Comedy HITLIST THE BEST COMEDY SHOWS
Teddy One of the rising stars of the Scottish comedy scene, Ross Craig (aka Teddy) will no doubt be delivering more of his hilariously caustic observations and daring imaginative leaps. The Stand, Glasgow, Thu 21–Sat 23 Jul.
Q-Fusion Improv Taking a more theatrical approach to the comedy improv game, Q-Fusion combine what they call ‘short and long-form games’. Which is intriguing, to say the very least. Highlight, Glasgow, Thu 21 Jul. Fred MacAulay As a taster to his Fringe run, the Legally Bald voice of Radio Scotland mid-mornings rouses some of his loyal faithful. Blackfriars, Glasgow, Fri 22 & Sat 23 Jul; Grangemouth Town Hall, Sat 30 Jul.
Chris McCausland He’ll be at the Fringe for some Big Time, but the former Me Too! star (that’s a kids’ show, folks) entertains the weekend crowds. See preview. Highlight, Glasgow, Fri 22 & Sat 23 Jul. Frank Carson The Irish legend brings us some old school stand-up fare with Falkirk’s comedy festival the welcoming recipient of his banter. Yes, it’s the way he tells them. Falkirk Town Hall, Sat 23 Jul.
Stewart Francis The London-based Canadian gagsmith throws out punchlines by the acreload to anyone that will listen. Which will be plenty, believe me. The Stand, Glasgow, Thu 28–Sat 30 Jul; Falkirk Town Hall, Sat 31 Jul.
Stewart Lee A Fringe warm-up for the man who has been merrily driving his Comedy Vehicle up and down the BBC of late. Fans of Braveheart and observational comedy should probably look away now. Behind The Wall, Falkirk, Mon 1 Aug.
Edinburgh Fringe The madness gets set to commence with a month of comedic treats and tragedies awaiting us. See our page on the Fringe comedy shows you can see on the cheap. Various venues, Edinburgh, until 29 Aug.
48 THE LIST 21 Jul–4 Aug 2011
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 16 days before publication to comedy@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Kirstyn Smith. ✽✽ Indicates Hitlist entry
Thursday 21
Glasgow ✽✽ Q-Fusion Improv Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844
844 0044. 8pm. £4. Improvised sketches, songs and jokes.
✽✽ The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335
8879. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). The weekend’s acts settle in: this time it’s observational humour from Dougie Dunlop, plus Greg Cook, Teddy, Fern Brady, and Scott Agnew hosting.
Edinburgh The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £4). With Noel James veering between droll and lunacy, deadpan one- liners from Mark Bratchpiece, Rebecca Donohue and Gus Lymburn, ably hosted by Bruce Devlin.
Friday 22
Glasgow Nae Danger Pivo Pivo, 15 Waterloo Street, 564 8100. 7.30pm. £4. Night of comedy, MCs and hip-hop from I Hate Fun, Panda, The Wee Man and Kid Robotik.
✽✽ The Comic Club Blackfriars, 36 Bell Street, 552 5924. 8pm. £12 (£10). Fred MacAulay returns to the scene of early crimes alongside Stu Who?, Parrot and Bruce Morton. Part of the Merchant City Festival.
✽✽ Foster’s Comedy Live @ highlight Highlight, UGC
Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £12–£15. Cheeky chap John Ryan, with Chris McCausland, Sandy Nelson and Chris Conroy. See preview, right.
✽✽ The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879.
8.30pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 21 for line-up. Jongleurs Comedy Show Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15. A different line-up every week. Arrive by 6pm if you’d like food before the show. This weekend there’s unstoppable clowning from Paul Pirie, alongside Ro Campbell and Kai Humphries. For more Ro Campbell, see page 3.
Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £4–£7. Ben Verth hosts top local and visiting comedians. Foster’s Comedy Live @ highlight Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 9pm. £10–£13. Observational humour from Maff Brown, plus Stefano Paolini and Dave Longley. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 21 for line-up (no Mark Bratchpiece). Falkirk Comedy Cruise The Falkirk Wheel, Lime Road, Tamfour Hill, 0844 481 8108. 5pm. £17.50. Have a hilarious Falkirk Wheel Experience with Captain Bruce Devlin and a host of comedy deckhands to entertain. Includes boat trip and fish & chips. Part of Funny in Falkirk. Vladimir McTavish: A Scotsman’s Guide to Betting 20 Rocks, 1 Princes Street, 0844 481 8108. 8pm. £8 (£7). The satirical stand-up takes a look at the darker side of gambling. Part of Funny in Falkirk. Best of Scottish Comedy Behind The Wall, 14 Melville Street, 0844 481 8108. 8.30pm. £9 (£8). Susan Calman, Jamie Andrew, Antony Murray and Vladimir McTavish show off the best side of
Scottish humour. Part of Funny in Falkirk. Saturday 23
Glasgow ✽✽ The Comic Club Blackfriars, 36 Bell Street, 552 5924. 8pm. £12
(£10). See Fri 22.
✽✽ Foster’s Comedy Live @ highlight Highlight, UGC
Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £12–£15. See Fri 22. Jongleurs Comedy Show Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15. See Fri 22.
✽✽ The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335
8879. 9pm. £15. See Thu 21 for line-up.
Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £4–£7. See Fri 22. Foster’s Comedy Live @ highlight Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 9pm. £10–£13. See Fri 22. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £15. Always sells out, so remember to book or get in early. See Thu 21 for line-up. Jekyll and Hyde Comedy Club The Jekyll & Hyde, 112 Hanover Street, 225 2022. 9.30pm. £8 (£6). Rick Molland presents a night in a basement which you’ll remember for the right reasons. Hopefully.
Bo’ness Bo’Ness Big Laughs Town Hall, Stewart Avenue, 0844 481 8108. 7.30pm. £8 (£7). Funtime Forbesy brings the laughs to Bo’Ness with Stephen Callaghan, Sean Grant and the incorrigible Parrot. Part of Funny in Falkirk. Denny Denny Stands Up The Lantern, 162 Stirling Street, 0844 481 8108. 9pm. £8 (£7). With Billy Kirkwood, Chloe Philip, Gus Lymburn and John Gillick. Part of Funny in Falkirk.
Falkirk Falkirk Kids’ Comedy Club Falkirk Old Parish Church, Manse Place Kirk Wynd, 0844 481 8108. 2.30pm. £5. A live comedy show for a younger audience. Part of Funny in Falkirk.
✽✽ Frank Carson Falkirk Town Hall, West Bridge Street, 0844 481 8108.
7.30pm. £15.50 (£12.50). The legend performs, so get ready to yell out catchphrases. Part of Funny in Falkirk. Raymond Mearns: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Stress but Were Afraid to Ask Behind The Wall, 14 Melville Street, 0844 481 8108. 8pm. £9 (£8). In 2008, Mearns appeared in a NHS Glasgow DVD about how to deal with stress. Tonight he uses his experience to dole out some advice on how to have a laugh and not sweat the small stuff. Part of Funny in Falkirk.
Sunday 24 Glasgow FREE Des McLean – Taking it to the Streets Various venues, Merchant City, 287 9810. Noon-5pm. Join Des McLean in the streets of the Merchant City as he and his camera crew chat about the festival. Part of the Merchant City Festival. David Kay: Stitched Up Make It Glasgow, 3 Osborne Street, 552 9071. 3.30pm. £5. Sedately hilarious yarns from the star of BBC 2’s Freedom. Part of the Merchant City Festival. Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £1). Featuring Greg Cook’s deadpan observations alongside Rory O’Hanlon, Graham Mackie and Stuart Mitchell.