I'd done a major redesign of the leaflets for the Autumn 1995 season, moving from a long, thin half-A5 shape to a full A5. I'd also added a cartoon of myself to the front, and used a similar idea on the Merry Hell leaflet where I put a cartoon of Roger Monkhouse. Roger didn't say anything to me about it, but I think he found his cartoon unflattering because he decided we needed another redesign for the spring season. We moved up to a glossier type of paper printed with a colour ink, and crammed all the information onto one side. Looking back at the designs now, I'd say the Autumn ones boast a much more distinctive and eye-catching style.

This season saw lots of extra shows. As well as putting on more Edinburgh previews than in 1995 (two a week for three weeks), we also put on a Last Laugh special with the wonderful Mark Steel on Wednesday 13 March and an amazingly successful benefit gig on Friday 5^th July for a Sheffield graffiti artist called Fisto, who was facing a prison sentence. The big attraction at the show was - gasp! - Mark Thomas (who stayed with Jacqui and me at our house in Cundy Street), but there was also a short support act in the form of a very young Daniel Kitson. The Edinburgh Preview on 25 July was particularly special for me, as it was effectively my stag night. I got married to Jacqui the following day.

 

Thursday 4 January: Paul B Edwards & Neville Raven

Thursday 11 January: Ian Stone & Liz Webb

Thursday 18 January: Terry Alderton & Martin Trenaman

Thursday 25 January: Steve Gribbin & Jo Caulfield

Thursday 1 February: Dave Thompson & Martin Coyote

Thursday 8 February: Rainer Hersch & Dave Gorman

Thursday 15 February: Parrot & Paul Thorne

Thursday 22 February: John Fothergill & Steve Murray

Thursday 29 February: Andy Robinson & Norman Lovett

Thursday 7 March: Rory Motion & Brendon Burns

Thursday 14 March: Geoff Boyz & Stu Who?

Thursday 21 March: Tony Burgess & Arnold Bolt

Thursday 28 March: Simon Fox & David Hadingham

Thursday 4 April: Logan Murray & Brendan Riley

Thursday 11 April: Vladimir McTavish & Gina Ryan

Thursday 18 April: Sean Percival & Rudi Lickwood

Thursday 25 April: Tim Vine & Ronnie Golden

Thursday 2 May: Kevin McCarthy & Charmian Hughes

Thursday 9 May: Keith Dover & JoJo Smith

Thursday 16 May: Bob Dillinger & Dave Johns

Thursday 23 May: Anvil Springstien & Noel Britten

Thursday 30 May: Mark Maier & Mike Pindar Sextet

Thursday 6 June: Milton Jones & Ross Noble

Thursday 13 June: Matt Welcome & Mike Hayley

Thursday 20 June: Nobby Shanks & Smiley

Thursday 27 June: Dylan Moran & Al Murray

Thursday 4 July: Steve Gribbin & Phil Davey

 

Edinburgh previews

 

Thursday 11 July: Mark Hurst

Monday 15 July: Phill Jupitus (compère: Roger Monkhouse)

Thursday 18 July: Paul Tonkinson

Monday 22 July: Sean Lock (compère: Roger Monkhouse)

Thursday 25 July: Simon Bligh

Monday 29 July: Donna McPhail (compère: Roger Monkhouse)