STAND-UPS DESCEND ON SOUTH WALES
South Wales is fit to burst with the wealth of comedic talent
arriving in October. David Griffiths looks at the highlights.
Sandi Toksvig
Russell Brand
By now Russell Brand should need no introduction.
He’s the long-haired lothario from Essex, and he’s
bringing his Messiah Complex tour to Cardiff this
October. His rise to fame has been as entertaining as
it has been controversial; from dressing as Osama
Bin Laden to host his MTV show on the day after
the September 11th terror attacks to suggesting to
an American awards audience that George W Bush
wasn’t playing with a full deck, he’s always got a
cheeky sideswipe ready to shock and amuse in equal
measure. Known for his sesquipedalian tendencies
and loquacious charm he’s never going to be short
of something to say. His current show tackles the
fraught topics of religion, Jesus, Ghandi and Che
Guevara. Though it’s unclear whether Brand is
drawing any personal parallels, he’s never been short
of offering an uncompromising opinion or two.
Russell Brand: Messiah Complex,
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay,
Sat 19 Oct. Tickets: £27.50 (sold out).
Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk
Diminutive Dane Sandi Toksvig is now best known
for presenting the slightly more grown-up humour of
Radio 4’s News Quiz, but she’s also worn about as
many different hats as one person can. Her website
modestly lists her as a “comedian, novelist, actor,
broadcaster, university chancellor, show-off and
international treasure”. Her latest one-woman show,
My Valentine, is a warm-hearted hour-long tour
through Toksvig’s life and loves in which she explores
her childhood, her love of the English language, and
why Danish has no single word for ‘herring’. Toksvig’s
warmth and ordinary likeability mean it’s probably the
next best thing to having a nice cup of tea and a chat
with her.
Sandi Toksvig: My Valentine, St David’s
Hall, Cardiff (Mon 28 Oct); Swansea
Grand Theatre (Tues 29 Oct). Tickets:
£19.50. Info: www.sanditoksvig.com
Henning Wehn
Henning Wehn is the self-styled ‘German Comedy
Ambassador to Great Britain’, gleefully rehearsing
stereotypes about the Germans and the British (and
any nation possible). By rehashing prejudices about
national characteristics he eventually subverts them,
and ends up finding points of similarity between
cultures. His Radio 2 show Henning Knows Best was a
hilarious take on British attitudes from the outsider’s
perspective, and you can expect more of the same
from his tour Henning Knows Bestest. Henning will be
performing at the Riverfront as part of Newport’s funny
festival Comedy Port.
Henning Wehn: Henning Knows Bestest,
The Riverfront, Newport, Mon 7 Oct.
Tickets: £7.50-£12. Info: 01633 656757 /
www.newport.gov.uk/riverfront
Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey is probably best known for his avuncular
appearances on panel show Nevermind the Buzzcocks
but he is one of the UK’s most startling original standups, whose quick-fire bursts of whimsy range from
impressions of small animals and good-natured send
ups of seventies prog rock. Qualmpeddlar, his spellcheck defying new show, charts Bailey’s doubts about
the modern world and their evolution into full-blown
qualms. It promises “religious dubstep... and perhaps a
dub version of Downton Abbey” and will, no doubt, be
as magnificently off-kilter as any of his previous shows.
Bill Bailey: Qualmpeddlar, Wales
Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Wed 16
Oct. Tickets: £26. Info: 029 2063 6464 /
www.wmc.org.uk
JIMMY CARR
Best known as presenter of 8 Out
Of 10 Cats and the Big Fat Quiz of
the Year, Jimmy Carr’s controversial
humour is legendary.
Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Sun
13 Oct. Tickets: £12.50-£25.
Info: 01970 623232 / www.
aberystwythartscentre.co.uk
RUSSELL KANE
He’s won tons of comedy awards, as
well as Celebrity Mastermind. Now
Russell Kane (and his hair) are touring.
Sherman Cymru, Cardiff, Fri 25
Oct. Tickets: £19, Info: 029 2064
6900 / www.shermancymru.co.uk
FASCINATING AIDA
Hilarious and satirical cabaret trio
Fascinating Aida are back with more
musical comedic adventures on their
latest tour, Charm Offensive.
St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Thurs
22 Oct. Tickets: £19.Info:
029 2087 8500 / www.
stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk
SARAH MILLICAN
Geordie lass, TV panellist regular,
writer and comedian Sarah Millican
comes to Cardiff and Swansea to
perform her latest stand up show,
Home Bird.
Grand Theatre, Swansea, Sun
27. Tickets: £25. Info: 01792
475715 / www.swansea.gov.uk.
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Bay, Mon 28 Oct.
Tickets: £26 (sold
out). Info: 029 2063
6464 / wmc.org.uk
MICKY FLANAGAN
A regular on the likes of Mock
The Week and 8 Out Of 10 Cats,
Flanagan’s Back In The Game tour is
bound to provide lots of laughs.
Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Thurs
31 Oct-Sun 3 Nov. Tickets: £27.
Info: 029 2022 4488 / www.
motorpointarenacardiff.co.uk
PAUL FOOT
Paul Foot is adamant he doesn’t
have fans, but ‘connoisseurs ’. If you
are a connoisseur of this comedy
genius, don’t miss his Glee Club
performance.
Glee Club, Cardiff Bay, Thurs 31
Oct. Tickets: £12.50. Info: 0871
4720400 / www.glee.co.uk
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