First class acts head to Wales for new comedy festival

The first ever Stand-Up for South Wales Comedy Festival is coming this autumn, featuring some of the biggest names from the UK stand-up scene including Hal Cruttenden, Milton Jones and Kiri Pritchard-McLean.

This autumn the feel-good factor is set to spread across Neath Port Talbot with a mix of first class comedy talent and up-and-coming acts fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe performing at venues across Neath Port Talbot.

The festival will run from September 20 to October 6, and as well hilarious stand-up at venues across Neath Port Talbot there will be comedy workshops, events for children and family friendly shows.

Top talent

Among those signed up to perform so far include:

Hal Cruttenden (Friday, September 20, 8pm, Neath Rugby Club) who has appeared on Live at the Apollo, Have I Got News For You, the Royal Variety Performance and Would I Lie to You. He’s also a massive rugby fan as anyone who’s heard his ‘Rugby Jubbly’ podcast will know. Quite fitting then that he’ll be ‘kicking off’ the festival in the hometown of the WRU …Neath!

Milton Jones (Thursday, October 3, The Princess Royal Theatre, 7.30pm) is well known for appearances on Radio 4, Mock the Week and Live at the Apollo.

Kiri Pritchard-McLean (October 3, Pontardawe Arts Centre, 7.30pm) The star of 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Have I got

Have I Got News for You and QI favourite, Kiri has had a busy few years. Rolling Stone Magazine said of her: “Expect sequins, social commentary and massive laughs from the renaissance woman of UK comedy.”

The festival will also feature a large number of festival fringe events with venues including: Pontardawe Heritage Centre, The Ivy Bush, High St, Pontardawe, Resolven AFC Clubhouse, Afan Ales, Station Rd, Port Talbot, Croeserw Social Club, Neath Community Centre, The grounds of Neath Castle, The Welsh House, Neath, The Duke of Wellington, Neath.

Boost

Cllr Cen Phillips, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Nature, Tourism and Wellbeing said: “We are pleased to announce the introduction of this festival which we hope will not only bring our communities together but will also bring people into Neath Port Talbot providing an economic boost for our visitor economy.

“The hope is that in future years it will become an important part of the annual calendar here, For setting up and promotion in year one, our officers have secured £10,000 through the council’s Heritage, Culture, Tourism and Events (HCTE) Fund which is funded via the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.

“It is hoped there will be enough interest and confidence to move this to a future Community Interest Company or some such external body to take it forward as an annual event.”

A key objective of the festival is to foster community engagement. Organisers will reach out to and encourage local schools, colleges and drama groups to get involved by running workshops and staging their own performances.

Welsh language performances will feature in the festival programme too, as the question of what makes Welsh comedy (in both Welsh & English) so funny is explored.

Keep up to date for more gigs and the latest festival and festival fringe news at www.southwalescomedy.com and via #southwalescomedy on Facebook & Instagram.