Welsh language comedy stars to perform at live event in north Wales

Welsh language stand-up comedy stars will come together next month to perform at a live theatre event in north Wales.

Some of the nation’s favourite laughter makers will take part at the Cryfder Mewn Comedi (Strength in Comedy) event including stand-up star Tudur Owen, S4C presenter Dilwyn Pierce, Sian Parry and pantomime favourite Eryl Davies.

Well-known Welsh language sports commentor, Nic Parry will present the evening at Denbigh Town Hall on April 6.

Alaw Owen from Denbigh has organised the event which has been made possible thanks to the support of main sponsors Ifor Williams Trailers, who have factories in Denbighshire and Flintshire.

The company were motivated to back the event after hearing how Alaw had battled back after suffering life-changing injuries in a horrific head on car crash.

It has proved such a success that she felt emboldened to set up her first live theatre event.

Impression

Her passionate appeal for familiar local figures from the Welsh comedy circuit to take part made a big impression on comedian Tudur Owen, from Anglesey.

He said: “I had never met Alaw but when she phoned me to explain what she was planning and asked me to join the panel on stage for this great event I could really hear the passion in her voice.

“She makes such a strong argument for the campaign to improve people’s mental well-being, especially in remote rural communities where individuals and even whole families can often feel isolated.”

Tudur has long believed humour offers a bedrock to help us through the trials of life.

As a patron of St David’s Hospice in Gwynedd and Anglesey he has witnessed first-hand how families use laughter as an antidote to stress.

He said: “It might sound strange considering the nature of the Hospice’s work, especially with those facing terminal illness, but whenever I visit, I’m struck by the amount of genuine laughter in the air.

“Humour is such an important tool in helping us all deal with emotions like fear, grief, deep-seated anxiety and stress.”

But even a career in comedy can have its stresses, according to Tudur.

He said: “I have a slightly different take on the subject being in a full-time job which demands I make people laugh.

“I’m a fairly upbeat guy but there are times when I have to steel myself to go out there to perform, perhaps if I’m not quite in the mood.

“That’s when I find my family is such a support, talking to my son for instance, even online, is always uplifting. We laugh so much we always sign off with our spirits raised.”

Laughter

Organiser, Alaw became fascinated with the power of the mind to heal after her own traumatic experience in a car crash on her way home from work in 2018.

She suffered multiple injuries including breaking both feet and she had to slowly learn to walk again.

She said: “I’ve learned to concentrate my energies on the things I can do, and hone skills I still have rather than dwell on what I can no longer do.

“I think that’s key to surviving any trauma and it’s really heightened my appreciation of the core strengths which lie at the heart of life across rural north Wales.

She said: “We chose Denbigh Town Hall because it’s such a lovely venue and central for those well-known names who’ve been entertaining us with stage, radio and screen performances over so many years.

“It’ll have a very loose, spontaneous format with the audience being able to take part in question and answer sessions too.”

She added: “Who knows in which directions the conversation will go? I don’t think there’s ever been an event quite like it before.”