 27. Sunday 2
Glasgow ✽✽ Glasgow Kids Comedy Club The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 3pm. £4. Live comedy for younger fans, particularly those aged 8–12. This month features Billy Kirkwood and Hailey Boyle. No under 5s; all kids must be accompanied by an adult.
✽✽ Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333
Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). Another evening maxing and relaxing with the inimitable Redmond, with Hailey Boyle, Antony Murray, Stephen Callaghan and Kim MacAskill.
Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. See Sun 19. Hogmanay Double Scotch The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 5.30pm. £7 (£5). See Thu 30.
✽✽ Hogmanay Hootfest! The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £12
(£10). See Mon 27. Monday 3
Edinburgh Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). A new year, a new influx of hopeful comedians trying their luck on the Red Raw stage. Your headliner arrives in the still-youthful shape of Daniel Sloss. Tuesday 4
Glasgow Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). See Mon 3.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Wicked Wenches The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). The Stand’s monthly showcase of the finest female comedy continues with resident compere Susan Calman. Guesting tonight: Jo Enright, Debra Jane Appelby, Jay Lafferty and Ailsa Johnston. See preview for Enright.
Wednesday 5
Glasgow ✽✽ Wicked Wenches The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). See Tue 4.
Edinburgh Midweek Comedy Cabaret The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). Tonight features the joy of chirpy Geordie Gavin Webster, with Tony Burgess, Daniel Webster and Mickey Anderson.
Thursday 6
Glasgow The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). A marvellous comedy concoction: Tony Burgess, Steven Dick, Debra Jane Appelby, Derek Johnston and host Bruce Devlin. Edinburgh The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Your comedians tonight are Tony Law, Scott Agnew, Gordon Alexander, Raymond Mearns and the weirdly wonderful Jo Enright (see preview).