Comedy HITLIST THE BEST COMEDY EVENTS
Russell Howard The cheeky blonde chap brings us his Right Here, Right Now stage juggernaut featuring lots of stuff about the celeb game and his daft family. SECC, Glasgow, Sun 18 Dec.
A Twonkey Variety Night Resurrecting the spirit of true fringey comedy, Paul ‘Dawn of the Replicants’ Vickers raises merry mirth from an eccentric angle. The White Horse, Edinburgh, Fri 16 Dec. Wicked Wenches Among the funny females doing their comical stuff this month are Ava Vidal (pictured) and Susan Calman. The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 3 Jan; The Stand, Glasgow, Wed 4 Jan.
Foster’s Comedy Live: New Year’s Eve Among those greasing our way into the year that will forever be known as 2012 are two former Scottish Comedians of the Year, namely Scott Agnew (pictured) and John Gavin. Highlight, Glasgow & Edinburgh, Sat 31 Dec. Hogmanay Hootfest! A pile of fine comics have a brief residency at The Stands including Sandy Nelson (pictured), Dana Alexander, Mark Nelson and Jo Caulfield. See Gavin Webster preview, page 79. The Stand, Glasgow, Tue 27–Sat 31 Dec; The Stand, Edinburgh, Tue 27 Dec–Sun 1 Jan
Comedy Variety Show The best new comedians (and a few well-kent faces) try out some fresh material in a night hosted by Keara Murphy. City Café, Edinburgh, Mon 19 Dec.
Joe Heenan’s Movie Madness The film buff hosts another of his cine-based shenanigans alongside team capitanos Mark Nelson and Stu Murphy. The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 2 Jan.
Improv Wars Garry Dobson, Stu Murphy and Billy Kirkwood are all maestros of the adlib game and here will concoct some more made-up mayhem. The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 19 Dec.
78 THE LIST 15 Dec 2011–5 Jan 2012
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 15
Glasgow Foster’s Comedy Live: A White Christmas Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £45. There’s a Christmas feast, dancing til the early hours and a whole bunch of jokes from Scott Agnew, Jackie Frost, Dave Johns and Sandy Nelson. The Stand Christmas Special The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). A proper festive treat at The Stand with comedy crackers Susan Calman, John Gavin, Damian Clark and Gary Little. Edinburgh Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, Lava Ignite, 3 West Tollcross, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £29–£36. As if top comedy alone isn’t enough (Raymond Mearns’ dependable laughs, alongside Sean Percival and Trevor Cook) there’s food and an after-show disco too. The Stand Christmas Special The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). The Stand put on a special festive menu of food and comedians (you can only eat the food, probably), including appearances by Antony Murray, Andrew Stanley, Gavin Webster and host Joe Heenan. See preview, page 79, for Webster. We Happy Few Presents . . . The Banshee Labyrinth, 29–35 Niddry Street, 558 8209. 8.30pm. £2. All the fun of an eclectic Fringe show without the nagging feeling that you might be about to expire from heat exhaustion. With sketches and stand-up from a host of local comedy legends. Foster’s Comedy Live Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 9pm. £10–£13. There’s a bumper line-up tonight, with Bruce Devlin, Des Clarke and Steven Dick. Comedy Academy The Shack, 119 Rose Street, 226 4311. 9.30pm. £3 (£2). A platter of fresh comedy newbies taking their first wobbly steps onto the circuit. So, be nice.
Friday 16 Glasgow Foster’s Comedy Live: A White Christmas Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £45. See Thu 15. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15. A team of Scotland’s best are primed and ready to make you miserable lot laugh including firecracker Janey Godley, Kojo, John Warburton and Brian Higgins. The Stand Christmas Special The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). See Thu 15 for line-up.
Edinburgh XXXmas The Bongo Club, Moray House, 37 Holyrood Road, 558 7604. 7pm. £5 (£4). Sketch show written, directed and performed by the Napier University Drama Society. Friday Night Live The Shack, 119 Rose Street, 226 4311. 8pm. £9. Jojo Sutherland introduces acts from across the country, with a house band and special guests aplenty.
✽✽ FREE A Twonkey Variety Night The White Horse, 266
Canongate, 557 3512, 8pm. Drawing on the great eccentrics of comedy and music (think Vivian Stanshall meets Reeves & Mortimer), Paul Vickers’ alter ego Twonkey presents music, stand-up and all-round madness.
The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £4–£7. Ben Verth presents a weekend packed full of top local and visiting comedians to tickle your funny bone in an entirely appropriate way. Foster’s Comedy Live: A White Christmas Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £45. As Christmas looms large, highlight present a special show, with a delicious festive meal, an after-show party and laughs from Bruce Devlin, Jackie Frost, Mark Nelson and Des Clarke. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, Lava Ignite, 3 West Tollcross, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £29–£36. See Thu 15. The Stand Christmas Special The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). See Thu 15 for line-up.
Saturday 17
Glasgow Foster’s Comedy Live: A White Christmas Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £45. See Thu 15. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15. See Fri 16. The Stand Christmas Special The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). See Thu 15. Edinburgh Saturday Night Live The Shack, 119 Rose Street, 226 4311. 8pm. £9. See Fri 16. The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £4–£7. See Fri 16. Foster’s Comedy Live: A White Christmas Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. £45. See Fri 16. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, Lava Ignite, 3 West Tollcross, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £29–£36. See Thu 15. The Stand Christmas Special The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). See Thu 15. Jekyll and Hyde Comedy Club The Jekyll & Hyde, 112 Hanover Street, 225 2022. 9.30pm. £8 (£6). With a different line-up every week, and a firm ban on hack jokes, Rick Molland presents a night in a basement which you’ll remember for the right reasons. Hopefully.
Sunday 18
Glasgow ✽✽ Russell Howard: Right Here, Right Now SECC, Finnieston
Quay, 0844 395 4000. 7pm. £25. The latest round of cheeky observational humour from the Bristolian comic. FREE Wasasa Comedy Night The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 353 6450. 8pm. The Kasengele Brothers host comedians who steer clear of racism/sexism/homophobia making this a thought-provoking, creative night. For your info, ‘wasasa’ basically translates as ‘yer naw funny’. FREE Fresh Meat The Butterfly and the Pig, 153 Bath Street, 221 7711. 8.30pm. Weekly new material night with six comedians trying out their freshest gags, roadtesting characters or just along for the banter, and there’s a professional headliner each week. Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £1). You know you can’t be bothered to do anything but sit and relax with the super chillaxed Michael Redmond, Damian Clark, Graham Mackie and Jeff Brighton.
Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. Stu and Garry improvise their way through your hangover this Sunday lunchtime. The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm.