www.list.co.uk/comedy

Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to comedy@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Siân Bevan. ✽✽ Indicates Hitlist entry

Thursday 4

Glasgow Slumdog Stand Up Slumdog Bar & Kitchen, 410 Sauchiehall Street, 7.30pm. £19.95 (inc meal). An Indian banquet followed by four top comedians. Yum. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Raymond Mearns comperes with Roger Monkhouse, Antony Murray, Alan Sharp and Ava Vidal. FREE Impact Arts Workshop: Get, Set, Stand Up! The Factory, Impacts Arts, 319 Craigpark Drive, Dennistoun, 575 3001. Guest tutors take you through the basics of stand-up comedy. To apply for a place contact jay@impactarts.co.uk. Suitable for ages 14–19. Edinburgh The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Host Bruce Devlin with John Gillick, Angie McEvoy and Tom Stade.

Friday 5

Glasgow Famous for Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £12. Irish chap Martin Mor, Joe Heenan, Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Pete Johannson and Tony Hendriks doing the funnies this weekend. The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 4. Edinburgh Famous for Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. From £10. Snaffle some food ahead of Alex Boardman, Jimmy McGhie, Wayne Deakin and Eddy Brimson. Ticket price includes post-show dancing. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 4 for line-up. The Improverts Bedlam Theatre, 11b Bristo Place, 225 9893. 10.30pm. £4 (£3.50). Late night laughter from Edinburgh’s improvised comedy troupe.

Saturday 6

Glasgow Famous for Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £12. See Fri 5. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £13. See Thu 4 for line-up Edinburgh Famous for Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 6.30pm & 10pm. From £10. See Fri 5. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £13. See Thu 4 for line-up.

Sunday 7 Glasgow Glasgow Kids Comedy Club The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 3pm. £3. Live comedy for ages 8–12. Clean sets from Gary Little, Ava Vidal and Tom Stade. No under 5s; all kids must be accompanied by an adult. Billfest: A Night for Bill Speirs The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 7pm. £20 (table £200). Ricky Ross, Elaine C Smith, David Hayman, Pat Kane, Tom Leonard, Rab Noakes, Vladimir McTavish, Brian Speirs, Pauline MacNeill MSP and guests commemorate the life of Bill Speirs with proceeds going to Speir’s favourite charities. FREE Ha Ha Raw Comedy Ivory Hotel, Langside Avenue, Shawlands,

8.30pm. Weekly comedy showcase courtesy of Alan Anderson. Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). Michael Redmond charms, with guests John Gillick, Jeff O’Boyle, Jason Arnstein and Gus Lymburn.

Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1pm. Stu & Garry improvise their way through this wee lunchtime show. There’s hot food available to munch while you watch.

✽✽ Dara O’Briain Playhouse, 18–22 Greenside Place, 0844 847 1660.

8pm. £25. The Mock the Week host returns with his observational humour. The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). Scott Agnew on hosting duties for the likes of Gary Little, Elaine Malcolmson, Martin Bearne, Daniel Webster and Lucy Oldham.

Monday 8

Glasgow Frankie Boyle: Work in Progress The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 5.50–7pm. SOLD OUT. A pretty special chance to catch The Boyle. Improv Wars The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). The Improv Dogs champion the art of comedy on the hoof. Edinburgh Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). Jojo Sutherland hosts the new talent showcase.

Tuesday 9

Glasgow FREE Comedy at the Halt Bar The Halt Bar, 160 Woodlands Road, 352 9996. 8.30pm. New-ish comedy showcase, with varying line-ups. Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). The Stand’s weekly fix of newer talent. Edinburgh Pleasance Comedy The Pleasance Cabaret Bar, 60 Pleasance, 650 2458. 8pm. £5 (£4). Comedy good stuff in Studentland. Grown-ups also welcome. Benefit in Aid of Fairbridge in Scotland The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £7 (£5). A night dedicated to raising funds for this youth charity with a cracking line-up of comedians tba.

Wednesday 10

Glasgow How Do I Get Up There? The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £5 (£4). Sketch comedy from the acclaimed Scottish troupe of Chris Forbes, Kevin Maines and James Kirk. Edinburgh Melting Pot The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £2.50). Fresh sketches from new writers.

Thursday 11 Glasgow International Comedy Festival Big Lunchtime Comedy Chat Show Sloan’s, 108 Argyle Arcade, 0844 3954005. 1pm. £3–£8 (inc. lunch). Des Clarke and Scott Agnew introduce the guests for a daytime dose of comedy. Stand Up Drink Up Comedy Crawl Uisge Beatha, 232–246 Woodlands Road, 332 1622. 7.30pm. £9 (£7). Form part of a gang to stomp around four bars, with comedians in each venue. Benjamin Crellin The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 3954005. 8pm. £8 (£7). In Apocalypse Soon Mr Crellin finds there’s comedy in the end of the world. Capitol Improv Games Capitol, 468 Sauchiehall Street, 0844 395 4005. 8pm. £5. A team of local comedians take you

through some impromptu sketches. Fred MacAulay presents: Funny Farm 21 The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 0844 3954005. 8pm. £12. Mr Smooth presents four comedians who started out in comedy 21 years ago at the famed Funny Farm: Stu Who, Parrot, Bruce Morton and Fred himself. Half Price Comedy Club Uisge Beatha, 232–246 Woodlands Road, 0844 3954005. 8pm. £7 (£6). A selection of Scotland’s favourite acts at Uisge Beatha. A Shed Loada Laughs The Shed, 26 Langside Avenue, 0844 3954005. 8pm. £2. Comedy spiked with extra perkiness as The Shed introduces Joe Heenan, Charlie Ross, Billy Kirkwood and guests.

✽✽ Tommy Tiernan The Garage, 490 Sauchiehall Street, 0844 3954005.

8pm. £14.50. The Irish stalwart is back to impress. See photo caption, page 44. Zombie Science 1Z Queen Margaret Union, 22 University Gardens, 0844 395 4005. 8pm. £2.50. Pop scientists Dr Austin and Doug Safety take a break from their kids shows to explain the Undead’s poster child. Cardinal Burns The Universal, 57–59 Sauchiehall Lane, 0844 3954005. 8.30pm. £7 (£6). The successful sketch duo who were two-thirds of the celebrated Fat Tongue bring us their surreal sketchiness. Comedy Corner The Buff Club, 142 Bath Lane, 0844 3954005. 8.30pm. £5 (£3). Scottish comedy showcase with both newer talent and established acts. Go Laugh @ The Inn The Inn, Station Road, Bearsden, 0844 3954005. 8.30pm. £6. The Go Button bring another of their respected nights to the GCF. Keara Murphy’s Travellin’ Circus Brel, 39–43 Ashton Lane, 0844 3954005. 8.30pm. £6 (£5). Hear all about life as explained by Keara Murphy. Warning: may contain clown metaphors. McPhabb-ulous Comedy McPhabbs, 23 Sandyford Place, 0844 3954005. 8.30pm. £5. Exciting comedy showcase. Stand Up @ Sloans Sloan’s, 108 Argyle Arcade, 0844 3954005. 8.30pm. £7 (£5). A collection of acts from across the world, gathered in swanky Sloans. Wendy Wason Blackfriars, 36 Bell Street, 0844 3954005. 8.30pm. £8 (£5). The beautifully spoken Ms Wason tells us all about Other People’s Secrets. Comedy Out WEST West Brewery Bar and Restaurant, 4 Binnie Place, 0844 3954005. 9pm. £8 (£6). A showcase with an international flavour. Magners Festival Club The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 3954005. 10pm. £10 (£8). A staple part of the Glasgow Comedy Festival experience, with five top acts every night, hosted by Sir Fred of MacAulay. FREE Impact Arts Workshop: Get, Set, Stand Up! The Factory, Impacts Arts, 319 Craigpark Drive, Dennistoun, 575 3001. See Thu 4.

Glasgow Slumdog Stand Up Slumdog Bar & Kitchen, 410 Sauchiehall Street, 7.30pm. £19.95 (inc meal). See Thu 4.

Edinburgh The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £4). This weekend delivers comedians such as laid-back Canadian Sean Collins, Steve Day, Jim Park and Mark Davies.

Perth ✽✽ Dara O’Briain Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, 01738 621 031. 8pm.

£19.50. See Sun 7. Friday 12

Glasgow International Comedy Festival Big Lunchtime Comedy Chat Show Sloan’s, 108 Argyle Arcade, 0844 3954005. 1pm. £3–£8 (inc lunch). See Thu 11. Daniel Sloss The Garage, 490 Sauchiehall Street, 0844 3954005. 7pm. £8.50 (£7.50). The teenager brings his popular Fringe show to Glasgow.

Comedy Hitlist THE BEST COMEDY *

✽✽ Dara O’Briain The London- based Irish fella is one of the sharpest minds on the circuit and if he doesn’t have you giggling like a fool, then a part of your brain has most likely gone AWOL. Playhouse, Edinburgh, Sun 7 Mar; Perth Concert Hall, Thu 11 Mar; Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, Wed 17 & Thu 18 Mar. ✽✽ Tommy Tiernan The 1998 Perrier winner has had a mixed career since that glorious year but his stand-up remains a must-see for its raw passion and fierce intellect. See caption. The Garage, Glasgow, Thu 11 Mar. ✽✽ Sarah Millican A Typical Woman eh? Well, if there were more of this Geordie comic’s quality, then we wouldn’t have to put up with that tedious ‘women just aren’t as funny as men’ debate. The Stand, Glasgow, Fri 12 Mar. ✽✽ Richard Herring Still donning his Hitler Moustache, this comic attempts to reclaim the brushy fuzz above the top lip for comedic purposes rather than it being a Nazi icon for eternity. The Garage, Glasgow, Sat 13 Mar; The Stand, Edinburgh, Sun 14 Mar; Perth Theatre, Mon 15 Mar. ✽✽ Todd Barry Probably the pick of the US comics heading over to the Glasgow Comedy Festival, Barry is blessed with the kind of deadpan delivery that makes Steven Wright look like Jason Byrne. See 5 US Comics. Blackfriars, Glasgow, Sat 13 Mar. ✽✽ Stewart Lee The man some have dubbed the godfather of British stand-up plays two gigs to the lucky people of the Gorbals. See feature, page 20. Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Mon 15 Mar.

✽✽ Sarah Millican The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0844 3954005.

7.45pm. £10 (£8). Buy tickets early to see her Fringe sell-out Typical Woman. Andrew Maxwell The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 0844 3954005. 8pm. £13.50. The charmer returns with his wee twinkly face and more stories to cheer everyone up. Bumper Value Comedy Southside The Shed, 26 Langside Avenue, 0844 3954005. 8pm. £8 (£6). Alan Anderson and Bratchy introduce a selection of line- ups throughout the Glasgow Comedy Festival. Meal deal packages available, along with nightclub entry. Charlie Ross Capitol, 468 Sauchiehall Street, 0844 3954005. 8pm. £6. Mr Ross looks at our love for camp comedy.

4–18 Mar 2010 THE LIST 57