This year, the Iris Prize celebrates their 10th anniversary and the milestone of becoming a BAFTA recognised A list festival. The international LGBTQ+ film festival takes place in Cardiff on the 12 -16th October, and will include feature films, shorts and even live music performances and screening introductions from some of the directors. We’re giving you a preview of some of our top picks; you … Continue reading Preview: Iris Prize 2016
By Ellie Philpotts If you have your eye on the local food scene, youÔÇÖll have noticed a theme – plenty of new eateries are popping up in Cardiff. Unlike other metropolises, here doesnÔÇÖt fit the definition of a ÔÇÿclone townÔÇÖ. Sure, St DavidÔÇÖs Shopping Centre and St MaryÔÇÖs Street have their fair share of chain eateries, and who doesnÔÇÖt love a cheeky Nandos (sorry); spicy … Continue reading Review: Base + Barley
Review by George Caulton Combining amateur theatre companies alongside professional theatre companies is something very rarely seen in the world of theatre. Undeniably, it has been done before- but performing Shakespeare and conveying the complexity of the language- in an understandable way to a contemporary audience- is a skill that is typically upheld with highly trained performers. Despite this, the RSC and the Everyman theatre … Continue reading Review: RSC: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, New Theatre
Calling all final-year students! Graduation is looming and we all know graduate job hunting is a nightmare that we could really do without. Right now a summer of binging on Netflix and eating one’s weight in chocolate sounds rather more appealing than entering the real world of professionalism. But thereÔÇÖs no need to gaze toward impending graduation with dread of a life beyond the bubble … Continue reading How to be a Mermaid
Megan Sylvester writes about, The Pot, a French-inspired eatery┬áin Cardiff. Situated on Crwys Road in the heart of Cathays, The Pot (or Th├® Pot, french for teapot) is a small independent caf├®-bistro that serves delicious homemade food with breakfast, lunch and evening menus. The Pot is open 6 days a week and serves breakfast until 2pm making it the perfect hangover spot for students. To … Continue reading Review: Th├® Pot – French-inspired charm – Megan Sylvester
Review by Elis Doyle Thriller ÔÇô Live chronicles the incredibly journey of Michael Jackson from eleven year old musical prot├®g├® of The Jackson Five, to his rise as the world renowned ‘King of Pop’. Frankly speaking, I had never listened to Michael Jackson’s music that frequently until his untimely death on June 25th 2009. It’s one of life’s cruel ironies that I never got to … Continue reading Review: Thriller! Live, New Theatre
Review by Dillon Eastoe AMERICAN IDIOT The New Theatre welcomed a variety┬áof people into its doors for the opening of American Idiot this week. ┬áTeenage fans here for their favourite Green Day songs, their curious parents chaperoning them, and a few who seem like regular theatre goers (you wonder if theyÔÇÖre aware what theyÔÇÖre in for). As the cast make final preparations backstage, a TV … Continue reading Review: American Idiot, New Theatre
Cardiff Independent Film Festival (CIFF)┬áis a showcase for┬áindependent filmmakers to exhibit both features and shorts. This year’s festival, between the 21-24th April at Chapter Arts Centre, will have a focus on some of the best independent animations from around the world, as well as documentaries, dramas and experimental film. Quench Film editor Sadia Pineda Hameed gives you a preview of just some of the exciting … Continue reading CIFF 2016 Preview
The Cardiff Vintage Kilo Sale was just as expected. The old rustic smell, the clutter and chaos and the hundreds of attendees all in hope of grabbing some bargains. The event took place in Portland House situated in Cardiff Bay on Saturday 9th April – perfectly timed for a spring closet refresh! The building was swarming with clothing enthusiasts carrying the bright purple plastic bag … Continue reading Review: Vintage Kilo Sale
Review by Molly Wyatt Chronolust is ChronoMUST! Last spring at Act OneÔÇÖs ÔÇÿStaging a CoupÔÇÖ I was lucky enough to watch a fifteen minute play called ÔÇÿChronolust.ÔÇÖ Amazed by the compact production, and mesmerised by the concept, we all left wanting more ÔÇô and last night I was fortunate enough to have that fulfilled. Both written and directed by Sam Walker himself, ÔÇÿChronolustÔÇÖ is a … Continue reading Review: Chronolust, Act One, YMCA Theatre
Review by Dimana Markova The central theme of Harold Pinter’s ‘Betrayal’ is, as the title suggests to some extent, the betrayal in the relationships between a woman, her husband and his best friend. Beginning from the end of the chronological story, the play starts with the moment when Emma shares that her marriage with Robert is over to Jerry- Roberts best friend and also the … Continue reading Review: Betrayal, St David’s Hall.
Review by Amy Butler Footloose is an undeniably classic musical; defined appropriately by its creator Dean Pitchford as a ÔÇÿcultural touchstoneÔÇÖ, even those who havenÔÇÖt seen the adaptations will know the story of the small town in which dancing was made illegal. Based on a bizarre true story, Footloose was first introduced to us through the 1983 film, starring Kevin Bacon as the original Ren … Continue reading Review: Footloose, New Theatre
With over 86,000 monthly listeners, the Moon Club in Cardiff seems too small a venue to hold Spring King. Formed in 2012 in Manchester, the last twelve months have seen the rise of Spring King to one of the most exciting bands at the moment. There is a buzz in the crowd as Tarek Musa & Co take the stage. With only mic stands separating … Continue reading Live: Spring King – Moon Club – 12/02/2015
ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre not going to make any sheep fucker jokes tonightÔÇØ; a comment by Jaret Reddick that sums up the whole of his band, Bowling For SoupÔÇÖs, puerile but light-hearted set at CardiffÔÇÖs Student Union. Three years since they last played in Cardiff, on their alleged Farewell Tour, itÔÇÖs time for the ÔÇÿHow About Another Round TourÔÇÖ. This time, itÔÇÖs ValentineÔÇÖs Day, so there are hearts … Continue reading Live: Bowling For Soup – Great Hall – 14/02/2015
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
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.
Sadia Pineda Hameed┬áchecks out Italian restaurant Toni’s Amici. Amidst the mass of Italian chain restaurants that litter Cardiff city centre, finding ‘a proper Italian’ seems near impossible. Bella Italia, Jamie’s Italian and the like have pizza crusts not quite thin enough, a sense of being overcharged and a notable lack of warmth in the atmosphere. The family-run Toni’s Amici, however, is what one might call … Continue reading Review: Toni’s Amici, authentic Italian in Cardiff – Sadia Hameed
“The Internet is really, really great…” Avenue Q is a musical that makes frequent contemptuous references to black people, Jews, homosexuals, Republicans, pornography and sexÔǪ 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
Alice Fairbanks gives us her review of The Cosy Club, a mainstay of Cardiff’s city centre. I had heard that┬áThe Cosy Club┬áwas a genuinely cosy place, and after a sufficient amount of time spent there,┬áI can confirm this. The d├®cor is┬árustic and thrifty, but with a grand entrance to the main restaurant. All of the details and little touches are what charmed me about The … Continue reading Review: The Cosy Club Cardiff – Alice Fairbanks
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
