The biggest comedy festival in Europe returns from 14th March to 5th April 2014. Now in its twelfth year, the Glasgow International Comedy Festival offers nearly 105,000 tickets for 416 shows at 46 venues all over the city. With a programme for every taste and every budget the festival is joining in Scotland’s big year with shows celebrating the Year of Homecoming, the Commonwealth Games and the independence referendum.
Packed Programme
Radio Scotland’s Fred MacAulay leads a packed programme at the Kings Theatre which also features Omid Djalili, Jerry Sadowitz, and a gala benefit evening for Glasgow’s hospice featuring Canadian one-line merchant Stewart Francis. Other featured acts from across the festival include Rich Hall, Josh Widdicombe, Seann Walsh and Russell Kane at the Garage, Simon Evans, Miles Jupp and Shappi Khorsandi at the Citizens Theatre and Sean Hughes brings his critically acclaimed show “Penguins” to Oran Mor.
Crowds will be spoilt for choice of Scottish talent as the festival presents the best of Scottish comedy to the world. Home grown shows include Des Clarke, Raymond Mearns, Susan Calman, Craig Hill, Hardeep Singh Kohli, Gary Little, Phil Differ, Susie McCabe, Bruce Morton, and Billy Kirkwood.
The World Comes to Glasgow
With the eyes of the world on Glasgow this year, the festival’s International programme is the strongest to date, headed up by two specially programmed showcases. The Homecoming Comedy Gala on Saturday 5th April will feature four fantastic performers from Australia and Canada who are coming home to celebrate their Scottish ancestry. The Commonwealth Stands Up on Saturday 22nd March will whet the appetite for what’s to come during the Cultural Festival during Glasgow’s very own Commonwealth Games featuring four performer from across the Commonwealth.
Other International highlights include adopted Canadian comic Dan Bingham in his award winning solo show Adopt This! where he tells the story of his search for his birth family who turn out to be from Glasgow. Our American cousins are well represented too. 24 star and one of New York’s finest stand-up’s Janeane Garofalo leads the pack and for the sixth year running airline partner United Airlines presents America Stands Up which brings four of the best new comics from across the pond to Glasgow for their European debut. This year’s line- up includes Daily Show writer Paul Mercurio and breakthrough act Joe Machi.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Referendum
As the independence referendum gathers pace the festival offers a series of shows designed to generate discussion and, of course, laughs! On Monday 31st March the UK’s top political satirist Rory Bremner will be joined by friends on stage at the Citizens Theatre to take the nation’s political temperature in what promises to be a unique and unmissable event. Two of Scotland’s top political comedians Keir McAllister and Vladimir McTavish will bring their acclaimed show State of Scotland to Blackfriars Basement on Sunday 30th March to take their audience on a comedic journey through our present-day nation that will uncover the funny in Scottish politics. And after the sell-out success in 2013, the Sunday Herald again hosts a debate on the big question. Iain Macwhirter chairs the discussion Mibbes Aye, Mibbes Naw where Yes and No campaigns have been challenged to win their argument through humour.
Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said:
“The Glasgow International Comedy Festival has become synonymous with showcasing an eclectic line-up of the best comedians from home and abroad, and celebrating Glasgow’s enviable reputation as a must-visit destination. We’re well used to staging major events with huge international appeal and we’re looking forward to a Festival that will be the biggest on record, with an incredible 416 shows across 46 Glasgow venues.
“As host city for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, we’re now firmly in the global spotlight and the calibre of this year’s Festival programme is a strong reflection of this - it’s diverse, bold and packed with talent from across the Commonwealth and beyond; reinforcing why Glasgow is a city of choice for the top acts on the international comedy circuit.”
Let us know in the comments below what you’ll be getting out to during this year’s festival. And don’t forget to check the official website for the full line up.
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