Author: Hannah Hopkins

Culture

Review: Louder is Not Always Clearer, Chapter Arts Centre – Experimentica Season

Louder is Not Always Clearer, Saturday 1st April, Chapter Arts Centre, reviewer: Bob Wigin A man stands in front of the audience and begins to flail and jump, looking to the crowd for a response. Before long, he types outs sentences which are projected on to a large screen behind him. We learn that he is deaf. Louder Is Not Always Clearer is an impressionistic, … Continue reading Review: Louder is Not Always Clearer, Chapter Arts Centre – Experimentica Season

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Richard Herring: The Best, St David’s Hall

Richard Herring: The Best, Sunday 2nd April, St David’s Hall, reviewer: Becca Moody Richard Herring is showcasing the best of his material from the last twelve shows, after revisiting them all for one-off performances in 2015. The aim is to represent each of the various aspects of his comedy style equally: a summary of the past sixteen years for the comic; a smorgasbord of Richard … Continue reading Review: Richard Herring: The Best, St David’s Hall

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Class: The Elephant in the Room, Chapter Arts Centre – Experimentica Season

Class: The Elephant in the Room, Friday 31st March, Chapter Arts Centre, reviewer: Claudia Rutherford Influenced by the injustices circulating his political climate, Pierre Bourdieu proposed the theory that a ÔÇÿcultural capitalÔÇÖ exists within Western societies. It is one, he claims, to be systematically sought after, and promotes the idea that the culture enjoyed by the middle classes, is regarded as more valid than those … Continue reading Review: Class: The Elephant in the Room, Chapter Arts Centre – Experimentica Season

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Round and Round and Round, Chapter Arts Centre – Experimentica Season

Round and Round and Round, Wedneday 29th March, Chapter Arts Centre, reviewer: Emily Murray Before we walked into the theatre, we were told, “Men enter on the right and women on the left,ÔÇØ followed by, ÔÇ£When you get into the room, men are allowed to sit and women must stand.ÔÇØ The man then handed over a piece of paper to each of us, that read … Continue reading Review: Round and Round and Round, Chapter Arts Centre – Experimentica Season

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Interview: Chris Ramsey

Chris Ramsey has just embarked on his biggest tour to date, Is That Chris Ramsey?, culminating in a massive homecoming gig at NewcastleÔÇÖs Metro Arena. He’s also bringing the show to Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on┬áThursday 27 April, but before, the Geordie star of Comedy Central’s┬áThe┬áChris Ramsey Show tells us about life on the road and how adjusting to first-time fatherhood hasnÔÇÖt stopped him from … Continue reading Interview: Chris Ramsey

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Frankenshow, Chapter – Experimentica Season

Frankenshow, Wednesday 29th March, Chapter, reviewer: Rachel Nurse Postmodernist art with a technological twist. This was a very creative and different, but at times, a confusing show. A war between humans, robots and dinosaurs paralleled Earth’s own wars between nations. The narrator explained that war is not the answer to the questions – enacted with dolls, which were cleverly utilised in a scene which saw … Continue reading Review: Frankenshow, Chapter – Experimentica Season

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Dirty Dancing, New Theatre

Dirty Dancing, Monday 27th March, New Theatre, reviewer: Mel Lynch If you do nothing else this month go see Dirty Dancing at the New theatre, it is genuinely sublime. Quick paced choreography twinned with an emotionally charged narrative results in an unmissable performance, which is quite simply a pleasure to watch. Set in the vibrant 1960ÔÇÖs Dirty Dancing tells the story of two lovers pulled … Continue reading Review: Dirty Dancing, New Theatre

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Killology, Sherman Theatre

Killology, Tuesday 28th March, Sherman Theatre, reviewer: Tom Morris This is the kind of life affirming art one might not expect local theatre to show. Yet here it is, right here in Cardiff, literally on the students unionÔÇÖs doorstep, a play that would cost an awful lot more in London and would be a highlight at the Edinburgh Fringe. There are just three characters, and … Continue reading Review: Killology, Sherman Theatre

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: The Circus of Horrors, St David’s Hall

The Circus of Horrors,┬áWednesday 22nd March, St David’s Hall, Reviewer: Mel Lynch Despite forming in 1995 The Circus of HorrorsÔÇÖ first rose to celebrity status after performing on BritainÔÇÖs Got Talent in 2011. Initially I thought I had some idea about what to expect. However, upon seeing the shows promotional t-shirts which read ÔÇÿKeep calm or fuck offÔÇÖ I started to fear for what I … Continue reading Review: The Circus of Horrors, St David’s Hall

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Evita, New Theatre

Evita, Monday 20th March, New Theatre, Reviewer: Hannah Hopkins Evita has always, for me at least, been one of those musicals known for a few great songs whilst the rest of the plot has often faded into obscurity. Yet, this production completely changed my mind. The story is powerful and poignant, though the musical elements make it fun and all the more engaging. Following a … Continue reading Review: Evita, New Theatre

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Seanmhair, The Other Room

Seanmhair, Thursday 16th March, The Other Room, Reviewer: Isabel Wright Pebbles would crack against my window in the pitch of the night IÔÇÖd lean out and say ÔÇô What do you want Tommy MacLeish you black eyed monster? And he says ÔÇô “You.” Hywel JohnÔÇÖs Seanmhair explores the life of Jenny, a strong willed Scottish woman, and her relationship to her husband, Tommy. Their connection … Continue reading Review: Seanmhair, The Other Room

Hannah Hopkins
Arts Reviews, Culture

Review: The Red Shoes, Wales Millennium Centre

The Red Shoes, Tuesday 14th March, Wales Millenium Centre, Reviewer: Gemma Gibson Matthew BourneÔÇÖs dance company, New Adventures, are renowned for their vast selection of ballets including Swan Lake, The Car Man, and Sleeping Beauty, and this week the Wales Millennium Centre has been graced by their latest touring masterpiece-┬á a magical, original adaptation of 1948ÔÇÖs fairytale sensation – The Red Shoes. Audiences are welcomed … Continue reading Review: The Red Shoes, Wales Millennium Centre

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Gaslight, New Theatre

Gaslight,┬áTuesday 14th March, New Theatre,┬áReviewer: Hannah Hopkins A Victorian townhouse in London. Bella Manningham is slowly losing her mind. A picture goes missing from the piano, her watch disappears. There are mysterious noises coming from the out-of-bounds top floor and the gaslights above the fireplace are slowly dimmingÔǪ Patrick HamiltonÔÇÖs Gaslight was written in 1938. A pseudo-Victorian thriller, this adaption paints the disturbing┬áportrait of an … Continue reading Review: Gaslight, New Theatre

Hannah Hopkins
Arts Reviews, Culture

Review: Danza Contemporánea de Cuba, Wales Millennium Centre

Danza Contempor├ínea de Cuba, Tuesday 28th February, Wales Millennium Centre, Reviewer: Penelope Barnes The long-established and highly prestigious Danza Contempor├ínea De Cuba stopped in Cardiff this February, bringing with them a welcomed ray of Cuban sunshine to an otherwise wintery Welsh evening. A hot-ticket for any dance fan, the troupe boasts a blend of smooth American modernism and Afro-Caribbean rhythms, flecked with European ballet. However, … Continue reading Review: Danza Contempor├ínea de Cuba, Wales Millennium Centre

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: The Wedding Singer, New Theatre

The Wedding Singer, Monday 27th February, New Theatre, Reviewer: Maria Mellor When the lights went down and the actors came out on stage, my initial reaction was confusion. Having seen the Adam Sandler film on which the play is based, I thought I had known what to expect but it was definitely not this. I felt like never before in my life had I seen … Continue reading Review: The Wedding Singer, New Theatre

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Ones to watch: The Circus of Horrors, St David’s Hall

What? The Circus of Horrors Where? St David’s Hall When? Wednesday 22nd March 2017 The Circus of Horrors┬áis┬ácelebrating its 21st anniversary and is taking to the road with its latest incarnation ÔÇ£The Never-ending NightmareÔÇØ. The group can be found at St David’s Hall on the evening of Wednesday 22nd March. The spectacular features an amazing amalgamation of bizarre, brave & beautiful acts all woven into … Continue reading Ones to watch: The Circus of Horrors, St David’s Hall

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Dancing Bear Dancing Bear, RWCMD

Dancing Bear, Dancing Bear, Friday 24th February, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Reviewer: Alice Townsend. I wouldnÔÇÖt recommend going to see this performance if youÔÇÖre a prude. When you walk into the theatre thereÔÇÖs two fully naked men facing you on stage. Fortunately they warn you the performance contains nudity just before they put their clothes on. Dancing Bear, Dancing Bear┬áis a two … Continue reading Review: Dancing Bear Dancing Bear, RWCMD

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Fantastic Mr Fox, New Theatre

Fantastic Mr Fox, Tuesday 21st February, New Theatre, Reviewer: Ashley Boyle Any ÔÇÿhuman beanÔÇÖ who has ever had the pleasure of reading a Roald Dahl novel will know how energetic and engaging the stories are, be it in a chocolate factory, a monkey circus or Giant Country, and this adaptation of his much loved Fantastic Mr Fox story truly brings the pages to life. Fantastic … Continue reading Review: Fantastic Mr Fox, New Theatre

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Pride and Prejudice, Wales Millennium Centre

Pride and Prejudice,┬áTuesday 21st February, Wales Millennium Centre, Reivewer: Hannah Hopkins Simon ReadeÔÇÖs stage adaptation of Jane AustenÔÇÖs Pride and Prejudice is a fabulous, heart-warming and unpretentious performance. Shortened and compacted only out of necessity for the stage, the style remains┬áclose to that of the original novel and all the key moments are retained. There is a lot of ground to cover with the play, … Continue reading Review: Pride and Prejudice, Wales Millennium Centre

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: A Lost Place, Cardiff University School of Music

A Lost Place,┬áSunday 19th February, Cardiff University School of Music, Reviewer: Mel Lynch Described in the productions synopsis as ÔÇÿa new musical which provides no answers, just more questionsÔÇÖ, on reflection, I have to agree. Both composed and directed by Callum Spooner, A lost Place is a new musical that I had the opportunity to experience at CardiffÔÇÖs UniversityÔÇÖs very own School of Music. The … Continue reading Review: A Lost Place, Cardiff University School of Music

Hannah Hopkins