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 23 Glasgow Vespbar Virgins Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 8pm. £2. Raw comedy talent from some of the best up-and- comers, hosted by Graham Barrie. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£5; members £2). Gary Little, Parrot, Ray Bradshaw, Stephen Halkett and superhost Susan Morrison.
Edinburgh Absolute Improv The Tron, 9 Hunter Square, High Street, 225 3784. 7–8pm. £5 (£3). ToBeContinued take those audience suggestions and transform myriad ideas into fast-paced improvised comedy.
✽FREE Robin Ince! PBH Free Fringe Fundraiser The Canons’
Gait, 232 Canongate, 07896 745991. 7pm. Ole clever clogs Robin Ince performs from his The Importance of Being Interested show in a PBH Free Fringe fundraiser. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£5; members £2). Jojo Sutherland brightens up your dull January weekend with this spunky line-up: Vladimir McTavish, Stu & Garry, Andrew Learmonth and Larry Dean (see preview, page 54).
MY COMEDY HERO ANDREW LAWRENCE The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 26 Jan; The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 27 Jan
For a long time I’ve had a real admiration for Leonard Rossiter. He was responsible, of course, for bringing to life two fascinating, hilarious and enduring sitcom characters. First, Rigsby and then Reginald Perrin in what were two of the very best situation comedies from the 1970s or any era: Rising Damp and The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. I think what resonates with me is his ability so often as a performer
to take an utterly unpleasant character and make them somehow charming; so much comedy lies in that contradiction. Rigsby is probably the role that suited his abilities best: the sneering seediness, the sinister physical awkwardness, the maniacal gabbling vigorous pace with which he churns up the dialogue.
Watching his performances as both Rigsby and Reginald Perrin,
anyone who’s ever done any kind of comedy acting or stand-up can see the extraordinary attention to detail in Rossiter’s delivery. He was reputed for his extreme work ethic and perfectionism, and that shines through in these TV roles. Going from amateur dramatics to repertory theatre, to eventual TV and film acclaim, it’s an inspiration to learn of someone getting to the top through merit and graft in what can be such a nepotistic profession. Rossiter’s unrelenting perfectionism led some to complain that he could be an intimidating figure, difficult to work with. But if anything, his unwillingness to settle for second best is testament to the extraordinarily high quality of the work that is his legacy and remains, 40 years later, very, very funny. (Interview by Brian Donaldson)
52 THE LIST 23 Jan–20 Feb 2014
Friday 24
Glasgow The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 23 for line-up. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15. Dominic Woodward, Jamie Dalgleish, Gary Little and Janey Godley are primed and ready to make you miserable lot laugh. Vespbar Comedy Club Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 10–11.30pm. £8 (£6). Top circuit comedians who are strutting their funny stuff each weekend. Parrot headlines with support from Christopher Macarthur-Boyd and Craig Johnstone. MC Viv Gee. Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £8. Ben Verth presents a weekend packed full of top local and visiting comedians to tickle your funnybone in an entirely appropriate way. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 23 for line-up.
Musselburgh Craig Hill: Tartan About! The Brunton, Ladywell Way, 665 2240. 7.30pm. £14.75 (£12.75). High camp buffoonery from the kilted comedian. Saturday 25
Glasgow Comedy @ The State The State Bar, 148 Holland Street, 332 2159. 9pm. £7 (£5). The granddaddy of Glasgow comedy venues continues to attract some of Scotland’s best comedians to its wee basement of joy. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £16. See Fri 24. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £15. See Thu 23 for line-up. Vespbar Comedy Club Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 10–11.30pm. £8 (£6). See Fri 24, but with Parrot, Christopher Macarthur-Boyd, Jonny Seaton and Seppi Preston. MC Viv Gee. Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £8. See Fri 24. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £15. See Thu 23 for line-up.
Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £13 (£11). See Sun 26. Edinburgh Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. The Stand’s spankingly good new talent night, encouraging the latest comedy stars out of the woodwork. With Larry Dean and host Ben Verth. See page 54 for Larry Dean preview.
Tuesday 28
Glasgow FREE Pop-Up Comedy The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 353 6450. 8.30pm. Some of the Scottish comedy scene’s freshest talent. Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £2. Weekly beginners’ showcase where the bright young things of Scotland’s comedy circuit strut their stuff.
Edinburgh Impro FX’s Improvised Comedy Workshops The Canons’ Gait, 232 Canongate, 556 4481. 7–9pm. £5. Flex your improv muscles with a little help from Edinburgh’s own Impro FX. No need to be an expert – just turn up and join in. G Spot The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5. Comedy and cabaret with host Jojo Sutherland and guests Jen Brister, Craig Johnstone, Daisy Earl and Poppy La Pilule.
Wednesday 29 Glasgow New Material Night Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 8pm. £3. See Wed 22. Maz’s Maggie’s Benefit The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £8. Gary Little, John Gillick, Paul McKean, Susie McCabe and Bruce Devlin get together to raise funds for Maggie’s Cancer Care.
Edinburgh ✽Comedy in the Dark Electric Circus, 36–39 Market Street, 226
4224. 7.30pm. £10. Jojo Sutherland, Vladimir McTavish, Jay Lafferty, Ross ‘Teddy’ Craig and Neil Skene all perform in aid of the Royal National Institute of Blind People Scotland. Best of Scottish Comedy The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£3; members £2). A showcase of the finest comedy talent from north of the border, with Des Clarke.
Sunday 26 Thursday 30
Glasgow Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £6 (£2; members £1). Redmond returns to prepare you spiritually and mentally for work tomorrow. With Larry Dean (see preview, page 54).
Edinburgh FREE Stu and Garry’s Free Improv Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1.30pm. Stuart Murphy and Garry Dobson fire up the imagination with another slice of improv action. Footlights Comedy Edinburgh Footlights, 7 Spittal Street, footlightsbar. edinburgh@facebook.com 7.30–10pm. £3. New and experienced comedians for a Sunday night.
✽Andrew Lawrence: There Is No Escape The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £13 (£11). New material from the wildly inventive misanthrope. See My Comedy Hero, left.
Monday 27
Glasgow ✽Andrew Lawrence: There Is No Escape The Stand, 333
Glasgow ✽I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue King’s Theatre, 297 Bath Street,
0844 871 7648. 7.30pm. £21.50–£41.50. The BBC Radio panel show – now featuring Barry Cryer, Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Jeremy Hardy and host Jack Dee – has been bringing puns, innuendo and swannee whistles to the world for nigh on 40 years. See 5 Things, page 53. Vespbar Virgins Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 8pm. £2. See Thu 23. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£5; members £2). With Seymour Mace, John Gillick, Shelby Bond, Bob Graham and Stu Murphy.
Edinburgh Absolute Improv The Tron, 9 Hunter Square, High Street, 225 3784. 7–8pm. £5 (£3). See Thu 23. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£5; members £2). Susan Morrison’s got everything you need for your cheeky weekend laughs, including Rob Deering, Andrew Stanley, Owen McGuire and Jamie Dalgleish.