STAND-UP rbun ARDAL O’HANLON
Rothes Hall, Glenrothes, Fri 25 May; Caird Hall, Dundee, Sat 26 May;
Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, Sun 27 May.
Say Ardal O’Hanlon to most people on the street and you’ll get some flickers of recognition but mention Father Dougal McGuire and everyone knows who you’re on about: the much loved, over-excitable, dim-witted young priest from Father Ted. In fact, the nation has taken him so much to heart that he appeared in the top ten of Channel 4’s The 100 Greatest TV
Characters, which he also hosted.
And his stand—up material is, according to O’Hanlon, not that dissimilar, ‘There are still elements of that wide-eyed eejit,’ he says. ‘lt’s kind of me whinging about the modern malaise. A succession of rants about sex, relationships and the like.’ Subjects which his TV alter ego would have little
expenence.
His voice is not as recognisable as you might have thought; there is a definite intelligence at work here, something sorely missing from Father Dougal and his more recent incarnation as Thermo Man in BBC’s My Hero. More serious roles in comedy drama Big Bad World and Neil Jordan’s The Butcher Boy show there is far more to this character actor than just an innocent abroad. And of course there’s the writing. Not content with penning all his own material, he’s got in on the book-writing game. His first novel, The Talk Of The Town, went straight into the bestsellers lists and
there’s another on the way.
He may never fully escape the role that made his name but, as he says, ‘l’m very proud of it, I loved it and I don’t expect to ever do anything like that again. So I don’t mind.’ (Henry Northmore)
Thursday 24
Glasgow
Boy Chubby Brown (‘lyde .-\uditorium. l~'initieston Quay. 0870040 4000. £ l 5. The outrageous (ieordie contic takes his offensive and controversial humour on the road.
The Fred MacAulay Show The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 bill) (1055. 8.30pm. £7 (£6). Monthly sll()\\ hosted by Scotland’s all-round \\ riter. broadcaster and stand-up. Ireland's Michael Redmond indulges in some deadpan delivery with support from Magic Mandy Muden and three Velvet Virgins.
Edinburgh
The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £5 (£3). ’l‘his ey ening‘s patter merchants ittclude John (iillick. Donna Krachan and John (iordon.
Reg Anderson’s Comedy Cellar Fin Mac(‘ools. lbl l.othian Road. b22
7 HM. 9pm. Free. (‘omedy's Mr Magic introduces three stand-ups from the local circuit.
Glasgow
Boy Chubby Brown (‘lyde .-\uditorium. Finnieston Quay. 0870 040 4000. £l5. See Thu 24.
The Stand The Stand. 333 \Yootllands Road. 0870 ()()0 (i055. 0pm. £0 (£5). Deadpan deliyery and one- liners l’rom heavyweight lteadliner John Moloney. John (iillick. John (iordon and contpere Jane Mackay cotnplete the line-up.
Edinburgh
The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. ()pm. £(i (£5). Mtisselburgh lass Rhona (‘ameron returns to the live circuit alter a tepid reception for her debut sit-com. R/mnu. Support comes l‘rom David Kay and Magic Mandy Mudcn.
Glenrothes
Ardal O’Hanlon Rothes llalls. Rothes Square. 0|5‘)2 bl I l0l. 8pm. Three TV shows. three stand-up comedy
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awards and a best-selling book still can't eclipse .-\l'd;tl ()‘llanlon's recognition for being Father Dougal McGuire. See prey ieyy.
Cumbernauld
Madcap Comedy Club At Cumbernauld Theatre ('umbernauld 'l‘heatre. Kildrum. 0l23b 732887. 8. l 5pm. £5 (£4). The Reverend ()badiah Steppenyyolle lll preaches to the com erted. Frank Quinn stands-up in support.
Dundee
Dundee Comedy Club The Doghouse. 13 Brown Street. 0l382 227080, ()pm. £5 (£4). Ireland's Kevin llay es indulges in some political polemics. .Iohn .\lc(iuinness. (ierard Madill. l’at Steel and compere Joon Broon cotnplete the line-up.
Saturday 26
Glasgow
The Stand The Stand. 33.3 \Voodlands Road. 0870 (100 (i055 9pm. £7 (£4). See Fri 25. only Joon Broon L‘t)ltlpcl‘c\.
Madcap Comedy Club The State Bar. I48 Holland Street. 332 215‘). 0.30pm. £5 (£4). Janey (iodley headlines whilst support comes from Frank Quinn and Lee Ness.
Edinburgh
Boom Boom! 'l‘he 'I‘rnn. t) Hunter Square. 557 43 l 5. 9pm. £0. (‘amp shenanigans l‘rom ('raig Hill with support l'rom coinedy‘s Mr Magic Reg Anderson. Raymond Mearns. one open spot and cotnpere Bill Dewar. See review.
The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £7 (£4). See Fri 25.
Dundee Ardal O’Hanlon (‘aird llall. (‘ity Square. 01 382 434940. See Fri 25.
Glasgow
Ardal O’Hanlon Pavilion 'l‘heatre. l2l Renlield Street. 332 I846. 8pm. £l5. See Fri 25.
The Vigorous Lime Quiz Of Joy (‘urlers. 256 Bytes Road. 338 ()5l l. 8pm. Free. Brush up on your trivia. witty responses and current al‘l‘airs for a chance to win the lirst prize of a crate ol‘ beer at this weekly quiz night.
Bank Holiday Special - Rhona Cameron The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 ()00 6055. 8.30pm. £7 (£6). The star of Rhona and former winner of ‘So You Think You‘re Funny" defies the critics to get back to what she does best. Support is courtesy ol (iraeme Thomas and compere Jane Mackay.
The Jongleurs Scotland New Comic Event Bourbon Street. l08 (ieorge Street. 333 l4l8. 9pm. £5. The popular comedy chain skim the cream ol‘ Scottish talent to bring you another showcase. Billy Bonkers. (‘raig ('rookston. Jason Hall. Allan Miller. John (iordon. ('raig Hill. Steven Dick. David Kay and the t'seless (iuide lo Scotland all strut their stull‘. llowed seamlessly together by compere Raymond Mearns.
Canvas Comedy Club Bank Holiday Showcase ('anvas. I3 Io Walls Street. 552 2l()l. 9pm. £5. Dave Williams takes lull responsibility for the evening's laughter quota with just a little help from Richard Smith. (‘harlie Ross and Neil McFarlane in the open spot. The Sunday Sermon The State Bar. I48 Holland Street. 332 215‘). 9.30pm. £5 (£4). The good Reverend ()badiah Steppenwolt‘e lll plus guests.
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch Is It Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. lpm. Free with drinks or a meal. Freestyle l'unniness and hangover-banishing antics
listings Comedy
l'rom resident duo Paul (iraham and Stuart Murphy.
Bank Holiday Special - John Moloney The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £7 (£b). More thoughtlul observations and punchy one-liners limit the ey er-popular John Moloney. Magic Mandy Mudcn. John Littlejohn and compere Stisan Morrison build up to the main event.
Kirkcaldy
Fife Comedy Club l’ath 'l'av ern. Mid Street. 0l5‘l2 2b3b71. 8.30pm. £4 (£3 ). More l'itl'c-ltascd l'riyolity \\ ith resident hosts Joon Broon and John Sinclair. introducing John (iilliek. Fin McArthur and (ieorge Nesltit.
Monday 28
Glasgow
Henry Rollins l’a\lll()n 'l‘heatre. Ill Renlield Street. 332 I840. 7pm. £tbc. llea\y rocker Rollins treats us to a night of his spoken word perl‘ormance; a bi/arre run through events in his lil'e. Skitters ‘l'he Stand. 33.3 \Vomllalltls Road. 0870 (till) ()055 8,30pm. £5 (£4) A l'renetic mis ol characters. costume changes. and not forgetting a generous helping ol' gags. just about sums tip The Stand's showcase sketch show.
Crazy Ape Comedy Club Bar Zoo. 80 Dumbarton Road. 334 8012. 8.30pm. £4 (£3). Much laughter and merriment courtesy of Dave Williams. Des (‘larke and cotnpere Scott Agnew.
Edinburgh
Red Raw The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £ I. Around eight stand-up virgins take their lirst tentative steps on the comedy road under the watchlul eye ol compere Richard Smith and headliner John (iordon.
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