87070" 8.l5pin. Ll‘).‘)5 Northerner \like \lilligan leads a band ot merr} coined} men. including Tic-\or (Took. lotnici undertaker l)oni (‘arroll and pan l)ink ('taig (‘anipbell

The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8 30pm. t_7ft..5l.Sc'L'.‘\ltit12ll.

Wednesday 22

Glasgow

Jongleurs Comedy Club .lollleL'llt‘x. l'( i(‘ Building. Renlreu Street. 0870" 870707 8pm. £24.05. See Tue 2|

The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 333 \Voodlandx Road, 0870 (»00 (i055. 8. 30pm. 9;" tL5i. See Mon 20.

Phil Kay The Vault. lll0 l’ollokxltaux Road. (ill) 0007. 0pm. L5. Scotland'x tree-- Ioi'ni coined} tllacxtl'o takes )ou on a \urtcal lournc} into llIS largel} unpiedictable imagination. .-\part from the \tutl tllal\ dead ob\ ltltIS.

Edinburgh

The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £7 ([5). See \loll 20.

Thursday 23

Glasgow

Jongleurs Comedy Club .longlettt‘x. l'( i(' Building. Rentreu Street. 08707 870707, 8pm. £34.05. See Tue It.

The Stand Christmas Special The Stand. 333 \Yootllalldx Road. 0870 (300 o055. 8.30pm. £7 (£5I. See Mon 20. The Vault Comedy Club The Vault. lll0 l’ollokxlttmx Road. 04‘) 0007. 9pm. £8. liull-t'orce hoxt Raynond \leat‘nx

im itex coined} charmer Patrick .\lonahan. Sai ('haudi‘} and Rex in lii'idgex to the \tage.

SHOWS OF THE YEAR

Comedy editor Brian Donaldson selects his 2004 highlights.

It was the year of the little fellas as the Fringe's monolithic trio were bypassed for the big prizes. The Assembly Rooms. Gilded Balloon and Pleasance lost out to the Underbelly and Holyrood Tavern as motivational character creation Jackson’s Way won the Perrier Award and Care Bear-Iovin'. BNP- hatin' Will Hodgson scooped the Newcomer gong.

Not that the main venues didn't have excellent shows on. Worthy praise should be given to Sarah Kendall who became the first female since 1938 to earn a Perrier nomination. and Alun Cochrane. whose bell-ringing antics won praise from all and Sundry. And Gordon Strachan. The 'so bad he was great' award went to Johnny Vegas for a typically irrational show at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival which generally went from big to very big indeed. A bit like JV himself.

Edinburgh The Stand Christmas Special 'I he Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272 8 30pm L7 045i See Mon 20.

Three Tuns Christmas Comedy Special The Three Tunx \the \aultx. " l I llanmer Street. 0131 225 5Jl2 ‘lpm tree. The tIIlltHlIL'St ol holicx. Rewrend ()hadiah Steppcnuolle lll trontx [ltl\ textt\e coined} \pecial. \upported b} a hoxt ot tip and coming etllttc‘tlIth. The Snatch Social The liquid Room. ‘tc Victoria Street. 225 25M, 10.30pm 3am. £4 i£3.5tli, See Thu to.

Glasgow

The Vault Comedy Club The Vault. lllfl l’tlllnkSlttt\\\ Road. (on 000.". ‘lpm. t.‘ l 5. See Thu 23. bill the club \ta} \ open until 2am \Hlll a halt bottle ot bube} included in the ticket price.

Glasgow

Xmas Comedy Talent Competition The Vault. I I Ill l’ttlltlkSlttt\\\ Road. fr-l‘) 0007. ()pm. L5 (irand tinal ol~ the (‘hrixtmax coined} competition. See Sun I”.

Glasgow

Hootfest The Stand. 33.3 Woodlandx Road. 0870 (i00 (1055. 8.30pm. {8. Michael Redmond keeps the coined} hall rollng at tlltx \lice oI‘ llogtnana} \tand-up action. with guext \potx from hothead comic l‘rankie Binle. lltill'x top tunn) lad} Marian Paxhle} and geordie Ton} (’arter (\L‘L‘ panel i.

Edinburgh

Hootfest The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. ‘)pm. £8. Roll into the Ne“ Year

laughing in the cotnpan) ot' hoxte\t “ith the mmtext Jane Macka). the Rewrend ()badiah Stepix'mxolte III. John (iillick and (ireg Mcllugh.

Tuesday 28

Glasgow

Hootfest The Stand. 33.3 \‘l'oodlantk Road. 0870 (i00 (i055. 8.30pm. £8. See Mon 27.

Edinburgh

Whose Lunch is it Anywar.’ The Stand. .5 Yot‘k Place. .558 7272. noon 3pm. l‘ree. See Sun l‘).

Hootfest The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £8. See Mon 27.

Wednesday 29

Glasgow

Hootfest The Stand. 333 \Voodlandx Road. 0870 (10060.55. 8.30pm. LS. See Mon 27.

Edinburgh

Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. noon 3pm. Free. See Sun l‘).

Hootfest The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. [8. See Mon 27.

Glasgow

Hootfest The Stand. 33.3 \Yoodlattdx Road. 0870 (300 (i055 8.30pm. £8. See Mon 27.

Edinburgh

Whose Lunch is it Anywaf.’ The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. noon 3pm. Free. See Sun 1‘).

Craig Hill, Frankie Boyle and Des Clarke Queen's Hall. ('lerk Street. (3th 20b). 8pm. {I250 iL'Itli. Three ot~ Scotland's biggest stand-ups join coined) torce\ tor one night ot’ mincing. \licing and red hot \mrdpla}.

Hootfest The Stand. .5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. 9.8. See Mon 27.

Three Tuns Comedy Night [he

'I ht'ec lunx \Vme \attlt\. 7 ll llanmct Sttcet. 07W“ 25:34.; “I‘m l'tc‘c .SCL‘ Thu lb

The Snatch Social The I ltlllltl Room. ‘tc Victoria Street. 22.5 25o4 10 30pm 3am £4 “23 5th See Thu to

Glasgow

Jongleurs Comedy Club .lottgletlt\. l'(i(' Building. Rentrev Street. 08707 87070", 8pm {2-1 05. (ilaxgtm \ top dog Raynond .\learn\ lllk‘S tip the \e\\ Yeat laugh\ in the compan} ol .\like \lilligan. cloud ple.i\ei Stc\c llarrix and Stu

\\ ho’

Hoot‘lest The Stand. 33.3 \\0t\tll;ltltl\ Road. 0870 (run iiii55. 8. 30pm. (In. Sec Mon 27.

The Vault Comedy Club Hogmanay Party The Vault. I I I0 l’ttlltlkSll.t\\\ Road. 0-1" 0007. “pm

lain. L25. .\ mi\ ot coined} and part} act\ to keep )ou lauglung u ell into the New Year.

Edinburgh

Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 "272. noon 3pm. l'iee. See Sun I”.

Jongleurs Comedy Club .longlettt’\. ()mni ('enti‘e. (ireenxide Place. 0870" 870707 8.l5ptn. £24.05. llogmana} baxh mth bearded ll‘lSlllllall .\larlm liigpig. chipper chap .loe lleenan. Kex in (iildea and the Rexcrend ( )hadiah Steppetmolle lll.

Hootfest The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 0pm. (lo. See Mon 27.

Glasgow

Hootfest The Stand. 33.3 \Voodlatldx Road. 0870 ()00 (i055. 8.30pm. [8. See Mon 27.

Edinburgh

Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. noon 3pm. l-‘ree. See Sun 1‘).

Hoot‘lest The Stand. .5 York Place. 558 7272. 0pm. £8. See Mon 27.

Glasgow

Hootfest The Stand. 33.3 \Voodlantk Road. 0870 ()00 (30.5.5. 8.30pm. LS. See Mon 27.

Edinburgh

Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. noon 3pm. l'TL‘L‘. See Sun l‘).

Hootfest The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. ‘lpm. US. SL‘L‘ Mon 27.

Glasgow

Dance, Monkey Boy, Dance The Stand. 333 \Yoodlandx Road. 0870 (i00 6055. 8.30pm. £4. Much lo\'ed coined} imprm night with Sand} \elwn. Raynond .\learn\. .loe lleenan and Des .\lcl.ean. plux their trust} guitar and piano l'or company

Edinburgh

Red Raw The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £1. \c‘\\c‘0lttet'\ take to the stage lot the lit'\[ Red Ra“ ol' the _\ear. \\ ith help lrom Jo Jo Sutherland and Stexen l)ick.

Tuesday 4

Glasgow

Red Raw The Stand. 33.3 Woodlands Road. 0870 ()00 60.5.5. 8.30pm. £2. Ne“ Year humour from a hunch ot' coined} ItC\\L‘()lllL‘r\. plus \ttppott lrotn John R()\\.

Edinburgh OOT Special: Topping 8: Butch The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. ()pm.

Tony Carter the geoitlie tool iriakes another stab at doing ith; Job properly Honestly win door; he bothei’.‘ SOP l)f(?\.l(?\‘.’. lhe Sta/Ml. tdmhurgh, filo/r ."(l lhi, (’3 Dec; the Stand, (Slt'isgoit. Mon [9/ Dec Sun .” Jan.

Three TUns Christmas Comedy Special I it .’\. t tier l( I Obadiah gets serioust festive. albeit in a less serious way than other preachers do at this little of year. The lh/ee ltl/IS Wine Vaults. trlrnburgh. lhi/ (>3 Hers.

Xmas Comedy Talent Competition The final has come. Who's going to take that first step toward lee tvant; like fame and fortune? the Vault. Glasgow. Sun 26 [)ee.

Craig Hill, Frankie Boyle and Des Clarke The three Caledonian amigos ride into town for a pre 2005 laughter session. Hold onto your sor I it )reros. Queen '3 Hall.

EC/l/ iburgl i, l I it I .30 Dec.

Topping & Butch The camp pair (pictured) freshen up that stale. worn stench that hangs around at this time of year. The Stand. Edinburgh, Tue 4 Jan; the Stand. Glasgow. Wed :3 Jan.

£7. Inimitable duo Topping t‘c Hutch \houcaxe their unique brand ot camp cotned) and cabaret.

Wednesday 5

Glasgow

OOT Special: Topping 8. Butch The Stand. 33.3 \Yoodlandx Road. 0370 ()00 b055. 9pm. £7 See Tue 4.

Edinburgh

Melting Pot The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £5 W250 Hi. [p and coming coined} \Kl‘llL‘l'S throw their \hot‘t theatre pieces into the melting pot. uith the \\ inner picked out b} the audience.

Thursday 6

Glasgow

The Thursday Show The Stand. 333 \Voodlandx Road. 0870 600 (i055. 8,3tlpin. U) i£5i. lidg) ('anadian (ilen Wool joinx Mark Bt'atchpiece. \\ tde e}ed \xag Andreu Laurence. Quentin RL‘}II()ltlS and hmt Raynond .\learn\ tor a night of

jokcx and iapex.

Edinburgh

The Thursday Show The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. ()pm. U) JLSI. lixploxixe host lirankie Bo} le brings on the coined) talents ol Kex in (iildea. local ho} John l-‘lint. John Row and Rick} ('allan.

‘r’. 3-2-2 -". sz' THE LIST 51