Words by Rowan Davies. I wanted to start by saying welcome back! How does it feel to be back with a brand-new album? It feels uh, yeah it feels good. At the moment weÔÇÖre still doing everything at home you know, and we havenÔÇÖt played yet so weÔÇÖre promoting everything mostly on Zoom. We did rehearsals about a month ago for the tour. IÔÇÖm pretty … Continue reading A Conversation with Alt-J’s Thom Sonny Green.
Many people often claim they were ‘born in the wrong era’, and fantasise about adopting the fashion and culture of previous years. However, popularising the music, fashion and art of the past doesn’t necessarily mean it was always a politically positive time to be living in. We asked our contributors to discuss the era they would choose, and the positives and negatives of that time. … Continue reading Born in the Wrong Era
By Sofia Brizio I remember the exact day I started reading Call Me By Your Name, the bestselling novel by Andr├® Aciman. 5th of February 2018. I had borrowed it from a friend after she had been constantly messaging me about how amazing the book was. That day we were having coffee in Cardiff city centre after an afternoon of lectures. We were both tired … Continue reading Did ‘Call Me by Your Name’ need a sequel?
By Natascha Ng Over the last few weeks, we have all had far too much time on our hands and, for many of us, this has probably been quite daunting. There is lots of societal pressure to be using this time to better ourselves, get fitter and learn new skills. However, if you are struggling to find this motivation it turns out this could, in … Continue reading How Can Boredom Foster Creativity?
By Lauren Stenning There is something to be said about watching a collection of adventure films at a time when weÔÇÖre barely allowed to leave the house. Six films into BANFFÔÇÖs fourth online collection and I have to say, I was not prepared for the level of emotional investment I had subconsciously made, so get ready to be transfixed. What ties all eight films together … Continue reading BANFF Online Collection 4 | BANFF Mountain Film Festival Review
By Josephine von Jascheroff The third online collection of the Banff Film Festival adventure films showcases heart-warming tales of achievement and personal growth while taking you on an epic trip of some of the most beautiful, yet often over-looked, destinations in the world. The six short films vary in length and location but feature the same comedic narration that takes viewers behind the scenes of … Continue reading BANFF Online Collection 3 | BANFF Mountain Film Festival Review
By Amelia Field Second up in the BANFF collection of handpicked adventure films we have a range from across the world, from Kyrgyzstan to North America. A range of activities, including trail running and surfing, are included in this collection but the constant that remains throughout is the theme of endurance and a will to succeed leading to an inspiring set of films. The collection … Continue reading BANFF Online Collection 2 | BANFF Mountain Film Festival Review
By Alexia Barrett The thrill of travel, the inspiration of a journey and the adrenaline that comes with the extreme. All of that is brought out in the BANFF Mountain film festivalÔÇÖs first online collection, which is made up of five handpicked adventure films: Sand in the Sky, The Mirnavator, The Lorax project, The Last Honey Hunter, and Snowflake. This first collection gives us 90 … Continue reading BANFF Online Collection 1 | BANFF Mountain Film Festival Review
By Elly Savva Modern Love: Nursing a Wound with Jake Gyllenhaal The podcast that has grown from the popular New York Times column documents modern tales of “love, loss, and redemption.” Whilst the world feels scary and uncertain, this show provides the perfect antidote of humanity and love. Some of the stories are incredibly moving, but they’re all uplifting and life-affirming at a time when … Continue reading Fill Your Ears with Culture: Top 10 Podcasts to Listen to Right Now
By Sarah Harris When I think about how much the culture of gender has evolved in my 22 years of life, itÔÇÖs evident that weÔÇÖve come a long way as a society. I come from a South Asian background in which an integral part of our culture is the role of the female as a homemaker. As a child, it was cultivated in me that … Continue reading The Age of Shifting Gender Stereotypes and the Culture of Gender
By Sofia Brizio Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà TalingÔÇÖs debut graphic novel Thoreau and Me is the compelling tale of a Parisian painter who, after reading ThoreauÔÇÖs Walden and becoming more aware of consumerism and the climate emergency, begins to question his life choices. Incorporating original quotes from Walden into the story, the author masterfully depicts our everyday anxieties around capitalism and its effects on the … Continue reading Graphic Novel Review: Thoreau and Me
By Saoirse O’Connor Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà There is a moment towards the end of The HothouseÔÇÖs first act where it feels like youÔÇÖve suddenly started watching a different play. Moments previously the audience were rolling in the aisles and with the flicker of a red light (and some well-placed electrodes) they sat transfixed as a man writhed in agony mere centimetres away. It is … Continue reading The Hothouse | Theatre review
By Cinzia Appetecchia Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà In the heart of Cardiff, the MADE art gallery recently hosted a photography exhibition by a local artist and photographer, Kyriacos Asprou, to which I had the pleasure to be invited to see his work. I found a collection of pictures taken during a long trip around the country to frame the essence of what Wales has to … Continue reading My Wales | Exhibition Review
By Lewis Empson Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà J. B. PriestlyÔÇÖs staple of the whodunnit genre is as pertinent as ever within todayÔÇÖs society. Watching it unfurl on stage with social commentary still as relevant as its debut in 1945 is an engaging and thought-provoking experience. We are first introduced to a dirty, dimly lit street inhabited with impoverished children, contrasted with the decadent home of … Continue reading An Inspector Calls | Theatre Review
In the previous instalment of our photography series, I guided you through all the jargon you need to know when approaching photography. Today I will talk about budgeting and how to navigate the plethora of equipment on offer, another tricky aspect for beginners. To facilitate your journey through photography, I also interviewed the photographer Ieuan Berry, who works in the shop Camera Centre, located in … Continue reading On Budgeting and What Makes a Good Photographer with Ieuan Berry | A Beginner’s Guide to Photography
By Amelia Field Coming all the way from Cuba, International ballet star Carlos Acosta brings his superbly talented company to the Wales Millennium Centre. To give background to the company, Danza started up Acosta Danza in his home Havana where dancers are scouted and enter the company at the age of 12 to undergo eight years of training before they are ready at the age … Continue reading Acosta Danza Evolution | Review
By Rachel Nurse Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà The Brothers Grimm hit the YMCA stage with an epic fairy tale about wishes, a witch and the wicked choices we make brought to life by Cardiff UniversityÔÇÖs Act One society. Laura Martin directs the well-loved musical ÔÇÿInto the WoodsÔÇÖ where a witch tasks a childless baker and his wife with procuring magical items from classic fairy tales … Continue reading Into the Woods | Theatre Review
By Luisa De La Concha Montes In early January, I woke up to find my Twitter feed flooded with very outspoken opinions about Jeannine CumminsÔÇÖ most recent book, American Dirt. As I started interacting with the two main writers that reviewed and criticised the book, Myrian Gurba de Serrano and David O. Bowles, I realized that I was witnessing something quite revealing, and potentially, something … Continue reading Digging Out ‘American Dirt’: What This Controversy Tells Us About the Shortcomings of the Publishing Industry
By Tabitha Jukes The open-mic storytelling platform is crafting safe-spaces in Cardiff to share, laugh and discuss inclusive sexuality, real-life sexual stories and experiences in an evening of inclusive entertainment. So, what exactly is Smut Slam? Created by artist, performer and sex activist Cameryn Moore in February 2011, the first Slam took place in Boston. Zoom ahead nine years, and the ÔÇÿdirty-story telling open micÔÇÖ … Continue reading Cardiff’s Smut Slam: A Place Where Community, Self-acceptance and Sex Stories Connect
By Tabitha Jukes Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà Ôÿà As part of The OtherRoomÔÇÖs eight-week Spring Fringe programme, which champions native and non-native alternative theatre, and showcases innovative performance in Cardiff. I was able to enjoy CB4ÔÇÖs debut show Back to Berlin. The show does exactly what the grassroots and developing Cardiff- based theatre company intends: presenting theatrical storytelling, with a difference. It is informative, entertaining and … Continue reading Back to Berlin: Iron Curtains, Iron Ladies and Border Breaking | Theatre review
