Review: Swan Lake, St DavidÔÇÖs Hall

The Russian National Ballet and Russian State Ballet of Siberia returns to Cardiff for another spectacular repertoire of classics ÔÇô The Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and not to mention, the epitome of Romantic ballet with a longstanding history of some 135 years, Swan Lake. Performed to the fascinatingly engaging melodies of TchaikovskyÔÇÖs first ever ballet score, the melancholic adaptation of Swan Lake tells the tale of … Continue reading Review: Swan Lake, St DavidÔÇÖs Hall

Books of 2013: Chosen by You

And The Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini Words: Jasmine Freeman Khaled Hosseini has already made a name for himself in the literary world with his beautiful novels The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. However, do not begin this novel with any preconceived notions of his style. Hosseini switches it up this time, no longer solely concentrating on one main character. Instead, the book … Continue reading Books of 2013: Chosen by You

Review: Singin’ In The Rain, WMC

Reviewed by Matthew Lee Schneider Splashing legs sweep with forceful grace, weaving droplets of rain into curtains which drape across the audience. ┬áA relentlessly rotating rainbow of umbrella navels frolic up and down, left to right, round and round. ┬áTwirling, swirling, tapping, clapping, falling (in love), dancing, jumping, singing, yelling; this is SinginÔÇÖ in the Rain. ┬áArriving at the Millennium Centre by way of the … Continue reading Review: Singin’ In The Rain, WMC

Review: Operatic Society Gala Concert

On the 30th November, Cardiff University Operatic Society performed their ÔÇÿOpera Through The AgesÔÇÖ Gala Concert, which took the audience through the entire history of opera in solos, ensembles and choruses. The diverse programme showed what an exciting line-up was laid out ahead. The evening began with a very confident start, with the blend of Lucy Hannam, Katharine Blackwell, Donald Montgomery, Conall Keaveney and Benjamin … Continue reading Review: Operatic Society Gala Concert

Clod Ensemble: An Anatomie in Four Quarters

Making a piece of physical theatre is a complicated, lengthy process; Culture editors Amy Pay and Sum Sze Tam spoke to Tracy Gentles, the producer of upcoming physical theatre production An Anatomie in Four Quarters, to find out how such a complex work of art comes into being An Anatomie in Four Quarters is showing soon in the WMC. Can you tell us a little … Continue reading Clod Ensemble: An Anatomie in Four Quarters

Land Art: Making the Environment Relevant Again?

If I really wanted to upset the Daily Mail, I would probably call up Tracey Emin and ask her if she would be willing to collaborate with Greenpeace. “Green” seemed to be the big buzz-word of the pre-recession zeitgeist, but in a time of austerity, the environment sadly seems to have taken something of a back seat, retreating once more into the composting bins of … Continue reading Land Art: Making the Environment Relevant Again?

Physical Theatre: More Than Dancey Acting?

The stage: traditionally a foundation for acting, singing or dancing. Then, physical theatre came along and integrated the disciplines, the primary idea being that performers tell a story through physical means. What is it? Where does it come from? How is it put together? This month, Sophie Barnes unravels these questions As physical theatreÔÇÖs popularity grows, so does its following. This is owed to the … Continue reading Physical Theatre: More Than Dancey Acting?

This Charming Man

This month saw the publication of Autobiography, the long-awaited memoir of Morrissey ÔÇô bequiffed singer, lyricist and iconoclast famed for fronting the 1980ÔÇÖs alt-rock band The Smiths. Owen Spalding tells us his views on the Penguin Classic Usually reserved for such literary luminaries as Plato, Hardy and Nabokov, Autobiography was published, at MorrisseyÔÇÖs request, by PenguinÔÇÖs venerable Classics imprint. The news that the memoir would … Continue reading This Charming Man

Women of Fiction

Bridget Jones: diary-writer, mother, Twitter user… we love her just the way she is; a character who embodies the woman of our time, supposedly. Anne Porter explores what makes her, and many other notable female literary figures, such an exceptional personality Helen FieldingÔÇÖs character first emerged in a newspaper column in the 1990s, with the witty columnÔÇÖs popularity leading to the characterÔÇÖs life stories expanding … Continue reading Women of Fiction

Review: Tom Stade, The Glee Club

Reviewed by Sam Lloyd In accordance with its supreme popularity rise over the last 10 years or so, stand-up comedy has arguably become bland. Everyone can probably recite a thoroughly planned-out routine from their favourite comedian that theyÔÇÖve seen on TV. This is exactly what stand-up has become to many comics and comedy fans: a recital. Its newfound exposure has perhaps meant that gags and … Continue reading Review: Tom Stade, The Glee Club

Review: The Invisible Dot New Wave Tour 2013, Chapter

Reviewed by Matthew Lee Schneider Comedy. ┬áIt manifests through seemingly infinite methods and mediums, all striving towards one goal: to be funny. ┬áWhen oneÔÇÖs divine judge manifests in the form of fifteen minutes of memorized material alone in front of a dimly lit sea of strangers, one will find arguably the most daunting form of comedy, stand-up. In the world of stand-up, the common theme … Continue reading Review: The Invisible Dot New Wave Tour 2013, Chapter

Review: Romeo and Juliet (Ballet Cymru), WMC

Reviewed by Vaiva Seskeviciute Ballet Cymru challenged itself by producing an adaptation of ShakespeareÔÇÖs most famous masterpiece, Romeo and Juliet, at Wales Millennium Centre this November. The Weston Studio was fully seated and excitement was felt in the air. Classical strings music opened the show as the characters were introduced. Even though Romeo and his relatives owned the stage for the first few minutes, throughout … Continue reading Review: Romeo and Juliet (Ballet Cymru), WMC

Book Review: Red Top – Being A Reporter… by Bill Coles

Reviewed by Amy Pay Anyone who has been on work experience will know that one of the best ways to find out about a potential career is to ask people currently working in the area about their job. Sometimes, the things that industry insiders tell you about their work are a thousand times more useful than the disconnected, generic advice drafted out of careers guides. … Continue reading Book Review: Red Top – Being A Reporter… by Bill Coles

Review: 1984, Sherman Cymru

Reviewed by Amy Pay If you look up “scary theatre” on a search engine, youÔÇÖll see that The Woman In Black is widely held as the most frightening show.┬á HeadlongÔÇÖs adaptation of 1984, though, is by far one of the most disturbing pieces of theatre created during our lifetime The success of the play is largely down to OrwellÔÇÖs inventive dystopian novel on which it … Continue reading Review: 1984, Sherman Cymru

Review: National Dance Company Wales, WMC

Reviewed by Vaiva Seskeviciute To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the award winning National Dance Company Wales presented a dynamic programme created by Stephen Petronio, Angelin Preljocaj and Eleesha Drennan. Performed by a team of 12 international dancers, three exhilarating compositions – Virtual Descent, Noces and Water Stories – were brought to the stage in Wales Millennium Centre on the 5th of November. The first performance … Continue reading Review: National Dance Company Wales, WMC

Review: Boing!, Sherman Cymru

Reviewed by Amy Endacott Boing!, devised by companies Travelling Light and Champloo Dance, is a piece of theatre which invited you to relive the excitement and anxieties of one of the most treasured childhood memories: Christmas Eve. The forty-minute piece spanned the tense twelve hours before Christmas morning and showed us all the ways two brothers try to pass the time. Performed on a simple … Continue reading Review: Boing!, Sherman Cymru

Review: Chelsea Hotel, WMC

Reviewed by Matthew Lee Schneider ÔÇ£This hotel does not belong to America. ┬áThere are no vacuum cleaners, no rules and shame. ┬áThe high spot of the surrealÔǪÔÇØ┬á – Arthur Miller. ┬á A stubborn weed in the garden of the American dream, the Chelsea Hotel was, is, and forever more will be a raw and true counter-cultural heartbeat behind the romantic fa├ºade that is Manhattan. ┬áIn … Continue reading Review: Chelsea Hotel, WMC

Opinion: Why Burst Bridget Jones’ Bubble?

Words by Laura Carter IÔÇÖm sure I wasnÔÇÖt the only one to be absolutely horrified at the news that Helen Fielding had killed off Mark Darcy in her new book Mad About The Boy. The last time we read about dear Bridget, she was about to embark on married life with Mr Darcy himself. I know what youÔÇÖre going to say: ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs only a bookÔǪ … Continue reading Opinion: Why Burst Bridget Jones’ Bubble?

Review: I’m With The Band, WMC

Reviewed by Sum Sze Tam Sitting down at the stage of IÔÇÖm With The Band, youÔÇÖd think it was the set of a somewhat bland music gig. The actors come out and start playing their first song ÔÇÿWeÔÇÖre All In This TogetherÔÇÖ (not the finale from High School Musical), and though the show is premised as an allegory for the political state of the UK, … Continue reading Review: I’m With The Band, WMC