LAST LAUGH

An expat comedy club that hosted the like of Eddie Izzard and Michael McIntyre closes after 18 years

BACK in 2005, a new comedy club arrived in Madrid and Barcelona. The brainchild of Irish promoter Stephen Garland, the idea was to bring top-flight comedians from the Edinburgh Fringe to Spain for the first time.

Legendary Irish comedian Jason Byrne was the first to appear. His outstanding show, performed at the Giggling Guiri in both cities, was a taste of things to come.

Nearly two decades on, another top stand-up comedian, England’s Seann Walsh, became the final act at the club.

“I’ve got the jackpot of multiple sclerosis,” Garland tells the Olive Press, explaining his main reason for throwing in the towel. “It’s ‘primary progressive’, and generally that’s a fast-track to the end.”

Having studied music and media management, Garland arrived in Barcelona in 2002

EXCLUSIVE By

Simon Hunter

and soon ‘had the bright idea of making an Irish festival’.

The multidisciplinary event was planned around Saint Patrick’s Day, 2004 but, unfortunately for him, the date coincided with the 11-M terrorist attacks in Madrid. As Spaniards came out onto the street to protest in response to the atrocity, the crowds stayed away from the shows.

Wounds

“So I went back to the drawing board, to lick my wounds, and the following year I decided to make a comedy club in Barcelona and Madrid,” he says. The result was a consistent run of award-winning shows. Among the major names that were tempted over were Eddie Izzard, Michael McIntyre,

Star visit

Stephen K. Amos, Reginald D. Hunter, Arj Barker and even Howard Marks, the notorious Welsh drug smuggler-turned raconteur.

As well as health issues, the pandemic has also played a part in the decision to call it a day. The shows that were the stock in trade of the Giggling Guiri were no longer pulling in the punters. “The world has moved on, and now the pandemic has pushed everyone to watch their

HOLLYWOOD star Nicole Kidman has been posting photos of herself on Mallorca. She is among other stars, including Morgan Freeman, who are filming a series called Lioness for Paramount+. Filming is set to continue until the start of March.

Lioness is based on true events and tells the story of a young marine recruited by the CIA to befriend the daughter of a terrorist group in order to bring down the organisation from within. Paramount+ is working in collaboration with Balearic studio Palma Pictures, as well as SurFilms.

Winning smile

STAR of Chocolat and The English Patient, amongst many other films, Juliette Binoche is to be honoured at the Goyas. The French actor and twice Oscar winner, 58, will be presented with an International Goya at the prestigious ceremony, being held in Sevilla on Saturday.

The academy described the Parisienne as ‘one of the most admired and recognised names in European cinema’.

Last year Cate Blanchett received the first-ever International Goya Award.

comedy on streaming.”

Another major issue for Garland is the need to pro mote gigs via social media channels: “I no longer have the patience for them!” he complains. “They’re so time consuming.”

Seann Walsh blew the crowd away in Barcelona and then proceeded to do the same in Madrid on the following night for the very last show.

Emotional

Garland took to the stage before the main act and gave an emotional speech, clearly somewhat unsteady on his feet due to the MS.

After Walsh’s show was over, the promoter got back up and said more words. This time he was very unsteady on his feet given he was, as he puts it, ‘hammered!’ But no one in the crowd –some of whom were at that very first gig back in 2005 –could blame him. They were just very grateful for all the laughs he’d brought them.

IN COMMON: Binoche and Blanchett - both Goya winners

Date with Beyonce

SINGING superstar Beyonce will be hitting the stage in Barcelona.

The American’s Renaissance World Tour will make a stop off at the city’s Olympic Stadium on June 8.

The Barcelona date is her only stop in Spain and will mainly showcase songs from her al bum Renaissance, including hits like Cuff it and Break my soul

Beyonce has previously performed at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona in August 2016 to present her album Lemonade, and in July 2018, on that occasion with her husband, Jay-Z, as part of the On The Run II tour.