Glee Comedy Stage Line Up Announced

Joel Dommett among local and LGBT+ comedy talent at Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend

Comedian and television presenter Joel Dommett will be hitting the stage in support of LGBT+ communities across Wales, as Pride Cymru and Glee Club partner up again for Wales’ largest celebration of diversity and inclusion. Joel will be performing as part of an array of comedy talent including local and national acts.

Although this will be the third time the Welsh LGBT+ charity teams up with Glee, this year will see the biggest collaboration yet, as organisers have extended the comedy programme across the weekend in their new ‘home’, the Glee Club Comedy Tent.

Raya from Glee Club said: “We’re proud to support the LGBT+ community and thrilled to be working with Pride Cymru on this fantastic event for the third year running. This year’s line-up will be bigger and better than ever, with an extended programme across 2 full days – we can’t wait!”

The pool of this year’s comedy talent includes Joel Dommett, whose upbeat stand-up performances already secured him a Netflix special earlier this year. The hilarious comedian and runner-up of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here is bound to share some of his favourite anecdotes and tales on the Sunday lineup at Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend. 

He said: “Pride events throughout the UK play a significant role and help us make a stand for inclusion for the LGBT+ community. Also – they are SO MUCH DAMN FUN. Are there floats? I hope there is floats. It’s like Theatre mixed with Yo Sushi. So excited to be a part of it all with the best comedy clubs in the UK -the Glee club. I’m a minor celebrity get me in there.”

Joining Joel Dommett on the Glee stage are Britain’s Got Talent sensation Robert White as well as Bethany Black who, in her own words, is “Britain’s only goth lesbian, transsexual comedian”. The talented Jordan Gray will be bringing her stand-up routine to the comedy tent as well as singing on the main stage.

This year will also see a number or regional acts perform in the Glee Comedy Tent, including Cardiff local Sarah Breese and Welsh speaker Steffan Alun from Swansea, who has become a regular at Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

In 2017, as part of their commitment to offering diverse entertainment, the organisers of Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend welcomed Glee Club to the Cabaret stage for one day. Due to the overwhelming popularity, regional and national stand-up acts will be welcomed to the stage in the dedicated Glee Comedy Tent during the Saturday and Sunday of Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend (23, 24 and 25 August).

Gian Molinu, Chair of Pride Cymru, said: “It makes me immensely proud to see comedy talent truly embraced by attendees at Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend. The event is about celebrating inclusivity and welcoming diversity, so it only makes sense to ensure diversity in our event programme. We want to make sure that there is something there for everyone over the weekend. There is so much misery and gloom in the world today and I am so happy that we can provide a space for people to come and forget their troubles for a while and just laugh and have fun.

“Glee Club has been an incredible supporter of the event over the years and I am thrilled to have not only big names like Joel Dommett perform, but to also have local talent like Sarah Breese and LGBT+ comedians like Bethany Black and Jordan Gray hit the stage during Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend. They will create a fantastic atmosphere and I am certain leave visitors in stitches.”

On Saturday 24 August, the comedy line-up includes Robert White, Dana Alexander, Jordan Gray, Mark Olver, Evelyn Mok, Sarah Bridgeman and Calum Stewart, whilst on the last day of the event, Sunday 25 August, Joel Dommett, Bethany Black, Jeremy Flynn, Alice Marshall, Steffan Alun, Sam Serrano and Sarah Breese will hit the stage.

Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend is held over the August bank holiday weekend (23, 24, 25 August) outside Cardiff City Hall Lawns, noon -11pm. Organisers have increased the number of British Sign Language interpreters at the event, who will be present on the Admiral main stage and Cabaret stage, making the event more accessible to those with hearing needs.