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5 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT
CRAIG HILL 1 A born entertainer, this East Kilbride boy’s party piece at family dos was singing Stevie Wonder’s ‘Lately’. When his relatives tried to get him to go on local radio and sing the number, he went a bit shy and refused. Very hard to imagine a bashful Hill.
2 He describes it as a ‘terribly sad irony’ that he has no hair these days, given that he trained as a hairdresser. Blessed with naturally curly hair, he recalls leaving the house in the morning trying to look like The Cure’s Bob Smith only to resemble a windswept Shirley Bassey five minutes later.
3 Acting was Hill’s game early on and after completing a drama course at Queen Margaret College, he got some roles in panto, short films and in the Edinburgh Grassmarket Project’s Fringe show, Mad. Having made his mates guffaw for years, one of them secretly booked him a stand-up gig and a comedy career was ignited. 4 One of the short films he appeared in was 1998’s Lay of the Land, dubbed ‘a dark and emotionally chilling take on male sexuality and prejudice’.
5 Among the many compliments he’s been paid for his stand-up act, surely one of his favourites must be ‘better than an epidural’. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Highlight, Glasgow, Fri 2 & Sat 3, Fri 9 & Sat 10 Apr.
Dougie Dunlop returning to home territory. Also featuring Steve Gribbin and Dave Johns. The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 8 for line-up.
Saturday 10
Glasgow Famous for Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £12. See Fri 9. The Saturday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 9pm. £13. See Thu 8 for line-up. Edinburgh Famous for Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 6.30pm & 10pm. From £10. See Fri 9. The Saturday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £13. See Thu 8 for line-up.
Sunday 11 Glasgow Glasgow Kids Comedy Club The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 3pm. £4. Yet more comedians are
How Do I Get Up There? The trio of Chris Forbes, Kevin Mains and James Kirk have been doing their quirky brand of sketchy comedy since the summer of 2008 when they were rapidly given a chance to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe as guests of double act Des Clarke and Lucy Porter. ‘They will get up there!’ screeched Ms Porter in the later publicity material for these guys and almost a couple of successful years on, she could well be right. ■ The Stand, Glasgow, Wed 14 Apr.
putting themselves at the mercy of the toughest crowd on earth. No under 5s; all kids must be accompanied by an adult.
Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1pm. See Sun 4.
✽✽ Gilded Balloon Comedy Circuit The Voodoo Rooms, 19a West Register Street, 556 7060. 8pm. £14 (£12). Not for the under 16s as the GBCC introduces Jarred Christmas, Doc Brown and Stuart Goldsmith. The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). Another chance to catch the genuinely exciting Boy With Tape on His Face (see preview), with Gerry McDade, Alan Sharp, Jason Arnstein and compere Siân Bevan.
Monday 12
Glasgow Improv Wars The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). A night of unexpected comedy, as Billy Kirkwood, Garry Dobson, Stu Murphy, Chris Forbes and The Improv Dogs champion the fine art of ad hoc comedy. Edinburgh Fit O’ The Giggles Absolute Beginners Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8pm. £2 (£1). Another group of newer performers test their craft on the audience, with proper grown-up comedians Chris Henry and Jojo Sutherland. Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). Bruce Fummey hosts this evening dedicated to building up new comedy talent, with a different selection each week.
Perth Andrew Clover Perth Theatre Cafe Bar, 185 High Street, 01738 472 700. 8pm. Sunday Times columnist Clover gives a series of intelligent and witty stories in Dad Rules.
Tuesday 13
Glasgow Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). Stu Murphy hosts this evening, taking it upon himself to introduce a bill crammed full of hopeful newer acts with a glint in their eye. Edinburgh Benefit in Aid of Link Community Development The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £7 (£5). A grand night of comedy to raise funds for the charity which aims to improve education opportunities in Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, South Africa and Uganda.
Wednesday 14
Glasgow ✽✽ How Do I Get Up There? The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870
600 6055. 8.30pm. £5 (£4). A night of sketch comedy from this Scottish troupe (Chris Forbes, Kevin Maines and James Kirk) who are already gaining a reputation as a savvy, intelligent addition to the comedy scene.
Edinburgh ✽✽ The Broken Windows Policy The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). An evening of sketches from the talented younglings: Ben Verth, Larah Bross, Caroline Robertson, Mike Walsh and Estoban MacGregor.
Comedy Hitlist THE BEST COMEDY *
✽✽ Scott Capurro If you have a dodgy ticker or more morals than sense then go nowhere near this gig. If, however, you love your comedy with more edge than the White Cliffs of Dover, get the hell down there. The Stand, Edinburgh, Wed 7 Apr. ✽✽ Gilded Balloon Comedy Circuit Another bunch of comics hit the road thanks to the iconic Fringe venue. Stuart Goldsmith and Doc Brown do both nights while Jarred Christmas appears in Edinburgh and Ali Cook performs some of his dark magic in Glasgow. The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh, Sun 11 Apr; Oran Mor, Glasgow, Thu 15 Apr. ✽✽ How Do I Get Up There? Three very funny men do their sketchy thing. The Stand, Glasgow, Wed 14 Apr. ✽✽ The Broken Windows Policy And over in the capital more sketch madness from the gang formerly known as The Sugaring-Off Cabin. The Stand, Edinburgh, Wed 14 Apr.
Fit O’ The Giggles Out with The Old Beehive Inn, 18 Grassmarket, 225 7171. 8.30pm. £3 (£2). See Wed 7. Thursday 15
Glasgow ✽✽ Gilded Balloon Comedy Circuit Oran Mor, 731–735 Great Western Road, 357 6200. 7.30pm. £14 (£12). See Sun 11 with magic man Ali Cook replacing Jarred Christmas. Slumdog Stand Up Slumdog Bar & Kitchen, 410 Sauchiehall Street, 7.30pm. £19.95 (inc meal). See Thu 1. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Raymond Mearns takes command of the stage as host of the weekend, with turns from Matt Hollins, Steven Dick and Oldham lad Alex Boardman.
Edinburgh Ghillie Gags Ghillie Dhu, 2 Rutland Place, 222 9930. 7.30pm. £25 inc dinner. See Thu 1. The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Susan Morrison introduces Danny Buckler, Elaine Malcolmson and Michael Adams. Hot food available early on.
1–15 Apr 2010 THE LIST 59