SlANl) UP
TONY CARTER
The Stand, Edinburgh, Mon 20—Thu 23 Dec; the Stand, Glasgow, Mon 27 Dec—Sun 2 Jan
Tony Carter first appeared on stage 18 months ago and cut a hapless figure. A shambling, risible Geordie on a New Deal employment scheme as a comedian, Carter was painfully unfunny, and that’s where the humour lay. Because Tony Carter is the comic creation of funny man Will Andrews, devised as a tool to dissect the world of second-rate stand-up for laughs; something which Andrews has done with aplomb since.
This summer saw Andrews’ first solo fringe show, Tony Carter’s Evil Army, which didn't have an army and wasn’t evil. It was brilliant, however, and gained Andrews a clutch of rave reviews. Not one to rest on his laurels, he is taking the character further into insanity. ‘He’s going a bit more mad because the idea of being on the New Deal is wearing a little thin. Tony Carter, benefit fraudster has become the focus, making him a bit mad, a bit ill, like a manic obsessive. I’ve been playing it like that and it sometimes works, but sometimes it makes people look scared. I‘m basically trying to change the act as much as possible, because I need to be interested in it as much as the audience.’
Andrews is bringing Carter to both Stands for a Christmas run. It was something that he did last year but he claims that the intervening time has honed his act beyond anything he could have imagined. ‘I started at the bottom of a very, very steep learning curve,’ he admits. ‘But because of the learning process of the Christmas shows last year and the festival this year, I am now a comic.’
If he’s only now admitting to being a comic, what was he before? ‘I was a ham-fisted amateur, frankly, with good intentions but little skill.’ Being a ham- fisted amateur didn’t stop Andrews winning 3 Tap Water comedy award (the non-corporate Perrier equivalent) in 2003, and his ever-rising profile has seen him start work on numerous television projects for BBC Scotland‘s Comedy Unit. He’s under no illusion about instant fame, though. ‘When I first got the job I was like: “Yay, I’m going to be on telly." But these things are notoriously slow and by the time you get something going the person who was interested in the first place has been replaced, so you have to start again. But who knows?’
Who knows, indeed. Tony Carter, TV Celebrity? Could be. (Doug Johnstone)
50 THE LIST H5 DOC 303-145 .Ja". LCM?
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to comedy@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Rachael Street.
Thursday 16
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club JHllg‘h‘Uh. l (it~ Building. Reitltext Siteet. llVll" S"llalla Spin Ll"‘l5 l’htll .ltll‘lllh lookalike \ndte \ ineettt litlllS up \\ tth lx’.t_\ttiond \lt'allh. Ion} \\ood\ and Stu \\ ho ’ l’tiee ittelttde~ lull (‘ht'txttitax tun (atii ltil th'l.il|\
The Thursday Show llie Stand. ‘11 \\oi )tll.1|1ti\ Road. ii.\"ii hill) hi HS
S illpitt. to i L5) l'ull lotee hml R.i}itioiid \it‘dl'lh itttiotlueex lowahle il'l\illll.tll litendan Hetnpwy Rtehatd \llen and Paul .\le.\'eill
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club .ittllg'h‘lllS. ()tntti (‘entttx ( ilt't'llSlth‘ l’laee. llhqll" S"l)"ll". S l5ptn. LI “)5. (ieot'dte ho} \lteke} llttttoit lakt'\ to the eotiied) \tage alongxtde Sle\ e Hitl'l’IS. Kex iii ( itldea and .'\ll\\lt‘ giant ('ohn ('ole.
The Three Tuns Comedy Night 'I lie 'l'htee 'l'tin\ \\ itie \ltullx. ” ll Hatio\ei Street. (WNW 5533-15. ‘lpin. l‘tee. \ llll\ ol ll‘t‘Sil latex and e\perteneed eotiietl} talenlx lrottt the (‘apttal (‘oitted_\ etexx. The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 553 7373. ‘lpttt. to 1L5 i. Sharp shooting eotnpet‘e i‘l'illlhlt‘ Ho} Ie introdueex top noteh illllllUl'lSl Stextatt I't‘anetx. \\|lil e\tt‘;t eotitie \uppot’l lt'oitt .lohn (iilliek and Nigel Hueklantl.
The Snatch Social The liquid Rootit. ‘le Yietot'ia Street. 335 35M. lll.3lliiiit 3am. H lL.5.5lll. i'lilil} eahat'etaltwo lllSlHll \\ illi 'l‘on} (‘at'tet‘ ixee pt'ex ten i attd Hat‘r} .-\lll\\\t)t'l|l. Hahex aiid 'l‘t'ettd} \Yend} llllHlllIli} I‘L‘Slth'llll \upph hip ltop atid luttk_\ lllllL‘S. ('heek
\\ \\ \\.xiittlehxtie'iztl.etiitt lot' more ittlo.
South Queensferry
Capital Comedy®The Roseberry Hall Roxeheri'} Hall. 13 West 'l'et't‘aee. 0701 ll) 553345. Upitt. £7. The unhoh Rexet'end ()hadiah Sleppenmille III teatn\ tip \\llil l’attl Pine and Jun l’at'k lot a night ol (‘hrixttnax lttti. “llil pit/ex lor the hext ioke.
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club .Jiiligh‘lllS. l'(i(' Building. Renl'i'eu Street. 03707 870707. .S'pitt. £34.05. See 'l‘hu In.
The Stand viiilt‘ Sltlllti. .55.“ \thtkiiillltiS Road, 0370 MN) (1055. Sfillplll. L7 (Uii, Seottixh eottted) \etet'an Bruee Morton leattix tip \\ ith Richard .-\||eii. l’aul .\le.\'ei|| atid hiting hoxt Susan Morrison. The Vault Comedy Club The Vault.
I I ll) i’t)||t)k\il;l\\\ Road. Ml) not)“. Uplll. £5. Bruee l‘tttntne} linex tip the eoitietl} [ulcnh ol~ tip top \\ it Nick |)ood_\. (ilaxgou hat'dttian (iai‘) Little. l’elet' Ailehixon and “me [.ighllool.
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurx. ()llllll (I‘llll‘L‘. (il'L‘L‘lhidL‘ i’itlL‘L‘. “37”? 870707. Sl5pttt. £10.95. See 'l‘hu lo. The Stand The Stand. 5 York l’laee. 558 7373. Upttt. £7 (to). Intelligent \tand-up Steuat't liraneix head\ the hill. aided and abetted i5} John (iliilL‘k. Nigel Huekland and hoxt Jane Maeka}.
The Bedlam lmproverts lietllatn 'l'heatt'e. l lh Bl'l\lt) Place. 335 9S9}. lt),3t)ptti. £3.50 iUi. Long \tandtng late tiiglit laughter inxtilulion. tmohing itttieh audienee partieipation. drunken t'e\elr_\ attd \pontaneoux eoined} gatnex.
Saturday 1 8
Glasgow
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jonglcurx. l'(i(' Building. Renl't'eix Street. “3707 37mm Spin. £34.05. See 'l‘hu In. Edinburgh.
Madcap Comedy Club the State Hdl. i~1<\ Ht‘iidllti SliL‘L'I. 5“: :15"
.S 5UP“) {5 «bit the lx’e\etend ()hathah \le'ppt‘llui‘ilt‘ i‘t'\i\‘\\ \ \t‘.l\t\ll.li (Ulllt‘tik hlexxtngs. \\lIil \i.ln\i up \tlt‘l‘fll‘l itoitt the .\h\e i‘Hlll. \K \ \ll\llll l o\\_ (Hue. \llti} \aughan and l’etet \ttthixon The Stand l’he Stand. ‘1§\\ood|attd\ Rim, ii.\"ii hilt) till55 tip.” LS See I ll l". although Jane \laekax takex met a\ ilt\\l .
The Vault Comedy Club llte \atilt. llli) I’Hilok\il.t\\\ Road. o-lw ooo“ "[‘lll LS See i'll IE. but Hex \lel eatt teplaeex lituee l-uinttte}
Edinburgh
Jongleurs Comedy Club Jotiglt‘tllS. ()tntti ('enlie. ( iteenside l’laee. HS '1)" SWFH‘ S l5ptit L31"S ('heek} ehapp) .\ttdie \ ttteent. ( i|.t\gtt\\ eottied} legend lx’.t_\ttiond \le.ii‘tt\. loti_\ \\ood\ and Sttt \\ ho ’ hung on the laughs l’ttee itieludex lull ('hiixttnax lttii (all lol th'laih
The i'ilt‘ Sldllti. 5 \ttlh i’i.l\'t'. 55S "3‘3 ‘lpitt. LS See I'll I". hut \\llil eotiipete Suxaii .\loit‘i\ott
Sunday 1 9 ‘
Glasgow
Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service 'I'he .Slallti. “i \Vmitllatlth Roati ii.\“ii {too till55 .\ top.“ it; it a, (.tHllt‘ti) .lt't‘\ Juilll ( iliilt'k .tllti \lL't‘i Huekland ioiti dtoll Iti\htttati lx’edttiond loi' \oiiie Sttnda} night i.lllf,’il\
Xmas Comedy Talent Competition 'i'ht' \Itttlll. lllll l’ollok\li.t\\\ Road. (vl‘) lint)“ Upiti. [5. Seittt litial ol the \.tu|l\ (ill’lSllllilS coined) eotttpettttoit. eulttitttatitig with a gtattd linal on Houng Ha}. 'l’he lllUSI populat [lt'l’ltfl'lllt‘l' iet'ei\e\ t'lllll. \\ itlt t5“ and a ei'ale ol lai‘get going to \eeond and lhiid plaee eotitexlatttx i‘expeetnel}.
Edinburgh
Whose Lunch is it Anyway? 'l'he Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7373. illlll. l't‘ee. Regular lt'eext} Ie eottied} \\ l/;ll'ti\ l’aul (irahaiii and Stttart Murph} lire up the ititagiitalion \\ itli another \ilt't‘ ol tittprm aetiott.
Reg Anderson’s Comedy Lounge The lighthouxe. 33 .H The Shore. |.eilh. 5510-105. Spin. t' i. ’l'opieal il‘lSillllllll KL‘HII Ila_\e\ attd Riek} (’allait pro\ tde \otne Sunda} night Iaughx. \itth support lt'otn eoitipet'e Reg.
Bruce’s Sunday Social Fund 'l'lte Stand. 5 York Place. 553 7373. S. 5UP”). L11 1U). \Yieked ht)\l Hi'uee l)e\ Iiit lllll'tltillL‘L‘S the coined} taletilx ol Riehat‘d .'\||en and tnonke} ho} Allen ('hahnerx.
Monday 20
Glasgow
The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 5.” \Viititlliilldx Road. “870 (illl) (M55. Sillpttt. {7 49.5). (‘oitie and celebrate ('ht'ixttttax Stand (up) \l} le
\\ itlt top host Suxan Morrison introdueittg \L';l\t)ll;li gtlt'slx l’at'roi. pop Sillil'lSl Sand} Nelson and Jo Jo Sutherland.
Edinburgh
The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 5 York Place. 553 7373. X..5(i[)lll. £7 (£5). Sharp xhootei' Jane Maeka} ll'HlllS this (ill'lSlllltlS eotiied} eraeket‘. leatut'ing the laughter-indueing talents ol lull l'ot'ee (ilaxuegian l‘rankie Bo_\le. ginger ho} John J‘illll attd 'l‘on} (‘ill'lt'l' (\CL' pl'C\ icu ).
Tuesday 21
Glasgow
The Stand Christmas Special 'l’lie Stand. 53“ \Voodlztndx Road. “870 (ill) (>055. «Shitlpm. £71135). SL‘C Kit)” 3‘).
Edinburgh Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()tntti ('etitre. (it'eenxide Place. 08707