Tickets still available for Sunday Herald's freedom of speech debate at Comedy Fest

Je Suis Comedian: What Are You Laughing At? forms part of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival and will be chaired by our head of news Neil Mackay.

He will be joined by comedians Imran Yusuf and Bruce Morton, Scottish journalist Stuart Cosgrove, theatre critic Joyce McMillan, human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar, and the Kirk's Rev Sally Foster-Fulton as they debate the role of comedy and satire in the modern world.

Loading article content

In the wake of the tragedy in Paris, in which 12 people were killed at the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, supporters of freedom of speech around the world adopted the slogan "Je suis Charlie" to express their affiliation with the victims of the massacre and their opposition to censorship imposed by violence.

Debate has raged over what these events mean for free speech and whether in a multi-faith, multi-cultural society, religion should or shouldn't properly be the object of humour.

The event will discuss whether comedy can bring people together in the wake of tragedy and whether unrestricted free speech is essential to the functioning of our democracy, as well as the idea that we may be more tolerant to free speech in some contexts more than others.

Tommy Sheppard, Festival Director and owner of The Stand comedy club, said: "Originally we were going to poke fun at the general election, but this just seemed so much more important. The debate on free speech versus causing offence goes right to the heart of what comedy is and what comedians do, and it's fitting that we're going to have this discussion at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival"

Je Suis Comedian: What Are You Laughing At? takes place on Thursday 26 March 2015 at 8pm at the Citizens Theatre. Tickets are available for 8 from the festival website http://www.glasgowcomedyfestival.com and via the box office on 0844 873 7353.

More:
Tickets still available for Sunday Herald's freedom of speech debate at Comedy Fest