Comedy HITLIST THE BEST COMEDY EVENTS
list.co.uk/comedy
The Invisible Dot The innovative comedy stable brings the nation a series of gigs and lucky old Scotland gets Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer Jonny Sweet, sketch threesome Sheeps and Nick Mohammed (pictured). Bedlam Theatre, Edinburgh, Fri 2 Mar.
Sarah Millican With Thoroughly Modern Millican, the north-easterner cements her reputation as a household name. Edinburgh Playhouse, Fri 2 & Sat 3 Mar; King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 20 & Wed 21 Mar.
Stewart Francis The Canada-born one-line gag genius is in festival and non-festival mode this month. See preview, page 60. The Stand, Edinburgh, Thu 8–Sat 10, Tue 27 Mar; King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Wed 28 Mar. Punchline Away from the GCF, a line-up including Seann Walsh, Idiots of Ants and Andrew Lawrence (pictured) should persuade capital comedy fans to stay put. Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Thu 15 Mar.
Stand Up for Palestine Frankie Boyle and Gary: Tank Commander do funnies for a political cause. Wonder if Frankie will do his related ‘cake being punched to pieces’ gag that caused a stir? King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Mon 19 Mar. Jerry Sadowitz Fellow controversy- baiting Glasgow Comedy Fest attendees Frankie Boyle and Doug Stanhope look almost tame in comparison to Sadowitz. Strong stomach required for this one. King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Fri 23 & Sat 24 Mar.
Paul Merton Doing his first proper stand-up Rory Bremner & Friends The Edinburgh-born
since 1998, the adlib legend will also be getting involved in a variety of sketchy silliness with his Impro Chums. See preview, page 63. Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 27 Mar. impersonator and satirist takes apart a few sacred cows. Ex-Red Dwarf deadpanner Hattie Hayridge is one of his Friends. Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Tue 27 Mar.
Doug Stanhope Once a (very) outside bet to be US President, Stanhope has now opted to do what he’s best at: profane, semi- stream of consciousness comedy. See Noticeboard, page 12. Edinburgh Playhouse, Tue 27 Mar.
Barry & Stuart The Aberdeenshire pair have recently been dazzling teatime audiences on the Beeb’s The Magicians but their live stage work is the real, often spooky deal. Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Thu 29 Mar.
5 THINGS
YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT . . . SPAMALOT 1 The multi award-winning musical production from Eric Idle and John Du Prez, Spamalot was ‘lovingly ripped off from the motion picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail.’ I guess Idle can do whatever he wants but an eyebrow was raised by the inclusion of ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’, a song from a completely different Python film. 2 Conductor and composer Du Prez has worked with Idle for over three decades. He changed his name from Trevor Jones to avoid confusion with the composer of film scores such as Angel Heart and The Last of the Mohicans. Remember the 80s salsa-pop band Modern Romance? ‘Best Years of Our Lives’ and all that? Du Prez was their trumpet player.
3 A global hit, Spamalot first played Chicago and Broadway with a cast including Tim Curry, Hank Azaria and David Hyde Pierce, picking up a collection of Tonys on the way. It was less popular with the Malaysian authorities, who banned the production. Which was fine as there were no plans to perform it there.
4 Among the previous members of the revolving UK cast are Jodie Prenger, Matthew Kelly, Phill Jupitus, Amy Nuttall and Marcus Brigstocke (pictured). Playing the role of Arthur on the Scottish leg is West End leading man Steven Pacey while Bonnie Langford does her Lady of the Lake and Todd Carty takes on the job of Patsy. Depending on your era, Carty will always be either Tucker Jenkins or Mark Fowler. 5 In Trafalgar Square on St George’s Day of 2007, Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam led over 5000 people (including some Spamalot cast members) in a record-breaking performance of ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ in which many coconuts were clip-clopped to destruction. (Brian Donaldson) ■ King’s Theatre, Glasgow, Mon 12–Sat 17 Mar; Edinburgh Playhouse, Mon 19–Sat 24 Mar.
1–29 Mar 2012 THE LIST 59