THERE'S NOTHING QUITE LIKE A NORTHERNER MOCKING COCKNEYS

and up, sit down

This year’s Christmas lists will be rammed with live comedy DVD requests. Brian Donaldson sifts through the piles on offer to pick the best of the bunch

DVD Mtll‘t‘lh Brigstoeke: Planet (‘ordtir'tn

The Show The erudite \atit'i\t rails against the illill\lit't‘\ ol' the \Hil'lti in London's Shau 'l'heati‘e. ttlltli}\ill:_‘i1tt\\ tough it must be to |i\e lite as a L‘til'dttt‘ti) -|U\ ittg ltiiddie-ciaw “bile ehap.

The Extras .-\ \[ll'l‘lllg‘ (‘)t&.-\ and the (Hits \Vemmble) Hogg guide to hax ing a super gap _\ear.

Best Bit .-\ii elongated \lxit against his next door neighbour’s someuhat rigid right-\tiiig politieal \ieus. \thieh lllL‘illtiL‘\ a \ irulent del‘eiiee of Polish immigration into the l'K.

DVD it‘c Mack |.l\t‘

The Show 'l‘here's reall) nothing quite like seeing a northerner moelting eoeknep and Laneaxhire Lee doex thix to blistering el‘l'eet in the setting of London‘s Blooiitxbtll'} 'l‘heatre. ('an it aetuall} hurt to be a pi'opa‘ eoeknee. he \xonders‘.’ Yes. it \\otlid seem so.

The Extras .-\ tour diar} thing as Mack goes around the nation \xith his \xarm-tip gu_\ Stexe Williams and some snippets l'rom I'l‘\".\ .S'kt'tt'lr Show “ith \laek aeeompanied b} 'l‘im Vine and Karen Ta} lor.

Best Bit Messing around \\ ith the ligures l‘or motoring Ui'it‘HCL‘N and kL‘L‘Ping 10 the idler til. the it!“ \\ hen ll eame to his o\\ n dri\ iitg text.

DVD Russell Brand Doing Life

The Show Probabl} the longest pre-xho“ standing mation \inee Hitler rallied the Nuremberg masses. the Haekne} limpire ero\\ d finall} settle domt and alltm him to get out some wise eraeks about tips for smuggling heroin and urinating into bottles.

The Extras An inter\ie\\ with Jonathan Rt)\\. xiii} sketehes and some backstage shenanigans.

Best Bit :\ surreal eneounter \\ ith Wood} Harrelxon in Brand} 's oil-\et ll'tliiL‘l'/L‘Lll‘il\ill].

DVD Alan (’at'i': 'l'ooth i-air} l.i\ e

The Show Before a Hammerxmith Apollo audienee ol~

his regular tans and the eeleb ones mell. .illxllll l.ee ('ollins and Dueklaee l‘rom l‘rllll‘ llkv/tli’rrgxi. (‘arr gets )t‘t more eomed} mileage from a strained relationship \\ ith his dad.

The Extras It's Alan‘s 'l‘our l)iai"\l \Vith e\tra dollops tiidlhllll Lee ('ollins.

Best Bit Diseuxsing the lengths some people \\ ill go to in order to eheat a supermarket\ paek and semi x} stem.

DVD Sean Hughes: The Right Side ol Wrong

The Show Someone aettiall} t'inds that eaiiierax do work outside London as the perk} former l’errier- \\ inner display his lix e l)\'l) \\;ll'L‘\ in Newcastle. .\'o\\ in his earl} 4th~ Hughes belie\e\ he has a |e\el of lame \\'here people think the} ’\ e either seen him on the tell} or just li\e on the same street. Lots of e\er_\da_\ eraie about bur}ing dodg} eortiputerx in the garden and putting his bins out \it alongside \\tll'l'lc\ ox er gi'tmilig old disgraeel‘ull}.

The Extras Not one. (‘ouldn‘t be erxed. I suppose. Best Bit The tinal tale about \ur\ i\ ing the timing Du} tsunamis b} It) lllillllit‘x \xith its attendant Kid ('reole and the (‘oeonuts tu lsl.

All DVDs are available now.

THE BEST COMEDY

Bruce Morton Not dubbed the "Godfather of Scottish corried‘y' for nothing. the man who had his own show on ()hannel .1 befOre anyone had ever heard of Richard or Judy brings his potent observations on life to a more than avrd gathering. lony Carter and Raymond Mearns are among the extra draws Ill these shows. The Stand. (E/t'rsgottr, [*di/iht/rgh. Mon 1/ Sat 22 Dec.

Sarah Millican This lightly spoken lynesrder Knows what it takes to concoct her own intriguing observations and two venues get the benefit of her comedic tidings. .long/eurs, Edinburgh, Mon l/»-Sat 22 Dec; lhe Stand, Glasgow, lhu 27 Art/Ion 37 Dec.

Greg McHugh The innovative comic can do a bit of solo stand—tip and character gear as wrtnessed With his droll Gary Tank Commander creation. for these shows. he's being himself. The Stand. Edinburgh, Mon 7 /—7Wed 79, Fr; 27 8 Sat 22 Dec.

Elaine C Smith The gailus lassre entertains the masses wrth Twelve Nights of Christmas. See :3 lhirigs. Oran li/lor. Glasgow. lit/ed 79 Sun 23. Thu 27~Sat 29 Dec.

James Dowdeswell He entertained us ttirougliotrt the year Nlth tales about wrne. and the stuff may be flowing quickly through many a bloodstream by the time he takes to the stage. See (,apilOll. Jong/eurs, Edinburgh, Fri 28 8 Sat 29 Dec.

Janey Godley Another raucous female comic who takes no bull from no one. as the author colurnnist/plaw/right helps bring in the bells 'with the likes of Joe Heenan and Tom Stade. Jong/eurs, Glasgow, Mon 37 Dec.

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