Machynlleth Comedy Festival

Not to be confused with Machynlleth Festival.
Machynlleth Comedy Festival
Gŵyl Gomedi Machynlleth
The festival in 2025
NicknameMach Fest[1]
GenreComedy festival
FrequencyAnnually
LocationsMachynlleth, Wales, UK
Inaugurated (2010-04-23) (2010-04-25)23–25 April 2010; 15 years ago
FounderLittle Wander
Most recent (2025-05-02) (2025-05-04)2–4 May 2025
Next event (2026-05-01) (2026-05-03)1–3 May 2026
Attendance8,000
Websitemachcomedyfest.co.uk

Machynlleth Comedy Festival (Welsh: Gŵyl Gomedi Machynlleth) is a three-day comedy festival held annually in Machynlleth, Wales. Although the town is home to only around 2,000 residents, in 2024 the festival drew in around four times that number of visitors.[2][3] The festival, nicknamed "Mach Fest" by its supporters, is aimed as a testing ground for comedians to experiment with new material in the spring before the more intense Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August.[4]

History

Founding

The festival was launched in 2010 by comedy production group Little Wander, co-founded by former stand-up comedian Henry Widdicombe (brother of comedian Josh Widdicombe).[5] The festival was created as a welcoming environment for comedians to test out new material without fear of critical audiences or harsh reviews. To achieve this, the festival took a different approach to many mainstream comedy festivals: no press allowed; no new act competitions; no exclusive industry parties; and no awards.[4]

Little Wander looked to small town festivals like the Green Man Festival and Brecon Jazz Festival as models for the developing festival to follow.[6] Mach Fest director Henry Widdicombe noticed the lack of smaller town-based festivals within the comedy scene: comedy festivals tended towards bigger cities, where the events might be overlooked.[3] Additionally, Machynlleth is accessible by train, but still relatively remote, meaning that those who attend must to commit to the trip, resulting in audience composed primarily of comedy fans.[4]

Little Wander was given a grant from the Powys County Council in 2010 which allowed them to hold the first edition of the Machynlleth Comedy Festival in Machynlleth that year.[6]

Growth

The first incarnation of the festival was attended by an estimated 500 audience members, a figure which doubled over the following two years.[6] Audience numbers grew to 6000 expected in 2017, and over 8000 attending in 2024.[4][7][8] In 2024, there were over 200 shows during the long weekend, by roughly the same among of performers.[4] Despite the festival's success, Little Wander have expressed their desire to maintain the festival's intimate atmosphere and affordable tickets, rather than cashing in on what could be a growing, expandable enterprise.[6]

Pandemic lockdown and return

In 2020, Machynlleth was one of many UK comedy festivals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] Organisers confirmed in March that all in-person shows would be cancelled, and that ticket reservations would be refunded.[10][11] The following month, plans were announced for an "audio version" of the festival to be hosted on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Sounds, with special programming to be broadcast between 1-3 May, when the festival had been scheduled to take place.[12] These programmes included a "documentary retrospective" marking the tenth anniversary of the festival, as well as a cabaret show, sketch comedy, and stand-up performances broadcast live from comedians' homes.[13][14] Performers included Mark Watson, Lolly Adefope and Jordan Brookes; the weekend was hosted by Kiri Pritchard-McLean.[12] This collaboration with BBC Radio Wales was repeated in 2021, when stand-up specials recorded in front of a live, virtual audience were broadcast to replace the in-person festival.[15][16]

Other details

Each year, showcase programmes have been broadcast from the festival by BBC Radio 4 Extra and BBC Radio Wales;[17] the latter was an official partner of the festival from 2018 until 2023.[18][19]

Camping in the town is available for visitors, including yurts.[17] The festival also includes a theatre programme, events aimed at children and live music.[4]

Venues

The festival makes use of a wide range of spaces throughout the town,[4] many of which are not ordinarily performance venues.[17] These include Owain Glyndŵr's Parliament House, the traditional location of the 15th-century parliament of Owain Glyndŵr; Plas Machynlleth, a Georgian era stately home; Ysgol Bro Hyddgen, a local school; and Y Tabernacl, a former Wesleyan chapel that is now home to the Museum of Modern Art, Machynlleth.

The town's leisure centre hosts the Mach Arena.[20]

On several occasions, a dedicated service on the Corris Railway, a local narrow-gauge heritage railway, has been arranged as part of the festival. This service, known as the "Machynlleth Comedy Festival Express",[21] is operated by a traditional steam locomotive and passenger coaches; audience members board the train at Corris railway station and are taken to watch a mixed-bill stand-up comedy show held in an engine shed at Maespoeth Junction.[22][23]

Reception

In a 2010 review for BBC Wales Music, Bethan Elfyn praised the "great atmosphere" of the inaugural festival.[24] Writing for The Guardian the following year, James Kettle highlighted the festival's "top-quality lineup", and noted that the market town of Machynlleth offered a "break from the norm" of "big metropolitan centres" hosting the majority of UK comedy.[25]

The festival is well liked among comedians, visitors and local residents.[6][4] Comedian Stewart Lee called it "a comedy festival for comedy fans, not for casual consumers or TV executives".[4]

References

  1. ^ Widdicombe, Henry. "Henry Widdicombe's guide to Machynlleth". Visit Wales. Powys: Welsh Government. Archived from the original on 22 May 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025. Once the capital of Wales, this vibrant market town now plays host to 'Mach Fest'.
  2. ^ "More than 8,000 people attend 'absolutely superb' 2024 Machynlleth Comedy Festival". County Times. 9 May 2024. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  3. ^ a b Cohen-Ennis, Ciara (4 May 2023). "How the small market town of Machynlleth became home to one of the world's best comedy festivals". ITV News. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Williams, Ben (26 April 2017). "Machynlleth: the best festival you've never heard of". The i Paper. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  5. ^ Badham, Matt (23 August 2025). "Creating Comics: An Interview with Henry Widdicombe". downthetubes.net. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e "BBC - Wales Arts: Henry Widdicombe on the 2012 Machynlleth Comedy Festival". www.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  7. ^ "Machynlleth Comedy Festival can expect 6,000 visitors". BBC News. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  8. ^ "Hundreds of comedians to perform at 'every conceivable venue' in Machynlleth". County Times. 30 April 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  9. ^ Sedgwick, Claire (26 April 2024). "Inequality in Contemporary Stand-Up Comedy in the UK". Inequality in Contemporary Stand-Up Comedy in the UK. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 66. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-55932-7_4. ISBN 978-3-031-55932-7.
  10. ^ Bennett, Steve (17 March 2020). "Machynlleth Comedy Festival cancelled : News 2020 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". www.chortle.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  11. ^ "Gohirio gŵyl gomedi Machynlleth oherwydd y coronafeirws". Golwg360 (in Welsh). 17 March 2020. Archived from the original on 19 June 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Machynlleth Comedy Festival to go ahead - on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. 21 April 2020. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  13. ^ Bennett, Steve (21 April 2020). "Return of the Mach... virtually". www.chortle.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  14. ^ "Coronavirus: Machynlleth Comedy Festival plans to keep people laughing". BBC News. 1 May 2020. Archived from the original on 20 August 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  15. ^ Sheehan, Rory (18 April 2021). "Virtual audience call out for Machynlleth Comedy Festival stand-up shows". County Times. Newsquest Media Group. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  16. ^ "The Machynlleth Comedy Festival 2021 episode guide". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 27 June 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  17. ^ a b c "Machynlleth Comedy Festival - Preview". British Comedy Guide. 22 April 2013. Archived from the original on 19 June 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  18. ^ "BBC Radio Wales announces first time partnership with Machynlleth Comedy Festival". www.bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 June 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  19. ^ Price, Josh (17 December 2023). "Machynlleth Comedy Festival organisers say ticket sales already at record level". County Times. Archived from the original on 2 April 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
  20. ^ "The Mach Arena". machcomedyfest.co.uk. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  21. ^ Little Wander (4 May 2024). "Corris Railway". Machynlleth Comedy Festival. Archived from the original on 22 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  22. ^ Simms, John (7 May 2019). "Progress With The Revival Of The Corris Railway". Rheilffordd Corris Railway. Corris Railway Society. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  23. ^ Sears, Esyllt [in Welsh] (7 May 2024). "Leroy Brito and Corris Railway Comedy Gig". Comedy Club at Machynlleth. Episode 4. Machynlleth: BBC. BBC Radio 4 Extra. Archived from the original on 22 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  24. ^ Elfyn, Bethan (27 April 2010). "Review: Machynlleth Comedy Festival". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 November 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  25. ^ Kettle, James (22 April 2011). "This week's new comedy". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2025.

Further reading

BBC

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