Latest news with #RaymondMearns
The Herald Scotland
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Review: 'A fabulous, feel-good night out'
The Lyceum, Edinburgh Gayle Anderson All the world's a stage and there are definite benefits when that stage gets an upgrade. Following on from gigs in Glasgow, Ayr, Arbroath and Largs, the Big Comedy Roadshow rolled into Edinburgh for a night of stand-up in the velvety red and gold Victorian wonderland of The Lyceum. Promoters, Gilded Balloon are masters at mixing up their event spaces and this one didn't disappoint. Host, Chris Forbes promised the ultimate night out for comedy fans. Best-known for appearances on The Scot Squad and as viral sensation, The Other Murray Brother he began with a gentle warm up before serving up the first act. Raymond Mearns (Image: free) Stalwart of the Scottish live comedy scene for over 15 years, Raymond Mearns described himself as an unconstructed Glaswegian, His set - full of grumpy da's and diligent dugs - dropped a hefty number of F-bombs but never dropped the ball. The audience loved it. Next up for a turbo-charged 20 minutes was Taskmaster contestant and Live at the Apollo host, Desiree Burch. The NY-to-London transplant introduced herself as an American on an apology tour. Her observations on generational traits caused a debate between the couples sitting behind who spent the interval Googling to discover if they were Boomers or Gen X. Read more At the start of the second half, Forbes popped back to demonstrate some impressive canine impersonations before introducing Jin Hao Li. Made in China, marinated in Singapore and educated in St Andrews, Li's debut hour Swimming in a Submarine earned him a nomination for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards 2024. Full of word-play and whimsy and with probably the best call-back on the Japanese mafia ever heard, he's a huge talent and a ridiculously hard act to follow. But never fear. It turned out they had just the woman for the job. Jin Hao Li (Image: free) Fresh from starring in the BAFTA-winning BBC comedy, Alma's Not Normal, headliner, Jayde Adams soon had the crowd right where she wanted them. Working for her. A member of the front row is told to dig out their phone and search Spotify. Jade is in need of Whigfield's Saturday Night, and what Jade needs, Jade generally gets. She spills the tea about her time on Strictly and dealing with online trolls before a rip-snorting rendition of Nessun Dorma brings proceedings to a shuddering end. The accompanying hand gestures needed no translation. This smorgasbord of stand-up offered a fabulous, feel-good night out.
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Meet the Possilpark man behind the Glesga Da podcast
'I'M just a guy that canny say no,' Raymond Mearns says ahead of his seven shows at this year's Glasgow International Comedy Festival. The comedian is returning to the festival with his solo show Looking For A Great Audience on Sunday, March 30. It will take place at the Stand Comedy Club after being shortlisted for the Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award in 2024. Raymond says it was 'amazing' to be shortlisted for the award. He added he's lucky to be in comedy despite never setting out to become a comedian but says it was a 'very happy and joyous accident' that he did. READ NEXT: (Image: Glasgow International Comedy Festival) 'It's already a joy and a gift, it's amazing to be paid for something you love,' he said. 'It must be one of the best things in the world.' Raymond says Looking For A Great Audience is 'just me doing my thing'. He explained: 'I always do a solo show. I take elements of that and I take it to The Fringe. 'I'm fortunate I sell it out every year. 'That's just me doing my thing, all my madness and mental ideas and maybe roasting some of the audience in the front and that sort of thing and that's great.' (Image: Supplied) A show Raymond feels particularly passionate about at this year's festival is Raymond Mearns Fool on Comedy Crew which will take place at The Flying Duck on Saturday, March 29. Fool On is a Lanarkshire-based charity which seeks to improve mental health and emotional well-being through artistic engagement. Raymond, from Possilpark, runs a Comedy Club workshop with the charity. He explained: 'It's brilliant. 'There are people with disabilities and people who can't work for various reasons, people who've got mental health problems. 'What I try and do is point them towards telling a good story, a few jokes, maybe understand a wee bit more about how they could take some of the negative aspects in their life in a situation and turn that into positive and optimize it into passages of great beauty. 'People take themselves really seriously and comedy lets you laugh at yourself, and I think that makes the world a better place.' The group previously did a show in Hamilton which he says got a 'phenomenal' response so they decided to bring it to the comedy festival. The show is described as a 'brilliant hour of original stand-up and sketches'. 'Its going to be an amazing thing, it's the product of all the hard work of the people in the class,' he added. READ NEXT: (Image: Supplied) Speaking of why he works with the charity Raymond continued: 'I think your mission in life is to find out what you're good at and then once you've done that you've got to give it away, you've got to share it. 'With every word, thought and action you just try to make the world a better place.' On March 26, Raymond will then be starring in Celtic Da's: A New Play By Phil Differ alongside Bruce Morton at the Oran Mor. 'As well as being stand up for the last three decades, I have done a bit of theatre and made a few films and TV shows,' he says. 'I'm not a brilliant actor but I think I've got some chops as an actor and I'm always keen to do something that's interesting and challenging.' 'It's about these two fellas and in the play, they're discussing things in their life. 'It's about friendship, football, Celtic, their place in the world and they're questioning that and the challenges you face when you're getting older. 'I think a lot of people will like it. You're always hoping you strike a chord with a lot of people.' Raymond will also be doing three Laughter Fest shows at Cathcart Bowling Club which he describes as a 'pick of comedians' from the festival. There will be three shows which will take place on March 14, 21 and 28. 'We're looking to get acts over to Cathcart and give them a wee bit of extra money through their act and it entertains the good people of Cathcart and the surrounding areas who might not be able to get into the city.' Podcast Glesga Da, which Raymond does alongside Stuart Mitchell, will have a live show on March 13 at BAad. Glasgow International Comedy Festival 2025 will take place from March 12 until March 30. You can find out more at
