GICF Comedy Gala 2026, King's Theatre, Glasgow. Sunday 29th March, 2026

This was my third consecutive GICF Gala in a row, and it had probably the strongest line-up so far. 

As we were also seeing Alan Davies later on, we decided to make a day of it. We put the dogs into the kennels and arranged to have lunch with Colette and her hubby at The Griffen before the show. Graeme brought the car, not realising that on-street parking is no longer free on a Sunday, and ended up parking quite a distance away, on the other side of Charing Cross. He'll not do that again (they got soaked in the rain on the walk back after the show).

The lunch was good. We pencilled in doing it again next year.

The view from our seats.

The Gala opened with Almost Angelic, the musical double act of Karen Dunbar and Tom Urie, kicking the show off in absurd style. Afterwards, a stagehand pushed the platform, upon which Tom sat with his keyboard, across the stage the long way, much to Karen's mock despair. They'll be supporting Marti Pellow at the Bandstand in August.

Susie McCabe, as MC, wasted no time bringing on the first act, Des Clarke. My wife and I had heard his jokes just a few days ago, including one which I repeated at lunch, but they were still funny. 

Next up was Susan Riddell, using PowerPoint to illustrate the material relating to her arrest for (alleged) "Terrorism and Malicious Mischief". She's barred from Edinburgh because of this as part of her bail conditions and has to accept a 7 pm curfew. I'd love to hear the full story sometime.

Fred MacAulay referenced one of Susan's jokes at the start of his five minutes. A veteran of the circuit, Fred gave a quality set. I'm looking forward to seeing him on tour later in the year (though I'll probably skip his show with Ally McCoist at the Armadillo at those ticket prices).

Amanda Dwyer gave a funny but low-energy set, winning over the audience.

Likewise, the relatively unknown Ifrah Qureshi gave a fine set, demonstrating a good eye for comedy, especially at her family's expense.

Connor Burns closed the first half, giving a performance that ably demonstrated why he sold out five shows at the King's this festival. He is a comedy superstar in the making.

After the break, Susie gave us five minutes on why her life has been a struggle of late, with a heart attack being the least of her worries.  

Then, Karen Dunbar returned for a routine about when she and her sister (God rest her soul) went to the social club and got hammered on the new beverage, White Lightning.            

Another newcomer, Jack Brookmyre, looked uncomfortable in his sleeveless denim jacket patched with heavy metal band logos, but gave a confident performance. His voice work is great, especially his Gollum. One to look out for.

Stuart Mitchell's star is in the ascendant. He's always reliable for a laugh and today was no exception.

Mhairi Black was a more left-field choice, but she showed that her transition from politics to stand-up has gone well. She has always been a great speaker and knows how to be funny.

Rosco McClelland closed the stand-up element of the Gala, confident enough to throw in some new material which didn't hit the mark. 

After this, the Festival Director, Krista MacDonald, gave an impassioned speech about celebrating Scottish comedy, a flourishing circuit despite the lack of financial support it receives as an art form. She introduced a video highlighting each nominee for the Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award. They were:

Top Row:

Amanda Dwyer (Comedian) 
Chris Conway (Comedy promoter/owner of Blackfriars of Bell Street)
Kate Hammer (Comedian)

Second Row:

Kim Blythe (Comedian)
Susan Riddell (Comedian)
Zara Gladman (Writer, performer, and producer)

The winner was: Amanda Dwyer.

Accepting the award, she was speechless, never believing she would win, already assuming that her Material Girl partner, Susan Riddell, would take it.  The short video they showed of Billy Connolly praising Amanda was quite emotional. He looked unwell, with the moonface of a man possibly on long-term steroids. Lovely to hear his voice, though.

As we departed the room, the audience was treated to an airing of his 1974 song, "If It Wasnae for Your Wellies". Lovely to hear that again.

All the nominees were present, even those not performing (Chris Conway isn't a comedian). I know this because an old friend of mine managed to snatch selfies with each individual at the stage door. It's his thing.

Outside, we spotted Dave Flynn, producer of Breaking the News. My wife wouldn't let me take his picture. She didn't need to say it. She just gave me a look.

Ticket Price: £24.10 x2 + Transaction Fee £3.95 = £52.15 from ATG Tickets.

Breaking the News Turns 10, BBC Radio Recording, The Stand, Glasgow. Tuesday 23rd September, 2025

 

Host: Des Clarke.

Panellists: 

Stuart Mitchell 

Elaine Malcolmson

Mark Nelson

Jay Lafferty

My second visit to the new Stand in Glasgow, and this time there were surprises. 

The first surprise was that the BBC didn't know ticket validation had been advertised as starting at 11.30 am. They were not ready until their usual time, midday, by which time the queue was massive, stretching way along past the Kelvin Bridge. I leaned against the bridge wall, unaware of the writing on the brickwork, until my wife pointed out that I had chalk all over my jacket. The sun was unseasonably warm and bright. I was pleased when the BBC staffer moved us down the side street, though even that was too short to accommodate us.

In the end, over forty people were turned away, the event way oversubscribed. I suspect the BBC's ticketing department didn't realise The Stand has a lower seating capacity than Drygate. They certainly didn't comprehend that the Stand has a tiny footprint for waiting. We squeezed into a corner near the door so we could hear when they called out the numbers for going in. Only that didn't happen. They called Accessibility forward first, and then Purple stickers. We had purple stickers for numbers 175 and 176, so by the time we got in, most of the seats in the centre were already filled. We ended up on a hard pew at the side, near the entrance. 

I then realised two things:

1. The programme was being recorded for TV, not Radio, to be shown over the festive period, with multiple cameras set up to face the stage.

2. The room was far deeper than we'd experienced at Josie Long, double the depth of that event. 

The recording was brilliant. The comedians had a blast, providing hilarious answers that wouldn't make the edit. Des showed off his talent for mimicry, showcasing his impressions of The Donald, George Galloway, and Raymond Mearns. Mark Nelson cracked some hilarious jokes, such as "I've been inside a voting booth more often in the last ten years than I've been inside my wife." Stuart Mitchell had some dark humour lines, too. This is in relation to DJT's second state visit: "Usually, the only time Americans return to Scotland a second time is to get scattered."

The only downside to the recording was that it ran over by fifty minutes. By the time Des was recording his pick-ups at the end, many in the audience had decided to slip away, causing a noise problem as chairs scraped and footfalls echoed on the steps. 

At the very end, the producer presented a candlelit caterpillar cake to Des, and we sang "Happy Birthday" to the show. 

On the journey home, intending to collect the dogs first from doggy daycare, I entered our destination incorrectly into the sat nav. Fortunately, as I crossed the Squinty Bridge, I saw the journey time was 2 hours and 45 minutes, and I realised my mistake. I'd hit the Favourite button 12. Cruden Bay, instead of 13. Pawz & Co. The joys of a touchscreen. 

I'm pleased future recordings of the show are returning to Drygate. Fingers crossed my ticket application is accepted.

Our view of the stage

Ticket Price: Free from BBC Tours and Shows

Screenshots from the broadcast show:

Edinburgh Fringe, Tuesday 5th August 2025: Larry Dean (WIP), Glesga Da F**ks Off, Ray O'Leary, Alasdair Beckett-King, Rhys Darby

Bob and I took advantage of the '2 for 1' day at the Fringe, seeing the following acts:

Larry Dean WIP £12 (12 noon) Monkey Barrel 3

A reliable start to the day, with Larry working on a set about his recent marriage. Some banging punchlines. It is going to be a brilliant show when he's finished working on it. 

Glasga Da F**ks Off £10 (15.40) Hoots @The Apex Hoots 2  

Stuart Mitchell and Raymond Mearns sign off from their podcast with a run of shows at the Fringe. An improvised hour of chat, with the veteran Mearns providing most of the banter. I was surprised by how little Stuart contributed. Lots of fans of the podcast were in the audience and were very much up for a laugh. The seating layout was a bit awkward, with entry to the rows only from the side nearest the door and hardly any room for people to get by. After the show, on the way out, I got to shake Raymond's hand as he thanked everyone for coming. 

They've ended the podcast because it made them no money. Any income they made went back out to pay for the studio, the producer, and the techies.      

Ray O'Leary: Laughter? I Hardly Know Her! £15 (18.05) Pleasance Beside

As we stood in the queue, we were informed by the ticket checker that this show would start twenty minutes later than billed. I'd left a long enough buffer between shows that this didn't matter, but others were annoyed. The previous show had started late.

Ray gave a good performance, opening with a bit where a stranger accused him of being a good role model for autism. Only he hasn't been diagnosed as autistic. Not that you'd know from the way he constantly touched his hair, face and glasses. His deadpan hour was humorous, using his slow speech pattern to good effect. When he left the stage at the end, following a scripted section involving audience participation, the girl speaker was left holding her microphone. When she looked behind the curtain to return it, Ray was already gone. 

Alasdair Beckett-King "King of Crumbs" £17 (20.00) Pleasance Dome - King

This was a fine hour of left-field humour, utilising clever sound effects, PowerPoint and stage props. Alasdair has a unique view of reality and takes us into his world. The jokes are insightful, clever, obscure and very funny.  Highly recommended.

Rhys Darby "The Legend Returns" £19 x 2 (21.20) Pleasance Courtyard - Grand

One of the finest shows I have seen at the Fringe. Rhys is concerned about AI and the imminent rise of the robots and takes us on a journey into the future, masterfully making all his own sound effects to illustrate it. The stories he physically acts out are hilarious, and the way he ties them all together at the end is brilliant. 

My only problem was seeing over the full head of hair in front of me. When Rhys stood centre stage, my view was blocked by the lush, spiky locks of the youth in front. I'd recommend getting there early to snag a seat nearer the front. 

All in all, a fantastic day at the Fringe, with five top shows for under fifty quid each (excluding transport and sustenance). 

Breaking The News Recording, Drygate, Glasgow. Thursday 3rd July 2025

Host: Des Clarke

Panellists:

Daliso Chaponda

Jay Lafferty

Tiff Stevenson

Stuart Mitchell

When your wife asks, before you leave, "Are you wearing that jacket?" it's essential to listen to the subtext. She's not disparaging the garment; she's questioning its appropriateness. I didn't listen, though. Even when she recommended an alternative. I thought, 'this one's smart; it'll do.'

I arrived at Drygate ten minutes before the doors opened. The queue was already beyond the gates, though not quite as far as the street. I didn't have a long wait, but my assigned number to get into the show was 096, so I couldn't secure a seat inside while we waited (they allocate the ticket numbers an hour before letting us into the show recording). It was dry but windy, so I sat outside at one of the benches and ate my roll and bacon with potato scone, and drank a can of Irn Bru. It was a table for one as my wife had called off with a respiratory infection.

This week's audience question was inspired by the film 'Jaws' turning fifty. It asked, "What was the movie that changed your life and why?" 

One response: 'After watching the film Trainspotting, I now avoid public toilets in Edinburgh.' I can't remember the others.

 

I didn't find this week's show hilarious. Although it wasn't as warm as last time, I found myself closing my eyes and not listening intently. This was partly due to my poor view, as I was unable to see Daliso on the far left unless I leaned forward. With topics such as the Labour Welfare bill and DJT's Big Beautiful Bill, many of the comedians' replies were serious about the potential damage these bills could cause. Several of the jokes fell flat, and others were groan-worthy. One interesting fact: Daliso's dad might end up as the next President of Malawi. 

Jay unintentionally managed to get a question right. When asked, "What do 43% of Americans think bacon is...",  she replied vegan. The correct answer was "a plant". She confessed she'd only been joking. Stuart chipped in, "Isn't that what you're supposed to do on a comedy panel show?" Big laugh from the audience.

Stuart Mitchell came up with the best line of the day in response to Tiff Stevenson discussing her haunted boobs. She claimed she had big supernaturals. Stuart quipped, "See if your breasts were haunted, would they be called 'BOO-bs'? 

After the show, I made a quick exit, only to find it was raining. That's what my wife had been inferring when she mentioned my jacket. She knew rain was coming. Anyway, the shower turned into a 'shower of bastards' as I walked along Duke Street. The fenced-off bus shelter felt like a personal attack. 

Only for wheelbarrows and cement.

By the time I reached George Square, my waterproof jacket was more a "proof of water jacket", with rain sliding down inside my sleeves and rising through the pockets. My Gore-Tex trainers couldn't cope either. I was soaked through as I reached home. I pity the fool who used my train seat next. They might have thought I'd pissed myself. 

Not sweaty feet

It's July. The schools are off. Of course, it's going to rain. Welcome back. We didn't miss you. 

Ticket price: Free. 

UPDATE:

The programme broadcast was a triumph of editing, giving each panellist a chance to shine, leaving out all the guff and fluffs.   

Stuart Mitchell "Tips Not Included" UK Tour 2025, Paisley Arts Centre, Saturday 5th April, 2025

This was my first visit to the Paisley Arts Centre since its revamp. We arrived at 7:30 p.m. for an 8 p.m. show start, expecting the doors to the auditorium to be open. The show was sold out, so the bar area was busy—too busy to get in. It's just as well the planners added that extra space at the front. 

Paisley Arts Centre

The auditorium, with its red padded seats, looked plush. The stage was on the floor level, the folds of the theatre curtain drapes catching the illumination. What looked like four light sabres stood vertically across the back. No Force battles occurred during the performance, so they must have been there as decoration.

Stuart announced himself and did crowd work for the first twenty minutes. He peppered this with a few jokes to keep us amused, but his interactions failed to hit comedy gold. Then, after the interval, he returned to deliver his prepared material. 

I was disappointed that he didn't have a support act. I suppose, as it was his debut hour, he wanted to keep the box office for himself. The show itself was okay, with lots of funny lines. In Edinburgh terms, you'd call it his Dead Parents' hour. He explained how he came to lose his finger tips, how his mum had killed herself and how he lost his dad to cancer. He also nearly lost his wife, too, before their wedding when an ovarian cyst burst, leading to her developing a systemic infection. 

I'd heard some of his material before, during his Christmas show. I felt his delivery tonight wasn't totally smooth, and I noticed he repeated one punchline, inserting it later in the correct place. It's early in the run, though, so he can be forgiven for the odd fluff. Given the dark subject matter, he could have enhanced the comedic responses by playing more with the emotional weight of the tragedies. But then, he admits he's no actor, despite once playing Bible John in an ITV show. 

He killed then, but not so much tonight. It was acceptable as a debut show for a club comic. Perhaps my expectations were too high.

Ticket Price:
2 Full Price Tickets £20.00 x2 = £40.00
Per Item Fees £2.00 (Service Charge Full Price Ticket) x2 £4.00
Order Processing Fees Handling Fee £1.35
Total: £45.35 from Ticketmaster

Stuart Mitchell & Festive Friends, Blackfriars, Glasgow. Early Afternoon Show, Friday 6th December, 2024

It has been many years since I last visited Blackfriars and even longer since I'd been to a show there. And at nearly a tenner for a glass of red wine and a can of Irn Bru, it may be a while before I return. Since my last visit decades ago, the downstairs area has been given a revamp; the stage is now at the opposite end of the room, where the bar used to be, with a mural of Detective Columbo as a practical reminder of where to face. Actually, the position of the mic stand and the chairs help, too.   

The show is sold out despite the 2:30 p.m. start on a Friday afternoon. Stuart Mitchell is the draw for many of the crowd, which has a predominantly elderly demographic. There was a bit of impolite forcefulness as punters converged on the stair entrance from three directions, multiple people pushing in front of me after my wife went through. Such was their enthusiasm to grab the best seats.  

Downstairs, the semi-circle front row had been heavily populated by grey/balding old men, all friends from Motherwell. As Stuart remarked, they gave the place the appearance of a prostate ward, cue mime pulling on the surgical gloves. 

Stuart is hosting, not headlining, much to one woman's vocal disappointment. He has to remind her of the show's title, emphasising the 'And Friends' part. As host, he shows off his crowd-work skills for which he is famous on the old internet. He gets some mileage from the Motherwell grandpas, one of whom claims to work at Edinburgh Zoo. The punter's replies are quick-witted, the banter bouncing back and forth, with others joining in. Who knew a Friday afternoon crowd could be so rowdy? Especially with a Chief Detective Inspector from the Paisley Police Office in attendance.

The first act is Rosco Mclelland, who is in his thirties and is younger than everyone in the audience as far as I can see. I'd watched his recent Edinburgh show online, and he used bits from it today, but not enough for it to feel like a repeat. At times, it felt like he was slogging through his material, trying to connect with this crowd and stop them from veering off into heckle-land or starting conversations. We weren't his normal demographic.

Aside: He revealed he'd had his teeth fixed in an attempt to appear more tv-friendly, just as BBC Scotland admitted they had no money left for new programmes.     

After the interval, Stuart dropped a bombshell: the zookeeper was, in fact, a car salesman. He was miffed because it scuppered the joke he'd written at the break especially for him, asking, "What Koala-fications do you need to work at the zoo? 

After more banter with Mr Mercedes, Stuart introduced his Glesga Da, Raymond Mearns, as headliner. Raymond has been on the circuit for decades. I'd even seen him perform (badly) in this venue back then when he died on his arse. Today, he fared better. His rough and ready Glaswegian material won over the crowd, though he did give both barrels to the grandpas to ensure they knew who was in charge. 

This show went over well as a wee early Christmas treat. Hopefully, when I see Stuart perform again, the crowd will be better behaved but just as funny.   

Ticket Price (for two): £19.80 (incl. £1.80 booking fee) from WeGotTickets.