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It was a thrilling discovery. We had to pause the DVD several times to try and recover from fits of hysterical laughter.

Gavin and Stacey is a lovely romantic comedy romp, with a strong Welsh flavour.

There were one or two scenes that really tickled the heart-strings in a big way. We fought (and failed) to hold back the tears watching the scene with Rob Brydon on the way to the Church with his niece.

Rob Brydon was absolutely excellent. He recently appeared in a one-man show in the Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. How we now wish we had gone to see him!

The humour in Gavin Stacey is reminiscent of Rhondda playwright Frank Vickery. In the words of Smithy, the best mate of the show’s Essex hero, it’s “a Welsh thing”.

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The drama revolves around a romance which begins over the telephone between a twenty-something girl from Barry Island, Wales, and a young man from Essex. The following is an excerpt from a conversation at the beginning of the first show, between Stacey and her pensioner neighbour Doris. Doris offers ‘romance tips’ to Stacey on her forthcoming blind-date in London :

Doris : Hiya Stacey

Stacey : Alright Doris, how’s the leg ?

Doris : Oh love, I wish they’d cut the bugger off.

Stacey : Oh you don’t mean that.

Doris : Oh yes I do. You ‘and me the axe, I’ll do it myself. You still going up London then on your blind date ?

Stacey : It’s not really a blind date. I mean, we’ve been talking for six months on the phone. We just haven’t met in the flesh like.

Doris : What time you off ?

Stacey : First thing. Dave’s coaches. I’m cacking myself I am.

Doris : Stace love, you’ve got to chill out. Thing to remember is don’t go giving him nothing on the first night.

Stacey : Really ?

Doris : Well, no, not nothing… A kiss, a cuddle, a cheeky finger… just don’t go selling him the whole farm.

We eagerly await the second-series which is in the making.

There is a set of photos in the Gallery of Park Street Chapel (or Park Street Methodist Church) Blaenafon, as used by the BBC for the Hunger March Concert as part of the Coal House series.

Local campaign group Up Aberdare! are co-ordinating the efforts to bring a new landmark to Aberdare town centre marking the contribution Roy Noble has made to Aberdare and to comedy. Locals have already dubbed the statue project ‘Roy Noble’s Erection’.

At a recent public meeting a draft design for the statue was unveiled and a spokesperson for Up Aberdare! claimed “this is the most advanced multimedia statue of its kind in the world. It comes with a full-spectrum infrared remote control system. The head on the statue can be programmed to express over two different facial gestures… sadness and happiness.”

“Roy Noble the Statue – has a poly-sensory feedback system. It can pick up verbal feedback from passers-by as well as visual feedback. And if you kick or touch the statue, it can also react. Roy the Statue is not going to be stiff… he’s fun.”

“Roy Noble the Statue will be manufactured within an ISO9000 factory… in Turkmenistan. He will be fully bi-lingual capable of broadcasting in English and Welsh. The Welsh Language Board have been very supportive and their colleagues in the Welsh Language Society have given their ‘blessing’.”

“We aim to embed a camera in every crack and crevice of Roy Noble the Statue… from his toes to his toupe. We can then cast a flow of images to a variety of audiences… broadcast on mainstream television like the BBC or narrowcast on the Web to a select audience.”

“Our sound engineers have succeeded in perfectly replicating the chirpy chappy sound of Roy Noble… the one we’re all very familiar with. He – or rather IT – can speak, tell jokes, sing songs, read poetry, give a weather forecast, make a traffic announcement, even give a firm verbal warning to any drunken revellers in Market Street that might try to relieve themselves on him.”

“Don’t be fooled by that cheeky charm of Roy Noble… behind that genial fascade lies the mind of Wales’ greatest comic genius. Roy Noble the Statue will try – we can but try! – to reach the same lofty heights of humour. Research scientists at Cardiff University’s Sociology Department have produced a Welsh comedy algorithm after decades of research into this esoteric subject. This new algorithm will be at the heart of the art we hope Roy Noble the Statue will manufacture in Market Street, Aberdare. ”

“We believe in ‘comedy for the masses’ and who better than Roy Noble to bring mirth directly into the Valleys town of Aberdare,” said Up Aberdare! “There is no manufacturing industry left worthy of the name in Cynon Valley. It’s all been outsourced. We’ve been downsized. We can but craft a bit of comedy to cheer ourselves”.

Rhondda Cynon Taff Council Leader Rusty Roberts said : “It looks good, bach. Think of all those stinking rich Jap tourists we could bring to Aberdare. They do love those techno gizmo thingies, yes. And of course we could use it to sell the Council and the Party… err… you didn’t record that bit did you, bach ? I mean we could use it to market Rhondda Cynon Taff to potential investors.”

Up Aberdare! ended the public meeting by praising Roy Noble’s contribution to comedy and his sheer versatility as a performer.

Mrs Law said: “This is a victory for Blaenau Gwent: a victory for honesty and integrity“.

- BBC News Online story

Welsh-language bands Ashokan and Mattoidz will feature along with local punk rock band Naked Threat.

Entry is Free – Just Turn up

This is the start of three months of events, programmes and shows that will take place in and around Aberdare – part of BBC Wales’ Here For You.

Come and see Stuart Cable launch a search for new bands.

Share your consumer problems with the X-Ray team.

From BBC Radio Wales meet Roy Noble, Owen Money, and Chris Needs

Plus have a go at football commentating with Match of the Day’s Ian Gwyn Hughes, and from CBeebies meet the Bobinogs.