Six Shows to See at Glasgow Comedy Festival

The Glasgow International Comedy festival is a chance to see actual, fresh free-range comedians and not just smug twats from 8 Out of 10 Cats.

Robin Grainger: A Year And A Day

The anticipation for Robin's debut show has been building to the kind of fever pitch usually associated with the launch of a new Apple product, hoverboard or Fleshlight.

Yesbar, Thu 10 March, 19:15, £5/£4

Upstarts: Christopher KC Sit, Stuart McPherson and Chris Rutter

This is what a comedy festival is all about: seeing new stand-up talent before all that's left is a dead-eyed guest spot on Have I Got News For You. These upstart comedians have impressed in comedy competitions, so be there at the origin story that started their journey to fame. Years from now you can look back and say, 'Son, long before Donald Trump commissioned a version of The Purge presented by Ant and Dec, there were these great comedians I saw In The Hug and Pint before they were swallowed up by the cold, money-filled embrace of Channel 4.'

The Hug and Pint, Thur 10 Mar 8:30pm, £5/£4

Gareth Mutch: Mutch Ado About Nothing

Gareth Mutch's debut show at the Yesbar. Sure, other comdians have opinions and political satire, but they've also got buttholes too, and you really don't want to have them rammed in your face for an hour. Revel instead in meandering hilariousness, with no expectations but your laughter.

Yesbar, 12 Mar, £5/£4

Gemma Flynn: Around The Way Girl

Gemma Flynn's show about feminism and hip-hop will doubtless build on her strong debut on the free fringe last year. She's part of the CHUNKS collective, so expect the joyously off-beat. And to find out whatever the fuck 'ebullience' means.

The Griffin, 15 Mar, 8pm, £3/£2.

Watch Bad Movies With Great Comedians: Troll 2

Troll 2 is pretty much the worst movie ever made. It's like the celluloid version of the Ark of the Covenant, and Billy Kirkwood and Joe Heenan will open it, hard. They won't close their eyes. They won't look away. This shit might melt Nazi faces, but it's fortune and glory for these guys.

CCA, 14 Mar, 7:30pm, £5.

Richard Brown: Stop Children, What’s that sound? Everybody look it’s Richard Brown

At the programme launch Brown stole the evening, wearing a Foster's larger cardboard box on his head and playing his lines over an electronic recording device. Under any other circumstances than a comedy show, we'd be launching the Bat Signal and hoping he wasn't smoke-bomb and punch resistant. Utterly unique and impossibly inventive, Brown promises to leave audiences breathless with laughter and crazy plumes of mysterious knock-out-gas.

The Griffin, 23 Mar, 8pm, £4/£3.