COMEDY Events are listed by date, then by city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to comedy@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Kirstyn Smith. ✽ Indicates Hitlist entry
Thursday 21
Glasgow The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£7; members £5). Another weekend of acts: Joe Heenan hosts Junior Simpson and Nick Beaton. Edinburgh The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£7; members £5). Susan Morrison hosts, with Nick Revell, Anthony J Brown, Ro Campbell and Chris Conroy.
Friday 22
Glasgow The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 21 for line-up. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. Cole Parker, Raymond Mearns and Rudi Lickwood kickstart your weekend. Stand Up Comedy Night Manhattan’s Bar and Diner, 235 St Andrews Road, 429 4657. 7–10.30pm. £6. Three different comics each time. Edinburgh Iain Stirling: Happy to Be the Clown? The Pleasance, 60 Pleasance, 650 4673. 7.30–9pm. £8 (students £6). The former Edinburgh University law student showcases his newer talents. The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £7. Ben Verth presents a weekend full of top local and visiting comedians. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 21 for line-up.
Saturday 23
Glasgow FREE Wasasa Comedy Night The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 353 6450. 8pm. The Kasengele Brothers host. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. See Fri 22. Comedy @ The State The State Bar, 148 Holland Street, 332 2159. 9pm. £7 (£5). MC Chris Bloomfield hosts the caustic charms of Vladimir McTavish. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £15. See Thu 21 for line-up. Edinburgh Absolute Improv The Tron, 9 Hunter Square, High Street, 225 3784. 8–10pm. £5 (£4). Fast-paced improvised comedy. The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £7. See Fri 22. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £15. See Thu 21 for line-up.
Sunday 24
Glasgow ✽ Jamie Kilstein The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879.
8.30pm. £10. Powerful comedy from the hard-hitting American.
Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. Freestyle comedy improv with Paul Graham and Stuart Murphy. The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. 52 THE LIST 21 Feb–21 Mar 2013
Thursday 28
Glasgow Bright Club: Glasgow The Admiral, 72a Waterloo Street, 221 7705. 8pm. £4.50. Lecturers turn their studies into entertaining stories. Online booking. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£7; members £5). Michael Legge hosts Lauren Kerr, Parrot and Tony Burgess. Edinburgh Laughing Horse New Act of the Year Quarter Final Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £5. See Wed 27. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£7; members £5). Joe Heenan presents Mark Nelson, Stu & Garry and Chris Kent.
Friday 1
Glasgow The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 28 for line-up. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. There’s Jim Smallman, Chris Conroy, Tommy Campbell and John Warburton. Edinburgh Comedy Central The Pleasance, 60 Pleasance, 650 4673. 7.30pm. £5. With Rob Deering and Phil Wang. The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £7. See Fri 22. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 28 for line-up.
Saturday 2
Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. See Fri 1. Comedy @ The State The State Bar, 148 Holland Street, 332 2159. 9pm. £7 (£5). See Sat 23. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £15. See Thu 28 for line-up. Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £7. See Fri 22. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £15. See Thu 28 for line-up.
Sunday 3
Glasgow Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £1). Redmond’s brand of lo-fi comedy eases your weekend to a close. Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. See Sun 24. Wil Hodgson: Kidnapped By Catwoman The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £8 (£6). Candid show about the crushes of an 80s lad.
Monday 4
Glasgow Wil Hodgson: Kidnapped By Catwoman The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £8 (£6). See Sun 3. Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Newbees Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8pm. £2. See Mon 25. Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558
MY COMEDY HERO FRANCESCA MARTINEZ The Stand, Edinburgh, Wed 20 Mar; The Stand, Glasgow, Thu 21 Mar
Rather unoriginally for a comedian, I love Bill Hicks. He was fearless, original, thought-provoking and elevated stand-up comedy from entertainment to art. I’ve been greatly inspired by his total confidence in his material and the ability to communicate important and challenging ideas through the medium of comedy.
Like all great comics, there is a sense that he is expressing thoughts and ideas deeply personal to him, without trying to endear himself to an audience. Ironically, I think, the act of communicating honestly and free of worry about what people may think of you, is something very satisfying for an audience to encounter. In a world where so much output is controlled, edited or censored, the experience of listening to someone’s real opinions – whether you agree with them or not – is a rare and powerful one. Bill Hicks embodies, for me, a comedian who had the talent and confidence to entertain an audience while making them question the world around them.
I’m fascinated by the power that lies in comedy – to connect with
strangers in a dark room and explore ideas that can impact the world outside. Ultimately, that’s why I love comedy so much. It may seem a light-hearted art form but, hidden inside the laughter, is the potential to share and explore universal questions with complete strangers. It’s such an intimate and personal way of communicating and one which, I believe, Bill Hicks really took to another level. (Interview by Brian Donaldson)
£6 (£5; members £1). Anthony J Brown provides laid-back Sunday comedy. Monday 25
Glasgow Improv Wars The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). With Garry Dobson, Stu Murphy and Billy Kirkwood. Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Newbees Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8pm. £2. New talent and new material night. Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. A petite selection of the cream of the Red Raw crop.
Tuesday 26
Glasgow FREE Pop-Up Comedy The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 353 6450. 8.30pm. Some of the scene’s freshest talent. Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £2. Weekly beginners’ showcase. Edinburgh Grassroots Comedy The Pleasance,
60 Pleasance, 650 4673. 7.30–11pm. £1. The comedy circuit’s next big stars. FREE Tuesday Night Comedy Jam Belushi’s, 9–13 Market Street, 226 1446. 8–10.30pm. Stand-ups and comedy acts presented by Rick Molland. Scottish Fair Trade Benefit The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5). Phil Differ and Bob Doolally’s show heralds Scotland’s efforts to become a Fair Trade Footballing Nation.
Wednesday 27 Glasgow Best of Irish Comedy The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £7 (£6; members £5). Michael Redmond introduces Michael Legge, Chris Kent and Lauren Kerr. New Material Night Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 8pm. £3. Julia Sutherland hosts.
Edinburgh ✽ Jamie Kilstein The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £10. See
Sun 24. Laughing Horse New Act of the Year Quarter Final Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £5. The quarter finals of the competition.