New gig coming to Newcastle

Newcastle Cathedral is to host comedy nights – to the dismay of traditionalists.

Gavin Ashenden, a former chaplain to the Queen, accused the church of ‘spiritual illiteracy’ over the plans for a monthly stand-up gig.

The first Cathedral of Comedy show will be staged of May 21, with David O’Doherty headlining, with Phil Wang, Catherine Bohart and Larry Dean also booked to perform later this year.

As well as the comedy, the night promises ‘a fully stocked bar and some of the best food vendors in the area’.

But Dr Ashenden told the Daily Mail it was a ‘misuse’ of the 500-seat space to turn it into 'an O2 Arena or a nightclub'.

He said: ‘If the diocese of Newcastle wants to have comedians it should hire a comedy club – but to do it in a cathedral is offensive to anyone who thinks a cathedral is a holy space.’

The diocese said it was confident the comics would ‘respect our sacred space’.

Promoter David Rickwood told the Newcastle Chronicle that the venue was beautiful and that he was excited to launch the new venture there with business partner Lee Hardy.

Newcastle Cathedral reopened last August following a £6million revamp, partly funded by the National Lottery.

Religious spaces have been used for comedy gigs in the past without incident. Leicester Cathedral has hosted comedians as part of the city’s comedy festival for more than a decade, with Milton Jones – who is a Christian – becoming the first in 2009. And Bristol Cathedral regular stages events as part of the Slapstick festival of vintage comedy.

Tickets for the David O’Doherty gig are available here.

Published: 2 Feb 2022