Friday, February 13, 2015 Follow us on Twitter @Argus_The Guide


Comedy star Cochrane set to entertain


CHEERFULLY miser- able comic Alun Cochrane brings his (Me Neither) tour to St David’s Hall on Thursday, February 19 at 8pm.


Cochrane specialises in finding the hilarious out of the utterly mundane and commonplace things in everyday life, and his new show promises to replicate the unerringly accurate observational wit as ever. Following a sold-out run


at the Edinburgh Festival, the ray of sunshine him- self returns to Cardiff with a collection of uncan- ny anecdotes often plucked from his own experiences. But don’t be deceived by his dour demeanour – Cochrane is guaranteed to rapidly ratchet up the laughter levels with his impeccable sense of timing aided by killer punchlines


Stage tale of a king


Comedy


and hysterical facial ex- pressions. The Scottish-born stand-


up’s first appearance at Edinburgh’s Fringe Festi- val arrived in 2004, and his show My Favourite Words in My Best Stories was later nominated for Best Newcomer at the Perrier Awards. He also went on to be nominated for Best Breakthrough Act and Best Compere at the 2005 Chor- tle Awards. Since then Cochrane has


been a regular on the UK comedy circuit and memo- rably carried a box of his own “hand-chiselled, lov- ingly created jokes” from which he randomly chose gags as part of his 2010 tour Jokes. Life. And Jokes About Life.


He’s also a familiar face


on primetime TV appear- ing on shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats, Mock the Week, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow. Most recently he’s turned his hand to acting alongside fellow comedian Chris Ad- dison in Sky Living com- edy Trying Again. His dulcet tones can also


be heard on radio as a co- host on The Frank Skin- ner Show on Absolute Radio, plus Just a Minute and Alun Cochrane’s Fun House on BBC Radio 4. Don’t miss this chance to experience one of Britain’s most exciting comics. Tickets cost £12. To book seats, visit stdavidshallcar- diff.co.uk or call the box of- fice on 029 2087 8444.


Rugby star’s life in verbatim play


MONTY Python’s Spamalot gallops to Cardiff in March as part of its UK tour, featur- ing Joe Pasquale reprising his much-loved role of King Arthur alongside Todd Carty as Patsy. Having first played King


Arthur for a successful West End run last summer, come- dian Joe is pleased as punch to be back in the role. He will star alongside Todd Carty, who starred as Patsy from the very start of this produc- tion both on tour and in the West End run. Lovingly ripped off from


the classic film comedy Mon- ty Python and the Holy Grail, Spamalot is a kind-of new musical with a book by Eric Idle and new score by Eric Idle and John Du Prez. Spamalot plays Cardiff


New Theatre from March 2 to 7. Visit newtheatrecardiff. co.uk or call 029 2087 8889.


NATIONAL Theatre Wales and Out of Joint will commence the full tour of Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage – a new, verbatim play di- rected by Max Stafford-Clark this month This is the story of two Welsh names bruised, but not beaten, by media speculation; Gareth “Alfie” Thomas, 100 caps for Wales, once its captain, now the world’s most prominent gay sportsman; and his hometown, Bridgend. Working with Alfie himself, and


young people in Bridgend, two of the UK’s most exciting theatre companies have teamed up to tell a story about sport, politics, secrets, life and learning to be yourself. Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage


will open its tour at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, from February 19 until March 7 before touring venues across Wales and England. The production will feature an all- Welsh cast confirmed as: Patrick Brennan, Katie Elin-Salt, Daniel Hawksford, Lauren Roberts, Rhys ap William and Bethan Witcomb. Writer Robin Soans is celebrated


for his documentary, verbatim plays based on interviews with real people, including Out of Joint’s ac- claimed shows Mixed Up North, A State Affair and Talking to Terror- ists.


Director Max Stafford-Clark was Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage


artistic director of The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, and from 1979 to 1993, he was artistic director of The Royal Court Theatre, after which he founded Out of Joint. His work as a director has overwhelm- ingly been with new writing. Recommended for ages 14+. Visit


shermancymru.co.uk or call 029 2064 6900 for ticket details and per- formance times.


ALFIE:


COMEDY: Phil Evans


IT PROMISES to be a night of ‘passion and punch- lines’ when top Welsh co- median Phil Evans takes his friends into the east for Valentine’s Day. Phil Evans (and Friends)


will be performing their Love and Laughter show at the Savoy Theatre, Mon- mouth, on Saturday. It follows a successful


Love and Laughter show at the Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen, held to mark St Dwynwen’s Day, the Welsh version of Valen- tine’s. “The west of Wales has


CHEERFUL-MISERABLE: Alun Cochrane


felt the ‘love’ of our show. Now it’s the turn of east Wales,” said Phil. Tickets £12. Doors open 7.30pm. Showstarts 8pm.


7 Theatre


Night of passion and wit


t


#WalesatNo1


Ymddangosiadau Arbennig gan \Special Appearances by Shakin’ Stevens, Ricky Valance,


Amy Wadge &James Dean Bradield Gyda \Featuring


John Owen-Jones, Sophie Evans, Lucie Jones, Shaheen Jafargholi,


Jessica Lee Morgan, Alys Williams, Gabrielle Murphy, Balsamo Deighton &Welsh Pops Orchestra


Yn bosibl diolch i\ Made possible by


Cefnogir gan \ Supported by


wmc.org.uk 029 2063 6464


d


DYDDGWˆ YL DEWI CYNGERDD


ST DAVID’S DAY CONCERT


C


y


O


f


w


y


n


i


r


g


L


a


n


\


b


H


o


e


s


y


A


E


X


J


N


E


S


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12