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Edinburgh Reporter
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
Fringe 2025 – Loz Dodd: This Can't Be It
Multidisciplinary artist, comedian, and clown, Lawrence Dodd will perform 'This Can't Be It' at Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the first time this year – a boundary-pushing experimental comedy show about trying (and failing) to make sense of it all. Loz Dodd believes he's creating something monumental in this playful, meta show that never quite begins. Slipping through distractions, tangents, songs, and moments where the audience's presence shapes what unfolds – the show is a playful exploration of uncertainty, delighting in losing its own thread while exploring the strangeness of life and our attempts to understand it. Not knowing is both the method and the point. In 2025, 'This Can't Be It' has been performed at major UK comedy festivals such as Leicester Comedy Festival, Glasgow International Comedy Festival and Brighton Fringe. It previews at Edinburgh Fringe from the 10th – 19th August 2025. Contradictory characters flicker between earnest and absurd, sincere and surreal, reflecting the overwhelm of trying to pin down what matters in a world that never stands still. Beneath it all is a desperate longing for connection and understanding: a search for depth in a culture that keeps us skimming the surface. Lawrence Dodd Lawrence Dodd is a london-based alternative comedian and clown who has won over audiences around the UK with his unique blend of spontaneity, sensitivity and 'never-defined but ever-present air of chaos' (Reviews Hub). He has trained with established practitioners such as Julia Masli, Dan Lees, Spymonkey, Dr Brown, Bryony Kimmings and Hannah Bolou. Lawrence's work draws on the spontaneity and openness of contemporary clowning, the improvisational risk and audience interplay of performance art, and the restless, experimental energy of his years with Housewives – a band known for weaving together abrasive textures and unexpected euphoria. A longstanding Buddhist practice quietly informs his approach, bringing a sensitivity to uncertainty and a focus on presence that runs through the work. As a neurodivergent artist, Lawrence's perspective is shaped by a mind that finds connections and absurdities where others might not, giving the show an off-kilter and unpredictable energy, where tangents and sudden shifts reflect the quality of the neurodivergent mind. Vennue 151 The Laughing Horse Tickets here. Like this: Like Related
The Herald Scotland
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Fringe show explores 'origin stories' of Connolly and Gray
Writer and performer Alan Bissett will be stepping into the shoes of both Gray and Connolly in a show which will explore their 'origin stories.' Read more: When Billy Met Alasdair will look at the 'incredible challenges' they faced growing up in Glasgow. The one-man show will explore the journeys they made before they met up 'as equals' at The Third Eye Centre in Glasgow when Connolly turned up at the launch of Lanark, the late writer and artist's best-known book, in 1981. A photograph of Billy Connolly and the late Alasdair Gray taken more than 40 years ago has inspired a new Fringe show. (Image: George Oliver) Connolly worked in the shipbuilding industry before deciding to pursue a career as a folk musician several years before focusing on stand-up comedy. Gray, who studied at Glasgow School of Art, taught art in schools, painting murals for religious buildings and work as a scene painter for theatres. He wrote plays for radio, television and the stage while writing his epic novel Lanark. Alan Bissett will be performing the Fringe show When Billy Met Alasdair. (Image: Alasdair Watson) Bissett's show will also imagine the conversation the pair may have had at the launch of Lanark, which runs to more than 550 pages and is said to have taken Gray more than 30 years to complete. The book had been recommended to Bissett, who published his debut novel nearly 25 years ago, when he was trying to get his writing career off the ground. The writer and artist Alasdair Gray will be portrayed in a new Fringe show. (Image: NQ) He told The Herald: 'Billy Connolly and Alasdair Gray have been massive inspirations and influences on me. 'I've always been a Billy Connolly fan. I think everybody in Scotland is. It goes right back to my childhood when the whole family used to watch his videos. Billy Connolly will be portrayed in a new Fringe show, When Billy Met Alasdair. (Image: Glasgow International Comedy Festival) 'People kept telling me that if I wanted to be a writer I had to read Lanark. I was aware that it was a mountain that I had to climb. But once I got to the top the views were incredible. It really was a game-changer for me. 'I think every writer in Scotland can probably say they have been influenced by Alasdair in some way. 'He ploughed his own furrow. There was nobody else like him. He was an absolutely unique talent. 'I think people will be talking about Alasdair Gray in 200 or 300 years in the same way they talk about Robert Burns.' Gray, who died in 2019, became one of Bissett's biggest influences, as the former teacher and labourer built a career writing short stories, novels and plays. The photograph, by George Oliver, from the Lanark book launch was in Gray's personal collection for many years, before it was passed on to the writer Rodge Glass, who worked for Gray as his secretary. Bissett, who became a friend of Glass, was given it as a birthday gift around 10 years ago and put it on display in his living room. He recalled: 'I lived in the west end of Glasgow for around 10 years. You would see his work everywhere. It is very much part of the fabric of the city. "People were aware that he painted, but it was only later in his life that people talked about him as one of the most incredible painters Scotland has ever produced. He is almost more well-known now as an artist that as a writer. "Rodge would tell me all these stories about Alasdair. I used to say to him: 'I can't believe this is your job'. 'I would gaze at the photograph and wonder what Billy and Alasdair talked about. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall. It was always in my mind. 'Billy and Alasdair were both based in Glasgow. They might have known some of the same people and might have met socially before or after the photograph, but that is the only evidence that they ever met. That has really allowed me to fill in the gaps." Bissett was on a visit to the official Alasdair Gray Archive in Glasgow when he suggested the possibility of a play based on the photograph to its custodian, Sorcha Dallas. The idea became part of a joint project with the Glasgow Comedy Festival to ask writers and performers to create new work in response to Gray's life and work, with the project securing funding as part of the programme of events to mark 850 years since the city Glasgow secured 'burgh status.' Comedy writers and performers Ashley Storrie, Christopher Macarthur-Boyd and Bissett staged 'scratch performances' at the comedy festival and Gray Day, the annual celebration of the writer and artist. They were both staged at Oran Mor, the arts centre in the west end of Glasgow which has a famous ceilidh mural painted by Gray over several years. Bissett said: 'I did a half an hour performance at Gray Day and the comedy festival, but it had a really good response and I felt it would have a been shame to leave it at that. 'I felt there was more in the story if I pulled the thread and that if I extended it I would have a Fringe show. 'I basically tell their origin stories in the play. It is really about their struggles. We think of them as titanic figures, masters of their genres and great success stories. But they faced incredible challenges in order to get there. We kind of forget that. "I wanted to show just how much they both had to go through in order to get to the point where they meet as equals. The whole play builds towards that scene." The Fringe show will also be performed at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, a stone's throw from the Waverley Bar, the historic pub which Connolly previously performed in as a folk singer, along with Gerry Rafferty, Barbara Dickson and The Corries. Connolly is said to have been inspired to become an entertainer by a visit to the Fringe in the early 1960s before immersing himself in the folk music scene in Glasgow and forming the band The Humblebums with Rafferty. Connolly became increasingly well known for his humorous introductions to songs and after The Humblebums broke up in 1971, he was encouraged by Transatlantic Records boss Nat Joseph, who had signed the group, to pursue a career as a solo performer. Connolly's career was transformed the following year by a satirical stage musical inspired by his experiences of the shipbuilding industry, which he wrote with poet, novelist and playwright Tom Buchan for the 1972 Fringe. The Great Northern Welly Boot Show, which Connolly also starred in with actor Bill Paterson, was such a success in Edinburgh that it secured a transfer to the Young Vic in London. Bissett added: 'I'm going to presume that most people will be attracted to the show because of Billy Connolly. 'Loads of people have heard of Alasdair Gray, but they might not have read Lanark or be aware of what he did. I think the show is a really good opportunity to learn all about this really important cultural figure and how important Lanark has been to Scotland.'
The National
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
New Scot to host charity comedy gig for Palestinian family
Hitesh Rathore, originally from Sirohi, India, moved to the city two years ago and has put on a slate of sold-out gigs since beginning his comedy career, as well as garnering recognition from press. Now, Rathore is using his platform to raise money for a family of nine in Gaza by performing his show Chips, Cheese and Curry in Blackfriars of Bell Street on July 3. READ MORE: Paolo Nutini and Ncuti Gatwa join calls for Labour to suspend Israel arms sales In a social media post, he said: 'I have done many things I never dreamt of, and some things I didn't even know could be dreamt. "But here we are, doing a solo show for charity. [The] last one was so freaking beautiful – this one will be better. "Please come and support my dream, this time for charity." Proceeds from the gig will be donated to an emergency fundraiser for Abdul Rahman Al-Mughanni and his family. The six children, alongside their parents and grandmother, were forced to flee from their home in the east of Gaza due to Israeli strikes in the region. They initially sought shelter in an abandoned house with a tin roof in Khan Younis before it was bombed by the IDF. After fleeing to Rafah, the family initially planned to escape Gaza. However, with the Rafah crossing now blocked, the aim of the fundraiser has changed to rebuilding their family home in Shejaiya, which was also destroyed in an Israeli strike. Chips, Cheese and Curry previously sold out twice as a work-in-progress show during the Glasgow International Comedy Festival. READ MORE: The facts are clear. So why won't the BBC report on Israel's nuclear weapons? Rathore described the show, saying: 'This isn't just 'haha-I'm-an-immigrant' comedy. It's about finding a home in a place that sometimes doesn't know what to do with you.' The comic, who made it to the semi-finals of Ricky Gervais's Spirit of Comedy Award, previously told The Herald about why he moved to Glasgow, noting that it was a decision made on a whim after hearing a Nina Nesbitt song. 'It was in lockdown, I was watching this TV show called Elementary. It had this song in it, Feather on the Clyde,' he said. 'I had no idea where the Clyde was or what Glasgow was, but I decided I was going to move there.' Rathore was also labelled as 'one to watch' by The Stand Comedy Club. The show is 18+ and tickets are available here.
Glasgow Times
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Everything you need to know about the O2 Academy in Glasgow
With so many artists like Kneecap and The White Buffalo coming to the O2 this year, you may be looking to know more about the venue, especially if you haven't been before. When did the O2 Academy in Glasgow open? According to Hidden Scotland, the 02 Academy, located on Eglinton Street, was originally built as a United Secession Church in 1825. The venue was then converted into the Bedford Cinema in 1921 before it was destroyed in a fire just 11 years later. The newly constructed cinema opened on Boxing Day that same year and remained a picture house until 1973. Before becoming a music venue in 2003, it was used as a bingo hall. The gig space was launched by Deacon Blue, with the venue since hosting The Killers, James Brown and more. How to get to the O2 Academy in Glasgow from the city centre The O2 Academy is only a short drive from the city centre, with those travelling from Glasgow's Buchanan Bus Station only needing to drive for around 11 minutes. Those making use of public transport can take the "Number 3" bus from West Regent Street before getting off at Bedford Street, a one-minute walk away from the venue, according to First Bus. What items are banned at the O2 Academy? The O2 Academy website lists the following banned items: Weapons, including but not limited to firearms, knives, combat weapons, explosives, heavy chains, etc Illegal drugs and substances, including unmarked liquid or pill medication bottles and nitrous oxide, etc Bags and containers larger than 40cm x 40cm x 20cm Alcohol, cans, bottles, including any glass objects or vessels or metal cans and objects Food or drink (unless required due to a pre-existing condition, which is supported with medical evidence) Liquids, gels and perfumes of more than 100ml Laser pens or pointers Professional cameras, including professional camera equipment Fireworks, fire-starters, and open flames Laptops, tablets, audio recording equipment, noise-making devices or card reading devices Skateboards and rollerblades, hover-boards, scooters, bicycles, and other personal motorised and non-motorised vehicles Non-service animals/animals not used by those with a disability Unauthorised solicitation, flags or marketing materials (e.g., posters, flyers, stickers) All unapproved unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or drones, unless expressly authorised in accordance with LNE's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Policy Chairs or stools Helmets Large umbrellas Pushchairs Spray cans, markers and graffiti pens Any item deemed to be dangerous by the General Manager What is the capacity of the O2 Academy? The Glasgow International Comedy Festival website states that the venue houses a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system. It also has a capacity of 2,550, allowing it to cater to live gigs and cutting-edge dance events. Recommended Reading: Are there any age restrictions at the O2 Academy in Glasgow? The O2 states that restrictions can range from "only 14s and over" to "under 14s must be accompanied by an adult" to "strictly over 18s", etc. As such, those under the age of 18 or accompanying children should check in advance before booking tickets.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Winner of Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award 2025 revealed
The winner of the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award 2025 has finally been announced. The annual award is handed out at the end of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival's (GICF) Comedy Gala, which ran between March 12 and 30 this year. At the award ceremony this afternoon, it was revealed that Rosco McClelland was this years winner. The comedian collected his trophy onstage at the King's Theatre in Glasgow's city centre, following a touching video message from Sir Billy Connolly himself. (Image: Image of Rosco provided) Rosco was up against the likes of Marjolein Robertson, Paul Black and Kim Blythe for the trophy and title - which has previously been won by Janey Godley and Susie McCabe. Addressing Rosco directly, Sir Billy Connolly referenced one of his most famous jokes, saying: 'Congratulations to Rosco McClelland - the slug nudger! Well done - I had a good laugh at your thing about the slugs in the bin. I wish you all the very best, I hope your career goes bouncing from strength to strength and that the Glasgow humour goes bounding from strength to strength, as it will. Congratulations.' Reacting to the award himself, Rosco said: 'I honestly can't believe this, I never thought about anything to say but I'm going to Fuerteventura tomorrow so I'm looking forward to that! 'Thank you so much - to join the list of people who have won, Janey and Susie, is incredible. To know that the Big Yin has seen me do my silly wee bits of stand up is insane, that's the real prize in this. Just to hear him say my name, I can't believe this, he's the best to ever do it. Thank you to my family, everybody at Glasgow International Comedy Festival, and my agents. To everybody else who was nominated - they're fantastic comedian and fantastic people. Cheers!' Festival Director Krista MacDonald, 2024 winner Susie McCabe and comedy icon Elaine C Smith presented Rosco with the trophy. Krista said: 'Rosco McClelland is one of Scotland's brightest comedic voices and has been entertaining audiences for over a decade with his unique look at the absurdities of everyday life. "After being nominated for awards like Best Newcomer back in 2015, to see a homegrown Glaswegian talent like Rosco be honoured with 2025's Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award is a real testament to his hard work and commitment to his craft. Rosco embodies all that is exceptional about Glasgow and its comedy scene; a bold and brave brand of comedy, an unparalleled resilience and warmth and, above all else, an unfailing desire to make people laugh. 'Sir Billy Connolly is a comic who has shaped and defined Glasgow's cultural identity, and reflected the very best of this city back to audiences around the world. To have the Big Yin involved in the Festival in this way and for us to distribute an award in his name is a real honour. 'The GICF team send our warmest congratulations to Rosco as the winner of the third ever Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award, as well as this year's outstanding Shortlist, who are all a shining representation of the strength of Scottish comedy.' The 2025 judging panel was comprised of radio presenter Aarti Joshi, Emmy award winning actor, author Alan Cumming, Clyde 1 radio presenter and DJ Cassi Gilespie, Still Game's Greg Hemphill, The Herald journalist Gregor Kyle, Glasgow's Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren, entertainment journalist Laura Boyd, Channel 4's Digital Commission Editor Laura Marks, Lost Glasgow journalist Norry Wilson, actor and comedian Sanjeev Kohli and comedian Susie McCabe.
