MACHYNLLETH
AY 29 APRIL T FRID O
COMEDY
SUND
Y AY 1 MA 2011
FESTIVAL
Festival Programme
Sustainability into practice
The Quarry Café & the Quarry Shop
Hello
Welcome to Machynlleth’s best-loved organic foodshop & restaurant The best range of wholefoods, natural remedies and cosmetics, fair-trade and locally sourced. Delicious vegetarian meals and cakes using local, organic and fair-trade ingredients.
So here we go again! The Machynlleth Comedy Festival returns after its incredible debut in 2010. It’s such a pleasure for the entire team to curate and manage such a unique event in the Welsh countryside, and we’ve kept what’s important to us at the heart of this year’s festival; interesting and progressive live comedy. The line-up this year is jam-packed with incredibly talented comedians, and it’s an honour to bring them to the ancient Welsh capital. The festival wouldn’t be possible without the time and effort given by all the volunteers. Every single person who works on the festival have given their skills for free in order for this event to go ahead and without their incredible efforts the Machynlleth Comedy Festival would still just be a scribbled idea on the back of an envelope. We’d also like to say a huge thank-you to all the businesses that have supported the festival this year, from those that have purchased advertising in this programme, to Swn and Dizzyjam who have provided the crew t-shirts, and the stallholders who work hard to keep everyone fed and watered. We all hope you have a great weekend in Machynlleth and enjoy the festival. Each event has been hand-picked by the team so be sure to pick a couple of shows at random as you’ll almost certainly unearth a gem.
Shwmae 20% discount❋
The Centre for Alternative Technology
on your entry ticket on presentation of this voucher.
Visitor Centre
Open daily from 10am to 5.30pm
● 7 hectares of hands-on displays
Wel, dyma ni eto! Dychwelir yr Ŵyl Gomedi Machynlleth ar ol ei flwyddyn gyntaf wych yn 2010. Mae’n bleser i’r tîm allu curad a rheoli achlysur mor unigryw yng nghefn gwlad Cymru, a rydyn ni wedi cadw’r hyn sy’n bwysig fel calon yr Ŵyl eleni; comedi fyw diddorol a flaengar. Mae’r sioeau eleni llawn digrifwyr holldalentog, ac mae’n anrhydedd i’w wahodd i’r Brifddinas hynafol Cymreig. Ni fyddai’r Ŵyl yn bosib heb yr amser a’r ymdredd a rhoid gan yr holl wirfoddolwyr. Mae bob un person sy’n gweithio ar yr Ŵyl wedi rhoi ei sgiliau am ddim i alluogi’r achlysur llwyddo a heb ei ymdrechion anhygoel bydd yr Ŵyl Gomedi Machynlleth o hyd yn syniad wedi’i ysgrifennu ar gefn amlen. Hefyd, rydym ni am rhoi diolch enfawr i’r holl fusnesau sydd wedi gefnogi’r Ŵyl eleni, o’r rhai sydd wedi hysbysebu yn yr rhaglen, i Swn a Dizzyjam sydd wedi darparu crysau-T i’r criw, i berchnogion y stondinau sy’n sicrhau fod bwyd a diod gan pawb. Rydyn ni’n gobeithio fyddech yn gael penwythnos braf ym Machynlleth ac yn mwynhau’r Ŵyl. Mae pob achlysur wedi’i dethol gan y tîm, felly byddwch siwr i rhoi le i sioeau a perfformwyr nad ydych yn gyfarwydd gyda, byddech yn siwr o dibriddio gem.
● Adventure playground ● Organic gardens ● Renewable energies ● Restaurant and gift shop
3 miles north-east of Machynlleth on the A487 ● Sustrans cycle route number 8 www.cat.org.uk ● 01654 705950 ● visit@cat.org.uk ❋ Vouchers valid for up to 2 adults per family. Expires 31/07/2011.
mbe and Emma
Henry Widdico
Butler, Festival
Organisers
Friday: Y Plas
Friday: Owain Glyndwr Centre - Room 1
Caryl Parry Jones
Pappy’s
Robin Ince
James Acaster
Mark Olver
Nick Helm
Pappy’s
Robin Ince & Michael Legge
Machynlleth Comedy Festival Showcase
Caryl Parry Jones
“A pretty damn promising comic he is too, with a terrific way with an anecdote and charm to spare” London is Funny
this Fringe - or at least he ought to be if there’s any justice... It’s a real blast’ **** Chortle
Hailed as “the funniest sketch troupe on the fringe” (Scotsman) Pappy’s were nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award in 2007, and won a Chortle Award in 2008.
Two men shout about things and then wonder why. Despite no publicity (not a single poster or flyer) Michael Legge and Robin Ince’s show sold out its entire run in Edinburgh with people queueing outside to try and buy tickets for five times the price. Despite that, it really was two men shouting and being idiots.
Last year’s highlight event is back. Your chance to check out as many of the comedians at the festival as we can fit on the bill. We’ll keep going late into the night for your viewing pleasure.
Pan gyfansoddodd Caryl ‘Calon’ nol yn 1977, prin y gwydda’i gymaint buasai ei cherddoriaeth yn ganolog i pop Cymraeg am y deg mlynedd ar hugain nesa, a gymaint o hwyl oedd y siwrnai am fod. Dyma gyfle unigryw i weld a chlywed Caryl, ar ben ei hun, yn perfformio detholiad o’i chlasuron, tra’n datgelu y straeon doniol tu ol i bob can - hyd yn oed y baledi ‘smwchi’. Chwerthin, crio, pwdi a pechu - hyn oll gefn llwyfan wrth iddi baratoi i’ch diddanu. Dewch yn llu i dreulio noson gyda’r ddynes a ddisgrifiwyd gan Duffy fel “yr Elvis Cymraeg”.
“Nothing short of sensational” North Yorkshire News
‘A strong, accomplished hour about finding life’s positives, featuring gravelvoiced songs and inventive audience interaction’ Time Out
Time: 5.00pm, Price: £5
Nick Helm
All Business
Pointless Anger, Righteous Ire
They have appeared in their own shows on Channel 4 and Radio 4 and have just completed their 5th year at the Edinburgh fringe, where they earned a string of 4 and 5 star reviews. “Whether they succeed or not, they’re hilarious.” Guardian ” Mirror
“Best in their genre... “Sheer joy...
” Metro
“Blissfully funny comedy... ” The List “Beneath the larking about there’s a painstakingly constructed hour of quick fire gags, recurring characters, and snappy songs. By the end of it, the crowd is as elated as the performers, and that’s saying something… ” Independent on Sunday
Time: 7.30pm, Price: £8/£7
Find out if your anger is pointless or righteous. Micheal Legge is best known for his work in musical theatre and has also won Chortle awards and a BAFTA or something for work on an MTV thing. Robin Ince mainly likes talking about science on Radio 4’s Infinite Monkey Cage, he also has some awards.
Time: 8.50pm, Price: £8/£7
Last year’s event was the biggest selling event of the weekend and we expect tickets to be in high demand again this year, so get yours early to avoid disappointment.
Time: 10.10pm, Price: £8
Mae Caryl Parry Jones Yn Fyw
James Acaster
Amongst Other Things James is glad you’re here, actually. There’s a few things he’s been meaning to tell you. Come along to the show and he’ll bring you up to speed. He supported Josie Long on her 2010 UK tour and Milton Jones on his 2011 UK tour.
“Inherently funny…the merest gesture can have the audience laughing out loud” Broadway Baby
Time: 7.30pm, Price: £6
“Delightful” Time Out “Heaps of fun…he skilfully created a whole other world for us to explore” Latest 7 “Brilliantly quizzical eyebrows” Venue
Time: 6.10pm, Price: £5
Keep Hold of the Gold
Mark Olver
Olver: Portrait of a Serial Killer. A comedy about murder. Mark Olver has a new show. It is sort of stand-up, sort of theatre and all sorts of scary. There will be actual violence in the show. Proper, no holds barred, real, no pretend, physical assault. In a funny way. This is not pretend.
Comedian Nick Helm is putting his past and his problems firmly behind him in an attempt to help make you appreciate life in a whole new way, whether you want to or not.
Winner of Best Debut Show at Leicester Comedy Festival 2011! “
” The Scotsman
“
” Three Weeks
Featuring poetry, music, stand-up and chutzpah.
“
” Chortle
“
” Fest Magazine
‘Nick Helm will be the breakout act of
Time: 9.00pm, Price: £5
Friday: Owain Glyndwr Centre - Room 2 Caryl Parry Jones Rhaglen Dafydd a Caryl Llun-Gwener 8.30-10.30am Caryl Parry Jones
John Luke Roberts - Distracts you from a Murder
John-Luke Roberts
Distracts You From a Murder
Daniel Glyn
Bring and Bi-Lingual MC Daniel Glyn
John-Luke Roberts performs whimsical, esoteric comedy to distract you from the brutal, bloody, sickening, terrifying, inhuman, soulless, nauseating, deranged, god-awful murder he will be committing during the show. He really can’t stress how esoteric this comedy will be.
MC Daniel Glyn introduces the best of the festival’s bi-lingual comedy. No knowledge of Welsh or English necessary. Some come along and trylingual.
Previewed at Machynlleth last year, the show now has structure, different jokes, acting and some films!
Caryl Parry Jones
“Brilliant Solo Debut” - The Independent
Pan gyfansoddodd Caryl ‘Calon’ nol yn 1977, prin y gwydda’i gymaint buasai ei cherddoriaeth yn ganolog i pop Cymraeg am y deg mlynedd ar hugain nesa, a gymaint o hwyl oedd y siwrnai am fod. Dyma gyfle unigryw i weld a chlywed Caryl, ar ben ei hun, yn perfformio detholiad o’i chlasuron, tra’n datgelu y straeon doniol tu ol i bob can - hyd yn oed y baledi ‘smwchi’. Chwerthin, crio, pwdi a pechu - hyn oll gefn llwyfan wrth iddi baratoi i’ch diddanu. Dewch yn llu i dreulio noson gyda’r ddynes a ddisgrifiwyd gan Duffy fel “yr Elvis Cymraeg”.
“Fantastically ornate but deeply silly brand of comedy, dripping with absurd puns and utterly unexpected left turns” - The Guardian Pick of the Week “
” Fest, “
” The List
“ ” Time Out, “ ” Three ” Edinburgh is Funny Weeks, “
Time: 5.00pm, Price: £5
Tudur Owen
Hwyl Yr Wyl
Tudur Owen Dydd Sadwrn 12.30-2pm
Sioe ola’r dydd yn Gymraeg yng nghwmni Tudur Owen a detholiad o gomediwyr gorau’r syrcit. Bwciwch eich tocynnau yn gynnar, gallwn eich sicrhau y bydd yn fwcing doniol a doeth.
Time: 9.00pm, Price: £5
Time: 6.10pm, Price: £5
Mae Caryl Parry Jones Yn Fyw
Time: 7.30pm, Price: £5
Daniel Glyn C2: Nos Iau 10pm-12am
Caryl Parry Jones, Tudur Owen a Daniel Glyn. Yn perfformio’r penwythnos hwn yng Ngw ˆ yl Gomedi Machynlleth. Yn perfformio bob wythnos ar BBC Radio Cymru. bbc.co.uk/radiocymru BBC Radio Cymru. Proud to support Machynlleth Comedy Festival.
Saturday: Y Plas Isy Suttie
Love Lost in the British Retail Industry After a sell-out run in Edinburgh and fresh from Sydney Arts Festival and a national tour, Isy performs her cult one-woman show Love Lost in the British Retail Industry. A comedy musical love story set in a supermarket in her Midlands hometown, the show features a bored checkout girl, her vegan love interest, a scary American singer-songwriter and an ancient fairy godmother. Best known as Dobby from Channel 4’s Peep Show, Isy has been performing musical stand-up since 2003 and is noted for her heartfelt, funny songs. For anyone who’s ever suffered sweaty palms at the prospect of asking someone out. “Quirkily endearing” The Scotsman “A voice you want to swim in” The Independent
Simon Munnery
Jon Richardson
Come see the UK’s foremost Simon Munnery impersonator, Simon Munnery, impersonate Simon Munnery as you’ve never seen him impersonated before: accurately.
‘Sublimely brilliant, stunning....He is a comic right on the verge of greatness, If you haven’t seen him yet get your finger out and sort it’ Time Out
Self Employed
It’s Not Me, It’s You
A beautifully honed set of nowhere near the knuckle material about life, death, children and work performed with love, while wearing a suit. British Comedy Award Nominee, Perrier Award Nominee, Barry Award Nominee, Sony Radio Award Winner, Boothby Graffoe Award Winner. Star of BBC2’s Attention Scum and Radio 4’s Where Did It All Go Wrong? “One of the most original and inventive comics in the country” The Observer “The Peter Cook of his generation” Stewart Lee
Time: 7.30pm, Price: £8/£7
“This is comedy with heart and soul” Steve Bennett, Chortle
‘Richardson is a neurotic genius whose stuff on his hang-ups and rigid worldview will make you weep’ Radio Times ‘Destined for showbiz big-time... ” Fest Evening Standard Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee, regular Have I Got News For You panellist and star of Live At The Apollo is bringing his new show It’s Not Me, It’s You to the Machynlleth Comedy Festival. With a sell out run at the Edinburgh Fringe behind him, It’s Not Me It’s You sees everyone’s favourite young grumpy man return to the stage. Embracing his misanthropy, the show features the best bits from his sold out, critically acclaimed Edinburgh show Don’t Happy Be Worry as well as some brand new material. Discussing the everyday items that have a profound effect on his outlook, Richardson takes his audience on
Time: 6.00pm, Price: £7
an eclectic journey from cheating footballers to decapitated alligators. It’s Not Me It’s You see’s Jon working his pessimism with some hilarious consequences, and as always with his loveable vivacious delivery. It is also the name of Jon’s highly anticipated first self penned book which is set for release in May 2011. “Jon Richardson is developing into a quietly sophisticated comedian who is at turns hilarious and disturbing and under no circumstances should you ” The Mirror miss’... “So good he actually bends time... ” Chortle
Time: 9.00pm, Price: £10/£8
GŴYL MACHYNLLETH FESTIVAL 21-28 AUGUST AWST 2011 KYLE EASTWOOD
LLŶR WILLIAMS
Featuring... PATRICIA ROUTLEDGE
ROBIN HUW BOWEN
SZYMANOWSKI QUARTET
MICHAEL CHANCE
For full programme and tickets visit:
www.momawales.org.uk Simon Munnery
Isy Suttie
Artistic Director
Julius Drake
Box Office:
Y TABERNACL
01654 703355
The Fabric Shop
Saturday: Owain Glyndwr Centre - Room 1
Machynlleth
Three Floors of Fabulous Fabrics.
Designer Clearance Textiles, Dress, Upholstery, Curtaining, Organic Cotton, Wools, Foam & Haberdashery 100's of Rolls in Stock. Curtains Made to Measure
The Behemoth
01654 702463
Elis James
James Acaster Babysits
A comedy show for children of all ages and parents too. James hosts an hour of hijinks where the audience can decide where the show should go. We’re talking big ideas here, ideas that could change the world, we’re going to be problem solving and launching several revolutions all at once. Ultimately it will be very silly and a lot of fun. Note to parents: James Acaster will be babysitting you as well.
Time: 1.00pm, Price: £5
Wil Hodgson Buju Banton
Perrier Award winner Wil Hodgson previews new material for his 2011 Edinburgh show. Wil - It will be the sort of show I usually do with stories and soapboxing etc.
Wil Hodgson
British comedy” Mark Thomas
Josie Long
“an hilarious hour of sketches... ” Edinburgh Festivals Magazine
“Genius” Russell Howard
Time: 2.10pm, Price: £5
“like being tag-teamed by the comedy equivalent of world-class pro-wrestlers... ” Fest
Josie Long
Time: 4.40pm, Price: £5
Josie Long presents her first ever hour long play. It will be surprising.
Elis James
Play
James Acaster
Hwyl Yr Wyl Sioe ola’r dydd yn Gymraeg yng nghwmni Gary Slaymaker a detholiad o gomediwyr gorau’r syrcit. Bwciwch eich tocynnau yn gynnar, gallwn eich sicrhau y bydd yn fwcing doniol a doeth.
Time: 9.00pm, Price: £5
Time: 3.20pm, Price: £5
The Behemoth
John-Luke Roberts & Nadia Kamil present The Behemoth John-Luke Roberts and Nadia Kamil are done with this stuff. They return to Machynlleth Comedy Festival with a preview of their brand new show which will squish your brain with funnies and solve this bloody global crisis using peculiarity. “disgustingly talented...
“Genius” Russell Howard
“slick and wickedly funny...
“The light at the end of the tunnel for
“ludicrous...
” Chortle
” The List ” Metro
Letting You Down Gently Elis James is the rising star of Welsh comedy - as seen on Russell Howard’s Good News (BBC3) and heard on The Rhod Gilbert Show (Radio Wales), Elis has performed all over Britain and at the Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane Comedy Festivals. Having written two solo shows for the Edinburgh festival, he is currently writing his third - see it first in Machynlleth! “Charming, impish, excruciatingly funny” The Scotsman “A complete joy” Time Out
Time: 7.30pm, Price: £5
Gary Slaymaker
The main festival box office is at the Owain Glyndwr Centre Courtyard. Make this your first port of call as our promotions team will be able to give you information on all the shows happening at the festival.
FORGET THE REST BUY AT THE BEST William Lloyd Williams & Son Local meat from local farms.
Traceability from grass to gravy. 5 Maengwyn Street, Machynlleth
17 Heol Maengwyn, Machynlleth, SY20 8EB
TEL: 01654 700669
Naturiol, Organig, Masnach Deg Natural, Organic, Fair Trade A wonderful selection of Fair Trade & Organic Cotton Children’s wear, Bamboo products, Natural Perfumes, Lotions & Potions for all including Mums to be and baby’s. Gifts, Weaving Looms, Buttons, Mosaic Mirrors, Bags, Bath Treats, Welsh Cards, and lots more... A warm welcome awaits you.
10% off with this voucher
WP419593 JB
Near The Clock
Saturday: Owain Glyndwr Centre - Room 2 Bring and Bi-Lingual
triumph” Metro
“Glorious puns as he highlights the murkier corners of his life” Chortle.
MC Phil Evans
Time: 3.20pm, Price: £5
MC Phil Evans introduces the best of the festival’s bi-lingual comedy. No knowledge of Welsh or English necessary. Some come along and try-lingual.
Chris Boyd
Time: 2.00pm, Price: £5
Chris Boyd is back. And this time he’s in a mildly more positive frame of mind.
Thom Tuck
Thom Tuck Goes Straight-To-DVD Simba’s Pride. Return of Jafar. Cinderella III: A Twist in Time. Thom Tuck watches all of the Disney straight-to-DVD movies in order for you to avoid doing so. A discussion, dissection & descent into madness. It will also feature tales of heartbreak. Not suitable for stupid children. “brilliant silliness, a complete and utter
Time: 4.40pm, Price: £5
Ed Gamble
No Frills
Gambletron 5000
Join him for a bit of that there.
Stupid idiot Ed Gamble swoops (gets the train) into Machynlleth Comedy Festival with his first ever hour. There will be a story in it (possibly two), a book of some sort and maybe a bit about fruit if you behave yourselves. He promises he is going to try his very hardest to not let any of you down. Actually, he has lost his watch so can one of you tell him when an hour is finished? If not, let’s just say he will talk at your faces for as long as he can manage.
“Experimental, witty and bemusing” Three Weeks
Ed Gamble does things like the hugely popular Peacock & Gamble Podcast,
In this new hour, the lanky lad from North Derbyshire attempts to figure out why his closest childhood friendship met an untimely end. Using a variety of unhinged theatrical means, Chris will also be finding time to tackle the other big topics in life: rogue electrical appliances, the actor John Saxon and fromage frais.
Glyn Wise
Thom Tuck
as well as other things like supporting Chris Addison, Greg Davies and Russell Kane on national tours. One day they let him be on the television (Russell Howard’s Good News, BBC3), which in hindsight they didn’t regret as much as they thought they would. Anyway, come the show. “brilliantly florid language...hilarious” Steve Bennett, Chortle
Time: 6.00pm, Price: £5
Glyn Wise a Dean Ap Johnson Damage Yn Cyflwyno
Dau sioe gomedi newydd sbon. Dysgwr Y Degawd Jams Thomas yw Dean ap Johnson, Sais sydd wedi cipio gwobr Dysgwr Y Degawd. Ond darganfyddodd Dean fwy na iaith a diwylliant, mae wedi
darganfod sut i wneud arian allan o’r iaith Gymraeg. Dyma sioe nas gwelwyd ei fath o’r blaen - dychan am y byd Cymraeg, yn Gymraeg, gan gymeriad nad sy’n Gymro. O Blaenau I Big Brother... ac yn ôl Glyn Wise oedd seren realiti mwyaf Cymru ar ol iddo ddod yn ail yn Big Brother. Comedi am enwogrwydd a diwylliant “celebrity” a stori dyn yn wynebu marwolaeth araf ei enwogrwydd yw’ sioe gomedi “O Blaenau I Big Brother”
stamps out crushed hopes and broken promises and dares you to dare to dream. Comedy, poetry, music, volume. “Thrilling” The Times “Nonsensical joy” Time Out “Sharp, funny and loud...
” Chortle
Dave’s Top 10 Stand-Ups to Catch in 2011.
Time: 9.00pm, Price: £5
Time: 7.30pm, Price: £5
Nick Helm
Dare to Dream Multi Award Losing Comedian and Professional dick-kicker Nick Helm will shout and sweat for an hour as he
Stand out From the Crowd
Nick Helm
O chy fficia nlle l D th esig Com ne edy r for Fes tiva
Ma
l
Grow your business through creative design that works, creative design that sells.
Chris Boyd
Website design, branding, flyers, brochures, logos, large format print, illustration & more.
Dean AP Johnson
Phil Evans
Ed Gamble
If you need help with any aspect of your design, branding or website, call 07976 770339 now or visit www.dickiedwyer.com to find out more.
DICKIE DWYER PRINT & WEB DESIGNER
Friday 29 April
Dydd Gwener 29 Ebrill
Saturday 30 April Dydd Sadwrn 30 Ebrill Sunday 1 May Dydd Sul 1 Mai Additional Venues
10.10pm £8
11.00am £5
Machynlleth Comedy Festival Showcase
Junket Club
7.30pm £8/£7 9.00pm £10/£8
4.50pm £5
Jon Richardson
Trevor Lock
It’s Not the End of the World
Gareth Richards
If This Show Saves One Life
Josh Widdicombe
7.30pm £5
6.10pm £5
4.50pm £5
Edward Aczel Doesn’t Exist
Edward Aczel
Ready for This?
3.30pm £5
2.10pm £5
1.00pm £5
Maeve Higgins
MC Tudur Owen
Bring and Bi-Lingual
Another Lovely Crisis
Stuart Goldsmith
Hwyl Yr Wyl
9.00pm £5
7.30pm £5
Elis James
Letting You Down Gently
4.40pm £5
3.20pm £5
2.10pm £5
1.00pm £5
9.00pm £5
7.30pm £6
6.10pm £5
The Behemoth
Play
Josie Long
Buju Banton
Wil Hodgson
Babysits
James Acaster
Olver: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Mark Olver
Keep Hold of the Gold
Nick Helm
Amongst Other Things
James Acaster
5.00pm £5
Hwyl Ola’r Wyl
Pat Burtscher’s Waffle House
Pat Burtscher
Enthusiast
Nathaniel Metcalfe
Saturday 1.00pm Voluntary donation
Noel Byrne’s Leap of Death
Unstable Acts Sunday 9.00pm £5
Daniel Kitson
The Interminable Suicide of Gregory Church
Street Entertainment on ‘Y Plas Lawn’
Y Tabernacl
7.30pm £5
6.10pm £5
4.50pm £5
3.30pm £5
2.10pm £5
9.00pm £5
£5
Saturday 2.00pm Voluntary donation
Ben Target, Benjamin Partridge & Gareth Brand
David Trent - This Is A Title Henry Widdicombe - Cerealist
David Trent / Henry Widdicombe
Dare to Dream
Nick Helm
Damage Yn Cyflwyno
6.00pm £5
4.40pm £5
3.20pm £5
2.00pm £5
9.00pm £5
7.30pm £5
6.10pm £8/£7
5.00pm £5
Glyn Wise a Dean Ap Johnson 7.30pm
Gambletron 5000
Ed Gamble
No Frills
Chris Boyd
Thom Tuck Goes Straight-To-DVD
Thom Tuck
MC Phil Evans
Bring and Bi-Lingual
Hwyl Yr Wyl
Mae Caryl Parry Jones Yn Fyw
Caryl Parry Jones
MC Daniel Glyn
Bring and Bi-Lingual
Distracts You From a Murder
John-Luke Roberts
Owain Glyndwr Centre Room 2
Buy Tickets from the Box Office located at the Owain Glyndwr Centre
7.30pm £8/£7
Josie Long
Be Honourable
6.00pm £7
Ffarmwr Ffowc
Edinburgh Preview
It’s Not Me, It’s You
Self Employed
Simon Munnery
Love Lost in the British Retail Industry
Isy Suttie
This event will be held in the Vortex in Y Plas) 6.00pm £7
8.50pm £8/£7
Pointless Anger, Righteous Ire
Robin Ince & Michael Legge
Mae Caryl Parry Jones Yn Fyw
Caryl Parry Jones
7.30pm £8/£7
Pappy’s All Business
Owain Glyndwr Centre Room 1
Y Plas
Junket Club The Junket Club invites you to a very special wedding. Imagine a wedding where the vicar is a comedian and the ushers are comedians and the organist is a comedian. It’ll be a bit like that. But less upsetting. And more ramshackle. And you’ll have to make your own bonnet*. We promise you an array of the festival’s best acts, top notch canapes (barbeque pringles) and a raffle. All the standard wedding fare. It will be just like that other one that’s happening but with more bingo. Once it’s over we all go off on honeymoon together**.
The Junket Club is a nomadic comedy club that moves from venue to venue each time. The Guardian said we were one of the top ten comedy clubs in the UK. Honestly! So pop along and eat a sausage on a stick. *you won’t have to make a bonnet. if this is in any way disappointing to you, you’re a hero legend. ** the honeymoon will involve buying tickets and going to see lots of comedy shows around the majestic town of Machynlleth. Pretty romantic eh?
Time: Saturday 11.00am, Vortex in Y Plas (2hrs). Price: £5 All profits from this event will go to a local charity.
Street Entertainment on ‘Y Plas Lawn’ families, but their unique combination of danger, excitement and irreverent humour mean they have something for everyone. ‘Passing the hat’ - Just like Covent Garden, there is no entrance fee for these performances, but please show your appreciation by making a donation at the end
ladder, a kilted gent” The Guardian
Unstable Acts
A one-man show starring the affable but misguided Mr Noel, as he and his audience career headlong towards the climactic final chapter, the ominously named ‘Leap of Death’.
The last in a long line of East End wideboys, Pete was tragically abandoned by his mother and father and raised by wild audiences.
Come down, join the crowd and be part of the action. We are pleased to be able to bring world class street entertainers direct from Covent Garden. The lawn opposite Y Plas will be our ‘street theatre’ venue featuring two highly visual and lively shows outdoors. Both shows are suitable for
Climbing an unsupported, 10ft ladder, he has an uncanny ability to remain upright, teetering in the air. Playing with knives whilst balancing at the top is dangerous enough…but to do it all wearing a kilt redefines the term ‘personal risk’
‘wonderful, energetic and entertaining’ The Irish Examiner
Time: Saturday 1pm, (45 minutes) Price: Voluntary donation
Noel Byrne’s Leap of Death
Comedy, mime, audience participation and a springy-legged hero make for a surprising show from a tiny case... A ‘cheerful, upbeat, and uplifting’ experience, The Leap of Death is a signature solo show, with an inventive and original finale.
Pete is a meticulous engineer of audience reactions, you don’t watch his show, you experience it.
Former British Busking Champion Noel Byrne can currently be found performing regularly at London’s famous Covent Garden.
Street Performance World Championship Finalist 2010
Time: Saturday 2pm, (45 minutes) Price: Voluntary donation
“balancing adeptly atop an unsupported
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Sunday: Tabernacle - Daniel Kitson
Sunday: Y Plas
Daniel Kitson
cancelled the milk for the morning.
Written and Performed by Daniel Kitson. Fringe First Winner -2009
“An inspired fictional anecdote that flowers into an unobtrusive masterpiece of modern low-key storytelling… funny, poignant, richly observant” The Scotsman
The Interminable Suicide of Gregory Church
Gregory had fifty seven letters to write. He’d never written that many letters, not in one go. In fact, he’d never written a single letter and it was taking significantly longer than he’d anticipated. He’d started, full of optimism, curiously enough, at 9 am and now here he was 8 hours later half way through letter twenty four. He glanced at his watch and then at the noose hanging over his head. Gregory sighed.
The story of a death postponed by life.
“Eccentric, Far fetched and Unbelievably Good” The Telegraph “Kitson’s genius emerges, once again. Interminably talented, and staggeringly good.” The List “An ingeniously simple and hopeful piece of work, turning loneliness into communion.” The Independent
Time: 9.00pm, Price: £5
Had he known how long suicide letters take, he thought, he wouldn’t have
Trevor Lock
Edinburgh Preview Trevor will be bringing his as yet untitled Edinburgh preview to the festival.
COMEDY AT ABERYSTWYTH ARTS CENTRE COMEDI YNG NGHOLFAN Y CELFYDDYDAU MARK THOMAS 29 September/Medi
One of the most original and exciting acts in comedy, noted for his ability to improvise whole routines on stage, Trevor Lock’s unique brand of intelligent stand up, mixing cleverly crafted wordplay with stream of consciousness extemporization has gained him a worldwide cult following. After breaking onto the small screen with BBC3’s Brain Candy in 2003 and bizarrely supporting both Stewart Lee and Russell Brand on UK tours, his raucous weekly comedy showcase Trevor Lock’s Philosophy Society ran for 18 months to sell out audiences in Leicester Square from 2007 to 2008.
PAUL ZERDIN 7 October/Hydref
MAX BOYCE 26 October/Hydref
In August 2009 he performed an hour of improvised stand up comedy every night at the Edinburgh Fringe which one critic described as “Unstoppable. Unrelenting. Furious, quick, sharp jokes flying out of his mouth as soon as the door’s shut, machine-gunning one-liners like a hyperactive child with a water pistol.”
JIMMY CARR 21 October/Hydref
REGINALD D HUNTER 24 November/Tachwedd
LAUGHING GNOME COMEDY CLUB The Gnome Returns - Coming Soon
‘Hilarious’ TimeOut
www.aber.ac.uk/artscentre
Ffarmwr Ffowc
Trevor Lock
‘Funny, moving and clever.’ The Scotsman ‘Strangely charming and irresistible. Utterly improbable, absolutely entertaining’ The Independent ‘Would win an award for the most laughs produced per minute.’ Spoonfed ‘A comic genius.’ Metro ‘Truly sublime stand up’ London Lite ‘Superbly comic writing’ The Sunday Times
Time: 4.50pm, Price: £5
Ffarmwr Ffowc Dyma’r tro cynta i Ffarmwr Ffowc dderbyn gwahoddiad i Wyl Gomedi Machynlleth. Dewch yn llu i ddarganfod pam. Dim concessions i neb, yn enwedig townies. BYO Bails.
Time: 6.00pm, Price: £7
Josie Long
Josie Long
Be Honourable Edinburgh Comedy Awards Nominee 2010 Be Honourable! is about trying to be a saint, strangers, politics, complacency and breakfast. The shows aim is to provoke people into changing the world. If you like breakfast, but not the idea of the rest, you’ll be pleased to know that the breakfast bit is at the start, freeing up the second half for your own private thoughts. Josie is earnest and full of optimism. It’s a ramshackle call-to-arms. ‘What great comedy should be. Inspired and inspiring’ Metro ‘One of the most exciting female comics around’ The Telegraph ‘Excellent timing, delivery and an obvious ability as a performer...you’d have to have a heart of stone not to leave with a broad smile on your face’ The Stage
Time: 7.30pm, Price: £8/£7
Sunday: Owain Glyndwr Centre - Room 1
Maeve Higgins
Stuart Goldsmith
Stuart Goldsmith Another Lovely Crisis
The award-winning favourite Green Man Festival has retained its earthy feel while promising big-hitting appeal for 2011. Headliners Fleet Foxes and Explosions In The Sky are joined by indie-folk attractions Villagers, The Low Anthem, Bellowhead, and Polar Bear. If you want to enjoy the scenery, munch on tasty food, dance the night away, let your imagination run riot in the Literature Tent, tickle your funny bone in Henry Widdicombe’s Comedy Tent, or sit around the bonfire from dusktill-dawn, it’s really up to you, but that’s not even the half of it.
Be it teen or tot, the Green Man is really just a big kid at heart, so he’s made sure there’s a little something for everyone at this year’s festival. Take your little cherubs to the always entertaining Kids Area or join Green Man as he tackles the big questions head on and engages with the miracle of
science and nature in Einstein’s Garden. The field is truly your oyster, so share your love of music, culture, and good living at Green Man 2011 which takes place 19-21 August.
For more information visit www.greenman.net Tickets are on sale now: www.ticketline.co.uk/green-man-festival-tickets
Whether he’s cheering up a distressed child, or genuinely saving another human being’s actual life, Stuart Goldsmith is excellent in a crisis. When the chips aren’t down however, it’s a very different story... Last year Stu previewed his debut solo show at Machynlleth, and barely months later it went on to bewildering success at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival, garnering him a total of 48 stars and some bloody lovely quotes. Even Chortle got on board, and nominated him for Breakthrough Act 2011. Determined to continue his trajectory from zero to marginally higher-profile zero, he reckons that maybe Mach holds a mystical touchstone quality that will make everything alright. Yeah – that’s probably right, isn’t it? Another Lovely Crisis is an all-new true story about embracing your anxieties, learning to fit into the world, and getting Tasered. “Consistently, dependable and utterly funny” Three Weeks “Expert stand-up” Sunday Times
“Irresistible charm” Metro “A master at drawing hilarity from the commonplace” Scotsgay
Time: 1.00pm, Price: £5
Bring and Bi-Lingual MC Tudur Owen
MC Tudur Owen introduces the best of the festival’s bi-lingual comedy. No knowledge of Welsh or English necessary. Some come along and trylingual.
Time: 2.10pm, Price: £5
Maeve Higgins Ready for This?
Maeve Higgins (me) presents Ready For This? - a night of fun with brilliant comedy, a special guest, a couple of baking tips and maybe even some signature cat material!! Can you wait? Before you answer that – Shhh! (Maeve puts hand over reader’s mouth.) You’ll have to! (She removes hand.)
Edward Aczel
Also, you’ll need to get tickets. After that, I’ll take care of things - it’ll be amazing. See you soon! ‘Higgins is rarer than a blessing of unicorns … she is original and relatively calm, her observations are pithy, her wit delicate, her persona oddly alluring and deftly honest.’ The Irish Times
Time: 3.30pm, Price: £5
Edward Aczel
Edward Aczel Doesn’t Exist Edward Aczel presents an hour of standup comedy in order to get himself some TV exposure. “Aczel turns unprofessionalism into an ” The Times artform... Edward is now a regular headliner on the comedy circuit, and has performed four solo shows at the Edinburgh Festival “Edward Aczel is perhaps Britain’s greatest living anti-comedian” The Guardian “Nothing short of sheer comic genius” The Evening Standard
Time: 4.50pm, Price: £5
Sunday: Owain Glyndwr Centre - Room 1
Josh Widdicombe
Gareth Richards
Sunday: Owain Glyndwr Centre - Room 2
David Trent
Nathaniel Metcalfe
Benjamin Partridge
Ben Target
Josh Widdicombe
Gareth Richards
David Trent / Henry Widdicombe
Josh Widdicombe returns to the Machynlleth Comedy Festival with a preview of his first hour show. A story about life in the middle of nowhere, a long weekend in York and never ever receiving any post.
Gareth Richards is prepared to put himself out there and predict that the world will not end in 2012. He may be wrong, in which case he will issue a full apology. But in the meantime things are going to carry on.
DAVID TRENT - THIS IS A TITLE
If This Show Saves One Life
Since his first gig in 2008 Josh has had a remarkable impact on the comedy circuit. Regarded as one of the best up-and-coming acts on the circuit and winner of the 2010 FHM Stand-Up Hero competition Josh is is fast establishing himself on the live circuit having supported huge comic talent such as Kevin Bridges, Michael McIntyre, Alan Carr and Shappi Khorsandi. He has also appeared on Mark Watson Kicks Off on ITV4, Loose Ends and Arthur Smith’s Balham Bash on BBC Radio 4, Fighting Talk on BBC Radio5Live and Soccer Am on Sky One. Don’t miss your chance to catch the next big name in comedy. “Excellent” The Guardian “His playful, original set proved a breath of fresh air” Chortle
Time: 6.10pm, Price: £5
It’s Not the End of the World
Join the 2010 Edinburgh Comedy Award best newcomer nominee for a show about how to deal with the disappointment that the world is going to continue to exist. Gareth Richards’ engaging observational comedy, inspired oneliners and quirky songs played on the Omnichord, an instrument he has rescued from the 80s, have made him a favourite on the comedy circuit. He can be heard every Saturday morning from 8am on Frank Skinner’s Silver Sony award winning Absolute Radio Show. “Quirkily assured writing, from silly wordplay to melancholic selfevaluation.” Steve Bennet, Chortle.
Time: 7.30pm, Price: £5
COME ON. YOU. COME AND SEE ME. I AM GRETA. THAT IS GREAT BUT WITH THE LAST TWO LETTERS BACKWARDS. I.AM.A.PHENOMENON. THIS IS NOT BULLSHIT. ALL THIS HENRY. PRINT ALL THIS. INCLUDING THIS BIT. I THINK CAPITAL LETTERS MAKE ME TOUGH. STRONG LIKE A LIONESS. CALM LIKE A WAVE. DAVID TRENT. “A very lucky man stumbling across laughs” Chortle
Henry Widdicombe - Cerealist
“Grocery based comedian” Henry Widdicombe will attempt to talk about cereal into a microphone for 30 minutes (a new PB). That is all he’s prepared to commit to. You will either enjoy it, or you won’t. You will talk about it after it has happened even if only to confirm that it has, as you suspected, happened. Henry Widdicombe was recently left crestfallen, bereft and all-at-sea when he didn’t win the prestigious Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2011. “Delightfully nerdy pedantry” Chortle
“Widdicombe’s irreverent style was excellent” The Western Mail
Time: 2.10pm, Price: £5
Ben Target, Benjamin Partridge & Gareth Brand Three young men. One younger than the others. One older. One the same age as the other two. Youth is their power tool and you are a workbench. Welcome to their shed. Hand picked by those in the know at Machynlleth Comedy Festival, come and taste something a little bit different.
Ben Target
Ben Target brings his bespoke comedy straight to your lap, so all you need now is a potato based snack and a dip of your choice. Winner of Leicester Mercury Comedian of the Year 2011. Loser of a valid driving license.
Benjamin Partridge
Benjamin Partridge is from Cardiff. Men want to be him and women want to be with him. He can fly. He has strong legs
Henry Widdicombe
Gareth Brand
Pat Burtscher
and weak arms. He’s a regular panellist on BBC Radio Wales’s “What’s The Story?” and devised the BBC Radio 4 comedy panel show “It’s Your Round”.
Gareth Brand
Knock Knock. Who’s there? Gareth Brand. Well come on in then and let’s have a bloody great laugh. Gareth Brand is from the small village of Colwinston in South Wales. He is the finest stand up comedian they have ever produced. He is also better than most of the comedians in neighbouring Corntown. In case he doesn’t see you, have a great World Statistics Day 2011.
Time: 3.30pm, Price: £5
Nathaniel Metcalfe Enthusiast
Over the last decade Nathaniel Metcalfe has wasted his life indulging his own obscure minor obsessions and now he needs to justify it to you and himself. He is the only resident act at Josie Long’s Lost Treasures of the Black Heart club. ”brilliant and unusual and very funny” Josie Long
“Nathaniel Metcalfe is particularly engrossing with a surreal, meandering line of dry observations, delivered in an perfectly unsettling manner. His Sugar Puffs/Honey Monster comment is the stuff of dreams” The List This is a work in progress show.
Time: 4.50pm, Price: £5
Pat Burtscher
Pat Burtscher’s Waffle House Come and join me on an adventure full of stuff, things and that sort, but only if you like fun and good times - no lameo’s allowed! “undeniably funny” Chortle “very, very funny” Three Weeks
Time: 6.10pm, Price: £5
Hwyl Ola’r Wyl Sioe ola’r dydd yn Gymraeg yng nghwmni Tudur Owen a detholiad o gomediwyr gorau’r syrcit. Bwciwch eich tocynnau yn gynnar, gallwn eich sicrhau y bydd yn fwcing doniol a doeth.
Time: 7.30pm, Price: £5
Nick Helm at the Owain Glyndwr Centre
Owain Glyndwr Centre
T’S SOUTH WALES WHA
ON GUIDE. MARCH
FREE
2011.
GARY SPEED LOOKS TO THE FUTURE BUZZ TRIES TRACK CYCLING
Buzz
IRONCLAD Welsh film special
PLUS SOUL DIVA MARY WILSON | ELBOW | THE NDCW SPRING TOUR | SOUTH AFRICA
out 1st of every month
The historic original Welsh parliament site provides a fantastic hub for festival activity. The courtyard contains the main festival box office and a range of stalls so that you can relax with some food and drink before the shows, whilst the surrounding building houses our two smallest venue spaces. Make the Owain Glyndwr Centre your first port of call as our promotions team will be able to give you information on all the shows happening at the festival. Mae lleoliad gwreiddiol y Senedd Cymraeg yn ganolbwynt wych am holl weithgareddau’r Ŵyl. Yn y cwrt a lleolir y prif box office ar gyfer yr Ŵyl, ac mae hefyd amrywiaeth o stondinau yno lle’r allwch ymlacio hefo bwyd a diod cyn y sioeau, tra mae’r adeiladu gerllaw yn gartref i ddau wagle berfformio fach. Y Ganolfan Owain Glyndŵr yw’ch cyrchfan
Robin Ince at Y Plas
cyntaf, gan fod yr holl tîm yna yn medru darparu wybodaeth am holl sioeau’r Ŵyl.
Y Plas A short walk, either through the town or the park, will bring you to our larger venue spaces at Y Plas. The Vortex provides an interesting space to watch comedy in where the comedian performs amongst the audience, whereas the main hall is used for our largest events. There is also a bar and cafe held within Y Plas, and the street performance on Saturday will take place on the large lawns located directly in front of the building. Wnaiff tro bach, trwy’r dref neu’r parc, eich arwain i’r safle berfformio fwyaf; Y Plas. Byddai’r Vortex yn profi fel man diddorol iawn i wylio comedi gan fod y ddigrifwyr yn berfformio ymysg y gynulleidfa, a defnyddir y neuadd fawr
ar gyfer ein achlysuron fwyaf. Mae na far a caffi o fewn Y Plas, a mae’r berfformiad stryd ar Dydd Sadwrn yn digwydd ar y lawntiau fawr o flaen yr adeilad.
Y Tabernacl This year the festival is using the converted tabernacle held within the Welsh Museum of Modern Art for the final event of the weekend. Ensure you get your tickets to experience this unique performance space. There will be a small bar open before the show. Eleni mae’r Ŵyl yn ddefnyddio’r tabernacl dychweledig o fewn yr Amgueddfa Celf Fodern Cymru am achlysur terfynol y benwythnos. Sicrhewch eich fod wedi prynu’ch tocynnau i gael brofiad yn y safle berfformio unigryw yma. Bydd bar fach ar agor cyn y sioe.
Extra Stuff
Magic Lantern Cinema
Tickled Pink Highly unusual characters will be popping up and exploring the streets of Machynlleth courtesy of the Cardiff based company. Keep an eye out for amusing manoeuvres from giant sized Ladybirds Tickled Pink
Waen Brewery The Waen Brewery return to provide a full bar at the Owain Glyndwr Centre with their award winning real ales be sure to arrive with enough time to enjoy a drink before your show, or relax on the lawns of the Centre with a pint of the specially brewed festival ale as you decide what to see next.
Sideshow Snacks
Sideshow Snacks
As well as the plethora of eating options in the town of Machynlleth itself we’ve got a range of options at the Owain Glyndwr Centre, including the rather special Sideshow Snacks. Come and be entertained as your food is prepared
for you. High quality burgers, hot-dogs, soups and ice creams. Yum!
The Dyfi Enduro + Festival Camping If you see a lot of people wondering around in lycra don’t be alarmed. 750 mountain bikers will be in town for the Dyfi Enduro on the Sunday of the festival. The added bonus is that they’ve let us share their camping ground. Check out the www.machcomedyfest.co.uk to buy your pitch for the weekend. £5 a night for a 2 man tent, £10 a night for 3+ man tent. On this site will be the wonderful Cafe Seren providing additional catering facilities and entertainment.
☛ Tywyn ☛
r a e y l l a s m l fi Great s beautiful in thi inema! old c ☛
Telephone:
01654 710260 www.tywyncinema.co.uk Join us on Facebook: Tywyn Cinema!
Steam Through Unspoilt Snowdonia
Just up the coast at Tywyn Take a historic steam train journey for Scenic Walks & Waterfalls Free Museum Gift Shop Licensed Cafe Playground w w w .ta ly lly n .c o .u k / a d 01654 710472 Gorsaf Wharf Station, Tywyn, Gwynedd. LL36 9EY
We’ll see you all next year for the 3rd Machynlleth Comedy Festival! We hope you’ve had a great time and enjoy the rest of your year. From the Machynlleth Comedy Festival Team (Henry Widdicombe, Emma Butler, Lisa Jones, Pete Anderson, Clare Nightingale, Ed Walker, Hazel Anderson, John Rostron, Helen O’Donnell, Carl Chapple, Sarah Hazell and Benjamin Partridge).
Friday 9.00pm, Owain Glyndwr Centre - Room 1
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Diolch The festival would like to thank all the residents, shopkeepers and landlords of Machynlleth for accommodating the festival for a second year, the three fantastic venues and their staff, the incredible team of volunteers for giving up their time to make the festival a success, all of the stallholders for working tirelessly to keep people fed and watered, Dickie Dwyer (www.dickiedwyer.com) the festivals graphic designer extraordinaire for once again making the festival look amazing in print and on-line, Daniel Glyn and Tudur Owen for curating the Welsh Language content of the festival, Geoff Hill and Annie Grundy for their continued support, all the businesses who advertised in this programme and supported the festival, and all of the acts and performers who travel from far afield to make the festival the unique and innovative event it aspires to be. A final thank-you goes to Paula and Gerry Jewson from West Coast Energy, and all at Arts and Business Cymru, who’s mentorship is proving invaluable in taking the festival forward.
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