Comedy Festival Puts the Laughter Into Scotland's Big Year 2014 Glasgow
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***STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 00:01hrs WEDNESDAY 15 JAN 2014*** Comedy Festival puts the laughter into Scotland’s Big Year 2014 Glasgow International Comedy Festival set to be biggest yet. 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. Here come the girls Supported by Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, EventScotland and Homecoming Scotland, the 2014 programme boasts more variety than ever and has a distinctly female flavour. The SSE Hydro hosts an unprecedented two nights from comedy’s biggest name of the moment Miranda Hart, while her TV colleague Sarah Millican plays the Clyde Auditorium across the road. Other women headlining the festival include the legendary Dorothy Paul, cabaret trio Fascinating Aida,Australian superstar Pam Ann and the feisty Ruby Wax. 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. Tommy Sheppard, director of the festival organiser’s the Scottish Comedy Agency, said: “This is a big year for Glasgow, and for Scotland, and I’m delighted to say that we’ve got a programme which steps up to the mark. This is our biggest and most ambitious line-up yet and is set to do our city proud”. 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." Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer for EventScotland, said: “Scotland is the perfect stage for events, and Glasgow’s International Comedy Festival continues to grow from strength to strength and is a key event in Glasgow’s live entertainment calendar. This year’s festival also celebrates the Year of Homecoming, so we hope that not only visitors to Glasgow get to enjoy the fantastic line-up, but also Scots themselves, take the opportunity to experience a world-class comedy festival, right on their doorstep.“ ENDS FURTHER INFORMATION: Press release issued by Fraser Smith, on behalf of Glasgow International Comedy Festival 07801 55 22 85 / 0131 558 3717 [email protected] NOTES TO EDITORS: - The Glasgow International Comedy Festival was established in 2003 and is now entering its twelfth year. - The Glasgow International Comedy Festival is supported by main funder, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau. - The festival is organised by the Scottish Comedy Agency, a sister company of Salt’n’Sauce Promotions Ltd, which owns and operates the highly successful Stand Comedy Clubs in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle. - Tickets for all shows are available via the respective venue’s own box offices, direct from ticketSOUP.com on 0844 395 4005. - register at glasgowcomedyfestival.com for all the latest news and follow on Twitter @glasgowcomedy Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) is the official destination marketing organisation (DMO) for the city of Glasgow. As custodian of the PEOPLE MAKE GLASGOW brand, GCMB works with partners, stakeholders and businesses to position and promote Glasgow across national and international markets as one of Europe’s most vibrant, dynamic and diverse cities in which to live, work, study, invest and visit. For more information, visit: www.peoplemakeglasgow.com and follow @peoplemakeGLA. EventScotland: EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org. Follow EventScotland on Twitter @EventScotNews. EventScotland is part of VisitScotland, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland. Homecoming Scotland 2014 - Scotland will welcome the world in the Year of Homecoming 2014- providing a year-long programme of events alongside the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games. - The Year of Homecoming Scotland will run from 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2014 throughout the length and breadth of the country. - Visitors from around the world are invited to join in a celebration of the nation’s food and drink, active pursuits, cultural heritage, nature and ancestral heritage. - Homecoming Scotland 2014 is a Scottish Government initiative being led by EventScotland and VisitScotland, supported by numerous partners. - To find out more visit www.homecomingscotland.com .