It’s Your Festival

With nearly 40 venues stretching from Easterhouse to Shawlands, via the Trongate to the Clyde, the 2008 Magners Glasgow International Comedy Festival guarantees that the whole city will be laughing this March.

Whether it’s Jimmy Carr or French and Saunders packing out the 3,000 seater Clyde Auditorium or the hottest names on the circuit making it standing room only at intimate, atmospheric gigs in Brel, Blackfriars and Universal, there’s bound to be a great event happening right on your doorstep.

And the big names aren’t afraid to get in amongst it, either. Post-show, they’re likely to pop by the late night festival clubs in the West End or the Merchant City to make guest appearances, try out new material and get back to their roots. Night owls will also feel at home at The Grosvenor Cinema, with their after-hours showings of classic comedy flicks.

The city’s only full-time comedy venue The Stand Comedy Club has a venue packed with the cream of the UK comedy circuit including Phil Nichol, Stewart Lee and Reginald D Hunter, plus two very special showcases highlighting the best that the rest of the planet has to offer with The World Stands Up and America Stands Up.

The festival will also be taking up residence in some of the city’s most prestigious theatres, with a five day run of one night stands from the likes of Jerry Sadowitz, Dave Spikey and Karen Dunbar at the Theatre Royal and two week’s worth of stand-up at The Tron including John Hegley and Mitch Benn together with Tommy Sheridan taking the reins of his own late night talk show and Johnson and Boswell (aka Simon Munnery and Miles Jupp) returning to their old stomping ground in Stewart Lee’s new play.

Comedy In Your Community

The ever-popular Glasgow Stands Up: On Your Doorstep tour is back for 2008. Bringing the festival direct to you, community centres in Toryglen, Langside, Easterhouse, Castlemilk and, for the first time ever, Drumchapel, will host a night of quality comedy from Scotland’s top stand-ups. The ‘wee lassie with a big future’ (List) Susan Calman will introduce the man who ‘could make you laugh just reading the shinty results’ (Scotsman) John Gillick and ‘Scotland’s most uncompromising stand-up’(Guardian), the legendary Parrot. All this for just £3- that would barely cover your bus fare into the city centre!

Comedy on The Move

We know you’re not a bunch of comedic couch potatoes, so this festival we’re giving you plenty of chances to get your walking boots on and see the city from a whole new angle.

Join the throngs on the ever-popular comedy crawls around the Southside, West End and Merchant City, featuring a different comedian in each pub plus snacks and surprises along the way.

The festival’s favourite tour guide, architectural historian and comedian Alan Anderson, will be MC’ing both his Family Friendly Comedy Coach Tour and Gallus Glasgow Walks. Filled with the craic and the patter, whether you’re a visitor or a born and bred Weegie these are unique ways to learn something new about the dark secrets, wayward characters and colourful history of the Dear Green Place.

New For 2008

As the festival continues to flourish, more and more venues are eager to come along for the ride. This year the festival is spreading its wings south of the river and taking up residence in Shawlands at Agenda and the recently refurbished Church On The Hill.

BBC Scotland's new HQ at Pacific Quay will play host to a series of industry workshops, hosted by Still Game stars Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill amongst others, giving invaluable hints and tips for getting a foot in the comedy door.

There are great value, multi-act shows throughout the week at city centre venues McChuills, Capitol and Sloans- ideal for those who want to dip their toe into the festival- whilst The Buff Club and Viper will be providing some pre-club cheer.

A handy map of the city marking out venues can be found in the free official festival programme. Wherever you find yourself in Glasgow this March, we guarantee you’ll never be far from the fun.