...and we're back! SEPTEMBER COMEDY LISTINGS

Hello there comedy fans! Long time no see. Well, August is over, and as well as meaning that Autumn is knocking on the door like an insistent religious nutter, it also means Edinburgh is finished for another year and as a result we have a full programme of comedy shenanigans in the city once again - hurrah!
And what a bumper month it is, with big names like Pat Monahan, Mark Watson, Jack Dee and Dara O'Briain gracing us with their presence, as well as plenty of quality line-ups in a plethora of venues across the city to keep you amused as the nights start to draw in.

Sat 1st - Philberto, Joe Lycett, Anthony King, Eric Lampaert @ Just the Tonic
Sat 1st - Sit Down, Stand Up (6 acts) @ Upper Brown Street
Sun 2nd - Should I Stay or Should I Go? (comedy gong show) @ Kayal
Wed 5th - Patrick Monahan, Antony King, Ian Crawford, Alan Seaman @ Looking Glass
Fri 7th - Kojo, Kevin J @ Just the Tonic
Sat 8th - Adam Bloom, Julian Deane, Jonathan Elston, Craig Murray @ The Y Theatre
Sat 8th - The Noise Next Door, Danny McLoughlin, Shazia Mirza @ Just the Tonic
Wed 12th - Nibbles with Giggles @ Entropy
Thu 13th - Jason Byrne @ De Montfort Hall
Fri 14th - Sandi Toksvig @ De Montfort Hall
Fri 14th - Live at the Barley Mow (free comedy night) @ the Barley Mow
Sat 15th - Jeff Innocent, Bobby Mair, John Robins @ Just the Tonic
Mon 17th - Fear of a Brown Planet @ The Cookie Jar
Tue 18th - Lions Eat Ice Cream (open mic night) @ Looking Glass
Thu 20th - Jack Dee @ De Montfort Hall
Fri 21st - Junior Simpson, Rob Beckett, David Hadingham @ Just the Tonic
Sat 22nd - Ian D Montfort, Tiffany Stevenson, Bobby Mair, Ben van der Valde @ The Y Theatre
Sat 22nd - Junior Simpson, Rob Beckett, David Hadingham @ Just the Tonic
Thu 27th - Richard Peel presents Megaworld @ Crumblin Cookie
Thu 27th - Mark Watson @ Y Theatre
Thu 27th/Fri 28th - Dara O'Briain @ De Montfort Hall
Thu 27th - Zoe Lyons, Gary Delaney, Junior Simpson, Darrell Martin @ Just the Tonic
Fri 28th - Mark Cram, Ian Hall, Francis Jenking, Leanne Mckie, Richard Peel, Barnaby J Thompson (Dolly Rockit Rollers Fundraiser) @ Firebug
Fri 28th/Sat 29th - Addy Borgh, Dr George Ryegold, Ian Cognito @ Just the Tonic

As always if you have anything to add, email me, tweet @LeicComedyScene or post on  the facebook page.

AUGUST COMEDY LISTINGS

Funny month August... if you happen to be in Edinburgh.
With most of the country's standups clearing off to partake in the madness that is the Fringe festival north of the border, Leicester's comedy cupboard is left somewhat emptier than usual. But fear not - some plucky fellows have resisted the urge to spend the whole month whoring themselves around the Scottish capital, meaning there are still some laughs to be had in the city this month, and here's where to find them:

Saturday 4th - Simon Bligh, Julian Deane, Noel James, Eric Lampaert @Just the Tonic
Saturday 11th - Dan Evans, Nick Revell, Angie McAvoy, Sam Avery @Just the Tonic
Tuesday 14th - Lions Eat Ice Cream (open mike night) @Hub
Friday 17th - Rich Fulcher, Toby, Carly Smallman @Summer Sundae
Saturday 18th - Mark Maier, Mike Newall, Geoff Norcott, Eric Lampaert @Just the Tonic
Saturday 18th - David Morgan, Joey Page, Joe Bor @Summer Sundae
Tuesday 21st - Lions Eat Ice Cream (open mike night) @Hub
Friday 24th - Rob Gee: Smartarse @Crumblin' Cookie
Saturday 25th - Gary Delaney, Eddy Brimson, Adam Vincent, Sam Avery @Just the Tonic
Thursday 30th - Richard Peel presents Megaworld @Crumblin' Cookie


As for me, I'll be taking a well-deserved break from blogging during August (not to go to Edinburgh, mind - I'm not made of money you know!). Leicester Comedy Scene shall return at the end of August - bigger, better and more jam-packed with comedy shenanigans than ever...
Until then, have a cracking August!
PB.

Big names Bloom and Howard this weekend at JTT

This weekend sees another strong line-up at Just the Tonic, with perennial favourite Adam Bloom topping the bill on Saturday, alongside deadpan local hero Chris Stokes, mad-as-a-box-of-frogs music/prop duo The Raymond and Mr Timpkins Revue and engaging storyteller John Robins.

Then on Sunday night, television's finest Russell Howard is the compere for an Edinburgh preview double bill featuring Mark Olver and John Robins (again) who will be practising their festival sets for your enjoyment.
Tickets for both shows reside here: http://www.justthetonic.com/leicester-comedy/

Herring & Osho star in Bottle Rocket Edinburgh previews

Edinburgh preview season rolls on in the city, with scores of comics braving the floods to practice their Fringe routines at the city's fine venues. Bottle Rocket Comedy Club have three more such shows this month for your comedic delectation:

Richard Herring and Pete Firman are testing out their Edinburgh shows at Firebug tomorrow, but tickets are sold out so you'll have to mug someone or sleep with someone to see the show. Form an orderly queue...

If you can't make it to that one, Sunday (22nd July) sees the return of Ray Peacock and Ed Gamble to the city - this time as a double act - in another Firebug double-bill, alongside acclaimed improv-rapsters Abandoman.

If you can't make that one either, frankly I despair. But fear not, there is one more Bottle Rocket preview show on Thursday 26th July, this time at the Y Theatre. Telly favourite Andi Osho features, along with comedian, singer and dancer Charlie Baker.


For tickets & info for all shows, go to Bottle Rocket's bit of the web (where I nicked all these pics from - thanks guys!): http://brcomedy.com/events/

REVIEW: Murray... present. Comedy dancing... present. Laughs....present?

Best known for his portrayal of hapless band manager Murray Hewitt in Flight of the Conchords, kiwi funnyman Rhys Darby brought his one-man show to De Montfort Hall last night to show that there's more to the man than the Murray.
And this he did with some style - his show was littered with various ways to show off his versatility as a performer, as if to form some sort of professional showreel of his numerous talents. There was character comedy, sound effects, plenty of movement and comedy dancing, funny stories, a little banter and a few impressions. This eclectic show was all held together by a slightly flimsy pretext wherein he has been saved from the end of the world and whisked off on a spaceship to continue the human race, and is prompted by an alien voice (provided on tape by Jemaine Clement doing his much-loved robot voice) to reflect on his life in order to figure out why he has been saved.
And thus, 'Rhysie' takes us on a journey through his life from his mischievous schooldays in the 'Dicks' gang, through his disco-dancing adolescence to his adult life with wife and kids. The material was part anecdotal, part observational, but always presented with warmth and humility, with the afforementioned sound effects and frequent mime and movement bringing each story to life and adding an extra dimension to the humour.
Despite his humble demeanour, Darby is a confident showman, and his one-man show proves that he is a highly versatile comic performer who has plenty more to offer in the future (although as a big Conchords fan I still can't help hoping to see him reprise his role as Murray at some point).