The List: 16 May 2013 (68/124)

COMEDY

Sutherland hosts a night for comedians to try out their latest gags. Benefit in Aid of the Women’s Support Project The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £6. A night helping to raise funds to support work against violence against women. With Janey Godley, Elaine Malcolmson, Keiron Nicholson, Davey Connor and Scott Gibson. Edinburgh FREE Tuesday Night Comedy Jam Belushi’s, 9–13 Market Street, 226 1446. 8–10.30pm. A wheen of stand-ups and comedy acts presented by Rick Molland. Jo Caulfield Presents the Good, the Bad and the Unexpected The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5. Jo Caulfield hosts an evening of experimental stand-up, sketches, characters and a rogue game show.

Thursday 23

Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £3. See Thu 16. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£7; members £5). Stu Murphy gets to grips with Boothby Graffoe, Jarlath Regan, Chloe Philip and Davey Strong.

Stirling ✽ Andy Zaltzman Macrobert, University of Stirling, 01786 466666. 8pm. £10 (£9; members £8). Endearingly shambolic absurdist humour from the top political comic.

Friday 24

Glasgow The Improv Dogs Present: Doggin’ the Fringe The Shed, 26 Langside Avenue, 649 5020. 8–10.30pm. £6. Sketches and skits from the Improv Dogs and music from Dignitas. The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 23. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. This weekend’s bold entertainers are John Ryan, Stu Who? and Jamie Dalgleish. Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £7. See Fri 17.

MUSICAL COMEDY HELEN ARNEY The Admiral, Glasgow, Mon 10 Jun; Blackfriars, Glasgow, Tue 11 Jun

A quick glance at Helen Arney’s June gig list says everything you need to know about her audience. Among them are Lab Notes and Call My Genetically Engineered Bluff at the Cheltenham Science Festival, while in Scotland she has two dates at the Glasgow Science Festival. It must feel like an age since this physics graduate/musical comedian had to share a comedy bill with, shall we say, less enlightened acts? ‘Isn’t it every comedian’s dream to do the kind of gig they want?’

says Arney. ‘When you’re doing your first gigs you meet people that you think, “we’re probably never going to work together again”. But when you’re starting out, whether someone is doing misogynistic crap or it’s Simon Munnery doing surreal paper cut-outs, they’re all so much better than you. But eventually you start gaining confidence.’ And with several Fringe shows under her ukulele’s belt, confidence is not something Arney is running low on these days, especially given the critical and audience acclaim that regularly comes her way. But who makes up the majority of her audience now: geeks or nerds? And can she tell the difference between the two groups anyway? ‘There are as many definitions of geeks and nerds as there are geeks and nerds,’ Arney reckons. ‘For me, it’s shorthand for wanting to poke the world with a stick and finding how it works. Which really is what a stand-up comedian does: the obsessive attention to detail and the ability to scratch under the surface to find something original to say. People come up after shows to discuss the difference between geeks and nerds and I just set two of them up against each other and go and get changed.’ (Brian Donaldson)

66 THE LIST 16 May–13 Jun 2013

The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 23.

Saturday 25

Glasgow Suggs: My Life Story in Words and Music Pavilion Theatre, 121 Renfield Street, 332 1846. 7.30pm. £24.50. Spoken word show from the affable Madness frontman. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. See Fri 24. Comedy @ The State The State Bar, 148 Holland Street, 332 2159. 9pm. £7 (£5). See Sat 18. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £15. See Thu 23. Edinburgh Absolute Improv The Tron, 9 Hunter Square, High Street, 225 3784. 8–10pm. £5 (£4). Influenced by the like of Whose Line is it Anyway? ToBeContinued take audience suggestions, no matter how silly, and transform myriad ideas into fast-paced improvised comedy. The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £7. See Fri 17. FREE Comedy Night Old Chain Pier, 32 Trinity Crescent, Newhaven, 552 4960. 9pm–midnight. Up-and-coming comedians entertain you. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £15. See Thu 23.

Sunday 26

Glasgow Stand Up & Geez It! The SPACE, 34 Argyll Arcade Chambers, Buchanan Street, 222 2333. 7pm. £3. A new music and comedy cabaret night. Bank Holiday Special The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). Celebrate the hols with Bruce Devlin, Jeff Innocent, Susie McCabe and Eddie O’Dwyer. Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. See Sun 19. Bank Holiday Special The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £10 (£9). Enoy your holiday with Boothby Graffoe, Jarlath Regan and Chloe Philip.

Monday 27

Glasgow Imaginary Friends Improv Comedy The Old Hairdressers, Opposite Stereo, Renfield Lane, 222 2254. 7.30–10pm. £3 (£2). Suggest some wacky ideas and you’ll get back an improvised film or fantasy novel. FREE Comedy and Cocktails Cocktail & Burger, 323 Sauchiehall Street, 353 0953. 8pm. See Mon 20. Improv Wars The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). See Mon 20. Edinburgh Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. The Stand’s spankingly good new talent night, plus the experienced Susie McCabe.

Tuesday 28

Glasgow FREE Pop-Up Comedy The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 353 6450. 8.30pm. See Thu 16. Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £2. See Tue 21. Edinburgh Bright Club: Edinburgh The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5. The hardworking staff at Edinburgh’s universities share their tales.

Wednesday 29

Glasgow New Material Night Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 8pm. £3. See Wed 22. Best of Irish Comedy The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £7 (£6; members £3). Allow Stand resident Michael Redmond to introduce you to Johnny Candon, Elaine Malcolmson and Ronan Linskey. Edinburgh Best of Scottish Comedy The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £3). Bruce Devlin, Keir McAllister, Ray Bradshaw and Susie McCabe.

Thursday 30

Glasgow FREE Pop-Up Comedy The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 353 6450. 8.30pm. See Thu 16. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£7; members £5). Jojo Sutherland MCs, plus Owen O’Neill, Danny Ward and Ronan Linskey. Edinburgh Thursday Notebook Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £3. See Thu 16. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£7; members £5). Susan Morrison hosts Gary Little, Johnny Candon, Adam Staunton and Ben Verth.

Friday 31

Glasgow Stand Up Comedy Night Manhattan’s Bar and Diner, 235 St Andrews Road, 429 4657. 7–10.30pm. £6. A different set of comics each month. The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 30. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. Bruce Devlin, Brian Higgins, Simon Bligh and Tanyalee Davis try to make ‘em laugh. Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £7. See Fri 17. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 30.

Saturday 1

Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. See Fri 31. Comedy @ The State The State Bar, 148 Holland Street, 332 2159. 9pm. £7 (£5). See Sat 18. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £15. See Thu 30. Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £7. See Fri 17. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £15. See Thu 30.

Sunday 2

Glasgow Glasgow Kids Comedy Club The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 3pm. £4. Live comedy for younger fans, particularly those aged 8–12. Susan Morrison is on duty with Gary Dunn.

✽ Reginald D Hunter: In the Midst of Crackers Theatre

The List: 16 May 2013 (Issue 712)