All posts by admin

Theatre

Review A Tidy Boy, Grand Ambition by Charlotte Hall

Leave a comment

out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

Images Credit Kirsten McTernan

Please note this review features in-depth description of the plot

A Tidy Boy, starring Lynn Hunter as Ann, Oliver Jacob Davies as Geraint, Eiry Thomas as Sylvia, Geraint DeCarvalho as Kai and Kelsey Short as Kirsty, is a comedic and emotional play about differences in worldview, age, background, sexuality and self-awareness, set in a youth work project in Neath.

The set remained divided into three parts; the entrance to the building where the youth project was set and where project manager Sylvia worked, the main space where youth worker Geraint held his sessions with Kai, and the entrance with a sink and armchair where Kai lived with his girlfriend and mother of his two children, Kirsty. Ann would often come through the entrance downstage left, and she didn’t have an on-stage room in which she mainly occupied because she ran the workshop (which we didn’t see).

The play opens with Geraint being interviewed for a job. He is 22 years old and has been living in London, having gone to university, but has recently moved back home because his mum died. He has the qualifications to be a youth worker and he wants the job. Ann and Sylvia sit in the interview with Kai, pretending to be young people, and as part of his interview, he teaches them how to put on a condom using a banana. Of course the characters were laughing and making jokes themselves and it set the audience off. It was such an effective way to set the comedic tone right from the start and show the audience the themes that would be explored. I don’t think it’s hard to get an audience laughing when condoms are involved!

Geraint gets the job, and although the timeline between each scene may be slightly ambiguous, we can tell that the whole play spans a few months, maybe half a year (it’s not particularly relevant). We see his character grow from the relationships he has with Sylvia and Ann, and with Kai, and we see Kai grow with and away from Geraint.

Kai is 18, and he and his 25 year old girlfriend and their two children moved to Neath from London. He is a youth offender and doesn’t have qualifications, and takes part in this youth project, primarily working with Geraint. Because of their similarity in age, and perhaps their sexuality, even though their background and childhood seems entirely different, their relationship is interesting, and they both help each other become better, even though the highest emotional and dramatic point is when Kai does something to Geraint that they cannot come back from.

How Geraint and Kai impact each other is perhaps the most interesting part of the show, or maybe it’s the difference between Geraint and Ann’s approach to their jobs.

You see, Ann is 72, experienced in youth work, and she says what she wants to say without thinking about the repercussions or whether it’s offensive. She uses bribery and taunts to get the young offenders to do the work they’re supposed to do. Geraint is there to do the job ‘properly’ with modern training and he likes to follow the correct procedures and guidelines. The play wouldn’t be the same, nor would it be half as funny, without their clash of personalities. They butt heads several times, but by the end, you can see how both approaches are needed, although they both need to compromise, and how the system sometimes works against the people it’s supposed to protect.

Through Kai’s actions, by the end, where Geraint may have phoned the police and gone through the correct procedures if it had happened months ago, he recognised that the system may not help everyone involved. He became a better and more open person because of Ann and Kai, Ann became better because of Geraint, and Kai became better because of Geraint too. I love a play that explores humanity and clashes of personality, but in the end, the characters are better off because they have met the other characters.

The play explores issues surrounding sexuality and identity, personality, experience versus modernity, and not only does each character seem so fleshed out, but the comedy is perfect too, and adds to the emotional parts. Every aspect of the show is perfectly thought out.

A Tidy Boy is definitely the tidiest play I’ve seen for a while, and I’d recommend it to everyone!

Theatre

Review The Haunting of Hill House, Theatr Clwyd by Donna Williams

Leave a comment

From the best-selling 1959 novel by American horror writer Shirley Jackson to the hit 2018 Netflix series, The Haunting of Hill House now comes to the stage in a gripping production full of mystery, technical trickery, and spooky suspense.

First adapted for the stage in 1964, Shirley Jackson’s chilling tale returns in a new production that brings Hill House to life (pardon the pun!). With an unsettling atmosphere and a steady undercurrent of tension, this latest adaptation keeps the audience guessing and on the edge of their seats from beginning to end. Having never read the original novel, I was intrigued to see how this production would set itself apart from the many haunted house stories we know and love, and whether it could bring something fresh to a genre so familiar to audiences.

“A ghost can be a lot of things. A memory, a daydream, a secret, grief, anger, guilt.”

When a group of supernatural investigators (think TV show Ghost Hunters, but in the 50s!) set out to uncover the secrets of Hill House, their excitement and curiosity soon turn to fear as the house, or its previous inhabitants, start to communicate with its guests through a series of crashes, bangs, eerie wails and mysterious melodies (I will never again listen to Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree in quite the same way!)

The star of the show is undoubtedly the technical design. From projection mapping to lighting, sound design and illusions, every element creates the impression of a house that is constantly moving, with shifting walls and characters transitioning between rooms, floors, corridors, and staircases. A curtain becomes a narrow corridor; a doorway is concealed or transformed. It’s extremely impressive!

Alongside the lighting and video projections, the atmospheric soundscapes create a constant sense of unease. Even in the opening moments, we witness an abrupt blackout accompanied by an explosive sound, immediately unsettling the audience (cue plenty of nervous laughter!) Bulbs blow, blankets float in mid-air, menacing scrawls appear on walls, and a rocking horse rocks without a rider. There’s even the disquieting suggestion that the set changes themselves are the work of spirits!

“Things look and behave differently in the dark.”

The casting is superb, with every performer settling into their character from the very beginning. Praise must go to Clancy Ryan, who delivers a compelling portrayal of Eleanor’s gradual psychological unravelling. She captures the character’s newfound sense of freedom, deep-rooted insecurities, and desperate yearning for an identity with real sensitivity. Ryan is especially effective in conveying Eleanor’s conflicting feelings towards Hill House: her belief that it is haunted by her mother, alongside her growing conviction that it could finally be the home she has always longed for.

I’ve since discovered that the ending has been tweaked for this stage adaptation. Having yet to read the original novel, I cannot comment on the impact of these changes, but coming to the story fresh, I found this a thoroughly entertaining evening of spine-chilling theatre. Thoughtfully staged and impressively executed, the production deserves praise for its strong cast and technical wizardry. A gripping night at the theatre that proves there’s still plenty of life left in the haunted house genre!

Tour Information

The Haunting of Hill House continues its run at Theatre Royal Brighton from 20–24 October before heading to Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, and Cambridge.

To find out more and book tickets, visit:

The Haunting of Hill House | UK Tour 2026 | Official Site
https://thehauntingofhillhouse.co.uk/

Cast

Jasper Britton: Dr. Montague
Jemma Churchill: Mrs Montague
Sian Howard: Mrs Dudley
Sophie Lenglinger: Theo (Theodora)
Robin Morrissey: Luke
Clancy Ryan: Eleanor
Darryl Oakley: Understudy
Eleanor Hague: Understudy

Creative Team

Original novel: Shirley Jackson
Stage adaptation: Stef Smith
Director: Martin Constantine
Designer: Ti Green
Lighting Designer: Chris Davey
Sound Designer: Johnny Edwards
Composer: Harry Blake
Video Designer: Duncan McLean
Illusion Designer: Will Houstoun
Movement Director: Georgina Lamb
Associate Director: Bobbie-Jean Henning
General Management: James Quaife, Luminous Entertainment Group

Producers and Presenters

Presented by: Mark Puddle, Alexander “Sandy” Marshall, and Patrick Myles
In association with: Wiltshire Creative and Theatr Clwyd

Musical

Review Dog Man: The Musical Wales Millennium Centre by Craig & Reuben Evans

Leave a comment

out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

From the moment the show starts, Dog Man: The Musical draws you into its wonderfully quirky world, delivering a fun-filled theatrical experience that both children and adults can enjoy. I attended with my six-year-old, and we both thoroughly enjoyed every minute!

Staging and Set Design

The staging immediately sets the scene, with a fantastic resemblance to George and Harold’s treehouse. Warm lighting and a comic-book-inspired backdrop bring the world of the graphic novels to life, creating a vibrant and playful atmosphere that feels perfectly suited to the story.

The creative use of props throughout the production is another highlight, adding to the humour and bringing the characters’ imaginative world to life on stage.

Act One: A Brilliant Introduction

Act One gets off to a fantastic start, with George and Harold introducing the audience to the idea of turning their series of graphic novels into a musical. It’s a clever, engaging introduction that establishes the tone beautifully and draws the audience straight into their world.

The characters are introduced brilliantly, and the humour is wonderfully child-friendly, making it easy for younger audience members to follow along and become invested in the story. There’s plenty to entertain the adults, too, with clever wordplay and playful humour woven throughout.

The songs cleverly establish the character’s alignments to good or evil, drawing the audience in with humerous puns and dances that you may recognise from social media.

Act Two: Songs, Surprises and Saving the Day!

The second act ramps up the excitement, packed with fun songs, unexpected twists and turns, and plenty of impending doom! The energy keeps building, ensuring the audience remains captivated as the story races towards its conclusion.

Of course, Dog Man and Lil Petey rise to the challenge and save the day, delivering a heartwarming message about the power of love and friendship. It’s a lovely reminder that, beneath all the silliness and adventure, there’s a meaningful message for younger audiences to take away.

Final Thoughts

The music is catchy, entertaining and perfectly suited to its young audience, with plenty of clever puns to keep the adults smiling, too. The cast do a brilliant job of bringing the characters to life, seamlessly taking on multiple roles and keeping the energy high throughout.

Combined with the imaginative staging, creative props and engaging storytelling, Dog Man: The Musical is a wonderfully entertaining production that strikes a great balance between comedy, adventure and heart.

As a parent attending with a six-year-old, it was lovely to experience a show that kept us both entertained from beginning to end. We laughed, enjoyed the songs and were completely caught up in the adventure.

A funny, feel-good and thoroughly enjoyable musical that’s well worth seeing for a family theatre trip!

Festivals, Music

Review Cwmwl Tystion III / Empathy, Gŵyl y Llais by Yasmin Begum

Leave a comment

2026 marks the tenth anniversary of Gŵyl y Llais, the Festival of Voice, an international arts festival based at the Wales Millennium Centre. This year, Cwmwl Tystion headlined the Saturday show, the highlight of the  Gŵyl y Llais festival. Cardiff Bay is, historically, a heart of British jazz. Cwmwl Tystion headlining the Saturday show is a nod to that jazz heritage. And, fittingly, Cwmwl Tystion was a poignant nod to the heritage of Welsh jazz. But has Cwmwl Tystion become a victim of its own success?

“I wanted to do something that reflected the Welsh experience”, explained trumpeter and composer Tomos Williams– and you don’t need a pre-existing knowledge of Wales to appreciate or enjoy “Cwmwl Tystion III”.

This show carried an additional weight: the fact it was a rare and one-off performance by the collective. The show served two purposes: a launch for their most recent album, Cwmwl Tystion III: Empathy, but to finish the larger project overall. For just over an hour on-stage, the group performed their latest work in its entirety. 

Cwmwl Tystion III: Empathy marks the final suite of music created by Tomos. The first album, Witness, saw the group tour Wales, while the second album explored Wales’ rich history of direct action and protest, featuring contributions from the spoken word artist and jazz musician Soweto Kinch. Two themes emerge within the work of Cwmwl Tystion: one, of documenting the Welsh experience, and two, a commitment to exploring those experiences through jazz.

On stage in the Weston Studio were Welsh vocalists Nia Lynn and Eadyth Crawford, bass giant Melvin Gibbs, Irish guitarist Chris Guilfoyle and Mark O’Connor on drums. The group played an evocative and beautiful set of pieces that felt more like a live-art installation rather than a concert , which were beautifully complimented by the live visuals from Simon Proffitt. Tracks like “Welsh Not”, and the stirring “Streic y Glowyr 1984/ Miners Strike 1984” confronted historical struggles head-on, featuring archival footage of struggle from the Miners Strike. “Beth yw Maddau? / What is Forgiveness? ”, however, led by Nia Lynn was a highlight of the event “Paul Robeson yn Aberpennar/ Paul Robeson in Mountain Ash”, “Mynydd Epynt ”. The show ended with a soaring performance of “Cyrmu Cenedl Noddfa/ Wales: A Nation of Sanctuary”: a song that is becoming more and more relevant within Welsh society.

October 2026, alongside Gwyl y Llais, marks the Cardiff Music City Festival. As Cardiff’s heritage of live music is used to promote the city: how is it that jazz collectives like Cwmwl Tystion are retired on indefinite hiatus, and what does this say about the health of Welsh jazz overall? We need more Welsh jazz in society: Cwmwl Tystion is one of the most original and best critically acclaimed groups to emerge from Wales in recent decades.

Dance

Review Blue/Glas, National Dance Company Wales, Theatr Clwyd by Simon Kensdale

Leave a comment

‘Blue/Glas’ consists of two pieces – Ordinary Courage and then Untamed. Each piece is danced by six dancers – three women and three men. Ordinary Courage, choreographed by Theo Clinkard and originally created in 2012, lasts about fifty minutes. Untamed, choreographed by Alesandra Seutin, lasts about twenty minutes.

The programme informs us that Ordinary Courage was created following the death of Theo Clinkard’s mother, so it is rooted in grief. I’m not sure that this is entirely relevant. I’m a long way away from being any kind of expert on dance but I think contemporary dance as an art form is quite abstract. Up to a point it allows you to make out of a performance what you want, to take away what you see and experience. Ordinary Courage is sensitively detailed and impassioned and it covers a wide range of moods, but I wouldn’t have associated it with grief or bereavement if I hadn’t read the programme notes. It’s so very lively that it made me think of a primary school children’s playground at playtime, without the shrill sound of voices.

The performers in Ordinary Courage are casually dressed in the kind of almost washed-out clothing that is ‘comfortable’ for workshop activity, with tops in pastel colours. It’s an almost gender seamless group, in the sense that little of the performers’ movements demonstrate their sexuality. The piece could be danced by either an all-female or an all-male company. The dancers form up in lines and groups, linking arms and holding hands in memorable visual images before separating off to perform striking solos and duets. The music for the piece is sometimes by Scarlatti, sometimes by Bach and although a lot of the movement is energetic, it suggests gentleness, friendship and curiosity. There are moments of pathos and struggle and collapse, but these are elegiac rather than tragic. Overall, it’s absorbing and moving.

The only thing I thought might be expanded was the brief appearance of a bear halfway through. The bear materialises as a powerful dramatic image and it stirs up a lot of associations. I assumed the choreographer didn’t want it to become too dominant, and I guessed it was meant to represent the intrusion of something larger and more powerful than the society of human dancers, but it wasn’t unnecessarily aggressive. Its behaviour was so interesting, its entrance was so surprising and the costume was so well made that more use could have been made of it. Otherwise, I was very impressed by everything that took place.

Untamed is a huge contrast in mood. This completes the audience’s experience on the night. Whereas Ordinary Courage gains its impact through a quiet assertion, Untamed comes at you like a train. The soundtrack is loud and mechanistic. The postures and the movements of the dancers are strained, awkward and unnatural. They grimace and make strange noises. This time I didn’t look at the programme beforehand and I didn’t quite connect its theme with the choreographer’s intention. So I felt it was about competition – particularly the torturous routines athletes and other sportspeople put themselves through to win competitions and medals – a reflection possibly triggered by reading recently about Keely Hodgkinson’s training routines, which can result in her vomiting. The dancers also wear sports-themed costumes with numbers, and trainers.

But the issue of whether the audience needs to connect to exactly what a choreographer had in mind was included is complex. Artists often achieve an impact that is not what they consciously intended. The creative process is never precise. The important thing is that something meaningful is put across and Untamed definitely managed that. You feel you want to look away but, simultaneously, you also don’t want to miss a moment, as if you are watching insects at war or bizarre sea creatures hunting. Everything builds towards a climax which is extraordinary in its intensity, making you wonder how long the dancers will be able to sustain what they are doing before they are released by a black out.

You couldn’t say one piece was better than the other. They work together very well in a demonstration of what can be achieved through contemporary dance, a form which is unfortunately a little too niche. An evening of dance is likely to be shorter than watching a full-length play, or even two short plays, but it achieves a similar level of impact, so it’s a pity the audiences are never huge.

An additional issue relating to a choreographer’s intention occurred to me when I looked at the audience at Theatr Clwyd for the show. Those sitting watching, like me, were nearly all middle-aged. It was inevitable that, over and above our emotional response, confronted by the impossibly agile flexibility of the members of the National Dance Company Wales, we would think back to the time when we ourselves could jump for joy, dance all night, run marathons and touch our toes without difficulty.

‘Blue/Glas’ is on tour at venues in England and Wales until the end of November. Get tickets if you can.

Music

Orchestra Baobab and Buena Vista All Stars bring Afro-Cuban rhythms, jazz and soul to Llais 2026

Leave a comment

out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

Review by Tracey Robinson

The Donald Gordon Theatre at Wales Millennium Centre was alive with rhythm, dancing and sheer joy as Orchestra Baobab and Buena Vista All Stars took to the stage at Llais 2026. Bringing together the sounds of Senegal and Cuba, the two bands offered an evening that celebrated music’s ability to cross borders, connect cultures and bring people together.

Founded in Dakar in 1970 as the house band of the Baobab Club, Orchestra Baobab is one of the great names in African music. Its distinctive sound grew out of the Afro-Cuban influences that swept across West Africa, blending Senegalese traditions with Latin rhythms, jazz and blues.

You could feel the excitement as the eight-piece ensemble took to the stage. There was an immediate warmth in the room, and before long the audience was singing, clapping and dancing along.

The set bubbled with joy and a real love of performing. It was wonderful to see such a rich musical legacy brought to life with so much energy, with tradition and youthful spirit sitting effortlessly alongside one another. One of the loveliest moments came when the audience joined in to sing Happy Birthday to the saxophone player. It was a simple gesture, but one that captured the warmth and togetherness of the evening.

Orchestra Baobab’s playing was spellbinding. Interweaving guitars, soulful vocals and the seductive tones of the saxophone, the musicians created a sound that was both smooth and richly layered. Hypnotic Afro-Cuban grooves gave way to irresistible dance rhythms, then eased into slower, more atmospheric passages coloured by jazz and blues. The playing was beautifully in tune, with each musician adding something to the whole.

That was part of the band’s magic: the music could be sophisticated and soulful without ever losing its sense of fun. The energy never felt forced. It flowed naturally between the musicians and out into the audience, until the whole theatre seemed to be caught up in it.

It was a joy to witness a band with such an extraordinary history still sounding so alive. Their performance was a reminder that musical traditions aren’t simply preserved; they keep growing every time they’re played, shared and passed on.

Buena Vista All Stars: Havana comes to Cardiff

If Orchestra Baobab brought Senegalese soul and hypnotic grooves to the theatre, Buena Vista All Stars followed with a glorious helping of Cuban warmth, rhythm and colour.

Led by Buena Vista Social Club original members Barbarito Torres and Demetrio Muñiz, alongside an exceptional line-up of Cuban musicians, the ensemble brought together traditional rhythms and contemporary sounds in a powerful, immersive performance. They transported the audience straight to the heart of Havana.

Among the performers was Cuban trumpeter Manuel Machado, whose playing was a real highlight of the evening. His performance of Machado Blues was full of feeling, with a warm, soulful sound and a lovely blend of jazz and Cuban rhythms. It was a memorable performance that brought the music to life.

A standout moment for me was their Cuban-inspired take on Coldplay’s Clocks. Amanda Gaviria’s vocals and Luis Guerra’s piano playing brought a fresh, salsa-infused energy to the song, transforming a familiar melody into something wonderfully rhythmic and unexpected.

This was far more than a nostalgic trip down memory lane. The music felt fresh, spirited, and full of character. The pleasure the musicians took in playing together was clear in their smiles, exchanges, and easy rapport. Their musicianship was impressive but never showy; the emphasis was on the music and the enjoyment of sharing it. Rolling bass lines, sparkling strings, bright trumpet flourishes and rich vocals conjured the unmistakable sound of Cuban son.

There was a lovely generosity to the performance. These songs carry a remarkable history, yet they never felt stuck in the past. They came alive in the hands of the musicians on stage, their rhythms inviting movement and their melodies drawing the audience in. Sitting still was simply not an option.

Whooping, clapping, shouting, and dancing filled the theatre as the audience responded to the energy pouring from the stage. It was uplifting and gloriously joyful. Whatever our backgrounds or the languages we speak, the instinct to move to a great rhythm is something we can all share.

Two bands, one unforgettable evening

Bringing Orchestra Baobab and Buena Vista All Stars together on the same evening was a real treat. Although each band has its own distinctive sound, the connections between them ran deep. African musical traditions helped shape Cuban music, while Cuban rhythms later travelled back across the Atlantic, influencing musicians in Senegal and other parts of West Africa. Together, the bands created a wonderful musical conversation across continents and generations.

You could feel that connection throughout the evening. Orchestra Baobab drew us in with its smooth, soulful sounds and hypnotic grooves, while Buena Vista All Stars brought a glorious burst of Cuban rhythm, melody and celebration. Each had its own identity, but both shared that wonderful ability to get under your skin and make you feel part of something bigger.

By the end of the evening, the Donald Gordon Theatre had become a place of shared celebration. Both bands showed how music can carry its history while remaining vibrant, evolving, and full of life.

What a pleasure to be there. Llais 2026 gave us a night filled with jazz, blues, soul, rhythm, dancing, and genuine connection. Sometimes the best live music doesn’t need to be explained. You feel it in the room, see it in the faces around you, and find yourself swept along with everyone else. It’s a reminder of the extraordinary things that happen when music brings us together.

Festivals

Bearing Witness, Cwmwl Tystion Gwyl y Llais and Welsh Jazz.

1 Comment

Established in 2016, this year marks the 10th anniversary of Cardiff’s premier international arts festival: Gwyl y Llais. This week-long festival spans storytelling, music and performance with an extra-special focus on voice. We had the pleasure of sitting down with trumpeter Tomos Williams.
Interestingly, each year, the Wales Millennium Centre programmes jazz shows: and this year is no different.

This year, the Cwmwl Tystion collective has been booked to play the Wales Millennium Centre, Cwmwl Tystion is a ground-breaking jazz collective led by Welsh trumpeter Tomos Williams.With three albums created over the past 7 years, Cwmwl Tystion is an imaginative, pioneering and ambitious jazz project. A hallmark of jazz has been its relationship to struggle, identity, and experience: something Tomos has embedded in this work. Cwmwl Tystion has explored the Cardiff 1919 race riots, Aberfan, the Blue Books, Paul Robeson, and other historical significant events spanning Epynt, and Mahmood Mattan.
Each iteration of Cwmwl Tystion explores a theme. The first explored witnesses, and the second explored riots. The last and final iteration of Cwmwl Tystion is on empathy. In a bright cafe in central West Cardiff, trumpeter Tomos explains that he wanted to “go out with a bang”.
Cwmwl Tystion is some of the most exciting jazz to come out of Wales in decades. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Tomos ahead of Cwmwl Tystion’s last gig to ask him more about the project, and the health of Welsh jazz.

Tomos Willaims

Yasmin: If I recall correctly, the term Cwmwl Tystion is used in a Waldo Williams poem, but originally it’s a Biblical term. What’s the provenance of this terminology and why have you used it for your work?

Tomos: Yeah, so for me that initially came from, Cornel West, the African-American philosopher. I saw a clip of him talking about something and he was talking about a cloud of witnesses. And, yeah, it’s that idea of using the term cloud of witnesses, that idea of bearing witness. That’s one of Cornel’s big things, bearing witness to the African-American experience. It is a biblical phrase, but I also liked how Cornel used it . The use of it from Waldo’s poem. “Pa’ beth yw dyn?” meaning “What is man?” It’s an existential poem,. He deals with what nationalism is in one bit of it, but he also deals in the big issues of humanity, existential questions. He asks’ What is nationalism? To build a house in a cloud of witnesses’ It was mirroring how Cornel used it as a sort of bearing witness to one’s experience. I wanted it to have that kind of dual meaning, in a sense. And I really liked the fact that it was being used by Waldo, because Waldo was a pacifist and a nationalist. And Cornel has been a big influence on me since I was in college, I liked the idea that the phrase Cwmwl Tystion ‘cloud of witnesses’ could be bearing witness to both the African American experience and the Welsh experience. I wanted this to be a project that sort of brought “the Welsh experience” into light.

Cornel West and Waldo Williams

I’d also been listening to two amazing projects, one by a trumpeter called Wadada Leo Smith. He has an album called Ten Freedom Summers, which just basically follows the African-American experience from slavery right through to the present day. It’s phenomenal, it’s incredible, it’s massively inspiring. And, you know, it’s like, “Wow, this is what music can do, eh?

And then there’s an artist called Matana Roberts. They play the alto sax, and, they’ve got a series of albums called ‘Coin Coin’ It’s a very personal project, almost a kind of psycho-geography following the path of their ancestors all the way back to the Middle Passage, and then arriving in the US, dealing with trauma, rape, memory.

I mean, it’s incredibly heavy, but it’s an amazing project. And they change the band every album, and I liked that idea. When I started this, it was like, well, I’ll do one project. And after the first one, I then had the idea, hang on, that was good, I could do it again. That’s where Matana Roberts’ influence was in the idea,you could have an overarching project and change the line-up each time. So, that’s more of the musical side, but yeah philosophically, , the idea was, using Cwmwl Tystion as a title because of Waldo’s poem, using that term while referring to nationalism, the existentialism inherent in that poem, and then of Cornel West’s influence, too.

Yasmin: Thank you for explaining this. It’s fascinating to hear more about the project, and its inspiration. Cornel West was a contemporary of Glenn Jordan, whose teacher, St Clair Drake, did his PhD on the topic of Cardiff Bay! Everything always links back to Wales. . If this is the last gig, does this mean that this is the culmination of Cwmwl Tystion?

Tomos: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ve decided in my head that it’s going to be a three-volume series. It’s not going to carry on forever. I decided that once I knew that the third one was happening, “I was like, OK, that’ll be the end. Just because it went from being a Welsh-only project to including UK musicians and then the last one was international with Melvin Gibbs and Nguyên Lê : I liked that idea. They’re all different sounding. I think the first one has a bit more strings. (It’s a bit more avant-garde, if you like. The second one is a bit more groovy with Soweto Kinch and Orphy Robinson and the rap. And then the last one is what I call a power trio, which is very heavy guitar, rock-based rather than pure jazz in that sense. I found I’d covered a lot of ground and was like, well, what else am I going to say? So, I felt the trilogy feels good. It will be the end unless we are invited to play somewhere else. So this performance at Llais will be our last one.

Yasmin: What are you working on next then, if this is the end of Cwmwl Tystiom?

Tomos: Well, there are plenty of other projects. I’ve got a band called Burum , It’s our 20-year anniversary next year. I’m putting a tour together of Wales and that’s a Welsh jazz/folk band. We play jazz arrangements of Welsh folk tunes. I’ve also got a new band featutring Edyth Crawford on vocals. Again, we perform jazz arrangements of Welsh folk tunes, but with different players. So, I’ve got Huw Warren on piano, Paula Gardner on bass. They’re kind of my mentors, in a sense, so I’m very excited about this band.

Yasmin: What do you think of what’s going on with Welsh jazz at the moment as a phenomenon? I worry perhaps within Wales we have less jazz than other areas in the UK.

Tomos: It’s certainly pretty hard at the moment . There was the Sandringham Hotel on St Mary’s Street. The Café Jazz used to be there. That was the jazz place when I first came to Cardiff over twenty years ago by now. But that closed just before COVID,I think. The whole thing around live music is in decline , isn’t it? Jazz in particular because it’s a subculture. It’s really hard. But I think Welsh jazz is in a good place because there’s lots of people playing it. There’s just not a lot of places to play it. I and a few other in the Welsh jazz scene have been setting up a new body which is applying now for charitable status called Jazz Explorers Cymru where we aim to promote and increase education of jazz in schools and things. That’s a positive step. We’ll try to make that happen and keep bringing jazz to the people of Wales!

Cwmwl Tystion’s last show is this weekend at Gwyl y Llais at the Wales Millennium Centre. Book your tickets here now.

Opera & classical, Uncategorized

Review, The Ring: An Orchestral Adventure, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Bristol Beacon by James Ellis 

Leave a comment

out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

Photo credit: Giulia Spadafora

Most of my time in Bristol sees me creating new video and live performance, aside engaging with the city’s cultural scene. It has been forever since I last went to the Bristol Beacon, it was so long ago it had the previously lamentable name of Colston Hall. Naturally, so much has happened in the city since the pandemic in the years after, we see the venue with its fetching new name: Bristol Beacon.

Inside the hall, the renovation is sensible and the acoustic remains powerful. I often have to remind myself that Cardiff has been bereft of St. David’s Hall for a few years and I get annoyed thinking just how much longer it will take to become a venue again. Though travelling to Bristol is always swift from the Welsh capital, the pull of the Beacon is strong. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra shall be frequenting the space considerably. Their big plans see an extensive programme of all of Beethoven’s symphonies over a two-year season. 

Upon hearing Beethoven’s First Symphony, we are taken to the starting ground for the young composer. This remains highly classical in nature, Haydn smiles here, his teaching of Beethoven may have been turbulent, but the influence is profound. Mark Wigglesworth on the podium brought the scooping energy required. This huge journey has now commenced, leading to the several hours of this symphonic canon. I’d say the composer certainly went on to better and more vital writing; the later symphonies remain justifiably popular. Whilst I can’t say I’ll be in Bristol for all of these symphonies, I admire the BSO for the bold endeavour. 

Coming back from Bayreuth in Germany often leaves you fatigued, yet always hungry for more Wagner (I plan to go back). Whilst I skipped their Ring Cycle this year (which was notoriously booed for its AI imagery), a chance to hear highlights or the “bleeding chunks” should never be missed. In an arrangement by Henk de Vlieger, The Ring: An Orchestral Adventure gives you the best bits from the full fifteen hours. Even with these seventy minutes you won’t hear all the good stuff, The Entry of the Gods into Valhalla and Wotan’s Farewell are tragically absent. Wagner has naturally been credited with a vast influence upon fantasy film scores, his use of leitmotifs, the bold, chromatic and loud demands can deter some away from him (amongst other justifiable reasonings).   

Wagner’s music is often enthralling, and these extracts are no different. Spanning across these vast operas, we see a small army of percussion, four patient harps, considerable brass and even his own invention: the Wagner tuba (played by the French horns). The Bournemouth Symphony got a tight grasp around the music, delivering it with an invigorated prowess that remains rather stirring. The complimentary programme didn’t list the players of the BSO, yet Principal Horn player Eleanor Blakeney had a few smirking horn solos off stage, evoking the ego of the hero Siegfried.   

It’s the Ring’s innumerable phases of terror, joy, ecstasy, wrath and redemption that stay with you. 

Opera & classical

Review Játékok – Three Breaths, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Wigmore Hall, London by James Ellis 

Leave a comment

out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

It’s rare to see anyone make it to one hundred years old. Even for composers, this is such a non-occurrence, other than Elliot Carter and Leo Ornstien (who amazingly lived through three centuries) that it should always be cause for celebration. György Kurtág, the Romanian composer can now be added to this short list, as he turned a century old back this February. 

Perhaps best known for his Játékok, or ‘Games’, this is spiralling catalogue of mostly piano music spanning over fifty years. Consisting of over four hundred movements, Kurtág was adding to its mass as near as 2021. What I do remember fondly is the full, mesmerising performance done at the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2024, Joanna MacGregor played with twenty piano students. This was an all-day affair and roughly the music of Játékok lasted six and a half hours. 

What has felt more exhausting was the three concerts at Wigmore Hall this weekend, spread out over a near twelve-hour period. Pierre-Laurent Aimard, who was a pupil of Oliver Messiaen, has chosen his selection from this epic piano saga, with musical choices of Bach, Beethoven and Schumann at each step, or as billed here: ’Breath’. Arriving on stage for the morning concert, he appeared aloof, as if not wanting to be there. This was, of course, the starting section with ‘Bored’, where it is notated to walk down the keys and play what is seemingly a random set of descending notes and then back. 

It is the humour that shines through in these first few ‘Books’, Pierre is joined by the striking Lorenzo Soulès, who joined in the boredom and then duos on one piano, famously from Kurtág often played live with his now late wife Márta. A ‘Quarrel’ movement saw them pushing the same repeated keys, cleverly matching a vocal argument of ‘always having the last word’. Of note are the many Bach transcriptions, we sadly did not hear some of my personal favourites though ‘Gott, durch deine Güte’ held the atmosphere of serenity for a few minutes. Most of this first hour saw thumping tone clusters, humour abound between both players and a highly irregular, distilled sound world unfurling out of the piano. 

We heard many numerous parts of this gigantic work, and the little slivers of performance are always a delight. It’s such a shame these die down as the books go on. In the second set at 5pm, Pierre returned solo (same for the third) and had further violent tendencies in their noise and impact. Birthday greetings and a homage to Janáček are present, as the Beethoven Bagatelles often cleansed the pallet after the angular abstractions. Pierre remains a fascinating pianist, in whatever he plays. His power over the keys remains masterful, the graceful consideration for every note with his own eyebrow raising, mouth chewing is for every bar. The Beethoven here is also really strong, I didn’t think this would work with the rest, but they actually did. 

By the 9pm concert, a profound fatigue had set in. The addition of an upright piano on stage, Kurtág’s admiration for the instrument is proven with lovingly sombre writing for it. His use of the middle peddle creates a serene and soft palette, pianissimo indeed. The Schumann here is exquisite, especially the well regarded ‘Im ruhigen Tempo’ from Gesänge Der Frühe. This is some of Schumann’s finest writing and is just so touching on an upright. Little to no ‘performance’ in these later ‘books’, though some warfare still prevails, the reconciliation and memories are the names of movements, aside continuing dedications and poetry. 

Had these concerts been played slightly nearer each other, I may have had the stamina for them, even after hearing the whole work back two years ago. I was not the only one who struggled, as some chose to contribute their own ‘snore games’ during this last concert.  

Fine playing as ever and a stellar reminder of one of the great living composers. 

Celebrations, Uncategorized

Review Lane 7, Cardiff by Yasmin Begum

Leave a comment

 Cardiff’s varied and vibrant nightlife has received an upgrade with the arrival of Lane 7, an independent boutique bowling and entertainment concept. Taking over the venue previously occupied by Par 59 at the site of Imperial Gate on St Mary’s Street, the venue closes the gap between nightlife and high-end gaming.

Stepping inside the venue at Imperial Gate reveals a carefully curated experience spread across three distinct levels. While there are traditional bowling alleys in the city of Cardiff, this may be the first luxury, high-end and bespoke bowling alley. A number of lanes are found on the ground floor, not too far away from the karaoke bars and a photo booth. Far from a traditional entertainment center, L7 pairs bowling with a myriad of wide-ranging traditional and new arcade games. For example, there’s the opportunity to play more traditional games like Mortal Kombat and Mario Kart, but there’s also a tech-driven shuffleboard, interactive darts, “big putts” mini golf, and beer pong. For sports fans, large high-definition screens are integrated within L7 throughout the venue, with the opportunity to turn the venue into an ideal hub for live sporting events.

 Within the nightlife of Cardiff, L7 is a very, very welcome addition.  A robust menu of soft drinks and mocktails highlights the venue’s accessibility for non-drinkers and different communities. While most venues in Cardiff revolve around alcohol, L7 has a truly inclusive approach in its outlook, atmosphere and warm welcome. This is a deliberate choice from the venue, offering a late-night experience in the city where most events and activities focus on alcohol.

The menu offers a huge range of street food, designed to be shared in groups between games. And, unlike other high-end bowling in the city that are adults-only: people under 18 can be on premises until 7pm. This makes it a rare hybrid destination in being able to cater to communities, families and young people. It has a cross-generational appeal, something that is lacking in the city centre.

 L7 is open until 12am from Monday to Wednesday and closes at 2am from Thursday to Sunday. It’s a long overdue alternative for Cardiff’s late-night crowd that doesn’t require you to leave the city centre. Long live L7!