Comedy Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £4–£7. See Fri 23. Jongleurs Comedy Show Jongleurs, Lava Ignite, 3 West Tollcross, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15. A smashing line-up starring John Warburton’s cutting satire, John Gavin, Kevin Gildea and David Hadingham. Foster’s Comedy Live @ highlight Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 9pm. £10–£13. Stories and one-liners from Martin Beaumont, plus John Scott and Gavin Webster. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York
Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 6 for line-up. The Improverts Bedlam Theatre, 11b Bristo Place, 225 9893. 10.30pm. £5 (£4.50). See Fri 23.
Kirkcaldy ✽✽ Kirkcaldy Comedy Festival Various venues, Kirkcaldy, 0844
481 5659. Times vary. Prices vary. See Fri 30.
Saturday 8 Glasgow Alan Carr: Spexy Beast SECC,
REVIEW TV CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM More4, Sun, 11.05pm ●●●●●
After the high watermark of season seven’s Seinfeld-reunion storyline, Larry David brings us dragging and cringing back into his world of petty obsessions, chronic misunderstandings and friendships permanently teetering on the brink of abrasive dissolution. Curb Your Enthusiasm isn’t for everyone: many shun the whining, shouting and occasionally over-egged neuroses. But for those who can’t get enough of watching rich Californians playing heightened versions of themselves and trying to work out how seemingly unrelated plot- strands will meld together at the end of a 25-minute episode, season eight promises to be a constant treat. In the series opener, Larry and Cheryl are finally getting a divorce,
triggered by their fragile reconciliation breaking down after a row over a cup-stain on some expensive wood (does it get any more Curb than that?). Not one to be shy when it comes to crossing a line, Larry gets overly-chatty with Cheryl’s attorney (a fellow ‘bald man’) while discovering that his own legal representative might not be as Jewish as his surname (Berg) would suggest.
Throw in the standard sweary fallings-out with Susie Greene and Marty Funkhouser, a restaurant ‘incident’ and a vindictive about-turn which has him squabbling with a crew of girls scouts and you have the perfect ingredients for an incendiary Curb. Whether we really need to see Larry giving a young girl advice through a bathroom door about using her first tampon is another matter, but you should know by now that there’s rarely a gratuitous scene in the show. That device is surely going to rear its head again somewhere down the line . . . (Brian Donaldson)
58 THE LIST 22 Sep–20 Oct 2011
Finnieston Quay, 0844 395 4000. 8pm. £30. See Fri 7. Foster’s Comedy Live @ highlight Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £12–£15. See Fri 7, except Phil Differ is replaced by Ed Patrick. Jongleurs Comedy Show Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15. See Fri 7 for line-up. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £15. See Thu 6 for line-up. Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £4–£7. See Fri 23. Jongleurs Comedy Show Jongleurs, Lava Ignite, 3 West Tollcross, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15. See Fri 7. Foster’s Comedy Live @ highlight Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 9pm. £10–£13. See Fri 7. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £15. See Thu 6 for line-up. Jekyll and Hyde Comedy Club The Jekyll & Hyde, 112 Hanover Street, 225 2022. 9.30pm. £8 (£6). See Sat 24.
Kirkcaldy ✽✽ Kirkcaldy Comedy Festival Various venues, Kirkcaldy, 0844
481 5659. Times vary. Prices vary. See Fri 30.
Sunday 9
Glasgow Four Poofs And A Piano Pavilion Theatre, 121 Renfield Street, 332 1846. 7.30pm. £17.50. Musical comedy from those four campsters who used to spice up Jonathan Ross’ show.
✽✽ Kevin Bridges & Friends The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844
335 8879. 4pm. £10. See Sun 25. Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). Relax for a while with everyone’s favourite Sunday comedy uncle.
Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. See Sun 25. The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £1). A nice, dry, biting end to the weekend with Gordon Southern, and lovely Siân Bevan on hosting duties.
Monday 10
Glasgow Improv Wars The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). Another battle commences between Garry Dobson, Stu Murphy and Billy Kirkwood. Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Newbees Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8pm. £2 (£1). See Mon 26. Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. Scotland’s finest beginner’s showcase. Tonight with Ian Smith.
Tuesday 11
Glasgow Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £2. Unique comedic wares from host Ian Smith as he ushers in the newbies. Edinburgh Electric Tales The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4). A blended mix of comedy and storytelling with Siân Bevan and Susan Morrison.
Wednesday 12
Glasgow Fun Junkies The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £2.50). New show from the How Do I Get Up There sketch boys, hosted by Des Clarke.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Andi Osho Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844
0044. 8.30pm. £9. Osho gives her take on race, London, Lenny Henry and America’s first black president. Beatnik Comedy @ The Tron The Tron, 9 Hunter Square, High Street, 226 0931. 8.30pm. £3 (students £2). See Wed 28. Melting Pot The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £2.50). Local writers come up with fresh comedy nuggets every month, which are then performed by a troupe of actors.
Thursday 13
Glasgow Lee Evans: Roadrunner SECC, Finnieston Quay, 0844 395 4000. 8pm. £30. The (very) loose-limbed comedian continues his all-conquering tour of the UK. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). This weekend, enjoy offbeat stories and observations from Carl Donnelly (see My Comedy Hero), accompanied by Stephen Carlin, Chris Henry and host Scott Agnew.
Edinburgh ✽✽ Stephen Merchant: Hello Ladies The Edinburgh Playhouse, 18-22 Greenside Place, 0844 847 1660. 7.30pm. £26. See Fri 7. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Tonight, Seymour Mace delights with an intense bout of surreality, alongside Dominic Woodward, Antony Murray and host Jo Caulfield.
Friday 14
Glasgow Jimmy Carr: Laughter Therapy SECC: Clyde Auditorium, Finnieston Quay, 0844 395 4000. 8pm. £25. Crude, rude and razor sharp gags from family telly face Carr. Lee Evans: Roadrunner SECC, Finnieston Quay, 0844 395 4000. 8pm. £30. See Thu 13. Foster’s Comedy Live @ highlight Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £12–£15. Affable banter with Rob Collins, Trevor Crook, Tanyalee Davis and Phil Differ. The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 13 for line-up. Jongleurs Comedy Show Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15. Tonight the stage is graced by Jojo Sutherland and her punchy wit, as well as Barry Dodds, John Gavin and Marty McLean. Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £4–£7. See Fri 23. Jongleurs Comedy Show Jongleurs, Lava Ignite, 3 West Tollcross, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15. Tonight features Michael Fabbri’s sensational storytelling, Andy White and Dave Twentyman. Foster’s Comedy Live @ highlight Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 9pm. £10–£13. A smart look at the world from Liverpool’s Brendan Riley, also Kevin Gildea and Roger D. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 13 for line-up.