Glasgow Comedy Festival

Stu Who? Beyond A Joke, Yesbar, Glasgow

Lorraine Wilson

three stars

A Glasgow Comedy Festival without Stu Who? would be like a fish supper without Irn-Bru. As a founding member of the Funny Farm, who kick-started the city's stand-up scene in the late 1980s, he went on to TV and radio work, but never enjoyed the resulting recognition. That disdain of celebrity is something he explores and for the sake of the word count, throws in a slew of imaginary expletives for atmosphere.

He tells us that Beyond A Joke will look at ideas and words that people find offensive. Reminding us that he's now 65, he uses terminology that is anathema to younger generations, but that's as far as the exploration goes really, which is a shame.

However, Beyond A Joke also refers to the fact that comedy is about reality and not simply a series of punchlines. So there are great family stories, including a revelation that he is related to Gentle Johnny Ramensky, war hero and inveterate prison escaper. These, whether real or legendary, and the stories of the stand-up life, are where the material is strongest and his performance feels most natural.

Not being totally convinced of an earlier piece of poetry, when it was announced that there would be a song to finish, in the style of The Beautiful South no less, this heart sank. Comedy songs and the winsome northerners being personal candidates for Room 101.

However, it's a solid close to a set that's highly entertaining, if a wee bit messy. He says that a previous review described Beyond A Joke as a work in progress. With obvious contempt for the notion, he tells us his "whole (insert expletive here, can't remember which) life is a work in progress". That I can believe.