A Look Back on IRIS 2019 | Film Festival Review

by Tabitha Jukes Another year, another Iris comes and goes and, being my first, it certainly wonÔÇÖt be my last. The weeklong Iris Prize LGBT+ Film Festival saw Cardiff transform once more into a vibrant carnival of LGBT+ film celebration. Embracing both diverse stories and people, this global Festival connects Cardiff to an array of new friends and talent from the British Born makers to … Continue reading A Look Back on IRIS 2019 | Film Festival Review

Editing: How far is too far?

By Katherine Mallett The quest for THE ÔÇÿperfect pictureÔÇÖ seems to be infinite. A plethora of editing apps that offer countless filter options, lighting settings and blurring tools. It therefore comes as no surprise that we live in a society that breeds and even feeds self-image issues. The big question is: how far is too far? A deep dive into the app-store It doesnÔÇÖt take … Continue reading Editing: How far is too far?

Why I Vote.

A note from the Features Editor: Rhianna Hurren-Myers “I’d rather be a rebel than a slave” – Emmeline Pankhurst Last year we paid homage to 100 years since women were first given the vote in parliamentary elections in the UK. A momentous occasion, and a well-deserved reminder of the incredible sacrifices made by the women involved in the suffragette or suffragist movement. There is just … Continue reading Why I Vote.

On Your Feet! | Theatre Review

By Charlie Sawyer and Natascha Ng Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà Coming to Cardiff from Broadway, On Your Feet! brings the Latino passion and spirit of Gloria Estefan to the stage once again. This production follows the story of Estefan’s rise to fame. From her Cuban origins and the streets of Miami to finally capturing her world-wide success on the global stage.  The production centres in on … Continue reading On Your Feet! | Theatre Review

Review: The Coconut Tree ÔÇÿCocotailÔÇÖ Launch

Words by Lauren Stenning Having previously reviewed this Sri Lankan restaurantÔÇÖs divine food, Quench were invited to sample their recent cocktail launch, aptly named ÔÇÿCocotailsÔÇÖ. Being a huge cocktail fan, I couldnÔÇÖt resist this opportunity, along with the chance to try Sri Lankan street food for the first time! Their new Cocotail menu consists of 15 sweet and fiery cocktails in total, including sharing options … Continue reading Review: The Coconut Tree ÔÇÿCocotailÔÇÖ Launch

“It sends you mental. It sends you mad” – Talking touring and survival with Fat White Family

By James McClements South London degenerates champions Fat White Family are an oh-so-overlooked, and so dismissed collection of misfits and underground artistes. Famous for their beef with artists like Sleaford Mods and Mac Demarco, their surreal and more often than not offensive behaviour is not the sole driver for their clout. Having released 3 strong studio albums to surprisingly-positive receptions, surviving the regular loss of … Continue reading “It sends you mental. It sends you mad” – Talking touring and survival with Fat White Family

Rigoletto at the Millennium Centre: WNO embraces the #MeToo movement in iconic new setting of VerdiÔÇÖs masterpiece | Review

by Andrea Gaini Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà The Welsh National Opera is well-known for bold and often politically active productions, and this yearÔÇÖs Autumn Season is especially rich of sensational themes with both Carmen and Rigoletto carrying powerful messages. James MacDonaldÔÇÖs adaptation of Rigoletto to the KennedyÔÇÖs era embraces the core ideologies and beliefs shared by the #MeToo movement in retelling the story of the … Continue reading Rigoletto at the Millennium Centre: WNO embraces the #MeToo movement in iconic new setting of VerdiÔÇÖs masterpiece | Review

The Story | Theatre Review

By Rhiannon Humphreys Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà The Story is a psychological thriller by young Welsh playwright Tess Berry-Head, inspired by her time doing humanitarian work with refugees from AssadÔÇÖs jails and Libyan prisons. It has a two-person live cast ÔÇô X (played by Siwan Morris, known for her role as Angie in Skins) and V (played by Hannah McPake) ÔÇô but also uses four screens … Continue reading The Story | Theatre Review

Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra (International Concert Series 2019/20) | Review

By Sofia Brizio Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà The International Concert Series opened last night at St DavidÔÇÖs Hall with an unforgettable performance by the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra. Expectations were high as the program featured great names (such as Peter Donhoe on the piano) and a vast repertoire, from Tchaikovsky to Rachmaninov and Kachaturian. Not only were these expectations met, but conductor Yuri Simonov went above … Continue reading Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra (International Concert Series 2019/20) | Review

The Mousetrap | Theatre Review

By Katie May Huxtable Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà ┬áNO SPOILERS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW. For me to reveal the ins and outs of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap is classed as the equivalent of treachery in the performing arts industry and, from my knowledge, slip-ups have somehow been avoided. After running for over 60 years ÔÇô and earning the title of the continuous longest-running … Continue reading The Mousetrap | Theatre Review

It Will Come Later | Review

By Luisa De la Concha Montes Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà The collective behind this performance, the International Contemporary Dance Collective (iCoDaCo) was founded in Sweden in 2012. The concept behind it is quite innovative; through the medium of contemporary dance, international artists come together each year to create a new narrative that serves as a symbolic representation of cultural exchange in our globalized world. Quench … Continue reading It Will Come Later | Review

The Iris Prize Film Festival Returns to Cardiff for Another Year of LGBTQ+ Films

By Tabitha Jukes The wonderful world of the Iris Prize six-day film Festival returns to Cardiff on the 8th-13th October 2019. Celebrating her 13th birthday, Iris, like the great cinematic genre, is truly coming of age, bigger, brighter and badder than ever before. This year has seen the Iris Prize, which was founded in the Capitol in 2007, grow in both size and excellence. With … Continue reading The Iris Prize Film Festival Returns to Cardiff for Another Year of LGBTQ+ Films

Fresher’s Foodie Checklist

We want to welcome Freshers to Cardiff by sharing our foodie favourites across the city! Don’t miss these absolute gems: Words by Hannah Penwright The Hellenic Eatery The Hellenic Eatery is a Greek restaurant in the heart of Cathays, meaning itÔÇÖs perfect for students looking for an inexpensive but very delicious meal out. Whether youÔÇÖre a huge Greek food fan or have never tried it, … Continue reading Fresher’s Foodie Checklist

Instagram Artists You Should Definitely Follow

By Anastasiia Kropotina Have you ever found yourself standing, say, waiting for a bus, mindlessly scrolling through your feed to pass the time? At some point, you are going to start asking yourself ÔÇ£How many slime compilations does one have to watch before going insane?ÔÇØ. You donÔÇÖt want that. In fact, I donÔÇÖt want that for you, so I have prepared something to jazz up … Continue reading Instagram Artists You Should Definitely Follow

Kurbo: When Diet Culture Goes Too Far

WeÔÇÖve all heard of Weight Watchers. In diet culture, itÔÇÖs quite difficult to avoid WWÔÇÖs points system, the side-by-side pictures of women standing in their old jeans; and the endless cookbooks. Sometimes, these things work for people and they see results. Bear in mind, most people who partake in Weight Watchers are adults who have made their own decision about changing their diet.┬á This is … Continue reading Kurbo: When Diet Culture Goes Too Far

5 Poetry Books Every Millennial Should Read

By Molly Govus and Rosa Burston Poetry is one of the most peculiar literary genres and is also extremely beneficial to readers and writers alike. Able to capture the power of language and to go straight to the point, poetry is ideal for every confused millennial trying to survive in this chaotic world and make sense of it. In this article, we recommend 5 books … Continue reading 5 Poetry Books Every Millennial Should Read

Politics, Personality, Power: One man’s curious rise to Number 10

By Phoebe Bohana In the last month, the UK political system has demonstrated very powerfully the differences between past and present political systems. Boris Johnson became leader of the Conservative party after he won over an astonishing amount of party members. How did he become the favourite to win? In this article we look at the strategic intent behind political personas and the changing media … Continue reading Politics, Personality, Power: One man’s curious rise to Number 10

Respecting The Friend-Zone

Love. The catalyst for so much of our struggling. Failed attempts can lead to people being left ÔÇÿfriend-zonedÔÇÖ and hurting. However,  this article is not your regular heartbreak handbook. Today we delve into the much less reported on side of this interaction. Exploring how it feels to be the rejector. Losing Friends Words by Georgia Evans  The rejection of unrequited love can leave the rejected feeling … Continue reading Respecting The Friend-Zone