The Private Widdle Social Club is a comedy cabaret and variety show established in Deal, Kent in 2010 by veteran TV writers, presenters and producers Peter C***s and Paul Hendy, in association with Will Greenham of Kent-based record label, Smugglers Records. Based at The Astor theatre in Deal, the night was an instant success, selling out on the first and every subsequent occasion. The Social Clu
b is named after Deal’s most notorious resident, Charles Hawtrey, and his character Private Widdle in the Carry On series. Hawtrey, dissolute, drunk, flamboyant, eccentric and gay as a yellow duster was considered the Club’s ideal figurehead. The secret of Private Widdle’s success is its unique blend of old-style variety combined with contemporary comedy and music. The flavour of the event is strongly branded by playbills, membership cards and commemorative badges. The first Private Widdle Social Club was hosted by comedian Paul Foot (Never Mind the Buzzcocks), whose left of field take on the world provided the glue that holds the evening together. Paul Foot is now honorary president of the Social Club and has hosted many of Private Widdle’s forays into the big wide world: Canterbury Marlowe, Whitstable, Eastbourne and New Cross in Lon-Don High Street. In 2012 it was the British presence at China's first Fringe festival, the Shenzhen Fringe, where it gained the prestigious Pink Elephant Award. There is now a branch of the Social Club in Shenzhen. The Social club has also toured festivals such as Lounge on the Farm and The Windsor Fringe and has been twice mentioned in The Guardian as the South Coast’s must-see show. Other comperes hosting the club include Lenny Beige, Henning When, Sarah Pascoe, Trevor Lock, Gerry Howell and Matthew Kelly. Passing stars have also featured in the Private Widdle show: Stephen Mulherne (Britain’s Got Talent) Emma Barton (East Enders) and Eighties star, Adam Ant. While the hosts tend to be London-based comics, much of the rest of Private Widdle’s roster of acts is harvested locally, fresh and in season, if not organic. Local music is represented by Smugglers Records, their flagship band Cocos Lovers and a growing roster of acts from Gentlemen of Few, Will Varley, Ukelele Gangstas to Way Down Yonder Barbershop Quartet. The Private Widdle Light Orchestra is a crack trio of musicians hailing from the mythical mitteleuropean country of Widdleonia
Other Kentish talent includes Henry Dagg, who famously played his cat-organ for the Prince of Wales. We also have Helle’s Bells, a pair of tattooed ladies who revive ancient forgotten dance routines such as the Black Bottom for our delight. The Belle’s also run a raffle during the social club and sell chocolate ci******es in the interval. Major Pereneum Twang does a traditional muscle man act, including stomach rolls and contortions and with a happy ending, while Miss Jezebelle duBois dances seductively with her pet boa constrictor. British burlesque is often provided by Miss Maybe, another Kentish Beauty. Private Widdle’s own signing is Malcolm Head, performance poet who is touring with Paul Foot. The Private Widdle Social Club’s open spots have been filled by talent ranging from ‘Nicholas and his Steamtrain Impressions’ to ‘Hector the Human Beatbox’ and ‘Karin from the Kongo’. The above acts are a mere sampler of the long list of speciality acts, burlesques, comics and musicians that The Private Widdle Social Club has on its roster and can offer to other venues. Widdle’s sell-out burlesque specials have been hosted by Madame Jojo’s La Voix, Adam Ant and Missy Maybe. The Private Widdle Social Club prides itself on having presented Glin or Glinda, Britains only trans-gender Tina Turner lookalike magician, singer and Tommy Cooper inmpersonator. Widdle also prides itself in having had more performers sectioned under the mental health act, than any other club. The Private Widdle Social Club is a broad church, libertarian and open-minded, we cater for all tastes!
