It is claimed that laughter makes the world go round, if so,
Glaswegians are in for a birl with the second Glasgow International
Comedy Festival set to have audiences rolling in the aisles from
Wednesday 17 March 2004. The festival which runs until Saturday 3
April 2004 promises to be be bigger and better that before, with more
shows, more venues and even more fun. Festival Co-ordinator Linda
Allan told The Flag that there are over 35,000 tickets for more than
130 shows over the 18 days of the 2004 event. Top Scottish stand up
comedians such as Arnold Brown, Fred Macaulay and Bruce Morton will
rub shoulders with comedians from England, Ireland and the USA. The
festival includes not only stand up comedy and theatre but also film.
Fans of the Scottish classic film 'Whisky Galore' should make their
way to the Glasgow Film Theatre in Rose Street on 20 and 22 March to
enjoy Compton Mackenzie's masterpiece (visit
www.gfr.org.uk).
A case can be made that you can learn the character of a Nation and
its people from its humour; Scotland and the Scots are no exception.
That is why, from St Andrew's Day 2002, The Flag started a new item in
the Scots Language Feature of a joke every week which thanks to
RealAudio, you can both read and hear. Scot Wit was deliberated
started to disprove the infamous charge made many years ago by Canon
Sydney Smith that it requires a surgical operation to get a joke into
a Scotch understanding. See our
ScotWit
section.
That certainly shouldn't prove to be a problem for the many performers
at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival which should prove a
Spring tonic for all. This week's recipe should also prove to be a
tonic for all. Once again we are indebted to our old friend 'The
Anniversary Cook-Book of the Dumfriesshire Federation SWRI (1922-1992)
which includes a recipe entitled What About A Tonic provided by the
Federation's Ewes Institute.
What About A Tonic
Ingredients : 1 pint bottle Sherry; 1 minature bottle Brandy; 6 eggs;
large tin of Carnation Milk
Beat up eggs, add milk, stirring in well. Add sherry, then brandy.
Makes two.