Comedians plan a night of love, laughter and Scottish grit

It promises to be a unique mash-up of Welsh romance and Scottish grit, featuring a ‘Magnificent Seven’ band of comics.

The date will be Friday, January 25 – a day which marks St Dwynwen’s Day (the Welsh St Valentine’s) and Burns Night (the occasion which celebrates Scottish heritage).

The two events fall on the same day – but events which manage to mark both occasions are as rare as hen’s teeth.

Comedian Phil Evans came up with the idea of stirring ‘Love, Laughter and Scottish Grit’ into the same magical melting pot of mirth.

“It’s quite a collision, putting St Dwynwen’s Day and Burns Night together in the same event,” said Phil.

“But we know it won’t be a comedy car crash. In fact, it’ll be a very unusual evening, unique, in truth. What better than asking some of the leading comedians in Wales to perform their own mash-up of the two occasions to celebrate St Dwynwen’s Day and Burns Night? Laughs are guaranteed.”

The venue will be Llanelli’s Best Western Diplomat Hotel in Felinfoel Road, Llanelli. Curtain up is at 8pm.

Phil will be bringing his ‘Friends’ along for the occasion – six of the best funny folk in Wales.

They are – Gary Slaymaker, Rob Hughes, Karen Sherrard, Steffan Evans, Aled Richards and Stefan Pejic.

Phil added: “January 25 is a special day in the Welsh and Scottish calendars. The ‘Phil Evans and Friends’ evening at The Diplomat gives you seven comedians under one roof.

“They will make you cry with laughter and get 2019 off to a great start. There is no better way to kick off the new year.

“To add to the occasion, food will be available from 7pm.

“It promises to be a wonderful evening and we are looking forward to welcoming romantic couples to the evening. It would make our night if someone ‘popped the question’ during the evening.

“Romance and raucous laughter will definitely be on the agenda for the evening.”

If you wish to take advantage of the fantastic hotel menu, please be sure to turn up no later than 7pm. Tickets are £10 and advance booking is recommended. You can get tickets online on the following links.

www.bit.ly/PhilEvansAndFriends

and https://connect.jokepit.com/organisers/349/events/913

About Phil Evans:

Phil Evans is a much sought-after comedian, writer, newspaper columnist and conference host from the heart of South Wales.

With multiple TV and radio credits to his name at home in the UK, Phil has also performed far and wide, including Oslo, America and Canada.

Phil has recently performed and hosted events in Dublin and Cork for corporate organisations and keeps getting asked back. He is renowned for his warmth, humour and likeability.

Phil started his comedy career many years back as a TV warm-up artist for the BBC, S4C and HTV/ITV and continues to perform alongside many of the most talented people in entertainment.

With more than 20 years of experience, Phil isn’t just a comic; he’s a force of nature.

Phil is the man who has put the ‘Cwtsh’ back into Welsh comedy.

He is sometimes known as the ‘Hugmeister of Wales’ for his devotion to his favourite topic – the Welsh cwtsh (hug).

If you can spare the time (possibly a week or so), he will explain why a cwtsh should always be spelt as ‘cwtsh’ and not ‘cwtch’.

Press him for further information about how his comedy career started and he will tell you how he left school with 10 GCSEs . . . before the headmaster told him to put them back!

Cheeky, but never crude or offensive, Evans produces a very Welsh brand of humour.

He writes a popular weekly column in the South Wales Evening Post, the Carmarthen Journal and the Llanelli Star newspapers.

He also has a weekly podcast called “The Big Cwtsh’, available now on SoundCloud.

Website – www.philevans.co.uk

Twitter @philevanswales

About Gary Slaymaker:

Gary Slaymaker is a BBC Radio Wales film reviewer, author, comedy writer, and broadcaster . . . which means he’s either quite talented, or can’t keep hold of a single job.

With more than 25 years of experience as a stand-up comedian, he’s managed to upset people all over Britain . . . but mainly his mam.

Gary is completely toilet trained, but does sometimes have trouble with his aiming.

The same is true for his humour.

About Rob Hughes

An accomplished opener or middle spot at weekend club level as well as an MC, Rob has been working for the likes of Jongleurs, The Glee Club and Mirth Control as well as numerous independent promoters.

He provides a solid set packed with laughs and whilst he’s not squeaky clean he’s a million miles from being offensive. He’s regularly asked to return to promoters for repeat performances and plays a big room or a theatre as easily as he does a more intimate venue.

“Wicked sense of humour, a pure joy.” – Lee Sigerson (Manager of Cardiff Glee Club)

“Had the audience eating out his hand within seconds.” Martin Brown (Moonrakers Comedy)

“Sometimes bleak, sometimes silly, always very funny.” Paul James (Clowns Pocket)

“One of the funniest comedians currently on the circuit.” Charlie Smith (Comedy Den)

“A definite highlight” -South Wales Evening Post

About Karen Sherrard:

Karen Sherrard was the winner of The Last Mic Standing comedy competition in 2014. She specialises in ‘character’ comedy. She trained at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in London and also works as a comedy writer and a voice-over artist.

About Steffan Evans:

Steffan Evans may have been seen working behind the bars in Cardiff, but these days he’s more at home on the stage. He’s from Crymych, but he asks people not to hold that against him. He’s performed at Neath and Cardiff Comedy Festivals and is building a growing reputation on the Wales comedy circuit.

About Aled Richards:

‘Shit’ happens. And every cloud has a silver lining, apparently.

So indeed, a major health scare can spawn a whole new comedy routine.

Aled Richards is known for musing over the latest ‘shit’ things that have happened in his life. You may have seen him on S4C. You may have heard him on Radio Cymru. Or you may not have. You will, however, be able to hear him at The Diplomat. So, go along. You may laugh.

Aled Richards has been in the news lately taking part in a special Radio Wales programme to celebrate World Heart Day. If anybody can make a heart attack sound funny, then he can! His stage act does ‘celebrate’ the strange things that happen in Aled’s life.

About Stefan Pejic

Stefan has recently completed a nationwide tour of The Invisible Man playing the lead. Prior to this he also starred in the one-man play The Other Jolson playing the roles of Larry Parks and Al Jolson for which he was highy acclaimed. Other recent stage roles include Kyle in A Sleight of Mind and Roy Brown in The Bard of Margate.

Stefan began his acting career at the age of seven, appearing in a string of TV adverts and Children’s TV shows which include WHSmith, McDonald’s, Nickelodeon and Kelloggs, Mad For It, Jungle Run. There followed minor roles in the Gormenghast trilogy, About A Boy and can even be seen if you look hard enough as a student in the Harry Potter films.

At age 13 Stefan was privileged to work as the youngest Redcoat at Butlins Minehead thanks to a connection with Stephen Mulhern. He enjoyed three consecutive summers there honing his entertainment skills.

It is Stefan’s versatility that has given him a varied and interesting career to date as he then went on to perform comedy and magic at West End theatres including The Criterion and Polish theatre.

He has also been hired to promote brands such as Disney, Sony, Coke, Hamleys and Harrods.

Stefan had further TV roles including Spikey in series 3 of HTV soap Nuts and Bolts; Simon in the BAFTA award winning drama Con Passionate; Davey Campbell in BBC Doctors; Andy Belden in BBC Casualty and also enjoyed a minor role in series 1 of Sherlock.

Recent films include The Rezort (now on Netflix), Kamikaze and as a motion capture stunt artist for the Emmy award winning Fox series Da Vinci’s Demons.

Other screen productions include Re-Run, BFI shorts, Everyone Loves A Welsh Girl, Internal Bleeding, Dance Me Outside, So What’s Next and playing himself in a series of Adverts for 188BET, Penderyn Whiskey, and as Captain Jack Sparrow for Barti Ddu Rum.

Theatre credits include

Dan in Closer; Ethan in The Full Monty; Alfie in Swansea Women and Jeff Scott in The Musician; Slender in the Merry Wives of Windsor; Clark, Young Dogsborough, Ragg in the Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui; King Pandion, Itis, Captain on The Love of The Nightingale and young Cliff Richard 1958-1970s in Bachelor Boy.

Comic roles for Imagine Theatre Pantomimes include:

Willy Do It in Beauty And The Beast; Simple Simon in Jack and The Beanstalk; Buttons in Cinderella; Josh The Jester in Sleeping Beauty and Jingles The Jester in Snow White.

Stefan is in his 4th consecutive season for Qdos having previously played the role of Fleshcreep at The Grand Theatre Swansea in 2015/16.

He has also played Abanazar at the Grand Theatre Wolverhampton 2016/17 and last year reprised the role of Abanazar at Grand Theatre Swansea which saw him nominated for best male baddie at The Great British Panto Awards.

Stefan has been manager and regular MC for many comedy clubs over the years as well as performing as character comedy acts, most notably DONOVAN The Worst Comedian In Wales and in the double act le122.

For several years Stefan has been a character performer as part of the Fluellen Theatre Company at Folly Farm Adventure Park & Zoo, most recently as both Glyn Jr and Barti Ddu in Barti Ddu Pirate Show.

Stefan has recently been writer and consultant for various comedians for BBC, Comedy Central and Channel 4 and also BBC Sesh for BBC Wales.

He has been co writer, consultant and director to Matt Edwards for Matt’s live show FOURTH.

Stefan has also been collaborator and inventor of magic effects for various magicians both in UK and Europe.

He also co-wrote the innovative, interactive award winning musical The Musician in which he played the lead role of Jeff Scott. He has also recently co-written and created a new TV comedy in development with Richard Mylan and another brand new musical Life Happened Kid.

What they say . . .

 “Phil Evans is true showbiz royalty – not only the Clown Prince of Comedy, but also the King of the Cwtsh. As a comedian, no-one can touch Phil . . . which sounds a lot nicer than saying he’s the subject of a number of restraining orders at present. With over 20 years’ experience, Phil isn’t so much a comic, but more like a force of nature. Warm, cheeky, and with an incredible gift for working an audience; the first time you see Phil Evans, you’ll never forget him. The second time you see him…run!”

Gary Slaymaker

Check out: www.philevans.co.uk

“Phil Evans – the resident ‘Hug-meister’ of Wales . . . the one man who knows how to spell ‘cwtsh’ properly . . .a free-wheeling fun merchant who is close to being a national Welsh treasure.”

Robert Lloyd, media consultant and former newspaper editor.