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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 8
Glasgow Whose Round is it Anyway? Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. £5. A new comedy improv show from Glasgow- based Q-Fusion, topped off with a 30- minute improvised play. The Thursday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Two of the highest energy women on the circuit join forces: host Susan Morrison and act Janice Phayre. They’ll be performing along with Nick Revell, Mark Nelson and Daniel Webster.
5 COMEDY SHOWS WORTH . . .
Edinburgh FREE Heresy The Jekyll & Hyde, 112 Hanover Street, 225 2022. 9pm. It’s a basement, it’s Thursday and it’s gonna get dark. Free comedy courtesy of Rick Molland and chums.
✽✽ The Thursday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £8 (£7; members £4). Vladimir McTavish steps up as host this evening, with a brilliantly varied line-up in the shape of Wayne Deakin, Danielle Ward, Jojo Sutherland and Davey See.
Friday 9
Glasgow highlight Comedy Highlight, UGC Building, 11 Renfrew Street, 0844 844 0044. 8pm. From £12. Not- Jongleurs/Famous for Comedy present Michael Legge, John Gavin, Dave Johns and Joe Heenan who are doing the funnies this weekend, with free club entry after the show. The Friday Show The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 8.
Edinburgh ✽✽ highlight Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. From £10. Daniel Sloss, who recently recorded a pilot for his own BBC3 show, is joined by Gary Little and Michael Smiley. The name of the gig might be different, but there’s still the dancing afterwards and all that jazz. (NB: there will not actually be jazz). The Friday Show The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 9pm. £10 (£9; members £5). See Thu 8 for line-up, but with Susan Calman replacing McTavish.
. . . WATCHING ON TELLY Saturday 10
1 Important Things with Demetri Martin The former quirksome Perrier winner continues his series, which is part stream-of- consciousness sketch show, part stand-up comedy affair, mixed with animation and music. In this one, he turns his attention to the notion of ‘ability’. E4, Thu 8 Jul, 11.25pm. 2 Stand Up for the Week Hosted by Patrick Kielty (but don’t let that put you off), this showcase of talents aims to go for the satirical jugular and features our very own Kevin Bridges plus Jack Whitehall, Andi Osho and Rich Hall. Channel 4, Fri 9 Jul, 11.25pm.
3 Rev Tom Hollander plays Reverend Adam Smallbone, whose decision to allow a Muslim children’s prayer group to use the church for classes brings his congregation’s prejudices horribly to light. BBC2, Mon 12 Jul, 10pm.
4 Life and Times of Tim It’s the second season of this cute little animated show featuring the hapless misadventures of a twentysomething social misfit. Episodes have titles such as ‘The Salty Jazz’, ‘Pharmaceutical Sales Rep Gone Wild’ and ‘The Girl Scout Incident’. Virgin 1, Mon 12 Jul, 10pm. 5 Shooting Stars A new series of the beloved and daft quiz show with Vic ‘n’ Bob back in the chair but with no George Dawes to keep them scores. Jack Dee and Ulrika J are the team captains for whom we really will want to see those fingers. And etc. BBC2, Tue 13 Jul, 9.30pm. (Brian Donaldson)
Glasgow highlight 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. Edinburgh highlight Comedy Highlight, Omni Centre, Greenside Place, 0844 844 0044. 8.30pm. 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 FREE Ha Ha Raw Comedy Ivory Hotel, Langside Avenue, Shawlands, 8.30pm. This Shawlands gig continues to offer a different line-up each week. Michael Redmond’s Sunday Service The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £5 (£4; members £1). Two legends of the Scottish circuit meet, as Redmond introduces Raymond Mearns to the stage. With Teddy and John Aggasild. Edinburgh FREE Whose Lunch is it Anyway? The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 1pm. Everyone’s favourite improvisational duo, Stu and Garry, present their weekly lunchtime comedy show. Hot food’s available. Magic and Variety Gala Show Royal Lyceum Theatre, Grindlay Street, 248 4848. 7pm. £15–£18 (£12–£15; children £10; family ticket £44–£50). The grand finale of the Edinburgh International Magic Festival, featuring Quick Change artists Keelan Leyser and Charlotte Marie, comedy magician The Great Nardini, The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre, stand-up Gavin Oates and many more. The Sunday Night Laugh-In The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.03pm. £5 (£4; members £1). Bruce Devlin hosts
Comedy
STAND-UP ERIN JUDGE The Stand, Glasgow, Thu 22–Sat 24 Jul
We may speak the same lingo but for American comedians making their first journey over the pond, they’ve got to get the cultural references right or risk dying on their fanny (US for ‘arse’). Ahead of her visit to Scotland, observational stand-up Erin Judge had gigged in Ireland so it gave her a chance to discover which Americanisms were known to us over here in Europe and which weren’t. ‘I grabbed the woman who was working the door just before the gig. I went up and asked her if they knew anything about softball, and she said not really. Then I asked if they knew what a chemistry set was, and she looked at me like I was insane and said, “Yeah, it’s a chemistry set”.’ The Brooklyn-based comic has been gigging for a number of years and has featured on Comedy Central but her driving obsession with the art of funny is rooted way back. ‘I love comedy, and I’ve always been obsessed with stand-up,’ says Judge, though it took a little while for her to cotton on to the fact that it was something she could get up on stage and do herself. ‘I used to sing in the choir in high school, even though I mostly hated it. I would sign up every year, thinking, “Why am I doing this again? It’s so lame”. Finally, it dawned on me some time during my university years that what I loved about it was performing. I switched over to comedy and never looked back.’
Best get that checklist out then: sidewalk/pavement, soccer/football,
tomayto/tomarto . . . (Marissa Burgess)
this Sunday show, featuring Rick ‘Heresy’ Molland, Carly Baker and a selection of the finest up-and-comers.
Monday 12
Glasgow Dance, Monkey Boy, Dance The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £4. Another dose of the all- improvising Monkey Boys of Raymond Mearns, John Ross and Allen Chalmers, as they prepare to hand over power to their faithful audience. Edinburgh Red Raw The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £2 (£1). Graeme Thomas shepherds on the latest folks willing to risk their dignity for a shot at stand-up success in this beginner’s showcase.
Tuesday 13 Glasgow Red Raw The Stand, 333 Woodlands Road, 0870 600 6055. 8.30pm. £2 (£1).
The newest of the new have a go at this fast-paced showcase, with appearances from old-timers too. Chris Henry lends a hand this evening. Edinburgh Midweek Comedy Cabaret The Stand, 5 York Place, 558 7272. 8.30pm. £4 (£2). A jolly wee sideshow to get you through the week, featuring some of the best of Scottish funny blokes. Namely, Joe Heenan, Gordon Alexander, Derek Johnston and John Gavin.
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.
8–22 Jul 2010 THE LIST 47