www.list.co.uk/comedy
Johnny Candon, Foil, Arms & Hog and Jeff O’Boyle.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Jason Manford Playhouse, 18-22 Greenside Place, 0844 847 1660.
7.30pm. £21. See Tue 22. Best of Scottish Comedy The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). Flying the flag of Scottish talent without looking like a hooligan. Four acts to be confirmed.
Thursday 24
Glasgow The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Glasgow’s weekend of comedy starts right here. David Hadingham, Saj and MC Raymond Mearns are joined by acclaimed sketch troupe Foil, Arms & Hog. Edinburgh The Art of Laughter Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, 228 1404. 7.30pm. £8 (£6). Jos Houben presents his witty dissection of physical comedy in a show that is part lecture, part performance. Part of the National Theatre of Scotland’s Diaspora. FREE Heresy The Jekyll & Hyde, 112 Hanover Street, 225 2022. 9pm. See Thu 17. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; students £4). A weekend headed up by circuit regular Dave Johns with Scottish favourite Sandy Nelson, Ed Patrick and special guest host Johnny Candon.
Friday 25
Glasgow Peter Powers Pavilion Theatre, 121 Renfield Street, 332 1846. 7.30pm. £11–£14. See Fri 18. highlight Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. £12. Solid comedy bets Johnny Candon, Kai Humphries and Danny McLaughlin all entertain the Highlight troops. The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 24 for line- up. Edinburgh The Friday Fix The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street, 556 7060. 7.30pm. £9; £5 after 9.30pm (band only). Tonight’s funnies come from Carly Smallman, Elaine Malcolmson, Jeff O’Boyle and the joke machine fae Aberdeen, Mr Gus Tawse. Comedy followed by bands and beats and stuff. Highlight Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £13. The fact-filled Bruce Fummey shimmies on with Pete Cain and Mr Roger D. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 24 for line-up but with Susan Morrison replacing Mr Candon. Upstairs @ The Beehive Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 9pm. £5. See Fri 18. The Improverts Bedlam Theatre, 11b Bristo Place, 225 9893. 10.30pm. £4.50 (£4). See Fri 18.
Saturday 26 Glasgow Peter Powers Pavilion Theatre, 121 Renfield Street, 332 1846. 7.30pm & midnight. £11–£14. See Fri 18. Highlight Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. £12. See Fri 25. Saturday @ the Dram Dram, 232–246 Woodlands Road, 332 1622. 8.30pm. £7 (£5). See Sat 19. Comedy @ the State The State Bar, 148 Holland Street, 332 2159. 9pm. £7 (£5). The long-standing home of comedy in Glasgow, the State Bar continues to attract
some of Scotland’s best comedians to its wee basement of joy. This weekend’s talent includes gagmeister Gus Tawse, regular host Chris Broomfield and special guests. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £15. See Thu 24 for line-up. Edinburgh Highlight Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £13. See Fri 25. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £15. See Fri 25 for line-up. Upstairs @ the Beehive Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 9pm. £5. See Fri 18.
5 THINGS
YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT JASON MANFORD 1 At the age of 17, Manford worked at one of those fast food burger chain places for a whole weekend, walking out when he was told he couldn’t have cheese on his burger during a break. He claims to have weighed around 16st at the time and really wanted that cheese. 2 He got his big break in stand-up while collecting empty glasses every Thursday night at Manchester’s Buzz Club. When a car-load of London-based comics broke down, the 17-year-old Jason offered to help out with the immortal line: ‘I’ll have a go.’ So successful was his regional humour and observational jokes that a somewhat relieved manager wanted him to stay on, but Manford had run out of material.
3 A keen drama student at school, he appeared in the first series of Ideal and briefly played a stand-up comic in the Stephen Poliakoff drama Gideon’s Daughter. The set designer asked Manford what a stand-up stage usually looks like. He mentioned a stool, a mic, a comedian and maybe a logo in the background. To this mix they added, obviously, a big bowl of jellybeans.
4 He claims to have been drunk two or three times in his life. One of which involved him shouting at the actor who played Les Battersby in Coronation Street, demanding that he treated Janice better. 5 He was once threatened by Bette Midler’s heavies when asking to innocently pose for a picture with her at a Royal Variety Performance. ‘Are you fucking serious?’ was her response while her ‘people’ told wee Jase to leave the fading celebrity alone. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Playhouse, Edinburgh, Tue 22 & Wed 23 Feb.
Sunday 27
Glasgow Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £1). Sketchy performers Foil, Arms & Hog join Saj and local act Martin Bearne. And Redmond, of course. Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. See Sun 20. The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £1). The charming (and musical) Sandy Nelson joins Ed Patrick, Rhona McKenzie and Stephen Halkett for a relaxed end to the week.
Monday 28 Edinburgh Fit o’ the Giggles Out with the Old Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8pm. £2 (£1). See Mon 21. Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. Book-ending the fresh new talent are the still fragrant Gavin Webster and Sandy Nelson.
Tuesday 1
Glasgow FREE Comedy at the Halt Bar The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 352 9996. 8pm. See Tue 22. Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £2. See Mon 28. Edinburgh Jason Paterson and JJ Whitehead The Pleasance Cabaret Bar, 60 Pleasance, 556 6550. 7.30pm. £5 (£4). Student-friendly comedy courtesy of Comedy Central Live, with ex-BBC Comedy Award winner JJ
Comedy
Whitehead. Grown-ups welcome to attend with the kidz. Wicked Wenches The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). This month’s funny ladies are the cutely evil Katherine Ryan, Catie Wilkins, Rhona McKenzie and regular host Susan Calman.
Wednesday 2
Glasgow Wicked Wenches The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). See Tue 1. Edinburgh The Broken Windows Policy The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). Sketches, characters and all sort of comedy shenanigans. With Ben Verth, Graeme Thomas, Siân Bevan and Dave MacGregor.
Thursday 3
Glasgow The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Glasgow’s weekend of comedy starts right here. Scrumptious scamp Joe Heenan hosts this weekend with Bennett Arron, Sandy Nelson and Catie Wilkins. Edinburgh FREE Heresy The Jekyll & Hyde, 112 Hanover Street, 225 2022. 9pm. See Thu 17. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; students £4). It’s the weekend’s line-up but for the cheapest price: a bargainous way to see top headliners during the week. Junior Simpson is joined by much-talked about up-and- comer Katherine Ryan, with host Vladimir McTavish.
PHIL AND NIGEL MCINTYRE PRESENT
GLASGOW CLYDE AUDITORIUM Friday 28th October
Box Office: 0844 395 4000 · www.ticketsoup.com Hotline: 08444 99 99 55 · Online: www.ticketzone.co.uk
www.paddymcguinness.tv
17 Feb–3 Mar 2011 THE LIST 57