What is ‘JAMNESTY’?

Becca Stamatis┬átells Quench Culture about the who’s, what’s,┬áwhere’s, when’s and why’s about Amnesty International’s┬áhosting of ‘Jamnesty’,┬áin aid of ‘My Body My Rights campaign’. Jamnesty is Amnesty InternationalÔÇÖs annual jam night, raising money and making noise about the worldÔÇÖs leading human rights organisation. Cardiff UniversityÔÇÖs Amnesty International Society is hosting their Jamnesty event at 10 Feet Tall on Thursday 10th March, at 7pm until late. So … Continue reading What is ‘JAMNESTY’?

georgecaultonFebruary 29, 2016February 29, 2016

Cultural Icons: Allen Ginsberg

A key figure in the Beat Generation, Allen Ginsberg was the prophet-like poet that significantly influenced a transcendental way of thinking, living and being. In response to the McCarthy-era, Post WWII America, Ginsberg and co. bonded over a non-conformist lifestyle, and sought a ‘New Vision’ for creativity inspired by the poetry of Yeats. Fuelled by this spirit (as well as hallucinogenic drugs) Ginsberg became, and … Continue reading Cultural Icons: Allen Ginsberg

Emily GiblettFebruary 29, 2016

Cultural Icons: Kurt Cobain

It has been little over twenty-two years since the tragic suicide of Nirvana frontman, Kurt Cobain. Yet for many he has remained a cultural icon and to some extent the de facto mascot of the punk-grunge era of the nineties. For many, including myself, it was the music that he and his fellow band members were remembered for and was the driving force that catapulted … Continue reading Cultural Icons: Kurt Cobain

Emily GiblettFebruary 29, 2016

Art vs. Culture

Pablo Picasso once defined the artist as ÔÇ£A political being constantly alert to the horrifying, passionate or pleasing events in the world, shaping himself completely in their image.ÔÇØ Throughout history, Politics has influenced many different types of culture. This has happened in literature, like George OrwellÔÇÖs Nineteen Eighty-Four, which contained themes of omnipresent government surveillance. Or in music, such as Dmitri Shostakovich, whose career was … Continue reading Art vs. Culture

Emily GiblettFebruary 29, 2016

Review: A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Llanover Hall, Canton

Review by Ciara Gillespie Cardiff University’s Act 1 have yet again dazzled audiences with a stunning rendition of Shakespeare’s classic comedy ÔÇ£A Midsummer’s Night DreamÔÇØ. I was┬áperhaps skeptical about going to see the play, mainly because as a newbie to Shakespere I had only heard the name of the play a handful of times but had no clue what it was about. Surely I would … Continue reading Review: A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Llanover Hall, Canton

georgecaultonFebruary 12, 2016

Review: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, New Theatre

Review by Elis Doyle The Rocky Horror Show, a musical performance which explores the peculiar and outrageous, with a dash of B-Movie Horror and Sci-fi thrown into the melting pot, is quite the spectacle to behold. In the show, newly-weds Janet and Brad are stranded in the middle of nowhere, and are forced to take refuge in a nearby castle owned by a certain … Continue reading Review: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, New Theatre

georgecaultonFebruary 9, 2016

Book Review: “And Yet…”, Christopher Hitchens.

Reviewed by Thomas Edwards This book of unpublished essays frequently reiterates itself as the concluding collection of Christopher HitchensÔÇÖ work. It states in the inner jacket how it is the ÔÇÿfinal volumeÔÇÖ and ÔÇÿthe last of the lastÔÇÖ. As a book that is the final product of collecting the last essays from what was a considerably well-stocked vault is surely not indicative of HitchensÔÇÖ work; … Continue reading Book Review: “And Yet…”, Christopher Hitchens.

georgecaultonFebruary 8, 2016February 8, 2016

Review: Henry VI, Wales Millenium Centre.

Reviewed by Emily Jones, Features Editor. In a hauntingly modern conflation of three Shakespeare plays chronicling the Wars of the Roses, the Omidaze theatre company documents the conflicts between the two rival royal Houses of Lancaster and York in their fight for the throne, and the intricate plots that lead to the death of Henry VI. Staged in the Wales Millennium Centre, Henry VI … Continue reading Review: Henry VI, Wales Millenium Centre.

georgecaultonFebruary 7, 2016

Review: Rehearsal for Murder, New Theatre

Review by Sarah Davies and Khuram Mahmood Posted by George Caulton The story of a man searching for his wife-to-beÔÇÖs murderer begins slowly and stirs, quite literally, from the underbelly of the theatre. Rehearsal for Murder suffers and succeeds in the same instant, not dissimilar to the state that Alex, the protagonist finds himself in. Alex, a successful playwright, attempts to calm the nerves of … Continue reading Review: Rehearsal for Murder, New Theatre

georgecaultonFebruary 4, 2016February 5, 2016

Expression in the City

How does a city express itself? On its walls? In its streets? In its violence? Through its atmosphere? Does it spill out from its people, their screams, their laughter on the streets? Do individuals make the city, or does a city make the individuals what they are, what they can be? The interactions between the people within a city are constantly restrained, there are a … Continue reading Expression in the City

Emily GiblettJanuary 28, 2016

Review: Avenue Q, New Theatre

“The Internet is really, really great…” Avenue Q is a musical that makes frequent contemptuous references to black people, Jews, homosexuals, Republicans, pornography and sexÔÇª yet it could not be more hilarious if it tried. Avenue Q hit the New Theatre, Cardiff this week and did not disappoint. Providing a hilarious platform of discussion between puppets, everyday life and a few taboos thrown in for … Continue reading Review: Avenue Q, New Theatre

georgecaultonJanuary 28, 2016February 4, 2016

Play/Silence: a double bill at Porter’s Bar

PorterÔÇÖs, a bar on Bute Terrace close to the Motorpoint Arena, on a barren stretch of road encased within CardiffÔÇÖs transport links, (the beer garden is almost sheltered by the concrete pillars that hold up the railway) is a stylish venue with an understated film/theatre aesthetic. It often screens films and theatre productions in The Other Room; a tiny back room of 20 or so … Continue reading Play/Silence: a double bill at Porter’s Bar

Beau BeakhouseJanuary 25, 2016January 25, 2016

Photograph by Aled Goodwin

T┼À Celf 2016

T┼À Celf 2016 is now online! Also included as a pull-out in issue 156 of Quench magazine,┬áT┼À Celf is Cardiff University’s annual arts publication and we are very excited to share this year’s issue with you all. In addition to some wonderful pieces of traditional art, photography, poetry and prose, we have decided to include film within the anthology this year; exhibiting the variety of … Continue reading T┼À Celf 2016

Sadia Pineda HameedJanuary 25, 2016

Street Art at Clwb Ifor Bach

On Thursday 3rd of December a giant mural was lauched on the side of Clwb Ifor Bach as part of a series of UK street art. It was inspired by welsh musician GwennoÔÇÖs latest concept album Y Dydd Olaf, which was in turn inspired by a 1976 sci-fi novel written by Owain Owain. It was painted by a local street artist RMER, and designed by … Continue reading Street Art at Clwb Ifor Bach

Beau BeakhouseDecember 9, 2015December 16, 2015

T┼À Celf 2015/16

Every year T┼À Celf, an annual arts publication for writing, photography, art and this time film, is published as a pull-out in Quench magazine and online. We are looking for contributions from Cardiff students (undergrad or postgrad) which include poetry, prose, digital or traditional art, photography and film. This is a great chance to get your work published in a magazine read by students and … Continue reading T┼À Celf 2015/16

Beau BeakhouseNovember 25, 2015December 15, 2015

Review: The Shawshank Redemption, New Theatre

Originally a novella written by horror-mogul Stephen King, then transformed into the classic cult film over twenty years ago, I pounced on the opportunity to review The Shawshank Redemption production at The New Theatre, Cardiff. While this latest adaption definitely captured the tone of ÔÇÿfear will hold you prisonerÔÇÖ, it struggled to recapitulate the sombre themes explored so elegantly on screen. In a miscarriage of … Continue reading Review: The Shawshank Redemption, New Theatre

georgecaultonNovember 24, 2015

Experimentica15

EXPERIMENTICA┬áreturned to Cardiff this year for five days filled with live art, performances and interdisciplinary projects. As Chapter stated on their website ÔÇÿEXPERIMENTICA is entertaining, dangerous, confusing, life-affirming, playful, provocative, thoughtful, witty, engaging, irritating and everything in between.ÔÇÖ Here are a number of the performances that took part across the five day international festival. Review 1# (by Georgie Crespie) Across one day were the performances … Continue reading Experimentica15

Beau BeakhouseNovember 20, 2015November 20, 2015

Review: Battle Scars: A New Musical, YMCA Theatre

When I was told that I was going to see a musical about depression, self harm, anorexia and a girl whoÔÇÖd been sectioned, honestly I feared the worst. Musicals are usually so fun and whimsical that I thought it would be impossible to display the emotional depth required for such a topic. Boy was I wrong. Battle Scars: A New Musical, written and directed by … Continue reading Review: Battle Scars: A New Musical, YMCA Theatre

georgecaultonNovember 14, 2015November 14, 2015

Review: Bizet Carmen, St David’s Hall.

BizetÔÇÖs gracefully hypnotic, four act opera, Carmen, hit the stage of St DavidÔÇÖs Hall this week and its success was evidently exemplified by the roaring applause upon the final curtain of the performance. The opera revealed a spectacular degree of d├®cor with an all- inclusive account of highly qualified opera stars, multitudes of colorful clothing and just to top it off, a real donkey walking … Continue reading Review: Bizet Carmen, St David’s Hall.

georgecaultonNovember 12, 2015

Review: The Glenn Miller Story, New Theatre

The proof of a good story, whether in film, television or theatre is always the way you feel about the characters come the finale. There have been endless occasions in which protagonists have met their fatal and dramatic deaths, with directors hoping for a weeping audience to mourn the tragedy, only to be met by the realization that no one in the audience really cares. … Continue reading Review: The Glenn Miller Story, New Theatre

georgecaultonNovember 11, 2015