Category: Culture

Culture

Review: Healthcare Drama Society, ÔÇÿAnd Then There Were NoneÔÇÖ at YMCA Theatre

by Lianne Potts ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà Healthcare Drama SocietyÔÇÖs first ever production opened to a sold-out theatre last Friday night, and itÔÇÖs safe to say they pulled it off in spectacular fashion. As a newly-formed society which has been running less than a year, a lot must have been riding on this debut performance, but IÔÇÖm happy to report that all its membersÔÇÖ hard work truly paid … Continue reading Review: Healthcare Drama Society, ÔÇÿAnd Then There Were NoneÔÇÖ at YMCA Theatre

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Culture

Closer: Sophisticated production pulls off witty and tragic play

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà by Alice Lintern After watching The Rise and Fall of Little Voice the week before, I had high expectations for Act OneÔÇÖs production of Closer. I was not disappointed. First performed in 1997, Patrick MarberÔÇÖs play holds, at its core, the philosophical narrative that to love another person authentically is to understand them wholly. And that wanting to be loved is the desire to … Continue reading Closer: Sophisticated production pulls off witty and tragic play

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Culture

REVIEW: Little Voice; Big Success

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà by Molly Wyatt Act One have pulled it out the bag yet again with their incredibly produced show of Little Voice. Written in the 1990ÔÇÖs, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice by Jim Cartwright was a huge success with a film that followed to be just as popular, so it goes without saying that the amateur production, directed by Emma Lewis had a … Continue reading REVIEW: Little Voice; Big Success

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Culture

Cathy review: visceral, poignant and compelling documentary theatre

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿå by Maxwell Modell I remember receiving a flyer for Cathy at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last year. It was a show I wished I could have seen then, but short on time and money, I couldn’t fit in into my schedule. Fast forward 8 months and itÔÇÖs at the Wales Millennium Centre and I finally had my opportunity to see it. It didn’t disappoint. … Continue reading Cathy review: visceral, poignant and compelling documentary theatre

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Culture

Shrek review at the Wales Millennium Centre

by Hannah Marie Stait ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà Throughout my childhood all the way through to now as I pretend to be an adult, my all time favourite movie has always stayed the same – Shrek! The 2001 Dreamworks animation has been a classic to so many 90ÔÇÖs kids and still continues to be the favourite of so many children today. ItÔÇÖs a fun-loving comedy with an important … Continue reading Shrek review at the Wales Millennium Centre

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Culture

CA125 review: amusement and emotionality by the Act One’s latest production

by Rachel Nurse ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà No words can describe the perfection of Act OneÔÇÖs CA125 performance. Not a single Act One show has been a disappointment of any kind, yet no other show IÔÇÖve seen ever has made me laugh until it hurts and then cry a bucketful of tears to the extent CA125 did. Sally is a 45-year-old who develops ovarian cancer which relates to … Continue reading CA125 review: amusement and emotionality by the Act One’s latest production

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Culture

Accidental Death of an Anarchist review: Act One goes Green-White-Red with Fo’s political farce

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿå by Jamie Bains Director Raj Chand states in the productionÔÇÖs programme ÔÇÿI wanted to direct something that would impact the audience, perhaps even spark a debate.ÔÇÖ There wasnÔÇÖt many a better choice for both cast and crowd than Dario FoÔÇÖs 1969 political farce ÔÇÿAccidental Death of an AnarchistÔÇÖ. The show follows a clumsy and corrupt police force in 1960s Italy in their attempts to … Continue reading Accidental Death of an Anarchist review: Act One goes Green-White-Red with Fo’s political farce

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Culture

Cannonballista review: “Dirt and Glitter. Lights and Sounds. Grief and Laughter”

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿå by┬á┬áRimant─ù Ella Bivainyt─ù On 8th of March, International WomenÔÇÖs Day, the Sherman Theatre hosted the powerful play Cannonballista by Liz Clarke. Cannonballista is a one-woman show about grief, coping with sorrow and an explosive alter ego called Betty Bruiser. Just before the show, the audience encounters an interesting setup: a little wooden shed in the corner and three piles of dirt. The main actor … Continue reading Cannonballista review: “Dirt and Glitter. Lights and Sounds. Grief and Laughter”

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Culture

Review: Rent

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿå by Gemma Gibson The classic 1993 rock musical Rent was taken on by Act One earlier this week, and every night greeted by laughter, tears, and standing ovations, the UniversityÔÇÖs acting society have created and performed yet another masterpiece. A combination of love, hardship, work, friendship, and a need for equality and acceptance, all coated with a sprinkle of 80s flair, Jonathon LarsonÔÇÖs Rent … Continue reading Review: Rent

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Culture

Acis and Galatea review: an ethusiastic and cheerful cast pulls off a difficult opera

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿåÔÿå by Vittoria Zerbini This year, the Cardiff University Operatic Society (CUOS) has decided to stage Acis and Galatea by H├ñndel as their yearly production. Acis and Galatea is an opera that, since 1718, has encountered much success and many adaptations, even from big names of the music scene such as Mozart, who staged his vision of the pastoral opera in 1788. Acis and Galatea … Continue reading Acis and Galatea review: an ethusiastic and cheerful cast pulls off a difficult opera

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Culture

“Acis and Galatea”: Cardiff University Operatic SocietyÔÇÖs take on the English classic pastoral opera

by Vittoria Zerbini The Cardiff University Operatic Society has, ever since its emergence, staged many concerts. A few examples are the 2011 H├ñndelÔÇÖs Messiah or the 2014 Mozart’s Die Zauberfl├Âte. This yearÔÇÖs production is a nod to the societyÔÇÖs beginnings with H├ñndelÔÇÖs Acis and Galatea. Acis and Galatea was written between 1717 and 1718 by H├ñndel, who composed the music, and John Gay, who wrote … Continue reading “Acis and Galatea”: Cardiff University Operatic SocietyÔÇÖs take on the English classic pastoral opera

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Culture

Live Review: Train-spotting

Words by Erin Brown Seeing the announcement of Trainspotting taking to the stages, I was unsure how such an iconic film and book could be replicated in the theatre. The intense images of heroin consumption, the gruesome toilet scenes, the harrowing deaths or the terrifying heroin withdrawals; how on earth can this be successfully represented in person, on the stage, in front of your very … Continue reading Live Review: Train-spotting

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Culture

Sunset Boulevard review: soaring melodies and exquisite acting

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà by Esther Morris As an avid musical theatre fan, it is not an easy thing for me to admit that I was not all too familiar with Sunset Boulevard before seeing the touring production at the Wales Millennium Centre; however, I certainly left with the soaring melodies stuck in my head and the feeling that I could have happily watched it again the following … Continue reading Sunset Boulevard review: soaring melodies and exquisite acting

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Culture

CREATIVE CONTEST: “Very Swish” by Bethan Rose Jenkins

Our Creative Contest was very popular and brought to our eyes some great pieces of literature; here is another one of them, a short story about a “very swish” car drive. Enjoy! Very Swish by Bethan Rose Jenkins I lost a tooth in a CadburyÔÇÖs ├®clair, once. Strange, the things that you remember. I can recall the sensation so clearly. The durable adhesive of the … Continue reading CREATIVE CONTEST: “Very Swish” by Bethan Rose Jenkins

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Culture

Don Giovanni review: an entertaining and delightful production

by Andrea Gaini ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà A delightful opera season could not have been ended in a better way by the Welsh National Opera. If La Forza del Destino and Tosca were two great productions, Don Giovanni was simply greater in every sense. MozartÔÇÖs beautiful composition was highlighted and honoured with an all-round gorgeous creation at the Wales Millennium Centre. The opera focuses on the life of … Continue reading Don Giovanni review: an entertaining and delightful production

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Culture

CREATIVE CONTEST: “Split Ends” by Elizabeth Beckett

While we wait for issue 167 to come out and reveal the winner of Quench’s Creative Contest, here is a short story which deals with love, adultery, and a surprising finale. Enjoy! Split Ends by Elizabeth Beckett Her fingers were hard and broken from washing and cutting and perming and dying and curling and shaving hair all day long. And it was a long day. … Continue reading CREATIVE CONTEST: “Split Ends” by Elizabeth Beckett

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Culture

CREATIVE CONTEST: “Birds of a feather” by Megan Carro-Le May

Here is the first participant in Quench’s Short Story Contest; a story presenting colourful and imaginative details. Enjoy! Birds of a Feather┬áby Megan Carro-Le May Birds chant their morning song as a warm honey-coloured ray of sunlight warms the room. Slowly, Melody opens her eyes, peeking up from under the duvet. She stretches, yawns and smiles. Today is her birthday. She hops out of bed … Continue reading CREATIVE CONTEST: “Birds of a feather” by Megan Carro-Le May

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Culture

The Barber of Seville review: Swansea City Opera successfully attempt a hard revival

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿåÔÿå by Andrea Gaini RossiniÔÇÖs The Barber of Seville is one of the wittiest and most entertaining operas in history. Its rhythmed music and comical libretto give life to the story of Count Almaviva and his love for Rosina. The plot is a quite entangled and complicated one, made of trickeries, undelivered and lost letters, serenades, a barber, and a happy ending. The Swansea City … Continue reading The Barber of Seville review: Swansea City Opera successfully attempt a hard revival

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Culture

Posh review: Act One amplifies WadeÔÇÖs social message

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà by Manjeevan Kaur Act OneÔÇÖs energetic performance and relentlessly sharp acting in the play is a definite must see. The high level of talent and delivery of Laura WadeÔÇÖs Posh tackled wider social themes in a fresh way. Each young actor completely engaged with their role and each dynamic scene was confidently executed. A thoroughly eye-opening play. Which at all the right times hits … Continue reading Posh review: Act One amplifies WadeÔÇÖs social message

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