Doors: 19:30 | Show: 20:30Cardiff Queer Comedy is back for 2026, and headlining is Edinburgh Fringe Festival lauded performer and alter ego of drag king John Travulva, Jodie Mitchell! The incredible Leila Navabi will be joining to host the night, after completing her national tour of her lauded show, 'Relay'! More acts TBA!
Super Early Bird tickets are now on sale, but we recommend getting them fast, since we expect this to sell out!
Leila Navabi
Leila is a writer and comedian from South Wales. In 2023, she made her Edinburgh Fringe debut with a sellout run of her musical comedy hour, 'Composition', and returned with her sophomore show, 'Relay', in 2025. Described as 'the actual future of comedy' (LMAOnaise), her television and radio stand-up credits include 'BBC New Comedy Awards 2022' (BBC), 'Live at Aberystwyth Pier' (BBC), 'Stand-up Sesh' (BBC), 'Stand Up in My House' (BBC) and 'The Leak' (BBC). She is bilingual, with Welsh Language credits including 'Ffyrnig' (S4C) and 'Ni y Nawdegau' (BBC Cymru). She has provided tour support for Jessica Fostekew, Laura Smyth and Nish Kumar.
Jodie Mitchell
Award-winning Drag King, comedian, writer and podcaster Jodie Mitchell co-founded the queer women, trans, and non‑binary comedy collective The LOL Word, and writes and performs as their macho Glaswegian alter‑ego John Travulva with Pecs Drag Kings—winning an Off‑Broadway Award in 2020. They have appeared on Comedy Central Live and Channel 4’s 'Jokes Only A Lesbian Can Tell', and served as a writer on Season 3 of Netflix’s 'Sex Education'.
Jodie co-hosts cult podcasts 'Secret Dinosaur Cult' and 'The Drag King Cast', was a Funny Women Awards finalist (2017), Vault Festival Comedy Breakthrough Award 2023 nominee, and Leicester Square New Comedian semi‑finalist (2018). Their debut solo hour 'Becoming John Travulva' at Edinburgh Fringe earned critical acclaim.
On radio, they contribute as a writer/actor to BBC Radio 4’s Time of the Week (2024).
Further Information
Alcohol will be served at this event. This is a seated event. Loud sounds may feature as part of the performances.
Accessibility Information
Our events are situated in the Royal Arcade, Morgan Quarter. Access to this can be gained via our shop front entrance, which includes a step or via our side entrance, which is level with the ground but please let us know in advance if you would like to use this one as it is often locked. There is also a disabled toilet on site.
The Queer Emporium is situated at the lower half of St. Mary's Street. There is a taxi rank diagonally across from the space and Uber cars are able to collect people from the Marriott Hotel, which is approximately 0.4 miles away. Here, many buses also stop to collect passengers and allow them to alight. Parking is available in St. David's Hall 2 and the John Lewis Car Park, both of which are approximately 0.2 miles from The Queer Emporium.
Pay It Forward
If you are facing any financial barriers that may prevent you from attending the event, please contact us. We have a limited number of Pay It Forward tickets available for all of our events.
Event Venue
2-4 Royal Arcade, Cardiff, United Kingdom
Tickets
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.
