list.co.uk/comedy Thursday 11
Glasgow Vespbar Virgins Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 8pm. £2. See Thu 21. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£7; members £5). Martin Mor is host, with Paul Tonkinson, Susie McCabe and John Robertson. Just Comedy Wild Cabaret & Wicked Lounge, 18 Candleriggs, 552 6165. 9–11pm. £5 (£10 with a sharing plate and drink). See Thu 21. Edinburgh The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£7; members £5). Susan Morrison – the lucky duck – hosts Michael Fabbri and David Langley.
Friday 12
Glasgow ✽ Michael Palin: Travelling to Work Theatre Royal, 282 Hope
Street, 0844 871 7647. 7.30pm. £30.50. To celebrate his third volume of diaries, Palin looks back on 25 years of travelling the world and 50 years on radio, TV and film. See preview, page 54.
✽ Gilded Balloon Comedy at Drygate Drygate Brewing Co.,
85 Drygate, 212 8810. 7.30–9.30pm & 10pm–midnight. £15 for show only; £30 for show and two-course meal; £33 for show and three-course meal. See Fri 29, but with Ray Bradshaw hosting Kai Humphries, John Gavin and Felicity Ward. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. With Billy Kirkwood, Chris Conroy, Keith Carter as Nige and Scott Agnew. The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 11 for line-up.
Edinburgh The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £9. See Fri 22. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £12 (£10; members £6). See Thu 11 for line-up.
Saturday 13 Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs, The Glasshouse, 20 Glassford Street, 0870 011 1960. 8.30pm. £15–£16. See Fri 2. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 9pm.
MY COMEDY HERO LORETTA MAINE The Stand, Edinburgh, Thu 18–Sat 20 Sep
I first saw Sandra Bernhard when I was a kid watching Roseanne. I liked Roseanne because it made my family life look like The Waltons (only with less dungarees). I particularly admired the way Sandra spoke loud and was not a sexy character. I mean she is sexy, but that wasn’t her only part on the show and that was exciting for me because so many female roles on television were bland or just ‘oooh look at my tits in this dress, giggle giggle’, barf.
Also, she made history by being the first openly lesbian character
on American TV which was very exciting because I’d never heard that discussed on screen before. Ellen was pretending to like that guy from Mr Selfridge, and Jodie Foster was still being talked about for her talent and ability as a phenomenal actress rather than her sex life. Thank God they got over that.
As I was growing up in my grandmother’s trailer, a confused singer- songwriter who wanted to be loved but could only communicate through violence, it was Sandra who showed me that humour and shouting go together really well. Her irreverence and yet pointed, intelligent stand-up showed me that, as a singer, I could make points without being one of those singers who makes points. Know what I mean? The difference between a self-righteous ‘STOP THE WAR!’ and a song that somehow conveys the tragedy of death through rhyming ‘GENOCIDE’ with ‘MOTHER’S PRIDE’.
Sandra cut a chink in a wall and let some angry light shine into my angry heart, to lighten it up. Thank you, Sandra. I hope we can stand up and shout together some day. (As told loudly to Brian Donaldson)
£15. See Thu 11 for line-up. Tuesday 16
COMEDY
Edinburgh ✽ Jon Richardson: Nidiot Edinburgh Playhouse, 18–22
Greenside Place, 0844 871 3014. 8pm. £20.50. Wry observations and pessimistic humour from the 8 out of 10 Cats star. See preview, page 55. The Beehive Comedy Club Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £9. See Fri 22. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £15. See Thu 11 for line-up.
Sunday 14
Royal, 282 Hope Street, 0844 871 Glasgow ✽ Jon Richardson: Nidiot Theatre ✽ Andy Zaltzman: Satirist For
7647. 8pm. £20.50. See Sat 13.
Hire The Stand, 333 Woodlands
Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £12. Political satire from the writer and radio regular. Edinburgh Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £6 (£5; members £1). See Sun 31.
Monday 15
Glasgow ✽ The Colour Ham The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879.
8.30pm. £5 (£3). Magical comedy sketch group making good use of absurdity, magic and mentalism. Steampunk Comedy Steampunk Café, 1 Drury Street, 204 2929. 8.30–11pm. £2.50. See Mon 25.
Edinburgh Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. See Mon 1.
Glasgow FREE Pop-Up Comedy The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 353 6450. 8.30pm. See Tue 26. Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £2. See Tue 26.
Edinburgh ✽ Michael Palin: Travelling To Work King’s Theatre, 2 Leven Street,
529 6000. 7.30pm. £29.50. See Fri 12.
Wednesday 17
Glasgow New Material Night Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 8pm. £3. See Wed 20.
✽ Aye Right? How No?: Comedy Countdown to the Referendum
The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £7 (£5). See Sun 7.
Thursday 18
Glasgow Vespbar Virgins Vespbar, 14 Drury Street, 204 0060. 8pm. £2. See Thu 21. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 335 8879. 8.30pm. £10 (£7; members £5). It’s Raymond Mearns’hosts – and he’s accompanied by Janey Godley, Alex Boardman and Rory O’Hanlon. Just Comedy Wild Cabaret & Wicked Lounge , 18 Candleriggs, 552 6165. 9–11pm. £5 (£10 with a sharing plate and drink). See Thu 21. Edinburgh The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£7; members £5). Vladimir McTavish hosts this weekend, with Trevor Cook and Loretta Maine (see My Comedy Hero, left).
21 Aug–18 Sep 2014 THE LIST 57