Category: Culture

Culture

Review: You’ve Got a Friend, St David’s Hall

You’ve Got a Friend, Thursday 6th April, St David’s Hall, reviewer: Sarah Harris James Taylor and Carole King are arguably two of the most influential and most successful singer/songwriters of the last few decades. From the same people who created the outstanding West End masterpiece, The Simon & Garfunkel Story, YouÔÇÖve Got A Friend┬áshowcases the music and work on Taylor and King and celebrates the … Continue reading Review: You’ve Got a Friend, St David’s Hall

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: A Judgement in Stone, New Theatre

A Judgement in Stone, Tuesday 4th April, New Theatre, reviewer: Corey Aunger   A Judgement in Stone is a somewhat mixed production that doesnÔÇÖt really pick up until the second half. Argued to be one of Ruth RendallÔÇÖs better works, the novel is adapted for the stage by Simon Brett and Antony Lampard. The Classic Theatre Company, and producer Bill Kenright, are touring twenty-five venues … Continue reading Review: A Judgement in Stone, New Theatre

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Cirque Berserk!, Wales Millennium Centre

Cirque Berserk!, Tuesday 28th March, Wales Millennium Centre, reviewer: Ashley Boyle The UKÔÇÖs biggest and most diverse circus show to grace the theatre stage, Cirque Berserk, has been performing in Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff. The show was jam packed with daring and impressive stunts, leaving the audience awestruck and relieved that all that couldÔÇÖve gone wrong was overcome. Before the show kicked off with … Continue reading Review: Cirque Berserk!, Wales Millennium Centre

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Our Carnal Hearts, Chapter Arts Centre – Experimentica Season

Our Carnal Hearts, Sunday 2nd April, Chapter Arts Centre, reviewer: Sam Walker GOLD. Always believe in your soul. You got the power to know. YouÔÇÖre indestructible. There was a point during Rachel MarsÔÇÖ performance where I found myself part of a choir singing Spandau Ballet with a bunch of strangers and not even feeling unusual. In her exploration of envy, and the honesty with which … Continue reading Review: Our Carnal Hearts, Chapter Arts Centre – Experimentica Season

Hannah Hopkins
Culture

Review: Rent, Wales Millennium Centre

Taking place in the 1990’s in East Village, New York, Rent follows a group of young bohemians trying to work their way through personal issues, doing so by finding each other. Clich├® though it may sound, this rock-musical touches on so many issues leaving the audience reaching for tissues for both tears of sadness and of laughter. The cast of the 20th Anniversary tour contains … Continue reading Review: Rent, Wales Millennium Centre

bethangirdlermaslen
Culture

Review: Buffalo Comedy, Buffalo

Buffalo Comedy, Sunday 2nd April, Buffalo, reviewer: Hannah Hopkins Acts: Rhys James, Tanya Spence-Kelly, Calum Stewart, Leroy Britto; MC: Clint Edwards. Buffalo is one of the more vibrant and trendy venues in Cardiff, and of course, I was pretty happy to see that the venue hosts a regular comedy night. It’s been running for quite a while, but I’ve never had the opportunity until now … Continue reading Review: Buffalo Comedy, Buffalo

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