Thu 20/Apr/2023 - Thu 20/Apr/2023 7pm
About South Wales Comedy Festival 2023 - Opening Show
South Wales Comedy Festival 2023 - Opening Show
Merthyr Comedy Festival is back for 2023, bigger and better than ever, so big in fact that we've had to rebrand and expand the name to South Wales Comedy Festival!
Join us at the opening show in the cosy confines of The New Crown as the festival kicks off with a bang!
The opening show of the festival will feature:
- Bennett Aaron
“One of the best on the circuit… a Welsh Seinfeld” The Guardian “Genuinely original and funny” The Times “Hilarious… clever wit… razor sharp” The Standard
Bennett is a TV and Radio Presenter who is currently starring in the Radio 4 Sitcom ALONE which is in its 4th series.
He has performed all around the UK as well as entertaining audiences in Italy, Australia, Germany, Poland, South Africa and Hong Kong. He also supported Ricky Gervais on some of his tour dates.
He has written and starred in two radio series, Bennett Arron is Jewelsh, and Bennett Arron Worries About… both of which were nominated for the Celtic Media Awards.
He was BAFTA shortlisted for Presenting and Directing the Channel 4 documentary How To Steal An Identity and he presented the BBC documentary The Kosher Comedian in which he traced his family’s roots from Lithuania to South Wales. He also presented the BBC Radio Wales documentary: Bennett Arron’s Cymru Knish.
His other Television and Radio credits include; Loose Ends, Not Tonight With John Sergeant, Glee Time (in which he hosted a series of six stand-up comedy shows), Never Write Off The Germans (a panel show for Radio 2) and he was a Presenter on Big Brother's Little Brother for Channel 4.
He is a past winner of both the TAPS Comedy Writer of the Year Award and the BBC New Writer's Award and is a past finalist of the BBC New Comedy Awards.
- Dani Johns
With an energetic mix of story telling and serious over sharing, Dani has been described as one of the best new comics on the scene.
She regularly performs across the UK at some of the best comedy clubs on the circuit and has gigged alongside the likes of Jon Richardson, Nish Kumar and Rosie Jone. She's also the resident co-host of Smoke & Mirrors, one of Bristol's most recognizable and popular comedy nights.
RECENTLY NAMED AS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN BRISTOL 2022 AND ON THE BRISTOL COOL LIST: THE 40 COOLEST PEOPLE IN BRISTOL 2022.
"A smart, clever pocket rocket of a comedian who delivers a set full of quick fire gags coupled with a sassy delivery that captivates every audience member."
- Crazy Bird Comedy
and...
- Headline Act - Roger Monkhouse
Roger Monkhouse is a consummate stand-up who employs a deadly combination of charm and menace to exert a masterful control over any audience. As a seasoned corporate host he improvises freely with the crowd but is nonetheless distinguished as a comic by the intelligence of his material and his keen eye for a fine phrase, his easy observational style spiked by the signal flares of an accomplished gag writer.
Since his debut in 1990 Roger Monkhouse has been a regular performer at The Comedy Store, The Glee Clubs, and all major comedy clubs around the UK and internationally. In 2016 he was voted Best Compere by fellow comics.
"He is a gifted natural, with the years of experience to know how to handle a crowd, which goes to make him one of the consummate professionals of the stand-up circuit”
Chortle
"his laconic delivery shields an engaging persona and an enquiring mind"
The Guardian
This wonderfully hilarious line up will be all held together by host...
- Chris Chopping
Bedfordshire-born Chris Chopping began his stand-up career in Wales and quickly racked up a brace of new act competition wins. Since then, his dry outlook and hilarious punchlines have established him as a fixture of professional comedy nights across Wales and beyond. He’s also taken seven shows (including three solo hours) to the Edinburgh Festival where his strong material and deadpan persona have garnered him a cult following.
As seen on BBC One, regular contributor to BBC online content ‘SESH’ and as tour support to Ignacio Lopez, Chris has recently released a one-hour special on UK Comedy streaming service ‘Next Up…’ and has even turned his hand to stand-up in a foreign tongue, making his welsh-language TV debut for S4C’s stand-up showcase Gwerthu Allan. As a writer Chris’ work has garnered over 5 million views to date, having written opinion pieces, music and pro-wrestling journalism and topical news response articles for WhatCulture, Golwg360 (welsh language) and Do Not Read.
“Hilarious”- Paul Sinha
Merthyr Comedy Festival - stand up comedy in the heart of the Welsh Valleys!
Age Restrictions:
18+
Last Updated - Tue - 24 / Oct / 23