COMIC PROFILE

JOJO SUTNERLAND Not just looking after Jojo ‘This idea that motherhood is fashionable - like a Prada handbag; like a baby is the next big accessory - irritates the shit out of me. Children are precious, but not in that way. Put Liz Hurley in a catapult, she’ll be fine.’

As audiences, we appreciate comedians indulging their arrested development; cheeky scamps enjoying playground japes. Certainly, you don’t have to look to a tubby bloke playing drums in a pink romper suit to find instances of juvenile dementia in British comedy. But this is what makes Jojo Sutherland more refreshing than that initial encounter

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with your mother’s teat - a comedian not only no longer a child, but one who bore four as the material for her act. Now that’s delivery.

‘Yeah, just the four,’ she deadpans. ‘l have a sort of attitude of healthy neglect to parenting that’s pretty much the backbone of my comedy, a few everyday grievances and some alternative motherly advice.

‘My kids are always saying: “Mum you can’t say that!" When they’re older they’ll understand. But they’re cool about it. They always ask: “Did you have a good gig? What’s for tea?” Luckily, I have a very supportive partner. It’s limiting if I have to juggle family with three or four days of gigs in London, but generally

l’m bloody good at it.’

She certainly makes the most of her stage and family time. As a single parent on income support, a brain haemorrhage three years ago made Sutherland focus on what she wanted from life. She now co-runs Fringe performing theatre company One-Handed Women, does occasional radio presenting and reached the national final of last year’s Babycham Funny Women competition

at London’s Comedy Store.

‘When you have a good night, there’s nothing to compare,’ she says. ‘Coming off stage, all those people laughing and thinking to yourself, I’m responsible for that. It’s the best feeling in the world. Sure beats picking up kids from after

school clubs anyway.’ (Jay Richardson)

Events are listed by date, then

city. Submit listings at least ten

days before publication to comedyelist.co.uk, by post or by fax on 0131 557 8500. Listings are compiled by Maureen Ellis.

Glasgow

Govan Arts Festival The District Bar. 252 Paisley Road West. Govan. 427 5151. 8—10.30pm. £2 donation. Deadpan Irishman Michael Redmond is the evening‘s leading man. with Kirsty Moss. Chris Cooper and host Parrot. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. UGC Building. Renfrew Street. 0870 787 0707. 8pm. £7. Stu Who‘.’ introduces lan Stone. Mark Maicr and genial Irishman Andrew Maxwell. New Talent Night The Vault. l l l() Pollokshaws Road. Shawlands. 649 0007. 9pm. £5. A host of aspiring comedians take a few practice swings at the big time.

The Thursday Show The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £6 (£5). Host Raymond Mearns. Martin Bigpig. John Gordon and Marjorie.

Edinburgh

Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. Greenside Place, 08707 870707. 8pm. £8. Tony Hendricks and Johnny Candon join host Phil Butler.

Big Word Performance Poetry The Tron. 9 Hunter Square. High Street.

74 THE LIST 19 Feb—4 Mar 2004

226 ()931. 9—11pm. £3 (£2). Rock‘n‘roll rhyme courtesy of political stand-up Richard Allen. plus Rebecca Thompson. Gary Death. Michael McGill and compere Jem Rolls.

Duck Downe The Laughing Duck. 24 Howe Street. 07905 045573. 9pm. £3. Camp cabaret packed full of fast and furious frivolity.

The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £6 (£5). Guest compere Susan Morrison is joined by Neil Dougan. Colin Ramone. Simon McKinney and Brandi Borr.

Glasgow

Govan Arts Festival ()ld Toll Bar. Paisley Road West. 429 3135 . 8—10pm. £2 donation. A meeting of comedy and music minds featuring the winning comics and musicians of the festival. Big Down Under Strathclyde University Union. 90 John Street. 552 1895. 8pm. £2. Top notch laughs from down under. Students and guests. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. UGC Building. Renfrew Street. 0870 787 0707. 8pm. £12. See Thu 19.

The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £7 (£6). Bruce Morton headlines. with Neil Dougan. John Gordon and Marjorie. Susan Morrison comperes.

OThe Vault Comedy Club The Vault. l l 10 Pollokshaws Road. Shawlands. 649 0007. 9pm. £8. Hark at the wry styling of Boothby Graffoe. with David Kay and host Des McLean.

Edinburgh

Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. Greenside Place. 08707 870707. 8pm. £12. See Thu 19.

The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £7 (£6). Camp. kilted singing and send-up sensation Craig Hill joins Raymond Mearns. John Ross. Brandi Borr

and host Jane Mackay. The lmpnoverts Bedlam Theatre. 11b Bristo Place. 225 9893. 10.30pm. £3

(£2.50). Audience suggestions spark surreal scenes of comic madness at this weekly improv showcase.

: Glasgow Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs.

L'GC Building. Renfrew Street. ()870 787 0707. 8pm. £13. See Thu 19.

The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. ()870 600 6055. 9pm. £8. See Fri 20

but with compere Jane Mackay.

The Vault Comedy Club The Vault. 1 1 10 Pollokshaws Road. Shawlands. 649 0007. 9pm. £8. See Fri 20 only fomier .S'M."IV presenter Des Clarke comperes.

i Madcap Comedy Club State Bar. 148 : Holland Street. 946 9289. 9.30pm. £5 (£4). Des McLean and Sandra Johnstone guest.

I Edinburgh

Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. Greenside Place. 08707

. 870707. 8pm. £13. See Thu 19. The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558

7272. 9pm. £8. Sec Fri 20 but with compere Susan Morrison.

Glasgow

Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 08706006055. 8.30pm. £4 (£3). The Reverend ()badiah Steppenwolfe [11 keeps the sabbath day unholy. John Ross and guests also join host Redmond.

' The Vault Comedy Club The Vault.

l l 10 Pollokshaws Road. Shawlands. 649 0007. 9pm. £5. The ballistic Raymond Mearns paves the way for Boothby Graffoe. Kirsty Moss and Gary Little.

Edinburgh

Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The

Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 1pm. Free.

Freeform funniness and hangover-

banishing antics. Bruce’s Sunday Social Club The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm.

1 £4 (£3). Neil Dougan and New Zealand‘s

Simon McKinney sign up for Bruce

; Devlin‘s weekly social.

Edinburgh Red Raw The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £1. Host Woody and

headliner Greg McHugh guest at this

1 weekly newcomers' showcase.

Tuesday 24

1 Glasgow Red Raw The Stand. 333 Woodlands

Road. 08706006055. 8.30pm. £2. Iiight newcomers join Greg McHugh and headliner Allen Chalmers.

Edinburgh

; GThe Comedy Network The

Pleasance Cabaret Bar. 60 The Pleasance.

650 2349. 8pm. £3—£5. Former schoolteacher Natalie Haynes continues to demonstrate her undiminished love of students with another gig at the

Pleasancc.

. Hairy Watt Comedy Club The

Union. Heriot—-Watt University. Riccarton.

451 5333. 9pm. £3. The bombastic wit Raymond Mearns introduces Kevin Hayes. Colin Simpson and Falkirk lass Kirsty Moss.

Melting Pot The Stand. 5 York Place.

558 7272. 9pm. £5 (£4). New writers ; present their short comic theatre pieces.

Wednesday 25

Glasgow

0 Dance, Monkey Boy, Dance The Vault. l l 10 Pollokshaws Road. Shawlands. 649 0007. 8.45pm. £5. New improv comedy night featuring Sandy Nelson. Raymond Mearns. Joe Heenan

and Des McLean. This evening’s star

' guest is none other than socialist MSP

Tommv Sheridan.

The Stand Improv The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £4 (£3). The Stand Players embark on a quest into comedy‘s great unknown.

Edinburgh

Reg Anderson’s Fun Quiz Night Acanthus. l7 Waverley Bridge. 556

2358. 8pm. Free. Pit your wits against 1 Anderson to win cash and prizes.

The Comedy Cave Nichol Edwards.

Niddry Street. 556 8642. 9.30pm. £2.

Weekly comedy club hosted by Chris Cave. the comedy caveman.

Thursday 26

Glasgow

Jongleurs Comedy Club

' Jongleurs. UGC Building. Renfrew

j Street. ()870 787 0707. 8pm. £7. Host

Smug Roberts introduces Glasgow's own Des McLean. plus John Moloney and

Curtis Walker.

, New Talent Night The Vault. l l 10

Pollokshaws Road. Shawlands. 649

0007. 9pm. £5. See Thu 19.

, The Thursday Show The Stand. 333

1 Woodlands Road. ()870 600 6055. 9pm.

£6 (£5). Resident compere Bruce Morton warms up the crowd for Steve Hughes. Miles Jupp. Greg McHugh and Woody.

5 Edinburgh

Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. Greenside Place. ()8707

870707. 8pm. £8. Peter Berman introduces Canada‘s Tom Stade and Stu - Who'.’

Reg Anderson’s Comedy Night Acanthus. l7 Waverley Bridge. 556 2358. 9pm. Free. Susan Morrison. Graeme

f Thomas. Ricky Callan and Reg ‘voodoo‘

Anderson get the laughs in. The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £6 (£5).

Guest compere Jane Mackay introduces

Dan livans. Nick Doody. Gary Little and

Dominic Woodward.

Glasgow

Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs.

UGC Building. Renfrew Street. 0870 787 0707. 8pm. £12. See Thu 26.

The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. ()870 600 6055. 9pm. £7 (£6). Dan Evans. Nick Doody. James Ferguson and Woody. Susan Morrison comperes.

The Vault Comedy Club The Vault. 1 1 10 Pollokshaws Road. Shawlands. 649 0007. 9pm. £8. 2003 Perrier Newcomer

1 nominee Miles Jupp joins Toby Hadcock. Allen Chalmers and host Des McLean.

Edinburgh

Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. Greenside Place. 08707 870707. 8pm. £12. See Thu 26.

The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place.

2 558 7272. 9pm. £7 (£6). Laconic humorist Steve Hughes headlines. with 1 Colin Ramone. Greg McHugh. Dominic

Woodward and host Jane Mackay.

The lmproverts Bedlam Theatre. 1 lb

Bristo Place. 225 9893. 10.30pm. £3 (£2.50). See Fri 20.

Saturday 28

Glasgow

3 Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. lfGC Building. Renfrew Street. ()870 787

0707. 8pm. £13. See Thu 26.

The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £8. See Fri

27 only Jane Mackay comperes.