Comedy / Caberet Preview

[DeanoL]

Nicer looking version here: http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/loved/entry/gla...y_caberet_tent/

Wanted to write this once the full line-up was out, but it's Monday night and we still only have the 'highlights' from the Guardian Guide, so I'm going to have to write it off of that. Full listings will be in the programme but do drop by the tent every morning and check the chalk-boards outside for up-to-date times and any changes, as it tends to be pretty fluid.

Friday:

Early Edition - Marcus Brigstocke, Andre Vincent, Phill Jupitus and Carrie Quinlan. They generally talk about current affairs, but with this being Glastonbury there's a good chance they'll be talking about the festival instead, given most of us are cut-off from newspapers and TV for five days. Could be a lot of fun, definitely recommend this.

Attila the Stockbroker - Lefty poet and singer/songwriter. He's good but can be a bit heavy on the rhetoric and full of himself sometimes. Still worth checking out though. Don't be put off by the word 'poet' - he's genuinely funny with it.

Steve Gribbin - Ace musical comic. Also quite left wing but in a sillier way.

Robert Llewellyn - Yeah, Kryton off of Red Dwarf. Haven't seen his stand-up though.

Ed Byrne - Funny Irish man. You've probably seen him on TV at some point. Very funny guy, straight-forward stand-up.

Rhythm Wave - Dancers. Not funny at all but very impressive.

Simon Munnery - Avant-garde comic, very random and clever stuff. If you're already drunk at this point you probably won't get the jokes, but if you're still with it he will make you feel very clever.

Jeff Green - Again, a very funny, straight-forward joke teller.

Andre Vincent - Crazy stories and such. Not seen him much recently but he's generally worth a punt.

Andrew Lawrence - A personal favourite. Dark, disturbing stories and songs.

Tom Stade - Funny Canadian man - again, haven't seen him in a few years now.

Full Mooners - Andrew Maxwell presenting a bunch of comics while wearing a cape and howling at the moon. The idea of Full Mooners is that anything goes, it's meant to be shocking and crazy and such. Well worth seeing.

Saturday

Aisle 16 - A 'Poetry Boy Band'. If you think you don't like poetry, check these guys out. They might change your mind.

Kevin Eldon - Character comedy from the actor Kevin Eldon. You might remember him from the old Lee and Herring shows (or even the recent Stewart Lee show, or Bill Bailey's last DVD)

Jeremy Hardy - Clever comedy from a Radio 4 stalwart.

Mitch Benn - The king of musical comedy, a Glasto institution, he's been doing this so long he practically has a set of stories just about Glastonbury to go with the very funny songs.

4 Poofs and a Piano - Jonathan Ross's house band, they're actually very good and very funny and worth seeing.

Arthur Smith - A true legend of comedy. Last year he came on and just did Leonard Cohen songs in between telling jokes.

We Are Klang! - I love these guys. The best sketch comedy out there, bar-none. They will have you pissing yourself and singing about a council estate. And they clash with the Boss. Damn.

Phil Kay - A total nutter. Go see him and you'll get one of two things: an utter shambles that just falls apart, or the best thing you'll see all weekend.

Phil Nichol - "I'm the only gay eskimo....". He also does jokes and stories. Very very good.

Brendon Burns - You probably heard the story. Years ago he gave out free magic mushrooms to the whole tent to get a thousand people high in order to prove the existance of god and forgive his ex-girlfriend. These days he tends to mostly stick to doing stand-up instead, and is bloody good at it.

Sunday

Murray Lachlan Young - A very funny poet. Again, you might think you won't like it. But you will.

John Otway - f**k yeah! We thought he wasn't going to be on, and it looks like just one show this year (instead of the usual 6 or so, unless he's doing the outdoor circus stage too). Rock and Roll's most successful failure, a two-hit wonder that refuses to get old. Watch it. Serious. Watch it.

Robin Ince - Terrific clever stand-up from one of the best acts on the circuit. Shouldn't be missed.

Get Up Stand Up - I believe they have political activist and comic Mark Thomas (who should not be missed) and Ivan Brakenbury, who'll be bringing his hospital radio show to Glastonbury. He is also awesome and great for music lovers.

Josie Long - Funny, witty, oddball - and the sweetest act you'll see all festival. You'll laugh, then you'll want to be her friend.

Ian Cognito - The polar opposite - Rude, offensive, shocking but equally brilliant.

Glenn Wool - Brilliant canadian story-teller.

Spymonkey - Apparently they're some physical theatre group. I don't know them, but wanted to moan that the Cabaret Tent isn't being closed by either Woody Bop Muddy or Phil Nichol by the looks of this. I want to throw rice at someone at the end of Glastonbury or at least sing about gay eskimos...

Also look out for:

Ben Goldacre @ Speakers Forum. He writes the Bad Science column for The Guardian and is amusing as he is enlightening.

Steve Frost Improv Allstars @ Theatre Tent - Phil Jupitus and others make up funny sketches from scenarios suggested by the audience. You'll be amazed by the speed of their wit.

[SJC]

no andy parsons this year?

[Homer]

Steve Frost Improv Allstars @ Theatre Tent

Anyone know the time for this? Mean tocatch it every year and it always clashes!

[Mardy]

lot of good stuff there, robin Ince, simon munnery, arthur smith, they all do it for me. Nice one.

[dr monkey]

Ivan Brakenbury is the funniest thing ive seen in the last few years and ive seen a lot of comedy in the last few years.

[honey_d]

Thanks so much for posting that..

was wishing someone would for a while.. definately going o check out wea re klang.. had no idea who or what they were about before!

[beecee]

*Bump*

Thanks for this!

[windy_miller]

Any chance of Bill Bailey turning up?

[freeak]

Have printed out a copy, thanks!

[DeanoL]

The times for the Theatre tent haven't been announced yet so don't know when the Stephen Frost improv guys are on. There's usually two shows, Fri/Sat or Sat/Sun and at sometime around 7-8pm, lasts an hour.

Bill Bailey is in Dublin on Fri/Sat, but is free on the Sunday. The Cabaret tent highlights also had a big gap around Sunday afternoon. Pure speculation though.