COMEDY New Material Night Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 8pm. £3. Julia Sutherland hosts a night for comedians to try out their latest gags.
Edinburgh ✽ Mick Foley The Queen’s Hall, 87– 89 Clerk Street, 668 2019. 7.30pm.
£22.50. Former WWE champion regales with stories of his extraordinary life and takes questions from the audience. See preview, page 53. Best of Scottish Comedy The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). Showcase of the finest comedy talent from north of the border, featuring Mark Nelson, Gus Lymburn, Owen McGuire and Jay Lafferty, all hosted by Joe Heenan.
Thursday 25
Glasgow ✽ Mick Foley Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7.30pm.
£22.50. See Wed 24. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£7; members £5). A pretty splendid line-up if we do say so ourselves: Sean Percival, Totally Wired, Charlie Ross and Christian Talbot, all wrapped up by Susan Calman.
Edinburgh Thursday Notebook Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £3. See Thu 18. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£7; members £5). Joe Heenan is MC, holding fort over Paul Sinha, John Ross, Janice Phayre and Robin Grainger. Friday 26
Glasgow Stand-Up Comedy Night Manhattan’s Bar and Diner, 235 St Andrews Road, 429 4657. 7–10.30pm. £6. A different set of three comics each time. The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 25 for line-up. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. Featuring Bill Dewar, Des Clarke and Janey Godley. Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £7. See Fri 19. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 25, but Robin Grainger is replaced by Phil Chapman.
Saturday 27
Glasgow FREE Wasasa Comedy Night The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 353 6450. 8pm. Original comedians present a thought-provoking, creative night. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. See Fri 26. Comedy @ The State The State Bar, 148 Holland Street, 332 2159. 9pm. £7 (£5). See Sat 20. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £15. See Thu 25 for line-up. Edinburgh Humuro Klubas The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate, 558 8844. 7pm. £12. Lithuanian stand-up featuring Justinas Jankevicius, Mantas Katleris and Paulius Ambrazevicius. Absolute Improv The Tron, 9 Hunter Square, High Street, 225 3784. 8–10pm. £5 (£4). ToBeContinued take audience suggestions and transform them into fast-paced comedy.
56 THE LIST 18 Apr–16 May 2013
MY COMEDY HERO BEN VERTH Thursday Notebook, Beehive Inn, Edinburgh, every Thu; Beehive Comedy Club, Beehive Inn, Edinburgh, every Fri & Sat; The Broken Windows Policy, The Stand, Edinburgh, Mon 29 Apr (as part of Red Raw) & Wed 1 May
My comedy hero is Peter Richardson. Who? I hear you ask. Richardson was the driving force behind London’s Comic Strip club during the early 80s Alternative Comedy boom, and was the main writer and director of, and actor in, its spin-off TV show, The Comic Strip Presents. The show aired on Channel 4 and the BBC in the 80s and 90s, giving us great short comedy films like Five Go Mad in Dorset, The GLC, The Bad News Tour and A Fistful of Traveller’s Cheques. But while the other brilliant members of that modern Carry On gang
have become household names – French and Saunders, Rik Mayall and Ade Edmondson, Alexei Sayle – the architect of The Comic Strip has never really received the recognition he deserves. Hopefully with you reading this I can contribute towards changing that. But as well as recognition I’d also like here to offer him my thanks. It was Peter and The Comic Strip’s cinematic, committed, intelligent and imaginative films that first made me want to be a comedian. They made comedy not just funny but a beautiful and attractive world that I wanted to be part of. From then on I strove to make it a part of my life. Now, ten years after first seeing The Strike, I have the privilege of comedy being my profession and I love every minute of the writing and performing and the being and doing of it. Thank you, Peter, for helping me to the best job in the world! (Interview by Brian Donaldson)
The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £7. See Fri 19. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £15. See Fri 26.
Sunday 28 Glasgow Stand Up & Geez It! The SPACE, 34 Argyll Arcade Chambers, Buchanan Street, 222 2333. 7pm. £3. A new music and comedy cabaret night featuring fresh local acts. Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £1). See Sun 21, but with Martin Bearne, Jojo Sutherland and Alan Sharp.
Monday 29
Glasgow Bright Club: Glasgow The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £5. See Tue 23. Edinburgh Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. See Mon 22, but with Broken Windows Policy.
Tuesday 30 Glasgow FREE Pop-Up Comedy The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 353 6450. 8.30pm. See Tue 23. Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £2. See Tue 23, but with Rob Kane.
Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. See Sun 21. Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £1). See Sun 21, but with tonight’s brew is spiced up by Rob Kane and Alan McQueen. Edinburgh Commando Spirit Appeal Benefit The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £7. An evening of top-notch comedy in support of the Commando Spirit Appeal, hosted by the thoroughly estimable Siân Bevan and featuring Andy Sir, Wayne Mazazda and Natasha Yapp.
Wednesday 1
Glasgow Mayday Mayday! Scotland’s Comedians Support Waverley Care The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£8). Des Clarke, Jo Caulfield, Paul Sneddon, Keir McAllister and Jim Park make you laugh to raise cash for a worthy cause. New Material Night Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 8pm. £3. See Wed 24. Edinburgh The Broken Windows Policy The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). Skits and character treats.
Thursday 2
Glasgow The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£7; members £5). Joe Heenan hosts Rev Obadiah, Janey Godley, Simon King and Luke Graves. Edinburgh Thursday Notebook Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £3. See Thu 18. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£7; members £5). Jojo Sutherland, Steve Gribbin, Susan Murray and Alan Sharp.
Friday 3
Glasgow The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 2 for line-up. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. With Stu Who?, Sean Percival, Tony Woods and Des Clarke. Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £7. See Fri 19. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 2 for line-up.
Saturday 4
Glasgow ✽ Micky Flanagan: Back in the Game SECC, Finnieston Quay, 0844 395 4000. 8pm. £22.50. Catch the distinctively voiced Cockney in the flesh. See 5 Things, page 55. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. See Fri 3. Comedy @ The State The State Bar, 148 Holland Street, 332 2159. 9pm. £7 (£5). See Sat 20. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £15. See Thu 2 for line-up.
Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £7. See Fri 19. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £15. See Thu 2 for line-up.
Sunday 5 Glasgow Glasgow Kids Comedy Club The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 3pm. £4. Bruce Devlin hosts this comedy bonanza for accompanied kids aged 8–12. The Greater Shawlands Republic The Bungo Bar & Kitchen, 17–21 Nithsdale Road, 423 0023. 8pm. £7. Bruce Morton, Andrew Learmonth, Tales of Jake and Stuart Thomson return for a holiday special, with guest comics and all sorts of shenanigans.