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Top 5 weekend comedy gigs
By Bruce Dessau, Evening Standard 26.10.06
Canadian comic Phil Nichol, winner of the if.commedies award in Edinburgh
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The final weekend of the if.comeddies season features manic Canadian Phil Nichol, Sarah Kendall brings her hit Edinburgh show to Soho and Mark Steel waxes lyrical about French history...
Phil Nichol
Garrick Theatre, WC2
The final weekend of the if.comeddies season features the popular Canadian winner of the inaugural award. His manic, majestic winning set, The Naked Racist, was inspired by a lost weekend in Amsterdam and culminates in Nichol baring his all onstage, which is both gratuitous and pretty unmissable. Tonight, Nichol is supported by Stephen K Amos, on Friday and Saturday he will be combining his 2005 and 2006 shows. (0870 890 1104). Until Sat 28 Oct, 8pm.
Sarah Kendall
Soho Theatre, W1
Super-smart Aussie Sarah Kendall brings her hit Edinburgh show to Soho. We've all had those moments where we think of cutting comebacks when it is too late; Kendall has based her whole set around the notion. The phrase for that kind of remark is esprit de l'escalier, meaning "sprit of the staircase". Or as Kendall translates it, "Bollocks, I wish I'd said..." You can also catch quickwitted Welshman Rhod Gilbert here at 8pm until Saturday. (0870 429 6883). Until 4 November, 9.30pm.
Mark Steel
Arts Theatre, WC2
As anyone who has seen his illuminating BBC4 lectures on icons such as Beethoven and Cromwell will know, this self-taught south Londoner can make even the driest of subjects comical. This current run is entitled Vive La Revolution so one can expect Steel to be waxing lyrical about French history, from the days of the guillotine to the days of Eric Cantona's kung fu kick at Crystal Palace. (0870 060 1742) Until Sun 29 Oct, 8pm.
Jeff Green
Blackheath Halls, SE3
Few comedians have channelled their lives into stand-up routines as well as Jeff Green, who has even published best-selling guides to being a bachelor and cohabiting. He has just published The A-Z of Having a Baby (Little Brown), so this gig may well draw on his recent experiences of pregnancy (hers, not his), nappy changing and eyeing up the 4X4-owning yummy mummies in the park. (020 8463 0100). Sat 28 Oct, 8pm.
Tim Vine
Bloomsbury Theatre, WC1
The brother of broadcaster Jeremy Vine and co-star of slick new BBC1 Friday night sitcom Not Going Out can officially claim to be one of the funniest people on the planet. In 2004 at the Soho Theatre he broke the World Record for the most jokes in an hour - 499. The Gagmeister General may also have come up with the shortest-ever one-liner - "Velcro. What a rip-off." Unless you know better... (020 7388 8822). Fri 27 & Sat 28 Oct, 8pm.
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