About Tam O’Shanter 000

'l heth something of the Burns‘ supper speech that Bruce l'umtney net er entirely shakes oil in his retelling ot the great narratiye poem. but his banter engages throughout what is a \alid it not \ital comedy lecture. .-\bly battltiig the burr ol the adiacent bar. l'utnmey \ crass it self- ellacmg delixeiy ultimately delisers a

\s inning. bray ura recital.

l.\lark ladmundsoni [tn/um Inn. 33/) 0000. null/30.1w; Inirt H. 3/ I. 3’. l5/nn. Ur ll-li.

Aggie Elsdon For Free in ‘Crone Alone’ .0. .-\ggtc lilsdon bills heisell as ‘\s hat your mother \sould be like ll she took class A drugs‘. .-\ pretty accurate description thouglt this results in a slightly embarrassing. ll \sellineamng atterttpt at lnnnour. Rather more promising are the lyso male llt'l\ sllc introduces. boll] ol \yliotlt are doing lt'ce \lltt\\ s at

Lindsay 's: .\like .\lanera and .lay Sodagar. lRacltacl Street) (‘unun '\ (nut. 55/) 44er. until // glue. 3.35/nn. tree.

Alfred Williams Tells a Joke

COO

hea\y yarn has been perfected doss n the

The meandering. digressise. pitti-

years. for this \llti\\. think Ronnie ('orbctt meets 'l’iin Vine minus tlte producer or the ssscat. (letting into his stride straight a\sa_\. \Villiams does tell a joke and though you may forget the content ta gothic farce ahottt a guy being chased by a gorilla. I tlnnkt the \sarmth of delixery and frequently hilarious \sordplay makes this a capthating c\perience. tBrian Donaldson) lat/inliure/i (‘lllll'k't’ u/ .-lrt. 0870 34/ 0/30. until /3 due. lip/n. [7(1'0). The Black Sheep 0..

\\ ho brought its .loy ul ll'nu' keeps otir

The chaps

cups o'erlloxs ing \\ ith some rollicking sketches tand some less mirthful ones). Top of the bill \\ as a music hall number about trying to lind Jesus \shile their self- rellesixe tea break “as a gem. Though it did offer tltc chance for some rude boys to nip to the lay. tBrian Donaldsoni l’li'uuini'i' Donn: 550 0550. until l‘Llug. 5.30pm. [7.50 {SUV/(£7) £7).

Kieran Butler 00. The likcable :\ttssie returns \\ ith :\llsllll l.o\\ in a shoyt that is part sketch and stand-up. part daring outdoor pic-enactment of 30l7’s l‘esti\al Remlution. .v\n unpretentious. barbed and chaotic presentation of the liringe as microcosm of capitalist bias. the hardxsorking duo utilise their taleitt for cross d banter and musical parody to turn out an cdttcation for \ isitors and syseet relief for the local poptilous.

t.\lark lidmundsoni The Three fill“. 335 .V‘No'. until 3.\';lug (not I4 & l5. 3/ A" 33). 3.5’0/nn. tree tickets.

Colin and Fergus ooo The lit'sl thing you notice about (‘olin and l‘ergus. is that there's actually three of them. their mate l)a\e ha\ ing been brought in to perform all the sundry characters in their comic romp. Victorian lingland's greatest detecti\e\ imcstigation into the disappearance of a ship froin the stormy seas is an e\cuse for surreal sketches peopled by an identikit comedy lrislnnan. a half man half fish and the inc\ itable sinister (‘hinaman (iood fun.

t:\llan Radcliffe) I’li‘usuni'e ('ourtyuril. 556 (L550. until 35’ :lug (not [5). 6.30pm. {.s‘. 5041). 50 t 17—18;,

Steve Day 0.. .\'o high-falutin' concepts for this guy. although he does haye a built-in ‘gimmick' that's hard to ignore. Stese Day Uses his deafness to his

adyantage \sith some socio-tmhtical material. llis intelligently \srittcn tokes stray \s idely from the supposed theme tsclioolingi and a confident performance is receiycd ctllllllsldsllc‘ally (iood. solid. bloke-don n-the-pub stand-up.

«Sti/anne Blackt l.llltl\tl\ ’s. 55/) NVU. until 3/) glue inut /~/. 3/ I. 5.5'5/nn. tri'c'

lll lu'Iy. Fool ooo

theatre boys and a stand-up \seayc

Three accomplished

recurring characters. songs and cartoon} skits \\ llll a central narrattye. the sketches by turns ltilai‘ious. random and rude. Only the persistent theme of inad\et1ent human cruelly occasionally reduces grins to or} stillles \\ till a solit‘lel} at titltls \\ till all other“ tse _|oy lul romp through oddball comedy. tSti/anne Blackt l'm/vrlu'lli. 0870 745 3085. until 37;lue lnot lm. ill/pin. £8 {Vii-7 1M. Rhod Gilbert .0. Welsh \s i/ard \s as reflecting on his past. the dark year of IVS-l. Non. he‘s ga/ing

Last year. tltc

into the future to see \s hat credentials he has for being alloys ed ittto heaycn. A decent enough premise and \\ hen he gets into his rhytlnn. he is among the most assured young comics around. btit telephone calls to (iod itlltl audience chatter are not tlte way ahead for this line \\ riter. tBrian Donaldson) l’lmsuni'e ('uurtiiinl. 556 6550 until 37xlue (not /4). 7.30m”. [9.50 till/“Vilth [9). God’s Pottery 000 A (‘hrisiian folk duo are not here to saw the “odd (though that would be super). they re hellbent on keeping a young llarlem boy froin the (irim Reaper. So. this is their concert to raise the cash to get him the medical help he requires but is exerything as it seems‘.’ Praise is certainly due for this holy shoys though \\ ith e\ cry ecclesiastical pun crammed ittto one hour it‘s hard to knots \\ hat they cart do next.

(Brian Donaldson) l’li'usuni‘e ('ourtyuril. 550 0550. until 35' due (not [4). 4pm.

U)- t'll) l [7.507 [8.50).

Greedy .0. In these uncertain times it's a relief to klltm you're in the safe hands of a group of confident. properly funny performers. This imentne collection of sketches are beautifully original or engagineg sick. In particular. they deserye high praise for the marseloUs scene in \shich a creepy old \soman tricks her grandson into rough frottage. lixpect to laugh fora full hour. t.-\shley l)a\ iesi ('nilerln'lly. 0870 745 3085‘. until 37.1lue (not /5). 5.30pm, 13.50-19.50

(17.50» [8.50).

Rich Hall .0. The grouchy monkey boy is back hay ing ditched the Stetson and spurs of his Perrier-\sinning ()tis Lee ('renshats to take tip \\ riting play s and being himself. The result is a familiar grtnnp and moan abottt the “odd outside and the audience in the room. And there are enough frequent reminders why he \s as once considered the best in the business. (Brian Donaldson):lssemlily Rooms. 33/) 3438'. until 38,-lue Inn! 14. 3/). [0.30pm. {Ii—£14 ll/3—[l5l

It’s News to Me 000 anchortnen Marcus and Peter and their Victoria Wood-equ \seatherman. experience technical difficulties but

they 're nothing in comparison to their personal problems. .-\n enjoyable slltm made all the more so for the presence of confused meteorologist Ky le; a fey. bumbling chappie \s ith a liking for bananas and snorkling. tMarissa Burgess)

Neys s

Theflriters' Guild

Comedy editor Brian Donaldson provides the lowdown on the early

favourites for a much-coveted gong

With our critics and scouts all out chasing the next big thing (or the current big thing that’s been big for a while but we might want to give them an award for being really good), here's a brief summary of who’s looking hot so far. Of the Newcomers, you can read all about excellent character comic Simon Brodkin (pictured), wannabe Poet Laureate Luke Wright, young lad Matt Kirshen in this issue while there is also a bit of a buzz around Mark Oliver, Nick Doody and Stephen Carlin. Among the established names who could be walking off with a comedy writing trophy Andrew Maxwell, Reginald D Hunter, Laurence and Gus, Lucy Porter, Richard Herring, Tim Minchin, Dutch Elm Conservatoire, Kevin McAleer and Wil Hodgson are in the reckoning. Heck, maybe even The Goodies are in the running? The tension sure is

rising. (Brian Donaldson)

I The Writing Art/(NUS are announced (ll (1 ceremony at l/lt) Fri/lunarkot Gallery on 22 Aug at t t.30arn. Road the results; Ill our 24 Aug issue,

(' too. 0870 70/ 5/05. until /3 Aug. l0unt. [0.50 l [5.50).

Jon Levene coo The \lll)“ is opened by amiable Atistralian Damien (‘rystal before the main titan steps up to present his affable self. llis style is endearing but directionless. \\ ith a string of charming anecdotes held together by hesitating litiks. The lack of driye feels like your l'ayourite friend is on top form down the pub: it's likeable but not spectacular. iSian Beyani (' ('i'ntrul. 0870 70/ 5/05. I]. I}. [5. I7. [9. 2/. 35’. 35. 37.-lug. H.45pnt. [Nil/(£7.50). Vladimir McTavish 000

iii the kill with the esotic liastern liuropean forenaine and the Lionel Blair haircut conducts Us on a quick tour through Scotland's tumultuous history. This imolxes a familiar regurgitation of

The man

('aledonia's most heroic failures fuelled by Buckie and pies. ln among the stereotypes.

though. \‘lad's alternative national anthem and a poem about the parliament‘s loose roof beam in the style of McGonagall hit

the tnark. tAllan Radcliffe) 'I'lu' Stunt! II. 558' 73 73. until 37xlug (NH! /4. 3/). 7pm, 1.7/1.0).

May Contain Nuts «0 difficult to make every skit iii a sketch shoys \york. so it's not surprising lltal

It's pretty

Jambalaya haye a lets under-par specimens in their bag ol mixed nuts. Neyertheless there are some sublime morsels here: two police ol'l'icers' incomprehensible banter. a \ icar's liaster sery ice interrupted by a Doubling Thomas. and the eyenls in liduard Lear's nonsense poem ‘The Owl and the l’tissy ('at' as reported on the local nevs s.

lMarissa Burgess) [iii/n lie/Ii. 0870 745 3033. until 37.»luu (not I51. 6.05pm.

[(8'— 1.“) l 1' 7 £8).

Moths Ate My Doctor Who Scarf .0. Toby Hadok'e is a sell-confessed Tirnelord anorak. He can name eyery single actor that ex er graced the series. and even knitted his own endless Tom Baker scarf as a teenager. At one point his fanaticism led his mother to worry that he D

10—1 7 Aug 2006 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE 35