With the clocks going back last weekend, the weather cold, windy and damp it should have been a pretty bleak November evening in Edinburgh shouldn’t it? Well maybe in some parts, but it was anything but at The Stand Comedy Club where a selection of some of the finest female comedy talent in Scotland, plus a visiting English one served up an evening of red hot comedy to warm the cockles of any heart.

MC as usual for the Wicked Wenches gig was Glaswegian Susan Calman. I don’t think there has been an occasion we I have attended this all female gig that she hasn’t been at the helm. As one could expect Susan did her job with style and as only she can, warming up the crowd, telling funny stories and eliciting information from the crowd for call-backs, both for herself and for those to follow. A really funny a professional performance from this once corporate lawyer.

The opening act was Glasgow based, but of Irish heritage, Elaine Malcolmson. It has been a while since I have seen her perform and she was every bit as good as I remembered. Elaine always plays it very dead pan, almost as if she vulnerable or lacking in confidence but then comes out with some wicked material, virtually all of which was new to me anyway. It took me a couple of times to really ‘get’ her style, but now that I have I am hooked.

The first interval followed, then Ms Calman, who really seemed to be enjoying herself on the night returned with a few minutes of material before introducing Dee Custance. Although this English girl is locally based these days I have only seen her one before some years ago, so it was a novel experience, especially as she hit the stage with a ukulele. She proceeded to serenade the audience with three quirky self-penned songs interspersed with a little of her comedy material. I really liked some of her set; parts however were a little surreal for me though. However she has load of potential and I look forward to seeing her again.

The visiting Bethany Black. Ms Black, the only time I had previously seen her perform was again at The Stand back in March, was certainly up for it and entertained for the duration of her set.  Self billed as UK’s foremost Goth, lesbian, post-op transsexual stand-up Bethany has a different style of set than what preceded her. A native of Chorley, now Manchester based has an interesting and funny material about her hometown and her current abode, feral children, Goths and Chavs,fetish gigs and practices, her father and computers not to mention a romantic story or two. In feel she made a number of new fans on the night and deservedly so too.

Following the second interval and prize draw headline act Janey Godley took to the stage and just raised the bar even higher than it already was at.

Every time I see this extremely talented and funny Glasgow comic she just gets better and better. Not only is she an extremely funny, well observed and well prepared comedian, but she has a gift with words that leaves me awestruck. Some comedians use slide presentations and the like to illustrate their performances, Ms Godley has no need of such devices, she has words descriptive and powerful enough to conjure up images that are as clear as the best of pictures. There is only one trouble with her sets; they are just not long enough. It seems that she has barely started and already she has overrun. Yet thinking back and the number of laughs she has drawn, no one could ever complain of being shortchanged. I can’t wait to see her again.

The Stand has quality comedy such as tonight virtually every night of the year and you can check out the forthcoming gigs both in Edinburgh and Glasgow check out their website www.thestand.co.uk