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March 29, 2024, 07:48:30 AM

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Machynlleth Comedy Festival 2018

Started by BritishHobo, March 21, 2018, 10:49:34 PM

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BritishHobo

Less than two months to go, pals. May 4th or something. I may be going on my own for the first time ever, although I'm still waiting to find out, so I haven't actually booked that many shows yet. I've booked Brian Gittins. Obviously. That's a given. Done. Booked Gamble as well - his work-in-progress. Would have loved to see Mammoth as well, see his tour show and then his work-in-progress for the next one, but it was sadly sold out.

I want to see Steffan Alun and Rob Auton again, as they've both blown me away in previous years, and I also really want to see Liam Williams, as I've fucking foolishly squandered every opportunity in previous years. I'd also like to see some more sketch comedy and improv, so any recommendations welcome.

Who else is down?

paruses

I am local to it as of a few years ago but have always been away with work when it's been on. Hoping to change that this year.

Just looking through the acts. Disappointed to see Kiri Pritchard-McClean is sold out as I like the All Killa podcast and would have liked to see her.

Any other picks you've seen so far?

BritishHobo

Caroline Mabey was fuckin superb last year, really strange and wonderful. Enhanced by one of those things that makes Machynlleth so brilliant, the fact that the audience was about twelve of us packed into just a primary school classroom, middle of term. Not sure anyone else I saw last year is performing this time - I'm not saying there's a common theme, but you never know.

I'm definitely thinking of going for Nick Mohammed. Again, like sketch comedy, character comedy is not something I've seen much of. Sadly doesn't seem to be very much improv going this year. I'm really annoyed at myself for not going to see Austentatious last year - although if I had, I'd have missed Caroline Mabey, who I absolutely loved, so it all evens out. God I love Mach Fest.

paruses

The site is blocked at work so only scanned this morning and will have a proper look tonight.

Coincidentally I was looking specifically for Austentatious too!

BritishHobo

This is me so far:



Very cock heavy. Time for some variety pal, come on.

Got: Tom Parry, Pappy's Flatshare Slamdown, Lou Sanders, Aisling Bea, Fern Brady, James Acaster, Elis James and John Robins, David Trent and Amusical.

Need: Nick Helm, one of the showcases

Spare: Sara Pascoe

BritishHobo

I fuckin need a Rhod Gilbert. I wish I'd got on that sooner. Kinda hoping they do what they did with Stew last year and release tickets late-on that they kept back.

BritishHobo

Quote from: paruses on March 22, 2018, 08:07:27 AM
Just looking through the acts. Disappointed to see Kiri Pritchard-McClean is sold out as I like the All Killa podcast and would have liked to see her.

If you're still interested, it looks like tickets are still available for one of her shows:

https://machcomedyfest.co.uk/show/2018/kiri-pritchard-mclean-appropriate-adult/

I'm quite tempted. I don't really know anything about her, but everyone seems to have been talking about her recently. I'm very out of the loop with the comedy scene and I always like the opportunity at Machynlleth to check out acts that I suddenly become aware everyone else has loved for ages.

BritishHobo

A few refunds cropping up here and there. Just snapped up a Rhod Gilbert ticket for Sunday. Some of the Showcases look to be available again too.

thegammonboys

#9
I heard you pop up on a podcast today Mr. Hobo. One of the old Gittins radio shows. You were talking about Machynlleth then as well, weirdly enough. Obsessed with it you are.

Quote from: BritishHobo on April 19, 2018, 10:30:01 PM
A few refunds cropping up here and there. Just snapped up a Rhod Gilbert ticket for Sunday. Some of the Showcases look to be available again too.

Cheers for the heads-up.

BritishHobo

Quote from: thegammonboys on April 20, 2018, 01:41:59 AM
I heard you pop up on a podcast today Mr. Hobo. One of the old Gittins radio shows. You were talking about Machynlleth then as well, weirdly enough. Obsessed with it you are.

Ha ha! I think that was my first ever Mach Fest I was talking about. I miss that Spreaker show, listening until 2 in the morning and then calling in to talk exhausted bollocks.

Booked Sheeps because I only just realised Liam Williams is in it. I can't believe he's done an hour show at pretty much every Mach Fest I've been to, and I've never seen him. Every year I've considered it and then inexplicably seen someone else. Idiot.

Mach number six f'me, and here's where I'm at:

Friday: Jessica Fostekew, John Robins, Showcase
Saturday: Louise Reay, Sam & Tom, Richard Gadd WIP, Bec Hill & Sarah Bennetto, Ed Azcel, Tim Key, The Glang Show
Sunday: BBC Radio Wales Showcase, Foxdog Studios, Pat Cahill, Simon Munnery's Fylm School, Evelyn Mok, Sean Morley, Brian Gittins, Amusical.

Only 18 shows.  Jeepers!

BritishHobo

Aw you'll have to let us know how Sam and Tom is (are?). I was really enticed by that, but it clashes with Sheeps, and I need to make up for lost time seeing Liam Williams.

Only two shows in common. Here's my line-up:

Friday: The Leak, Eleanor Morton, Liam Williams and Johnny White Really, The Death Hilarious
Saturday: Tudur Owen, Sheeps, Steffan Alun, Nick Mohammed, Nick Helm, Athena Kugblenu, The Glang Show
Sunday: Beasts, Ed Gamble, Gein's Family Giftshop, Harriet Kemsley, Rhod Gilbert, Brian Gittins

One slot left, right at the end, can't figure out whether I want to see Amusical, Acaster, or Bennetto's Storytellers' Club. Genuinely can't choose.I think I'm hoping two of them will just sell out and make the decision for me.

Otherwise, that's the most shows I'll have seen in one festival. A lot of names that I've eyed up every year but never gone for.

If I was in your position, I'd slack off Bennetto's Storytellers' Club.  I went about three years ago, and it's literally four comics telling stories that may or may not be funny with Sarah Bennetto comparing, and it ends the festival on a bit of a downer really.  It wasn't awful or anything, just that with Pappy's being in the last slot in previous years, and with Amusical this year, it did/will end with a big bang rather than a whimper.  I'd much prefer the Storytellers' Club to be first thing on a Sunday, to ease you into the day when you're probably hungover, rather than the very last thing.  Also, it depends on the people telling stories.  Simon Munnery was on when I went, which was good.  Thom Tuck was also on, who wasn't.  Can't remember who else was on.

Which leaves Amusical, or Acaster.  I bought tickets for Amusical because Mach had yet to announce Acaster, but I'd probably choose Acaster.  I figure: if Acaster isn't likely to tour the show near you anytime soon, then see Acaster.  Unless you fucking love musicals, in which case, see Amusical.

I've seen the Gittins show twice before - one a WIP, one proper - but I have a habit of picking shows that late on on a Sunday that bring the mood down a bit, which is the last thing that I need after seeing 15 of them on the trot!  With Gittins, you've getting a guaranteed banker.  Can't wait to see it again.

I saw Sam & Tom do a five-minuter near my neck of the woods a few years ago, so am looking forward to that one too.  Mach man.  It's just great.

BritishHobo

I saw him do it last year as a WIP, but I can never pass up an opportunity to see Gittins. He's the reason I ever went to Mach Fest in the first place, because I would write off any gig outside of Wales as too far, and I couldn't pass up the chance to see him.

I'm leaning towards Amusical or Bennetto cos I do like the idea of rounding out the festival with something like that, a bunch of comedians. Wish I'd booked a Showcase, that's the last big Mach thing I still need to do.

BritishHobo

Gone for Amusical. Seems like a proper fun way to round out the festival.

Can't wait to see Gittins. Been grinning all day just thinking about seeing him. Bit gutted David Edwards isn't doing anything though.

All packed up. So excited.

If anyone's looking for tickets for stuff that's sold out, it's well worth emailing the box office - I've ended up with returns for everything I want.

Quote from: BritishHobo on May 03, 2018, 07:04:16 PM
Gone for Amusical. Seems like a proper fun way to round out the festival.

Can't wait to see Gittins. Been grinning all day just thinking about seeing him. Bit gutted David Edwards isn't doing anything though.

All packed up. So excited.

Think you did the right thing!  Looking forward to seeing the same Gittins show for the third time.  Already laughing at some of the bits.

BritishHobo

If he's still doing the Rice Krispies bit, that alone is worth going to the festival for me.

BritishHobo

Little first day roundup:

The Leak was good fun, and gave me the opportunity to see James Acaster so I feel less conflicted now about choosing Amusical. It did make me realise though that I'm quite happy to not hear anyone else mention Brexit or Trump all weekend.

Proper panicked at first when Eleanor Morton came on in her set as I thought I'd chanced on something that did not chime with me at all. Five minutes in though and I had any preconception kicked over and it became somethin really special. This is what I love about Machynlleth, seeing people try out such clever and unique stuff, really feeling it out.

Liam Williams I was already expecting to be good, but together he and Johnny White put together something really unexpectedly lyrical and beautiful.

The Death Hilarious fuckin were. When a lot of people talk about dark comedy, it always seems to be edgy wannabe offensive toss. This just felt authentically black, truly twisted and scary, and so fuckin fun with it.

I know fuck all about musicals, but Ed Gamble closing the festival with an 11-minute version of Bat Out of Hell was great fun.

What a weekend.

Not sure whether it's the festival being more well known or it was the hot weather causing people to drink more, but fuck me was there far more pricks in the audience this time around than in previous years.  At least three shows marred by shit audience banter, the Brian Gittins one was totally fucked by a drunk couple talking All The Fucking Time.

Still had fun though.  Sean Morley's show was the king of the lot, and you should sell your firstborn to check out whatever he was involved in.

BritishHobo

Oh god yeah, Gittins was full of the cunts, people who seemed to think they were at an open forum. I did notice in several other shows a lot of people just openly responding to the comedian like it was a conversation.

Ironically, while I fucking LOVED The Glang Show, absolute brilliance, I paradoxically wish the audience had shouted out more. It seems like there's the potential for The Glang Show to get really weird, and I don't think we got near to taking advantage of that as an audience. I shouted a couple of things, but they were a bit piss. Whoever had the audience facing the back had the right idea. Fuckin delight though. I saw the group out a lot on Monday morning (including yer man who played The Boy King, who slayed me) but chickened out of telling them I loved it. Wish I'd gone to see Sean, he seems properly brilliant.

Easy highlight for me was Steffan Alun again. Total joy. He's an absolute ball of earnest, enthusiastic energy, and the way he spins a story across an hour, weaving back and forth through different strands is a real talent. I felt genuinely emotional at the end, just like last year. Anyone in this thread who's going to Edinburgh, fucking go see him.

Quote from: An Actual Propeller on May 08, 2018, 03:29:39 PM
Not sure whether it's the festival being more well known or it was the hot weather causing people to drink more, but fuck me was there far more pricks in the audience this time around than in previous years.

A bit of both, I think. There were no issues in the shows I was in but it was definitely a bit lairy around the beer tent on the Saturday night. Still, it was nothing compared to the drunken dickheads you find on every table in the Pleasance Courtyard during the Edinburgh Fringe.

It's inevitable that the festival will keep on attracting more punters, but I hope Henry and the team resist the temptation to make it much bigger. The worst thing that could happen is if it gets too big, they end up in loads of debt and have to sell it to Avalon, like what's happened with loads of decent music festivals and Global in recent years.

No moans from me though. I had a brilliant weekend, with Tom Parry (I've not laughed as hard at anything in years), Lou Sanders, Nick Helm and Amusical (perfect late night stuff - like the Horne Section used to be before it got too polished. And Jayde Adams is fucking great) being my highlights. One duff show (Aisling Bea, who forgot to include any jokes so came across like she was just a mildly interesting guest on a podcast) in 12 is a great hit rate.

Oh, and it'll be interesting to see what their Aberystwyth Comedy Festival in October will be like.

Quote from: Wayman C. McCreery on May 08, 2018, 08:16:10 PM
Oh, and it'll be interesting to see what their Aberystwyth Comedy Festival in October will be like.

Say what?! When where how?

Guess I'd better say what was ace and skill and what was cack and wack then:
Jessica Fostekew: good storytelling show, would see again cheers.
John Robins: slightly marred by the gammon with a shit laugh behind me, but all the same I thought "this won Edinburgh?"
Friday Showcase (Y Plas): Chris Betts was decent, Goose was good, the guy with the routine about plugs sucked shit, Pat Cahill was the best one on and I'm glad he did his coconuts song.
Louise Reay: shoddy WIP, but not her fault as she had to cobble something together in six days because lawyers told her that she couldn't do the previous show as planned.
Sam & Tom: excellently executed sketch comedy, you need to check this out
Richard Gadd WIP: I love Gadd and this was the first outing of his show in WIP form.  Literally zero jokes, but a gripping, if bleak-as-fuck, story that makes you think at the end of it that maybe doing a show wasn't the best of ideas.  Still, would defo see the finished article.
Bec Hill & Sarah Bennetto's Universilly Challenge: cack-handed panel show, made me want to check out Bec Hill's solo stuff but this format?  Nah.
Ed Azcel: Usual anti-comedy stuff with Ed, shouldn't work, but always does, I think he's ace.
Tim Key: Excellent show this one.  You know the drill.
The Glang Show: Batshit ahappenings, was totally brilliant.  Agree with BritishHobo in that it sort of relies on the strength of the audience, but it was glorious all the same.  Shoutout to Maria Sharapova and Stu Goldsmith's angry fan.
Foxdog Studios: A nice, inventive show and an excellent way of spending a Sunday morning.
Pat Cahill: Scrappy WIP show that didn't hit the spot, but he did some old routines that were excellent.
Simon Munnery's Fylm School: you can always rely on ol' Munnery.  Guests Bec Hill and Seymour Mace were very good, but I don't think that the audience really went for Seymour's bleak fannying on (I was loving it, mind).
Evelyn Mok WIP: a crap hodgepodge of half-formed thoughts and a waste of an hour.  May give her a chance on a proper show because she literally didn't have anything on offer here.
Sean Morley: it's scary how good this guy is with so few years and shows under his belt.  You don't know what's real and what's not, and there's a striking combination of cult-like relaxation and genuine terror, at the same time.  It's weird.  It puts you on edge, scared, yet excited for what's coming next, strikingly inventive, I really, really, cannot say enough good things about Sean Morley.  You absolutely need to make it a priority to see him.
Brian Gittins: a good exercise in how shit audience members can ruin a show.  He went for 45 minutes and didn't have anything else, he claimed, which wasn't the case because I can remember stuff that he did for the same show previously.  Maybe he thought "fuck this", and who could blame him?  He sort of grudgingly went back on for another ten though, and made it even more awkward.
Amusical: fucking hate musicals, but it was fun, and I don't usually like 'fun', and just a good way of closing out the festival.  Jayde Adams is awesome.

Same again next year I guess; already have the hotel booked.

There's barely any reference to the Aberystwyth Comedy Festival online apart from a half-built website and some empty social media accounts, but there were a couple of pages about it towards the end of the programme. October 5th to 7th.

While searching for it I found this - a reasonably interesting business case study on Mach Fest and its future: https://businesswales.gov.wales/sites/business-wales/files/tourism/MACHYNLLETH_COMEDY_FESTIVAL_-_Roadshow_Mid_Autumn_2017.pdf

Quote from: Wayman C. McCreery on May 10, 2018, 09:44:59 AM
There's barely any reference to the Aberystwyth Comedy Festival online apart from a half-built website and some empty social media accounts, but there were a couple of pages about it towards the end of the programme. October 5th to 7th.

While searching for it I found this - a reasonably interesting business case study on Mach Fest and its future: https://businesswales.gov.wales/sites/business-wales/files/tourism/MACHYNLLETH_COMEDY_FESTIVAL_-_Roadshow_Mid_Autumn_2017.pdf

If there was still karma I would give you it.  Cheers!  Certainly looks like a goer.