Comedy
REVIEW ONLINE SHORTS VIC & BOB’S AFTERNOON DELIGHTS fosters.co.uk ●●●●●
Here we go again: seems that the death of television has marched a big step closer because Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer have stuck their latest work online rather than on the box. Hot on the heels of the excellent Alan Partridge comeback Mid Morning Matters with Fosters, Afternoon Delights provides an opportunity for the pair to lark around in a series of silly wigs and fake teeth as they attempt to recall the hysterically unsheathed glory days of Big Night Out and The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer. What becomes patently clear is that these two are
the last people who should have been given carte blanche to muck about with little budget and no semblance of editorial control. The title is halfway
accurate: from Monday to Friday til 29 July, new routines do appear after noon. While their ‘Mostly Unhaunted’ skit and free-running pastiche have their moments, the Cook Report-style exposé of a plastic surgeon called Shakamoto (cue a somewhat regrettable Japanese accent), and the puerile glassblowers scene attain their biggest smiles from the pair’s struggle to keep a straight face: good to know that at least two people were having fun.
For anyone who has lived with the scripted anarchy that marked Vic & Bob in their prime, it’s horribly tragic that the standard here barely rises above risible, each passing episode dribbling a little bit more sick onto the once fragrant pile of memories that the pair have granted us down the years. They really should have let it lie. (Brian Donaldson)
even songs. With Bruce Fummey, Dave Twentyman and John Scott. 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. Alex Boardman displays his acerbic wit, with Phil Walker and Junior Simpson. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 28 for line-up.
Bo’ness Bruce Morton and Friends Town Hall, Stewart Avenue, 0844 481 8108. 8pm. £10 (£9). One of the Daddies of Scottish comedy keeps the chuckles coming, accompanied by pals Billy Kirkwood and Stuart Mitchell. Part of Funny in Falkirk.
Falkirk Comedy Cruise The Falkirk Wheel, Lime Road Tamfour Hill, 0844 481 8108. 5pm. £17.50. See Fri 22. Elaine C Smith Falkirk Town Hall, West Bridge Street, 0844 481 8108. 8pm. £15.50 (£12.50). Enjoy an evening in with one of Scotland’s comedy treasures. Part of Funny in Falkirk. Gary Little: Pure Tonto Behind The Wall, 14 Melville Street, 0844 481 8108. 8pm. £9 (£8). The inappropriately named giant presents some of his favourite tales to make your hair curl. Part of Funny in Falkirk.
Saturday 30
Glasgow Foster’s Comedy Live @ highlight Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £12–£15. See Fri 29. 50 THE LIST 21 Jul–4 Aug 2011
✽✽ The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335
8879. 9pm. £15. See Thu 28 for line-up.
Edinburgh To Be Continued The Tron, 9 Hunter Square, High Street, 226 0931. 8pm. £7 (£5). Fast-paced improv. 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 29. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £15. See Thu 28 for line-up.
Falkirk Martin Mor: The Call of the Golden Frog 20 Rocks, 1 Princes Street, 0844 481 8108. 8pm. £8 (£7). The fabulously exuberant Mor entertains. Part of Funny in Falkirk. Stephen K Amos Falkirk Town Hall, West Bridge Street, 0844 481 8108. 8pm. £16.50. The splendid Mr Amos brings his well-spoken funnies to Falkirk. Part of Funny in Falkirk. The World According to Damien Crow 20 Rocks, 1 Princes Street, 0844 481 8108. 8pm. £8 (£7). Mr Crow (good goth name, that) gets to the bare bones of the subculture. Part of Funny in Falkirk.
Grangemouth ✽✽ Fred MacAulay: Legally Bald Grangemouth Town Hall, Bo’ness Road, 0844 481 8108. 8pm. £15 (£12). The popular morning radio show host shares his witticisms about life in Scotland today. Part of Funny in Falkirk.
Paisley Fit O’ The Giggles @ Hamishes’ Hoose Hamishes Hoose, 42 Old Sneddon Street, 561 7105. 9pm. £5.
Three professional acts alongside a promising newbie. Sunday 31
Glasgow Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £1). With Michael Legge, Derek Johnston, Kim McAskill and Jason Arnstein.
Falkirk Gavin Webster: All Young People are Cunts 20 Rocks, 1 Princes Street, 0844 481 8108. 7.45pm. £5. See Mon 25. Part of Funny in Falkirk. Simon Donald’s Dirty Great Fringepiece Behind The Wall, 14 Melville Street, 0844 481 8108. 8pm. £9 (£8). Viz co-creator Simon Donald takes it to the stage. Part of Funny in Falkirk.
✽✽ Stewart Francis Falkirk Town Hall, West Bridge Street, 0844 481
8108. 8pm. £15.50 (£12.50). A surreal evening with this master of the one-liner. Part of Funny in Falkirk. Sally-Ann Hayward: Don’t Judge Me 20 Rocks, 1 Princes Street, 0844 481 8108. 9pm. £5. Hayward looks forward to growing old disgracefully. Part of Funny in Falkirk.
Monday 1
Glasgow Joe Heenan’s Movie Madness The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £4. See Mon 25. Edinburgh Simon Donald’s Dirty Great Fringepiece The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 6.30pm. £7 (£6). See Sun 31. Gavin Webster: All Young People are Cunts The Stand, 5
York Place, 558 7272. 8.10pm. £7 (£6; members £1). See Mon 25. Political Collective Gone Mad The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9.50pm. £7 (£6). Politically-charged sketches, stand-up and film.
Falkirk ✽✽ Stewart Lee: Flickwerk 2011 – Work In Progress Behind The Wall, 14 Melville Street, 0844 481 8108. 8pm. £12 (£10). New material from the revered master of understatement. Part of Funny in Falkirk. Falkirk Funnies Showcase 20 Rocks, 1 Princes Street, 0844 481 8108. 8.30pm. £4. Graduates of the Funny in Falkirk comedy workshops, show off what they’ve learnt with help from hosts Susan Morrison and Paul Sneddon. Part of Funny in Falkirk.
Tuesday 2
Glasgow Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 7.30pm. £2. See Tue 26. Falkirk Lee Camp: Yet Another American Mistake 20 Rocks, 1 Princes Street, 0844 481 8108. 7.45pm. £5. Camp once called Fox News a ‘parade of propaganda and festival of ignorance’ live on their own network. Do you need another reason? Part of Funny in Falkirk. Imran Yusuf Behind The Wall, 14 Melville Street, 0844 481 8108. 8pm. £10 (£8). Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer Nominee from last year’s Fringe returns to preview this year’s show. Part of Funny in Falkirk. Phil Nichol: The Simple Hour 20 Rocks, 1 Princes Street, 0844 481 8108. 9pm. £5. Catch an early preview of this year’s Fringe offering from the delightful Mr Nichol. Part of Funny in Falkirk.
Wednesday 3
Glasgow Billy Kirkwood’s Pick of the Fringe The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 7.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). Fringe acts head west, Billy Kirkwood introduces them with a toss of his lustrous mane, and you get all the fun of Edinburgh in August, without the crowds of American high school drama groups. Everybody wins. Edinburgh Fringe Previews Party The Jazz Bar, 1 Chambers Street, 220 4298. 8pm. £4 (£3). Mixed line-up previewing and testing Fringe material.
Thursday 4 Glasgow Francesca Martinez: What the **** is Normal The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 4.45pm. £8 (£7; members £1). The comedian and actress takes a look at what it really means to be normal. Lloyd Langford The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 6.25pm. £8 (£7; members £1). Langford previews his Fringe show, which features jokes about mice and cling film, apparently. Joe Heenan’s Pick of the Fringe The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 7.30pm. £9 (£8; members £4). More Fringe comedians who The Stand have kidnapped and forced to perform in Glasgow. Phil Nichol: The Simple Hour The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.05pm. £9 (£8; members £1). See Tue 2. Fit O’The Giggles @ The Inn The Inn, 2 Station Road, Bearsden, 942 6752. 8.30–10.30pm. £5 (£3). With compère Keara Murphy.