Frankie Boyle

The mighty Boyle – slapper of small animals, biter of the handicapped [imagined details, as opposed to real fact] – was clearly down the pub on the day they were dishing out the decorum lessons. Syringe-sharp, endlessly abusive but genuinely original, the London-based joker returns to his homeland, Glasgow.
I Would Happily Punch Every One of You in the Face, Kings Theatre, Tue 16-Sun 21 Mar.

Bill Burr

American colossus Burr’s observational comedy dabbles in some real taboos, and he’s not prepared to tickle the soft underbelly of offensiveness. Case in point, a now legendary ten-minute torrent of vitriol directed towards a booing Philadelphia crowd in 2006: http://tiny.cc/wNsvK
King’s Theatre, Sat 20 Mar.

Richard Herring

Herring’s Hitler moustache caused a minor brouhaha at last year’s fringe with the ex-Fist of Fun comedian having to pen a Guardian article to defend his provocative upper lip appendage. Recent Saturday morning 6 Music radio ramblings have carved his smart but puerile niche a little deeper.
Hitler Moustache, The Garage, Sat 13 Mar.

Todd Barry

Familiar to most as bongo-playing Crazy Doggs-founder Todd in Flight of the Conchords, Todd Barry is also a master of quirky stand up. The Bronx-born comedian’s laid-back style has graced screens small and big over the last few years, including an appearance in 2008’s The Wrestler.
Blackfriars, Sat 13 Mar.

Daniel Sloss

Frankie Boyle’s one-time protegé and script collaborator on Mock the Week is practically a stand-up veteran now, and he’s only 19. With his own TV show rumoured to be in the pipeline, we say catch the little Fifer’s live show while you can.
Teenage Kicks, the Garage, Fri 12 Mar.

Sarah Millican

The potty-mouthed Geordie lass gives us her own hilarious take on the battle of the sexes. She may have been compared in her time to Thora Hird but her homely demeanour masks a streak that would make Sadowitz wince.
The Stand, Glasgow, Fri 12 Mar.

Rhod Gilbert

Rhod Gilbert is funny, dark and surreal, and that Welsh baritone gives his proclamations an even deeper resonance. If you choose to measure comedic prowess based on appearances on panel shows, DVDs and Welsh tourism ads, then Gilbert is surely in the big leagues.
Rhod Gilbert and the Cat that Looked Like Nicholas Lyndhurst, King’s Theatre, Wed 24 Mar.

Jimmy Carr

The Cambridge-educated jokesmith left his cushy graduate job at Shell to make his claim to the throne of the King of the one-liner. And he still seems to be up there, bringing the reassurance of at least a little bit of funny to innumerable Channel 4 panel formats.
Rapier Wit, Clyde Auditorium, Fri 26-Mon 29 Mar.

Cardinal Burns

The sketch show format is a tough one to pull off in a live context, but this pair (previously two-thirds of Fat Tongue) deliver funny voices, celebrity satire and grotesque characterisation to hilarious effect.
Universal, Glasgow, Thu 11 Mar.

Mark Nelson

In a festival rife with comics intent on pushing an audience’s boundaries (Sadowitz, Jeffries and Boyle for three), the former Scottish Comedian of the Year looks set to challenge the lot by Offending the Senses.
The Stand, Glasgow, Sun 28 Mar.

Bridget Christie

Having robed herself in historical garbs to muck about like it was 1660 In her last two shows, Christie delivers a slightly less bonkers set to recall her time as an accidental diarist at the Daily Mail.
Blackfriars, Glasgow, Sun 14 Mar.

Jim Jeffries

Stamping a steel-toed boot in the face of political correctness, this Aussie potty-mouth scored a List first when he plummeted from a five-star review to a one-star review in the space of a year. C’mon Jimmo, give us something brave and magnificent again! And not just that shambolic FHM mince.
F*ck You I Won’t Do What You Tell Me, Kings Theatre, Sun 14 Mar.

Bill Burr