list.co.uk/comedy Saturday 5
Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £12. See Fri 4. Comedy @ The State The State Bar, 148 Holland Street, 332 2159. 9pm. £7 (£5). See Sat 21.
COMEDY
✽ The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335
8879. 9pm. £15. See Thu 3 for line-up. Vespbar Comedy Club Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 10pm. £8 (£6). See Fri 4 for line-up.
Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £8. See Fri 20. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £15. See Thu 3.
Sunday 6 Glasgow Ginger Ale Comedy The Roxy 171, 171 Great Western Road, 331 1901. 8.30–10.30pm. £3–£4. Comedians, improvisers and ventriloquists put on an evening of games, sketches and characters. Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £1). See Sun 22, but with Ashley Storrie.
Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. See Sun 22. Black History Month Benefit The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5. The Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights mixes laughs and education for Black History Month.
Monday 7 Edinburgh Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. See Mon 23, but with Jay Lafferty.
Tuesday 8
Glasgow FREE Comedy in The Basement Tennent’s Basement Bar, 191 Byres Road, 339 7203. 8–10.30pm. See Tue 24. FREE Pop-Up Comedy The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 353 6450. 8.30pm. See Thu 19. Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £2. See Tue 24. Edinburgh Jo Caulfield Presents . . . The Speakeasy Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43–45 High Street, 556 9579. 8–10pm. £6. A relaxed evening featuring a diverse bill of artists. Part of Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. Vikki Stone: Definitely The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £12 (£10). Catchy songs and smart jokes from the occasionally potty-mouthed Stone. Her song about Prof Brian Cox will have you lot blushing.
Wednesday 9 Glasgow New Material Night Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 8pm. £3. See Wed 25. Vikki Stone: Definitely The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £12 (£10). See Tue 8.
Edinburgh ✽ Stewart Lee: Much A-Stew About Nothing Edinburgh
Festival Theatre, 13–29 Nicolson Street, 529 6000. 7.30pm. £21.50. Typically subversive humour from Lee as he works on material for the next series of his Comedy Vehicle. See 5 Things, left.
MY COMEDY HERO MARCEL LUCONT The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 13 Oct; The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 14 Oct
My comedy hero is undoubtedly a man whose presence you are unaware of. But Jean-Jacques LeFebvre, the controversial Lyonnais satirist, anarchist and professional drinker, remains as influential to me offstage as on. I shall never forget as a student watching in awe as he erupted onto the stage. That tailored leather suit, the windswept hair, that preened moustache that would attract women’s attention instantly, if only to check their children were still by their side.
Only months before, he had escaped with a mere caution for igniting fireworks inside a theatre at the climax of his Bastille Day show. In his heyday, LeFebvre could clear a room like no other. Once, he had offended all but one couple who remained seated when all else had left, until he necked both their drinks and pissed in the ashtray. He then continued to the end, playing to an empty room, pausing only to top up the sound man’s glass. He claimed in an interview with Charlie Hebdo magazine that it was his favourite ever gig. And, indeed, often it seemed Jean-Jacques could be having just as much fun without the audience present. What a revelation.
One British journalist criticised him, claiming he did not give a shit about performing, and that he merely courted controversy, only stopping short of defecating on the stage. The following week he was assured just how much of a shit LeFebvre gave, when he received one in the post, nailed to a piece of the stage.
A hole in entertainment remains since his passing, physically as well as metaphorically, as the piece of stage was never replaced at the Grenou Theatre, where any actor caused to trip and loudly curse is said to be ‘evoking LeFebvre’. (Interview by Brian Donaldson)
19 Sep–17 Oct 2013 THE LIST 57