STAND-UP ; OWEN O’NEILL The Stand, Edinburgh, Thu 17 Jul

An award-winning playwright, poet and subscriber to the theory that redheads are genetic ‘mutants’ (having conducted the required research for a BBC documentary), Owen O’Neill was one of the first Irishmen to perform on the UK stand-up circuit and almost certainly the first to do so

inadvertently.

‘Between about ‘84 and ‘89 there was only really myself, Ian Macpherson, Kevin McAleer and Michael Redmond,’ the County Tyrone-born O’Neill recalls. ‘I’d been performing poetry at a vegetarian restaurant in north London, the Earth Exchange, very PC, where you used to speak from behind an open fire. Once, I left my notes on the tube, so I just went on and talked about losing them. The audience were laughing and I remember thinking this is great. Gradually the poetry became less and less and the

chatting inbetween more and more.’

Nowadays, in intimate venues like the Stand, O’Neill mixes stand-up and : verse with passages from his intensely personal one-man plays, loosely and variously based on him ‘being an alcoholic, having an obsession with Mick Jagger, wanting to go to LA and my son being a footballer.’

His recollections of his rambunctious father have caused friction with his family, yet O’Neill cites Richard Pryor’s autobiographical inclination and Alan Bleasdale’s blending of the comic and tragic as precedents. WC Fields is another inspiration and, perhaps most surprisingly for such a

verbal performer, so is Buster Keaton.

Nevertheless, despite having worked in an abattoir, he’s keen to stress 2 that his forthcoming Fringe drama, Absolution, in which O’Neill plays a murderer and castrator of paedophile priests, is his first solo production not derived from personal experience. Having spoken to abuse survivors and a retired priest, he maintains that they only supplied the tone for a i darkly comic play that is ‘an exaggeration of what you would do if you were

spiritually.’ (Jay Richardson)

Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to comedyellstcomk. Listings are compiled by Sian Bevan. Indicates Listpicks entry

Glasgow The Thursday Show The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £7 (£6; members £3). Compere Sandy Nelson presents Mark Nelson (no relation. probably). Jim Park. Greg Cook and the vile genius of the Reverend ()badiah Steppenwolfe 11].

Edinburgh

Street. 225 2022. 9pm. £3. Rick : Molland‘s den of iniquity welcomes

another load of comedians unleashing the

darkest pieces of material they can think of. The Thu i York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £7 (£6;

40 THE LIST 17—31 Jul 2008

Heresy The Jekyll & Hyde. 1 12 Hanover

Show The Stand. 5

so angry about something that it claimed you psychologically and

members £3). Raymond Mearns leads the way tonight. dragging along some very grand and established acts in his compering wake: poet ()wen ()‘Neill. John Scott and Phil Differ. with the newer but marvellous Jeff ()‘Boyle. See preview for ()‘Neill.

Glasgow Peter Powers Pavilion Theatre. 121 Renlield Street. 332 1846. 7.30pm. £1 l--£l3. Hypnotist act from Powers. who has been called ‘the Ali G of stage hypnosis'. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. UGC Building. 1 l Renfrew Street, 0870 787 0707. 8pm. £12. A very cheery line-up for Jongleurs:

Mark ()lver. Mike Milligan. Des Clarke

and Addy van der Borgh all

demonstrating the lovelier side of comedy.

With hot food available and a club thing until 2am. The Stand The Stand. 333 Woodlands

Road. ()870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £9 (£8: v members £5). It‘ll be a dark night in

comedy land. as the marvellously evil Reverend ()badiah Steppenwolfe 111

performs with Mark Nelson and host

Bruce Devlin. Jim Park and Greg Cook also lend a wicked hand.

I Edinburgh

Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. Greenside Place. 08707 870707. 8.15pm. £1 1. A very full line-up from a series of experienced gag-smiths: Roger Monkhouse. John Scott. George ligg. Adam Crow and Phil Dinsdale. Don‘t forget. the admission includes a wee dance after.

The Stand The Stand. 5 York

Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £9 (£8:

members £5). It’s a night of manly men 1 being kinda manly. headed up by burly

Raymond Meams. With ()wen ()‘Neill.

John Scott. Phil Differ and Roland Gent. Gm.

Glasgow Peter Powers Pavilion Theatre. 121 Renlield Street. 332 1846. 7.30pm 8; midnight. £| l-—£l3. Midnight show. over 21s only. See liri 18. Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. UGC Building. 11

Renfrew Street. 0870 787 0707. 8pm.

£18. See Fri 18.

Comedy 0 The State The State Bar. 148 Holland Street. 332 215‘). 9pm. £5. Regular host of the State cellar Chris Broomlield returns to bring a new batch into Glasgow‘s oldest comedy gig. This week sees posh Glaswegian Neil McFarlane take to the stage. with Dave lleffron. Alan Sharp and urban joker Austin Low.

The Stand The Stand. 333 Wm)dlands

Road. 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £12. See Fri

18.

Edinburgh

Jongleurs Comedy Club Jongleurs. ()mni Centre. Greenside Place. 08707 870707. 8.15pm. £14. See Fri 18.

The Stand The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 9pm. £12. See Fri 18.

Glasgow

Ha Ha Raw Comedy Ivory Hotel. Langside Avenue. Shawlands. 8.30pm. A beautiful night of new comedy talent. headed up by a professional headliner and MC. tucked in the heart of the Shawland. The line-ups

change weekly. but always get there early

for a seat.

Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £5 (£4: members £1 ). Mr Redmond’s weekly haunt serves up another pile of goodies in

- the form of Greg Cook. Ian MacPherson.

Derek Miller. lilaine Malcolmson and Andy McPartland.

Edinburgh

Whose Lunch is it Anwa The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 1pm. Knights of the art of improvised comedy Stu & Garry retum valiantly to their Sunday aftemoon slot. With free comedy. hot food and lemonade. what peasant could ask for more? The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1 ). A jam-packed night of local talent as Joe Heenan presents Dee Custance. Sean Grant. Martin McAllister. Jay l.affer1y and headliner John Scott.

Glasgow Magners Comedy Monday

McChuills. 40 High Street. 552 2135.

8.15pm. £2 (£1). lmprobabble cheer tip Mondays in Glasgow with some of their quick-witted. improvised japes. (‘ome ready with suggestions; they might just

ask you for some ideas and silence is just . plain awkward.

THE BEST COMEDY

Raymond Mearns Big man Mearns (who you may have seen in Ken Loach’s It’s a Free World last year) crops up for some top notch comparing and a bit of sketch stroke stand-up stuff in Dance, Monkey Boy, Dance. The Stand, Edinburgh, Thu 7 7—Sat 79 Jul; The Stand, Glasgow, Mon 27, 28, Thu 37 Jul.

Owen O’Neill The poetic and playwrighting Irishman hasn't got a comedy show going down at the Fringe this August, so see him now and hold your peace. See preview. The Stand, Glasgow, Thu 77—Sat 79 Jul.

Mark Olver The innovative. journeying lad gives Glasgow a shot of his thing before doing Edinburgh come August. See Profile. Jong/eurs, Glasgow, Fri 78 8. Sat 79 Jul.

Will & Greg: A Sketch Show Messrs Andrews and McHugh do skits and playlets and character stuff as a precursor to their almighty Fringe assault. The Stand, Edinburgh, Wed 23 Jul.

Seymour Mace The lovable oddity from the north east of England prepares to simultaneously entertain and scare you. The Stand, Glasgow, Thu 24—Sun 27 Jul.

Dance, Monkey Boy, Dance The

Stand. 333 Woodlands Road. 0870 6006055. 8.30pm. £4. There'll be sketches. songs and stand-up from the

Monkey Boys; just go along and see what all the fuss is about. Featuring Raymond

Meams. Allen Chalmers and Paul Pirie.

' Edinburgh Fit 0’ The Giggles Absolute

Beginners The Mercat. 28 West Maitland Street. 225 3861. 8.30pm. £2. MC Keara Murphy introduces a selection of new acts with an experienced headliner. bringing comedy to the West lind of lidinburgh. If you fancy a shot then email litothegigglcs(0‘gtxrglemailcom.

Red Raw The Stand. 5 York Place. 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2. The best value new

comedy night in town. as fresh acts are gagging (geddit?) at the bit to have a go

on the hallowed Stand stage. With Scott

! Agnew and Neil McFarlane.