For comedy during the festival, there is no venue in Edinburgh to match up to the reputation or atmosphere of the Pleasance. At all other times of the year it is a mere car park, which makes its success and popularity even more remarkable. There is a great atmosphere of camaraderie and excitement throughout the venue, with many of the performers wandering around, more than happy to be stopped to be congratulated. No one is able to walk more than a few yards without being accosted by someone handing out flyers, but this is done in a friendly way and sometimes may result in an offer of free tickets to a nearby show.
The Pleasance caters for your every need. There is an inside bar, two outside bars, a pasta bar and a coffee shop all culminating in the Pleasance courtyard. It is not unusual to find people in the courtyard who aren't seeing shows, but are just there to be part of the positive, excited atmosphere. The Pleasance is divided into more than ten venues, ranging from the cabaret bar (which hosts the essential Karaoke during the final week of the festival) to Pleasance One, used by the BBC for its recording of Radio Broadcasts and the New Comedian of the Year Awards for television.
Hot and cold food is available all day and night in the inside bar, the coffee shop and until 9pm in the Pasta Bar. The bars are generally open late but which the enforcement of new licensing laws, any drinks remaining on the stroke of 11pm must be taken into the inside bar, which ruins the whole party atmosphere of this prime venue.
This year has seen the opening of a new venue, Club Pleasance @ the Chaplaincy, open until very late with student-priced drinks and all for only £2 entry. For the past few years, The Chaplaincy has also been the chosen venue to host the prestigious Perrier Awards.
This year, the Pleasance played host to Dave Gorman, Lee Mack, Garth Merenghi and Otis Lee Crenshaw - four out of the five Perrier Award nominees, all of which put on extra shows due to huge popular demand.
The new University year is now in full swing, and that can mean only one thing - the Comedy Network is back! Coming to a university near you as we speak are some of the UK's most talented new comers, working alongside some of the UK's most talented slightly older comers.
The Pleasance Cabaret Bar plays host to the Network gigs, alongside some special gigs, with appearances from Avalon favourites like Simon Day promised in the coming year. So if you've been to The Stand more than three times this year (and have therefore already seen all that Scotland has to offer) you could do a lot worse than to pop along to the Pleasance every other Tuesday. Acts still to come include the wonderful Howard Read, the very special John Oliver, and saviour of the world Andy Zaltzman.
The night is very friendly, the beer is a student prices (hooray!) and at only £4 - £6 a ticket, it's great value all round.
0131 226 2151
The main competitor during the Fringe Festival with the Pleasance for up and coming comedy, the Gilded Balloon comprises around eight different theatres, ranging from the tiny, cold Cave to the main theatre, home to the infamous Late N Live. Many of the venues are quite small, which can add to the atmosphere during the show, particularly if sitting in the front row.
Without a courtyard to create the village atmosphere that helps the Pleasance, the Gilded Balloon nevertheless is a fantastic venue, particularly if you enjoy the hard sell of flyerers and performers desperate to fill up their venues. It can also be a great place to pick up free tickets for shows, or two-for-one ticket offers. A stone's throw away from the Royal Mile, it is in the heart of the Festival Fringe. During the day, it provides indoor and outdoor seating, along with some great, if slightly overpriced bar food.
The nightlife around the Gilded Balloon is also a main attraction, with the Gilded Saloon bar and the Rizla Lounge. Highlight of the night is always Beck's Late N Live, the late night show case for performers brave enough to risk the always drunk and over enthusiastic Fringe crowds.
Some highlights of Gilded Balloon performances this year included Big And Daft In Space, The Hollow Men, Adam Hills, Boothby Graffoe and Ross Noble.
The unofficial 'National Theatre of the Fringe', the
Assembly Rooms plays host during the festival to some
of the most successful comedians of today's circuit.
Somewhat off the beaten track of the Festival Fringe,
the Assembly Rooms nevertheless attracts large crowds
every year, thanks to headline acts like Jeff Green,
Bill Bailey and John Hegley.
The Assembly Rooms attracts a more middle-aged,
middle-class audience than the other two main comedy
venues during the festival. The seating in all venues
is tiered and slightly uncomfortable, and can
sometimes take away from the 'live' feeling available
in other venues, leaving the audience feeling less
involved and more like spectators. That said, booking
a night at the Assembly Rooms almost always guarantees
a night of quality, professional comedy from people at
the heights of their career.
The Stand is the premier venue for live stand-up
comedy in Edinburgh, outside Festival time. Open
every night and all day Sunday, it hosts an impressive
line up of local and visiting acts. Hosting a new
acts night every Monday, and a variety of events
throughout the week,
Tickets can be pre-booked over the phone, or can be
bought at the door. Weekend shows often sell out, so
it's best to book in advance. An impressive selection
of hot food is served from 7.30pm, and shows start
from 9pm.
With resident comperes Thursday to Sunday night, and a
variety of Stand regulars, including Miles Jupp, Nick
Findlay and Craig Hill, the stand also plays host to
the cream of British stand up. Recent performers
include Simon Munnery, Parrot and Phil Kay.
Bound and Gagged plays host to some of the lesser-known Names on the comedy
circuit but from time to time pulls in the odd celebrity. Past special guests
have include Owen O'Neill (The Fitz, BBC2) and Dave Gorman (Perrier Award Nominee 2000).
Tickets are priced £5-£7 with £1 obligatory membership fee for the B&G virgins.
The shows are performed in a small function room, which would make a great venue
for a family celebration. There is a small bar on one side of the room, a stage
at the end, and not really much else except lines of chairs. It is not the most
inspiring of venues but it serves its purpose.
The drinks are reasonably priced
which is good for those of you who have done the walk from Tufnell Park tube station.
The atmosphere is friendly but it doesn't appear to be the kind of night, which
attracts punters from all across London, more of a local feel.
The Comedy Store is known world wide as being "the official home of British Comedy" and as such draws an exceptional number of tourists. Shows run from Tuesday through to Sunday, with extra late night shows and a slight change in line-up on a Friday and Saturday. Tickets range from £8 students to £15 full price, at weekends. Wednesdays and Sundays play host to the Comedy Store Players. This exceptional team of comics, regularly including Josie Lawrence, Jim Sweeney, Tony Hawkes and Paul Merton, perform improvised comedy at an alarming speed, far superior than any other company.
The Comedy Store is notorious for hecklers who are rarely visible to the performers due to the intense spotlight being shone on them and the darkness into which the audience is thrown. It is for these reasons that The Comedy Store is make-or-break for a lot of comedians. And with the tickets at such a price, at least you can be assured that every line-up is sure to contain a big Name.
Bar food consists mainly of burgers of sorts, chips, tapas and other fast food. It is delicious yet expensive and due to the size and layout of the venue, you will almost certainly end up eating at your seat.
The seating is arranged in regimental lines, which is awkward to accommodate large groups and for going to the bar/toilet subtly during an act. A word of warning…don't ever sit in the front row if you aren't prepared to be involved in conversation. The capacity is , not as big as it looks on the television.
The nearest tube is Leicester Square or Picadilly Circus. Tickets should be booked in advance but some tickets are held on the door for sale on the night of the show. Arrive early to avoid disappointment.
As you walk into the Hen and Chickens it seems like any other North London pub, fairly normal with nothing that immediately grabs your attention. In a small narrowing between the bar and the ladies toilet is a small desk, the box office. Past the box office is the stairway, which leads up to theatre, which is growing ever more popular by the week.
With a capacity of around 80, it has recently been the residency for the likes of Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt (the Boosh), The Hollow Men and this year's Perrier Best Newcomers - Noble and Silver.
The intimacy and relaxed atmosphere of the venue allows for such acts to perform work in progress, which may otherwise be discarded.
This may be becoming one of the trendiest theatre bars in London, but its prices certainly aren't reflected as such. Tickets for shows generally range between £5-£8 and must be reserved in advance, for collection at least 15 minutes before the start of the show. Bar snacks and some hot food are served.
The Hen and Chickens is situated on Highbury Corner, opposite Highbury and Islington tube station.
This fine venue is the home of the famous celebrity pub quiz, which is annually transported
to Edinburgh during the festival under the watchful eye of one Mr. Stephen Frost. Basically,
it's your bulk-standard pub quiz who's quiz-master is a celebrity from the UK comedy circuit
- it's a safe bet to say it'll be either Frost or one of his improvising counterparts. If it
isn't Frost, it's an even safer bet to say he'll be about the place somewhere along with an
abundance of other recognisable faces.
With large photographic portraits of comedy-greats
adorning the walls, the atmosphere is extremely friendly, and if you're keen to win the quiz,
and the bottle of plonk that goes with the prestige, best bring along a few mates.
The bar
prices are standard for such a trendy part of London and the entrance is a mere £3, well worth
a visit if you're in the area. The nearest over-ground station is East Dulwich.
Dublin's premier venue for live comedy, hosting three
nights a week of Irish and international acts. It is
housed in the building that used to be The old Screen
cinema in the heart of Dublin city centre, looking out
on the River Liffey. It runs Thursday to Saturday
nights, bringing over headline acts from England along
with resident Irish acts. Previous performers at the
Lounge have included Simon Munnery, Boothby Graffoe,
Ross Noble, Jeff Green and Bill Bailey, alongside
Irish acts like Dara O'Briain, Mark Doherty, and Eddie
Bannon.
The entrance fee is ten pounds, with reductions on a
Thursday night for students and the unemployed. The
venue seats around 350 people sitting in the old
cinema seating, with standing room at the back.
There is no dressing room, so performers often hang
around at the bar at the back of the room before
running up to the stage along the aisle. This adds to
the atmosphere at the gig, and can reinforce the
bonhomie between performer and crowd - unless, of
course, the performer has just died. Tickets can be
bought at the door - although shows do often sell out
in advance - over the phone, or in HMV and other
ticket outlets.
After a ten minute walk by the canal from Angel tube, the Dove Regent looks run down and perhaps not quite what you'd expect for such a plush area. However, once you walk through the doors you are immediately grabbed by the bar directly opposite, the wide range of Belgian beers on offer and the warm and friendly atmosphere. There is a small selection of home made food available which is fairly expensive but still good value. There are board games available and an old-style table football game. Once you are inside the Dove Regent you could be anywhere and as the comedians turn up they sit in the bar with the punters which gives the gig a more relaxed feel.
At 8pm the doors to the cellar are opened and once you have navigated yourself carefully down the steep staircase the first thing that grabs your attention is the black and white tiling on the floor. It is a very small room, which can get quite full and also very smoky. It makes for a very intimate gathering and the comedians tend always to comment on the heat that builds up and the light that shines directly into their faces.
Open Thursday and Friday, the entry is a bargain at £6 and £5 respectively with the comedy usually going on way past time so make sure you know all possible routes home. This is a great venue and always has a great bill, past performers include Dave Gorman, Dominic Holland and Paul Foot. It comes thoroughly recommended.
The original comedy club in Dublin, The Comedy Cellar
was set up in 1988 by Barry Murphy, Ardal O'Hanlon,
Dermot Carmody and Kevin Gildea, who worked together
in the comedy troupe Mr. Trellis. Still very much a
comedy club run by comedians for comedians, it hosts
an improv night on Mondays, and comedy most nights of
the week.
The Cellar runs in a small, dark room upstairs from
the main bar, with standing room and a fully stocked
bar at the back of the room. Due to the size of the
venue, the atmosphere is friendly most nights, and
when an act goes down well, it is positively electric.
The entrance fee is five pounds, with reductions for
students and the unemployed.
It is still the best place to see up and coming Irish
comedians performing alongside more established
performers. The line up is often not known until the
night itself, but regular performers there include
1999 So You Think You're Funny award winner David
O'Doherty and Australian Adam Hills.
Vicar Street is a new addition to the Irish comedy
circuit. Primarily a music venue, in the last year it
has hosted runs from Rich Hall as Otis Lee Crenshaw,
Johnny Vegas and Jason Byrne. Ticket prices vary
depending on the performing, and can be upwards of ten
pounds. It is a good venue to see some of more
experimental performers, who often use the venue to
try out new material before the Edinburgh Festival.
The lay out of the venue means that seats can be added
according to demand, and varies from tables surrounded
by chairs to straight theatre seating. During
performances lounge girls provide the drinks, thus
avoiding queues at the bar.
The world famous Comedy Store has come to Manchester, it's situated in the heart of Deansgate Locks, the most up and coming area of the city. It has undoubtedly brought comedy to a city which has been lacking the big names and relying heavily on local talent for far too long.
The audience at the moment are still trying to settle in and inevitably there are a mixed bunch going to see what live comedy is all about. The atmosphere is slightly subdued but within a few months it will be a well established club with regular goers, and the hecklers will make themselves apparent
More reasonably priced than the Comedy Store in London, it's £10 Friday and Saturday for a night with a mixed bill usually around 5 acts per show (late and early shows 8pm & 11.30pm on Sat) concs at £5 for nurses and NUS with ID. Wednesday sees northern talent doing topical comedy (£7), and on Thurs the Comedy Store Players make their way up from the capital to entertain with the very best improv fun and games (£9)
The Assembley Rooms
54 George Street. EH2
0131 226 2428
The Stand
5 York Place, EH1
0131 558 7272
Bound and Gagged @ Tufnell Park Tavern
162 Tufnell Park Road, N7
020 8450 4100
The Comedy Store
1A Oxendon Street, SW1
020 7344 0234 (ticketmaster)
The Hen & Chickens Theatre
109 St. Paul's Road, N1
020 7704 2001
East Dulwich Tavern
1 Lordship Lane, SE22
020 8299 4138
Murphy's Laughter Lounge
O'Connell Bridge, Dublin 1
(+353 1) 8744611On the Tiles@ The Dove Regent
Meccano Club@ The Dove Regent
65 Graham Street, N1
020 7608 2656
The Comedy Cellar
International Bar, Wicklow Street
(+353 1) 6770643
Vicar Street
Vicar Street, Dublin 1
(+353 1) 6097788
Comedy Store
Arches 3&4 Deansgate Locks, Whitworth Street West
08705 932 932