SWANSEA: Burlesque, drag and circus come to Swansea Grand as all-star cabaret show rolls into town

A South Wales cabaret company is bringing one of its most glittering shows yet to Swansea Grand Theatre this month — and a local drag artist will be taking centre stage alongside some of the UK’s biggest names in burlesque and circus.

The Pearl Revue comes to the Grand Theatre Arts Wing on Saturday 18th April at 7.30pm, promising a night of glamour, comedy and just the right amount of mischief. Tickets are priced at £20.

The show is produced by Quill & Pearl Presents, a South Wales-based theatre and cabaret company, and marks their first ever Swansea appearance. Behind the production is Oola Pearl — one of the stars of the UK burlesque scene and co-producer of the sold-out Wales Burlesque Festival in 2024 — alongside television writer and producer Kit Lambert.

The company has already performed at some of Wales’ most prestigious venues, including Wales Millennium Centre, The Riverfront in Newport, The Globe in Hay-on-Wye and Penarth Pier Pavilion.

Oola Pearl said: “Cabaret shows are a brilliant night out — funny, entertaining, sexy, and joyful. We want everyone in Wales to have the opportunity to come along and be part of the glitz and glamour.”

Hosting the evening will be Lilly Snatchdragon, an international, award-winning political comedy drag queen and compere. Her sharp take on how the West stereotypes South East Asian women earned her Best Newcomer at the London Cabaret Awards in 2015, and she has featured in the Top 10 UK’s Most Influential Burlesque Performers every year since — including the number one spot in 2017.

 Taking care of the magic is The Rockstar Magician — known to television audiences from Britain’s Got Talent, Amazon Prime, E4 and Dave — who blends rock classics with more than 20 years of sleight-of-hand experience and sharp comedy timing.

On the burlesque front, FouFou Kaboom — winner of Burlesque Idol 2022 and a festival favourite across Europe — joins Oola Pearl herself on stage. Completing the line-up is Amazí, a Guinness World Record-holding hula-hooper who holds the record for spinning 30 hoops simultaneously around her waist. Originally from East London, Amazí draws on her West African roots to inspire her vibrant costumes and performance style.

But for Swansea audiences there is a particular reason to celebrate the bill. Wayne King — a Swansea-based genderfluid drag artist, live singer and performer — will be making their Pearl Revue debut in their own hometown. Wayne was a finalist in the Dels Derby Cabaret Competition in Cardiff last year and has been building a reputation across South Wales. Quill & Pearl Presents have committed to including an “Introducing” slot in every show to support emerging local talent, and the Swansea date is no exception.

Every Pearl Revue show features a different line-up, but audiences are guaranteed an evening blending circus, burlesque, drag, comedy and magic under one roof. Expect glamour, giggles and just the right touch of mischief.

Previous audiences have called it “the best night out I’ve had in years.”

Tickets for The Pearl Revue at Swansea Grand Theatre’s arts wing on Saturday 18th April are priced at £20 and are available from the Swansea Grand Theatre box office. The show starts at 7.30pm, contains strong language and partial nudity, and is strictly for over-18s.

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Nish Kumar brings his ‘angry humour’ to Swansea as new UK tour announced

Fresh off the global success of his 2024/25 show Nish, Don’t Kill My Vibe, the award‑winning comedian has announced Angry Humour From a Really Nice Guy, a new hour promising existential angst, political chaos and the trademark high‑energy fury that’s made him one of Britain’s most influential comedy voices.

The tour kicks off in Belfast on 9 September 2026, with Kumar heading to Swansea Grand Theatre on 31 October.

‘The world is ending… so I’m going back on tour’

Kumar, co‑host of the hit podcast Pod Save the UK and former frontman of BBC’s The Mash Report, says the new show arrives at a time when the world feels like it’s “breaking apart”.

“I looked out of the window and the world was ending,” he said. “Stand‑up comedy was the only thing that made sense to me — then it was co‑opted by charlatans in service of autocrats. I’m going back on tour to try and reconnect with the thing I love more than anything else. I promise the show will be funnier than this.”

A comedian at the top of his game

Kumar’s last tour sold out venues across the UK, North America, Australasia and Europe, earning rave reviews for its mix of political bite and personal honesty. Critics have called him “roaringly funny” (The Times) and “the pre‑eminent comic political polemicist of our time” (The Guardian).

Now entering his 40s, Kumar says audiences can expect a show that’s bold, fast‑paced and unflinchingly smart — tackling big questions with the fury, intelligence and warmth that have defined his career.

From Taskmaster to global tours

Named one of the 50 Best Comedians of the 21st Century by both The Guardian and The Telegraph, Kumar has become a familiar face on TV and radio, appearing on Taskmaster, QI, Have I Got News For You, Live at the Apollo and more. His stand‑up specials have aired on Sky Comedy and Netflix.

Tickets for the new tour go on pre‑sale on Wednesday 28 January, with general sale from Friday 30 January at www.nishkumar.co.uk.

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Laurel and Hardy Swansea centenary tour to celebrate city’s link with comedy legends

The centenary celebration, which includes screenings, talks and live performances, is being launched by the Laurel and Hardy Appreciation Society to mark a century since Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy first appeared together on screen. Organisers say Swansea will feature prominently in the tour’s historical material, thanks to the city’s role in the pair’s post‑war British tours.

Laurel and Hardy performed in Swansea on 22 September 1952, taking to the stage at the Empire Theatre on Oxford Street. The venue, once described as a “mecca” for live variety, regularly attracted the biggest names in entertainment. During their stay, the duo were based at the Mackworth Hotel on High Street, where they were often seen waving to fans from their balcony.

They were due to return to Swansea in May 1954, but the booking was cancelled after Oliver Hardy fell ill. It would have been one of their final UK appearances.

The Empire Theatre itself was a landmark of early 20th‑century Swansea. Built in 1900 by Moss Empires, it seated around 2,500 people across stalls, pit, dress circle and gallery. It stood next to the Carlton Cinema, now Waterstones, and hosted comedians, dancers, bands and circus acts until its closure in 1957. The building was demolished in 1960 and later replaced by a discount store.

The centenary tour will also highlight the renewed interest in the pair following the 2019 film Stan & Ollie, starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly, which charted their final UK tour and introduced a new generation to their story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqWb8GGkpuQ

Neil Brand, composer and silent film historian, said the duo’s appeal has endured because of the warmth and humanity at the heart of their comedy.

“Laurel and Hardy are still loved because they were the most human of clowns,” he said. “They were vulnerable, they were funny, and they were always on the side of the audience. That’s why people still respond to them today.”

Brand will bring his new centenary show, An Evening with Laurel & Hardy, to Swansea Grand Theatre’s Arts Wing on Saturday 14 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

Neil Brand said the Swansea date would be a highlight of the tour.

“I’m really looking forward to bringing the centenary show to Swansea. The Grand Theatre audience is always warm and knowledgeable, and this new production gives me the chance to share restored silent films, rare clips and the stories behind them. It’s a celebration of everything that made Stan and Ollie timeless, and I can’t wait to share it with Swansea in March.”

https://youtu.be/5dnxwREvcOg

A spokesperson for the Laurel and Hardy Appreciation Society said the Swansea connection remained an important part of the duo’s legacy.

“Swansea was one of the cities where Stan and Ollie were welcomed with real warmth. The Empire Theatre was a major stop on their British tours and the stories of them greeting fans from the Mackworth Hotel balcony have become part of local folklore,” they said.

The tour will include memorabilia, rare footage and talks from historians who have traced the pair’s movements across Britain. Swansea’s appearance in the programme is expected to draw interest from local film and theatre fans, as well as those who remember the Empire Theatre before its demolition.

The Empire’s history continues to fascinate researchers and nostalgia groups. Though long gone, it remains one of the city’s most fondly remembered entertainment venues, often confused with the still‑standing Swansea Grand Theatre but distinct in both design and purpose.

The centenary tour is expected to run throughout the year

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