COMEDY THEATRE

CENTRAL

I CUMBERHAULD THEATRE Kildrum. Cumbernauld. 0236 732887. [Access: PPA. l.. ST. R. Facilities: WC. W8. H. G. C. Help: A. AA]

Scottish Ballet - The National Tour Until Sat I5 Jun. 7.45pm. £6 (£3). Last chance to catch Scottish Ballet on their traditional tour of the parts of Scotland that big ballet cotnpanies don't normally reach. The dancers have covered 3000 miles and 2l towns over three weeks. with a mixed bag of short ballets. plus extracts from the classics. Highlights include ’l'ltu! ('t'rluiu Feeling a jazzy tribute to the music of George Gershwin and More I’nll/t'ltt‘. the latest from hotshot choreographer-in- residence Mark Baldwin.

DDMEDY

Comedy is listed by date, then by city. Shows will be listed, provided that details reach our offices at least ten days before publication. Comedy Listings compiled by Ellie Carr.

FRIDAY 14

Glasgow

I Pretty Vacant/Perineum lntact-a/The Mcnuades Arches Theatre. Midland Street. 22l 9736. 7.30pm. £4 (£3). An evening of new comedy writing with Tripod Theatre Company.

SATURDAY 15

Edinburgh

I The Stand The Ivloscow Bar. 6 South St David Street (opposite .lenners) 556 6375. Doors open 8pm—lam (show runs

9-l lpm). The ever-expanding comedy club settles into its new weekend slot at the really rather trendy Moscow Bar. Hyper Scots motormouth Bruce Morton heads tonight’s billing with support from Andrew Walker and Reg Anderson. Bold- as-brass Jane Mackay cotnperes and there's ‘quality-mamtged' open spots too.

WEDNESDAY 19 .

Edinburgh

I Stand-up Night Tapsters. Corner of East Crosscauseway and Ilowden Street (behind De Niro's on Nicolson Street). Info: 6670328. 8.30pm—latc. £3. Newish. regular night of laughter with this weekly stand-up night for both up and coming and more established local talent. If you fancy a shot at the mike call Penny or Christine on the above number.

Glasgow

I Velvet Rooms 520 Sauchiehall Street. 332 ()755. 8.30— l0.30pm (doors open 8pm). £5 (£4). Fortnightly laughs at Glasgow's busiest regular comedy night. with another round of local and national talent and fast-draw. follically-challenged ex-accountant Fred MacAulay as resident compere.

THURSDAY 20

I The Stand Comic Den. Christie‘s. West Port. Information 662 4467. 8.30pm—lam (show runs 9.30-l I.30pm). At least four acts for £4 (£3). The small but perfectly formed comedy club continues to pack 'em in. Tonight expect a barrel of laughs from Gerry Grant. Graeme McMurdo and David Keay with Frankie Boyle as compere.

SATURDAY 22 Edinburgh

I The Stand The Moscow Bar. 6 South St David Street (opposite Jenners) 556 6375. Doors open 8pm- I am (show runs

9—] lpm). London comedy circuit stand~ tip Jo Caullield drops in at the popular local comedy clubs new Saturday night home to share a bill with local laughing boys Frankie Boyle and Joe Heenan. Jane Mackay is your cotnpere and there’s open spots loo.

TUESDAY 25

Glasgow

I no You Think You’re Funny Bar Point. 42 Wellmeadow Street. Paisley. 56| 7| l7. 9pm (curfew llpm). Free. listablished stand-up and native of Paisley. Kevin Kopstein returns to his home town to put the next generation through their paces in this three-day long competition for stand- up hopefuls. If you fancy your chances against the massed wit of Paisley call ()l-Il 886 l‘)‘)7 for an application form. The winner will recieve local press & media coverage. a spot at the forthcoming Paisley Festival Stand I'p (‘omedy Night (Sun 30 Jun). cash prize and the Belhaven Best Trophy.

WEDNESDAY 26

Edinburgh

I Stand-up Night Tapsters. Corner of Fast Crosscauseway and llowden Street (behind De Niro‘s on Nicolson Street). Info: 6670328. 8.3(lpm—late. £3. Newish. regular night of laughter with this weekly stand-up night for both tip and coming and tnore established local talent. If you fancy a shot at the mike call Penny or Christine on the above number.

Glasgow

I no You Think You’re Funny? Bar Point. 42 Wellmeadow Street. Paisley. 56! 7I l7. 9pm (curfew l lptn). Free. See Tue 25.

THURSDAY 27

Edinburgh

I The Stand Comic Den. Christie’s. West Port. Information 662 4-167. 8.3()pm—- lam (show runs ‘).3()pm~l l.3()pm). At least four acts for £4 (£3). Mitch Benn. James Donlan. Gavin Stott and a debut from Dundonian Joon Broon are this week's stand-up deal at the small but perfectly- formed weekly comedy club. Frankie Boyle cotnperes.

Glasgow

"ff. "_, :1, i, . j; t" I I Bob nowne Paisley Arts Centre. New Street. 887 I()l0. 8pm. £7 (£5). liveryone's fave beige-suit wearing king of kitsch is I00 per cent polyester as usual. And good for a laugh too. Part of the Paisley Festival.

I no You Think You’re Funny Bar Point. 42 Wellmeadow Street. Paisley. 56l 7| I7. 9pm (curfew l lpm). Free. Finals. See Tue 25 for details.

ROUGH CROSSING

All at sea: the lyceum company in Tom Stoppard’s ocean-bound farce

Egos, tantrums and under-the-sheets shenanigans amongst the showbiz set are dressed down in Tom Stoppard’s farcical parody of 50s musicals. Aboard a Broadway-bound ocean liner, a pair of playwrights are struggling to find a happy ending, while the leading lady is messing about with her ex, who also happens to be the leading man. Her current beau, the composer, hits a jealousy-fuelled writer’s block of epic

proportions. All the while, a gravity-

defying waiter is the only one who can make sense of such a topsy-turvy world.

Freer adapted from Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnar’s flimsy piece Play At The Castle, Rough Crossing displays all the clever-clever verbal gymnastics for which Stoppard is renowned, but tempered here with decidedly commercial aspirations. He still can’t resist commenting on his own craft, however, and has a few wry digs at the basic vanity that lies at the heart of theatre. Andre Previn’s schmaltzy numbers complement the era perfectly, though for a play as essentially banal as this, it’s the performances that count.

Kenny Ireland’s production - played out on a bold, rocking boat set - fortunately has a fine-tuned cast who expose each of the character’s quirks with a masterful sense of comic timing. John Bett is suitably foppish as one half of the playwriting team, but the trump card comes from Tony Cownie’s hilariously off-kilter waiter, who, despite appearances to the contrary, is the most clued-up of the lot.

It’s little more than a fancily packaged frivolity but, bolstered here by the strength of the Lyceum’s production, Stoppard’s showboat makes for a thoroughly entertaining theatrical excursion. (Claire Prentice)

Royal lyceum, Edinburgh, until Sat 29 June.

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W l L D C A1; a new black com/1‘ ' ;_:>- by. Morey Fullerton

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JUNE TOUR DATES

13-15 EDINBURGH Theatre Workshop LIVINGSTON Howden Park Centre 27-29 CUMBERNAULDTheatre

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(The List)” “5* 3m 1,. a I A

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0131 226 5425 01506 433634 01236 732887

The List I4-27 Jun I996 61