Category: Culture

Culture, Music

Gruff Rhys review: #FoV2018 bringing out the voices of Wales

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿå by Jessica Heap To start the evening we were treated to H. Hawkline, a Welsh singer-songwriter not dissimilar to Rhys himself and from my seat, almost identical bar a maroon shirt. Perfectly timed, Hawkline delivered multiple songs with no introductions to fit as many in as possible, including 3 whose lyrics were written that morning. As a solo act, Hawkline offered a different sound … Continue reading Gruff Rhys review: #FoV2018 bringing out the voices of Wales

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Culture, Music

Camille O’Sullivan shines at Festival of Voice with her new show “Cave”

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿà by Maxwell Modell There is something uniquely beautiful about the love we have for musicians and their music. Over time they become some of the most important emotional figures in our lives, remaining prominent through lifeÔÇÖs highs and lows. They never leave our sides, never question us and always embolden us. Yet, this relationship is entirely unrequited and internal. As such, it is something … Continue reading Camille O’Sullivan shines at Festival of Voice with her new show “Cave”

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Culture

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang review at the New Theatre

ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿåÔÿå by Sarah Thompson As somebody who recently saw the Millennium centre performance of this show, the New Theatre had a lot to live up to in my eyes. First of all, I want to announce that this performance has 2 dogs in it, and that immediately makes it worth watching. ThereÔÇÖs no denying that this show was often lacking in set design and props, … Continue reading Chitty Chitty Bang Bang review at the New Theatre

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Culture

ÔÇÿArtÔÇÖ, the comical canvas of emotion

A play that goes beyond white men arguing over a white painting. ÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿàÔÿå by Jess Warren Among a crowd of grey hairs and balding heads, one would assume that ÔÇÿArtÔÇÖ was going to be an un-relatable production. Sat in the audience as the lights dimmed and the play began, it would have been easy to predict the performance as being a sitcom of the bygone … Continue reading ÔÇÿArtÔÇÖ, the comical canvas of emotion

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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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