Glasgow Comedy Festival frees the jokers from the pack

Saturday 9 March 2013

The first joke will be set up on Thursday at 5pm; the final punchline will be delivered some time around 11pm on Easter Sunday, and in between Glasgow will prove yet again that March really is a laughing matter.

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Glasgow’s comedy festival is bigger than ever, with the mix of local talent and international stars drawing crowds. By Alan Morrison

This year the Glasgow International Comedy Festival enters its second decade and, despite having lost its headline sponsor in 2012, keeps on growing.

"It's worth noting that in the middle of the deepest recession of modern times, this is the largest event we've ever done in terms of the number of individual shows," points out festival director Tommy Sheppard.

"We can't say if, at the end of the day, it'll be the biggest in terms of ticket sales, but in terms of the enthusiasm of people to play the festival, it's already a record-breaking year. And out of our 430 shows, I'd say that no more than 10% of them are people who were on tour anyway; 90% of it we've programmed as festival events, including the vast majority of local stuff."From ones-to-watch to household names, the festival has always pushed the boat out in order to present Scottish talent alongside the international stars of the comedy circuit. It has also, over the years, stretched out across the city, taking in some rather quirky venues along the way."There's a really rich scene here, which obviously has come from The Stand and various others," says festival manager Sarah Watson, "and now a lot of people are doing more interesting things. "Things that are site-specific, like Julia Sutherland with her weight loss show in the very same WeightWatchers venue in which she took classes [Ibrox Library, March 25, 6.30pm]; Sanderson Jones coming up and doing his comedy sale [Blackfriars Basement, March 26 and 30, 8.30pm and 7.30pm respectively]; and Billy Kirkwood doing a show in a tattoo parlour [Comedian Tattoo Studio, March 29, 8pm]. "All these lovely little things that might get lost elsewhere can still flourish within such a big festival."Because the venues range from bars including Brel and The Griffin to plush-seated palaces like the King's and the Citz, the festival is able to attract different types of audiences. It's good, too, that an art form that often feels abrasive can be seen, in this Glasgow context, to be the grandchild of a music-hall variety style that stretches back down the decades.Sheppard agrees: "One of the reasons the Glasgow Comedy Festival is the success it is, is because we're part of the pedigree of the city in terms of its comedy output and ability to laugh at itself and to throw up comedy poets who can actually articulate things effectively. "The earthiness and vulgarity of industrial working-class life of 100 years ago, when people had to laugh at themselves and laugh through adversity, are absolutely reflected in what's happening in 2013. Given the language that someone like Raymond Mearns [The Garage, March 31, 8pm] uses in his show and the subjects that he covers, I think he would probably have been understood if you transferred him back 100 years. That's not to say his material's dated, of course-"So what is getting the festival's bosses excited? There's the late announcement of Dylan Moran's appearance at a benefit night for the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice [King's Theatre, March 18, 7.30pm], for one. And there's the United Airlines Presents: America Stands Up gig [The Stand, March 30, 7.30pm], for another."We've got a particularly strong American showcase this year," says Watson of the three-act bill, which will be hosted by Scott Capurro. "We've got Kyle Kinane-" "He's the next Louis CK," interjects Sheppard. "And Dwayne Kennedy-" "One of a new sub-set of breaking-through black comics in New York who are combining Boyz N The Hood type swagger with a very liberal new-man agenda, confounding the stereotypes.""And Liza Treyger, who's just really funny – a bit rude, a bit bawdy, very down-to-earth-""A Roseanne in the making."Wherever your comedy tastes lie, no amount of TV shows or DVDs can match the live experience of a stand-up gig. Miss out Glasgow in March, and the joke's on you.For programme and ticket details, see www.glasgowcomedyfestival.com. Ticket hotline: 0844 395 4005.

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Glasgow Comedy Festival frees the jokers from the pack

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