Giving it the Max (From Barry And District News)

Giving it the Max

PROFESSIONAL Welshman Max Boyce will be appearing alongside some of the best performers on the comedy circuit when he tops the bill at Cardiff's new Jongleurs club in the Millennium Stadium.

But the top entertainer can be forgiven if he finds them a little less glamorous than his most recent co-star Cerys Matthews.

The stunning singer agreed to be a surprise guest for his TV show Max Boyce Goes to College, due to be screened on St David's Day.

But fans will have the chance to see him in action before then, in a rare foray into stand-up comedy, at the Jongleurs charity night on February 27. Max, who has recently attracted an audience of younger fans, plans to perform a lot of new material at the event, with all proceeds from ticket sales going to the Ty Hafan children's hospice in Sully.

He said that recording the television show, live before hundreds of students from colleges across South Wales, should have proved good preparation.

"When I did the An audience with Max Boyce show last year it attracted the biggest audience in the history of the BBC in Wales," he said.

"I found that I was attracting a whole new young audience and so we decided to do the college show. It was certainly very lively and you can't cheat a student audience. It was a bit of a gamble but they were very enthusiastic and I enjoyed myself."

He added: "They didn't know Cerys was going to be there so that surprised them, especially when she sang Keep the Home Fires Burning to a harp and banjo accompaniment.

"I just asked her to do a folky acoustic set with me and then left her to her own devices.

"She also sang the Welsh hymn, Calon Lan. It was marvellous and I couldn't have wished for a better guest.

"Doing Jongleurs is certainly going to be different for me but I'm really looking forward to it.

"We're hoping lots of people come along because all the proceeds from ticket sales are going to Ty Hafan."

* Tickets for the night of comedy, with Max and some of Jongleurs' most popular performers, cost £20. To book call 0870 7870707 and ask for tickets for the Ty Hafan performance.