Behind the Mic: All Mouth Comedy
The brainchild of Glasgow-based comics Rae Brogan and Kate Hammer, All Mouth is a monthly lineup of queer, funny folk with a dedicated following. We pop behind the mic to find out more
Tell me about All Mouth – what's the gig like?
Kate: The gig is raucous, playful, hilarious fun with a heavy sprinkling of sexy. We make sure every gig has a variety of comedians and tones, and try to bring in new people from out of town as we have a lot of audience members who come every month. At the end of every show, I read out a poem about the night, which is something I wouldn’t do anywhere else. It comments on all of the interactions I’ve had and the performers, and encompasses one of my favourite aspects of comedy: making inside jokes with the audience that can only work in that room, on that night, with those people.
How did the gig come about?
Rae: It started as a one-off show at Glasgow International Comedy Festival in 2023 which went so well it seemed daft not to make it a regular thing. I roped in Kate to be resident host and now we run it between us. It’s been really well received by acts and punters and we try very hard to keep it that way!
What was the first All Mouth gig like? Do you have any stand-out moments of the gigs so far?
Rae: The first show was so fun! We packed out McChuills and the place was buzzing. Glasgow obviously loves the gays – it was clear right away there was an appetite for more.
Kate: For one show, the star herself Ruth Hunter took over hosting, allowing me to dress in a bear costume and wreak havoc until the other star, Chris Thorburn, unmasked me.
Who'd be on your dream lineup?
Kate: CHLOE PETTS. Sorry, now that’s out of my system, I would definitely book Chloe Petts, an amazing queer comedian with perfect hair. Then Ashley Spinelli from Recess who is definitely a lesbian now, still wearing her leather jacket and beanie. And lastly, if nothing was a barrier, I would get Virginia Woolf and her longtime, close female friend to close the show. I’m not sure they’d be funny but I want to see their reaction when I tell them I’m a bottom with big top energy.
What's been your best bit of comedy or gig-running advice?
Kate: Josie Long is such a supportive, hilarious, and badass comedian who is always full of the most profound advice, both professionally and personally. I'm way too ready to give up on bits if they don't go well immediately, but Josie has challenged me to re-write and re-test before chucking it. Also she has a wicked blue jacket that, in my opinion, is now canon to her brand.
Who or what on the comedy scene do you think we should look out for?
Rae: Honestly, there are so many exciting up-and-coming acts in Scotland but I really think Maddie Fernando is a genius and a star. Also, Open Comedy in Edinburgh is a fantastic free open mic gig run by Giulia Galastro.
Who's the funniest comedian you've seen and why?
Kate: Chris Fleming, because they really mine every angle on a topic and make me laugh at things I’ve never even considered. Like, who else could do ten minutes on Bitmojis which leads to Chris pretending to be Amy Adams in Arrival?
Dealer’s Choice: Which Glasgow Subway Station is the most gay?
Kate: Just off vibes, Cowcaddens gives confident queer energy, though St. Enoch sounds like the next star of Drag Race UK. Hillhead is about to come out, and we support that.
What's next for All Mouth? Do you have anything exciting coming up?
Kate: We are going MULTI-CITY baby! On 13 February we're doing a Gay-lentine’s Special at Edinburgh's Monkey Barrel with Sam Lake headlining. This is All Mouth’s first show outside of Glasgow, and I hope we have many more. The queer comedians here are just too funny to keep to ourselves. I hope it’s not too obnoxious how much I love this show. I think I love this show more than my phone loves telling me it’s out of storage (once a day, every day – give me some space please).
Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about?
Kate: I’m doing a work-in-progress at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival about my journey trying to stay in the UK to tell jokes. My shows are always heavy on the barely-controlled chaos so you’re not going to want to miss this.
All Mouth: Gay-lentines Special, Monkey Barrel Comedy, Edinburgh, 13 Feb, 7.30pm, £10
All Mouth: A Queer Comedy Show, The Rum Shack, Glasgow, 27 Feb, 8pm, £9
Kate Hammer: Government-Approved Comedian (WIP), Van Winkle West End, Glasgow, 23 Mar, 7.10pm, £4-5, part of Glasgow International Comedy Festival
@allmouthcomedy / @katethehammer / @raebrogan on Instagram