Swansea Council Cancels Male Strip Show at Brangwyn Hall
Swansea Council has cancelled a male strip show that was due to perform at Brangwyn Hall on Friday. The Magic Men Australia World Tour, with choreographed routines, shirtless dancers and audience interaction, was dropped over concerns that it was "too raunchy".
The council apologised. It said it took the decision not to let the show go ahead following "concerns raised with us". A spokesperson added: "We're sorry for the disappointment this will cause."
Frontman learned of it indirectly
Headliner William Parfitt said he found out about the cancellation a week before the show. Neither the venue nor the council had officially told him. He received a response about the reason only after he contacted the organisers, and he called the explanation "extremely vague".
Parfitt, a TikTok star, wrote on Instagram that he never thought the show would be cancelled in Wales for being too raunchy, calling it "a first for Magic Men Australia". He described the decision as "incredibly disappointing" for the team, who had spent "considerable time and money preparing", and for "the hundreds of women who were looking forward to attending".
Ticket holders have been contacted and will receive a full refund. Parfitt told his TikTok followers that anyone from Swansea who books an alternative show elsewhere in the UK will be upgraded to VIP, with a meet-and-greet. He said the team hopes to return to Swansea with a venue that welcomes the show.
Swansea reacts
Opinion in the city was split. Student Grace Rogerson, 20, said people should be able to go and see what they want, and that the arts should not be censored. Tracey Garey, 61, said she was shocked, and that the women wanted a good night out.
Others doubted the venue was right. Audrey Chapman, 86, and her friend Vera Hopkins, 84, asked why the council had agreed to it in the first place. Lian Cruz, 19, agreed the hall was not a fitting location.
Brangwyn Hall is a Grade II listed building and is considered one of Swansea's landmarks. It has hosted acts ranging from Queen to the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Manic Street Preachers.
Source: BBC News