GDMEDY listings
COMEDY CLUB REVIEW Pint-Sized Comedy
Edinburgh: The Stand, Sun 29 Mar s w it
Welcome to level two (after the Red Raw induction) of The Stand’s module to comedic fame and glory. Ten minutes to show your mettle or blow your chance. Among those making the boards creak with laughter were Fin MacArthur - could he be related to Stephen McCole? - who scratched his head and got under the skin with a series of fine misnomers.
Experienced headliner Bill Dewar gave a performance ranging from amiable jocularity (he opened with a version of fatty karate) to mildly offensive ranting (at the English, at vegetarians and any English vegetarians). Is he a deadringer for Jimmy 'Five Bellies' Gardiner, aka Gazza’s mindless minder, or what? On only her second appearance, Sarah Loeb (she could give Bette Midler a run in the separated at birth stakes) gave a set full of periods, penises and public toilets, sprinkled with intelligence and
potential.
Less successful were Irishman Johnny Swift, who was too nervous to get his stuff across and into your ribcage, despite promising material about black box recorders and the Edinburgh Monopoly game. Johnny looked very much like the liberal teacher from Beavis & Butthead. A Grant Stott-alike called Teddy gave it a go with stuff on pulling and mums and dads shagging on video - your average immature/adult material.
Alison Monroe, 3 Glaswegian transsexual — somewhat visually reminiscent of Carla from Cheers ~ gained the groan of the night with a reference to the crucifixion and had some vague theories about doors. Genuine oddity of the line-up was Mark Pencak, whose physical stand-up storytelling was an act waiting for an audience, sometime in August. To some eyes, he could be mistaken for Steven Berkoff.
Everything was held together with the superglue wit of Allan Miller — possibly Harry Hill in the eye of a Tourette's Syndrome storm. He does have a rather worrying fixation about his mother (or anyone else's, for that matter) but if you want to hear a heckle put-down of the finest order, tell him he's a fat bastard. Then prepare to laugh.
(Brian Donaldson)
Iiight more acts take their comedy bow. The Bearpit WJ. Christie 8: Son. 27—3l West Port. 228 3765. I.30am. £2. See Thu I for details.
TUESDAY 13
Glasgow
Jim Davidson The Pavilion Theatre. I2I Rc‘llfic‘ld Street. 332 I846. 8pm. £I2.5()—£|4.5(). See Sun 4.
Edinburgh
Brian Hennigan's House Of Fun The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8pm. £1 per person to play. Accept the challenge to play 'Name That Ttiiia.‘ and discover it you‘re titan/woman enough to survive ‘niongoose mayhem.‘
The Bearpit W.J. Christie & Son. 27—31 West Port. 228 3765. 1.30am. £2. See Tliti I {or details.
WEDNESDAY 14
Glasgow
Mark & John's Quiz Special 13th Note Club, 200 (‘Iyde Street. 243 2177. S.3()piii. Free. See Wed 7.
Edinburgh
World Of Comedy Quiz The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £1 per person to play. See Wed 7.
THURSDAY 15 -»
Glasgow Cosy Comedy Cafe The State Bar. I48
Continued over page
Glasgow
Dorothy Paul (ireenock Arts Guild. Campbell Street. I)|~I75 723038. 7.30pm. £9 (£7.50). See Wed 7.
Cheshire Cat Comedy Club Wasy‘s. 20 Candleriggs. 552 S7l7. 9pm. Free. Skank and Htigli Reid pitch tip tonight. with Raymond Mearns hosting and other acts thus tar unconfirmed.
Cosy Comedy Cafe The State Bar. I48 Holland Street. 332 2|59. 9.30pm. £4 (£2). Allan Miller and Hank Quinn join Billy Bonkers and an open spot act for more l'tiii than you can shake a schtick at.
Edinburgh
The Stand 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £4 (£3). Donna Krachan headlines following the comedy trail blazed by Mark liratchpiece. Dougie Dunlop and your host Martin Purhy. An open spot. too.
Christie's Comedy Cellar WI. Christie & Son. 27- 3| West Port. 228 3765. 9.30pm. £4 (£3). (‘oinedy ol‘ the supernatural with Voodoo Reg Anderson and Madam Moo Moo. .Ioe Ileenan hosts. The Bearpit WJ. (‘hristie & Son. 27 —3I West Port. 228 3705. I.3l)am. £2. See Thu I for details.
FRIDAY 9
Edinburgh
The Stand 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £5 (Fri); £6 (Sat & Sun); £4 Iconcs). Irishman Kevin Hayes tops a cosmopolitan bill which also includes mancunian Dom Carroll and John Gordon. .looii Hrooti is the in your lace hostess. and there‘s an open spot.
Reg Anderson's Comedy Explosion The Tron. Hunter Square. 337 8340. 9pm. £4 (£3) Kevin Spence is headliner. with sortie uncoiiI'rimed but no doubt top notch support.
The Bearpit WJ. (‘hrisiie iv Son. 27~3l West Port. 22S 37o5. I.3I)am. £2. See Thu l TUI' details.
Motherwell
Dorothy Paul Molhenscll Concert Hall. Civic Centre. ()Io98 2675 I 5. 7.30pm.
£10 (£5). See Wed 7.-
62 THE “ST I—I‘) Apr I999
i SATURDAY 10 ' THURSDAY 8 I i
Glasgow Jim Davidson The Pavilion Theatre. I2 I Renl‘ield Street. 332 I846. 8pm.
i £ 1 2.5()--£ I450. TV game show host and
definitely not racist comic (no way) brings his many charms to Scotland. The Saturday Comedy Experience
l.‘ Attache. 27 Waterloo Street. 22l 32 II). 9pm. £4 (£3). Viv Gee. Teddy and Grant McManus in line comedic t‘ettle. Aileen Heiidi'y is hostess.
Cosy Comedy Cafe The State Bar. Ms Holland Street. 332 2|59. 9.30pm. £5 (£4). Viv Gee. Joe Heeiian and Graeme Thomas join Billy Boiikei's for an evening of suhterranneaii latighs.
Edinburgh
The StandS York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £5 (Fri): £6 (Sat & Stiii I; £4 (cones). See Fri 9 for line tip details. Jane Mackay is the Saturday Night host as ever.
The Bearpit \VJ. Christie a Son. 27-3! West Port. 228 3765. I.3()ani. £2. See Thu I TO!" details.
Paisley
The Joke Box Mister P's. 42 Wellmeadow Street. 5()l 7l l7. I().3()pm. l‘ree. h’lOlll'lITlll mirth from Michael Redmond. Brian Hennigau and Alan Miller. Janey Godley hosts.
SUNDAY 11 ‘
Glasgow
Bob Downe King's Theatre. 297 Bath Street. 287 55l l. 7.30pm. £S—£l2. (‘amp antics from the salari-suited toothy comic and girlfriend Pastel Vespa.
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. l--3pni. Show is free with drinks or a meal. See Sun 4. Pint-Sized Comedy The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 7.30pm. £2.50 (£2). Allan Miller throws open the comedy doors TOI‘ seven acts pltis guest closers Bill Dewar and Brian Hennigau who present their Useless Guide To Scotland. Christie's Comedy Cellar WI. (‘hristie 61' Son. 27—3l West Port. 228 37(i5. 9.30pm. £3. The Improvei‘ts join compete Raymond Mearns for off the cut-I2. seat oi the pants comedy.
The Bearpit WJ. (‘Iiristie .v Son. 27 -.‘»I West Port. 228 3705. 1.30am. £2. See
Thu I hit details.
Glasgow Mark &10hn's Comedy Quiz 'I‘ron
. Theatre Hat. (i3 'l‘roiigate. 552 -l2(i7 l‘ree.
l’i'i/es galore hour the pop culture
n ohsessiv es who turn tpiestioiis into caharel. Massively entertaining.
Edinburgh
Red Raw The Stand. 5 York Place. 553 7272. 7.3()piii. £I. l.iaiie liilis ahtlicates hosting i'espoiisihililies to whippei'snamier (ii'aeiiie Thomas. hilt will he hack nonetheless '.l\ guest closer.
I, trait 2,)”;
. Holland Street. 332 2 I59. 9.30pm. £4
(£2). .Ioe Ileenan and Graeme Thomas are back I'or more alongside host Billy Honkei's.
' Edinburgh
’ The Stand 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £4 (£3 i. (‘ockiiey gagmeistei‘ Andy linden heads north. topping an
impressive hill oI'Jaiie Mackay. Adie C. and l‘iii McArthur. with Allan Miller as ilUST.
Christie's Comedy Cellar WJ. Christie
.& Son. 27 -3I West Port. 228 3765.
9.30pm. £11 (£3). Viv Gee comes over all poetic. alongside Graham Phillips and
conipere Stisanne Fraser.
, The Bearpit \V.J. Christie 62 Son. 27-3!
West Port. 228 3765. I.3()aiii. £2. See
i Thu l TUI' details.
Raw talent: Laine Ellis Monday’s at The Stand