This is my second time seeing The Snowman, on stage. Granted, a few years have passed and in a way, this was great in making me see it with new eyes.
If you do not know the story of The Snowman, it is the tale that is on the screens of us brits every Christmas. A little boy makes a Snowman that one night, comes to life. They encounter lots of exciting events from a Snowman party with Father Christmas, to wearing his Dad’s clothes to, what is the most commonly well known part of the story, flying.
This time around, I had help in the form of my 4 year old Nephew. Obsessed with Christmas, this was the third production I have ever taken him to. The first, he was just a baby, but the last one being in Summer, he is the ultimate theatre go-er. Not one of these loud children, he is just mesmerized by the production as a whole.
The whole thing was very magical – with an element of dance (this is The Peacock Theatre after all), it is fluid and gentle and graceful. Even the throwing of a snowball, or angry Mum at a broken window is full of gentle feeling. The Snowman we are used to is driven by what you can see and beautiful music underneath, picking up little moments and enhancing moments with a crash of a cymbal or a fast trill on a violin. Spoken language is not needed. And this production has kept this the same. It works. It is a dance production and dance is there to evoke the narrative and the emotions – therefore a marriage made in heaven.
I felt transported back to my own childhood and watching it for the first time, the same feeling I have every year I watch it on TV and seeing the awe in my nephew’s eyes, it was clear he was feeling this as well.
While for an adult approaching 30, an interval is a nice addition – time for that ice cream that feels right to have at Christmas, I did experience that perhaps this isn’t the best for a 4 year old. Most children’s productions do a straight hour and bam, home time. Their concentration has reached its peak and they want snacks. This production adds elements to the story – a bad guy, some characters we have never seen before, extra dance elements and while beautiful and lovely and still very magical, I think the elongation of the show was a bit too much for a 4 year old. Knowing Father Christmas features, he just wanted to get to that bit and see his hero, not to see the Snowman have a love interest.
The Snowman is everything and more. Magical, nostalgia inducing for us oldies, fascinating to the little ones. Perhaps just a little long for kids, while aimed at their age, perhaps a condense to the original story would be better.
Returning to see The Mozartists play again comes after seeing them in London a mere two weeks before lockdown. This final event seen in the capital had a lasting impact of me. The quality of musicianship is unbridled. Conductor Ian Page has gone about the leviathan task of getting all of Mozart’s canon performed live, essentially taking decades to complete.
We were treated to three of Mozart’s symphonies (No 12, 13 & 14) at the ripe old age of 15, with genius already on the table, heard in every note. These symphonies are conventional in nature (four movements) but the context of the composer’s age and the impact they have cannot be underestimated. In a pre-concert talk, Page said it’s not just about liking his Jupiter Symphony and I completely agree. Through this remarkable project we’ve had the chance to hear these lesser heard, lesser known pieces and we welcome the change of pace and programme. The fluffy flutes in the 15th symphony were also a welcome addition, quite moving in their arrival.
It’s the gleaming sincerity that is rich in these symphonies, the small ensemble of players really play them as if they have never before, crisp and affirmed. Soprano Emily Pogorelc gave musical offering with his concert aria “Non euro l’affetto” and Licenza Aria (the first version) from Il song di Scipione and “L’ombra de’rami tuoi” from Ascanio in Alba. Emily was a highlight of the evening really showing off some fine vocals, really going for the trills and the pacing of the recitative. You want to hear here in the full opera, no question. There lies a great discovery in Paisiello and his aria “Onde amiche…Smarrita, tremante” from Annibale Torino, an opera Mozart had watched in his early years. It’s swell to hear lesser known composers, even if Paisiello is also known for the original Barber of Seville, though things here are more serious and reflective.
I find this mix of symphony and aria to be very stimulating. Things seem to really work so well when all this comes together. An encore of a Mozart early work written for the church was regal and more sombre feel, still a fine way to end things. I will be back to see The Mozartists as soon as possible!
The Mozartists return to Cadogan Hall on 27 Jan 2022 for Mozart 1772 – A Retrospective featuring the music of Mozart, Jommelli, Traetta, J. C. Bach, Gassmann & Haydn. Featuring sopranos Jessica Cale & Chiara Skerath.
I’m not really the type of person who rushes to morning concerts so long as there is some coffee after. Wigmore Hall in London seem to keep the tradition alive with early recitals on a Sunday. So a surprise chance to see the rising stars of the Kanneh-Mason siblings was not to be sniffed at.
These are super stars in the making. Diversity in classical music is still some way from where it should be, though starting with these fine young musicians, there is no sight of gatekeeping. In an all Felix Mendelssohn programme: Braimah on violin, Jeneba on piano and Shaku on cello played to a packed Wigmore. The power of these musical moments in this family affair was a special utterance, a feeling of hope for the future and a marker of our age.
Jeneba opening with the evocative Rondo Capriccioso heralding a beautifully poised concert with nothing of fault. My taste might lie in later classical music, but the sheer moments of resplendence cannot be denied. Braimah on violin also appeared as the affirmed anchor to proceedings, at times sharing the responsibilities with his sister. It’s all very inspiring.
With a selection of the delightful Songs without Words and the Piano Trio No. 1, these siblings could really sink their teeth into some early Romantic German music. They seem lost in the sound, close knit in their syncopation. I guess they can read each other as well as the score.
Shaku has a habit of pursing his lips looking towards the heavens when playing, such is the intensity of his delivery. He exudes that big brother energy as if taken his brother and sister under his wing. Perhaps he is the standout because he is the oldest, but the three together really are magic. I’d kindly ask for more of the same yet with more experimental material!
Having checked the weekend line up my chosen day was the Sunday, Day 4 of what was the culmination of a fantastic weekend of music spanning all genres and beyond. The three acts I was most interested in were Sprints, Ghostpoet and Arab Strap, who appearing in that order were the last three acts of the festival.
First up Sprints, no not ‘The’ Sprints as I previously believed, just Sprints. But there was no ‘just’ about them! This young female fronted four-piece hailing from Dublin were a real treat. Combining a strong lead vocal, a thrashing guitar, consistent driving drum beat and a bass player that very obviously enjoyed using alternative bass playing techniques and was a joy to watch. They drew on elements from several music genres including indie, grunge. garage rock & punk which when combined came across as something familiar but at the same time something new. Their lyrics were edgy and relevant and the band made their political stance known via dialogue between songs. Being a person of a certain age and having listened to music all of my life I noticed elements of their style that I was able to pick out and attribute to other bands, intentional or not they were there. The most obvious for me being a guitar sound on two tracks that I had only previously associated with one band and firm favourite of an old punk like me, The Ruts. This guitar sound immediately transported me back to another time and place but then I was quickly returned to the present by their own unique sound. Loud, fast, hectic, meaningful, organised chaos!
After a short break, next up was the one-of-a-kind and truly incredible Ghostpoet. As he took to the stage the smoky, dim blue light, gave him a ghostly appearance now all we needed was the poetry! But this was no conventional poet, what walked onto the stage was an imposing leather clad figure of a rock god! Lyrical brilliance backed by a bass so heavy it pinned you to the floor, drumming so wild yet never out of time, some technical bluesy, rocky, thrashy guitar playing, rhythmic keyboards and howling synthesizer added to the melee of multi-layered sound. But what was the sound? I think it is easier to describe it in terms of art than music, it was a combination of surrealism, impressionism and modernism with a fair sprinkling of abstract and topped off with a helping avant-garde all culminating in a crazy, manic, crescendo of musical colour! Pure brilliance or poetic madness? You decide!
To round off the evening the last band took their place on the stage. or was it the road crew doing a final check? No it was definitely the band! A most unassuming foursome took their positions. Arab Strap, an indie rock band, hailing from Falkirk, Scotland, formed in 1995 and split in 2006. They had a brief reformation in 2011, then went their separate ways, only to reform again in 2016, then in March 2021 released their new album, As Days Get Dark, their first in over 16 years. Led by frontman and story teller Aidan Moffat with his sandpaper like voice and dry humour, we were treated to songs about life, love, sex, truth & lies, all delivered with an openness and sincerity that made every word totally believable. Backing Aidan was a band that visually came across as loose and relaxed but musically they were far from it, they were as tight as you like, never missing that indie beat.
Okay, the first album in over 16 years, should you go out and buy it? Well I’m sure we’ve all experienced the dark times in music, times when voids appear with nothing of any substance to fill them, frustration sets in and there is a desperate yearning to batter our ear drums with something new. Well next time you find yourself scratching around blindly in some musically dark abyss with little hope of survival and that something new you crave is real, meaningful, honest, good old indie with a bit of a dance beat, Arab Strap could well be your saviour!
The Festival of Voice was established in 2016 and is held at the magnificent Wales Millennium Centre. Each festival uses cultural interests or current trends, bringing artists and audiences together over four days of thought-provoking performance, incredible live music and inspirational talks. I went to the festival on day 4 (the Sunday evening). There were a number of free public performances throughout the centre, including audio installations, panel discussions, pop-up dance routines, immersive 360 films and youth theatre productions, which sadly I didn’t get to experience.
However, I did get to see three incredible performances from Sprints, Ghostpoet and Arab Strap. I was surprised at the small crowd that were in attendance, given the buzzing, raucous, riotous, acts that were performing. This may have been due to covid anxieties or maybe the cost of £50.00 for a day ticket, instead of paying for individual shows, nonetheless, the turnout was very disappointing.
I’d never heard of Dublin based, Sprints, before tonight, I felt ashamed of myself, they are a riotous, post-punk, loud band, I felt excited, they were gutsy and off the cuff. They’re a band with a purpose, their music reflects the issues that affect us all on a day-to-day basis, coming from Ireland they certainly made a point of informing the crowd about the recent legalisation of abortion and same sex marriages, recent changes that have an enormous impact. Chugging, anthemic guitars and driven drums are matched by Karla’s snarling vocals. This is punk at its best, hectic, spontaneous and rambunctious. Festival of Voice was their first gig in Cardiff but definitely not their last, I’ll be seeing them again.
Up next was Ghostpoet, what can I say? He’s a cool guy, energetic, charismatic, a performer, he wore a glistening silver earring, sunglasses and a leather jacket, he looked like a swaggering rock star. With his husky whispers of lyrical content along with an energetic performance which saw him dance and get enthused, immersed into his music it was near impossible to steal your eyes away from the stage whilst watching him perform. Beguiling, mesmerising, the epitome of cool, Ghostpoet was near stunning, with a band to offset the lyrical content sometimes with layers of dub, drum n bass and psychedelia, the music had bass so deep it entered through my feet and into my body. Ghostpoet cuts a striking figure but it’s the power of his vocals that stay with you.
After a short break, Arab Strap were on, a Scottish, indie-folk, rock band, 15 years after calling it a day they’re back in Cardiff, for the first time since reforming. Why have I never seen these before? I’d heard of them but clearly wasn’t paying attention the first time around. I instantly fell in love with the deep, scottish growling tone of Aidan Moffat’s vocals, awfulising about his chaotic lifestyle, shagging, insecurities, booze, heartbreak and humour. He has the kind of looks and confidence of a guy you should be sat chatting to in the pub. They were loud, raucous and noisy, Malcolm Middleton guided melodies with some complex finger picking, he made guitar work look very easy. Their music is deeply immersive from beginning-to-end; like a good book, it’s almost impossible to put down once you’ve started. The poetic mix of darkness, melancholy, romance, and unflinching honesty.
This is one of the best gigs I’ve been to in a very long time, they’re a real force to be reckoned with, in a league of their own. I may not have been paying attention the first time around but I am now. Arab Strap I’m so glad you’ve reformed, please, please, please, come back to Cardiff.
Greeted at the door by a man with an excellent hospitable nature and his 1920’s attire on, in the heart of London, we enter into what feels like some form of speakeasy at the top of this lovely building, where the doors open and you are (nicely) bashed in the face with jazz music and dancing.
Immersive Gatsby is based upon the well known American Novel, The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald, which you likely know from recent film adaptations, or were subjected to at school. I admit, that I have a love/hate relationship with the novel, mainly with school ruining it. But as adaptions in film and theatre continue, I appreciate it more in older age.
The story is about old lovers who meet in later life. Both changed dramatically, their love is reignited but is doomed by circumstance, by gossip and cheating, by lies and love. And so we see them fall in love but also fight for one another, amongst the many love triangles.
The story of Gatsby is well known for the fact the character of Jay Gatsby throws lavish parties where anyone who is anyone will be. Full of booze, of colours, dancing and care free lifestyles, and this is what we initially get a taste of. The performers do quintessential moves from the 1920’s, in their beautiful and stylish outfits, encouraging us to dance, and at one point, putting us through a dance class. Certainly a good way to have a great night out and feel pleasantly out of your comfort zone.
The joy of Immersive theatre, especially in large venues, is that there are pockets of events happening in different rooms, in little groups, in corners of the room. Depending where you are placed, you may get to chat with Daisy about her love for Jay, or Muriel about her love affair. Not everyone gets to go in another room, or be spoken to and that’s what makes each experience different to the last. This is what makes you want to go again; to fill your FOMO needs.
However, with this, it can also feel a little frustrating. The placements of the rooms are almost in each corner and until you realise this, it’s entirely possible you won’t be lucky enough to be whisked away in the group. It’s impossible to be sure everyone out of potentially 150 people in a room has had their turn to see the new spaces. And so we unfortunately left with only seeing the main area and 1 extra room. I wouldn’t say we felt cheated but it certainly wetted our curiosity appetite and left us a little deflated with the knowledge there were scenes and rooms we never saw.
I was lucky enough to be taken away on my own with the character Muriel. My social awkwardness did not help here but it was really interesting to go into this quiet room and talk with the character as if we were old friends. A very special part of the evening indeed.
Knowing the story well, it confused me that character’s seemed to be doubling up and being put in parts of the story that they were not in the novel. It is clearly for logistical reasons, and they do well to keep in character and to continue the momentum, so we enjoy this as it is but it conflicts what we know about about the story and somehow undermines some of Fitzgerald’s intentions. Some characters also didn’t come across as they were intended in the novel and again, this is a juxtaposition on the initial story. I couldn’t help but be critical, thinking that that was not how a character was meant to be or how the story goes.
I cannot leave a review without mentioning Gatsby himself: there are moments of the above to help inform the transition of the space and the story but Oliver Towse is the right brooding, distant but hopelessly in love character that Gatsby should be… and clearly his attractive nature, in his well known pink 3 piece, makes us all swoon. As if we are in the room of a Rockstar.
Immersive Gatsby is for sure a brilliant night out; filled with dancing, elation, champagne and a 1920’s Eastenders style vibe with conflict. But for those who know the story well, the need to utilise the space unfortunately sees changes to the novel which makes a stickler a little anxious.
Dan Jordan and The Warbirds evade categorisation. They are poetry. They are music. They are outlaw country. They are moody blues. They are folk storytelling. They are heavy metal vocals. The only seminal thread that runs through their latest album, Road to Ruin, is main man Dan’s clear connection to the music of Bob Dylan. He may not readily admit to such an influence being a conscious thing, but it is apparent that his time spent with Dylan over the course of his first album has had a lasting effect. His vocal delivery may not be to everyone’s taste, but one should at least be able to appreciate the hard-felt poetry that emanates from it.
Opening track Slow Burn may get off to a slow start but its first few moments of silence create a real sense of anticipation. A whirring cymbal then comes spinning into existence before being knocked sideways by the hard keys of a piano. It introduces the heavy beat which symbolises much of the album’s dark veneer, Jordan’s own smoky Dylan-esque vocals then coming in to add further shade. There is a sultry otherworldliness to the piano and electric guitar which gives it a certain intrigue and stops it descending into a black hole. The various mixing of genres, from the Latinized Country of Rider to the Metalized Blues of Run, have a similar effect, the poetic nature of Jordan’s lyrics also contributing to this sense of fascination which surrounds much of the album.
Each track is greeted with surprise. Each offers something slightly different from the rest. Ain’t Got Nothin’ may have a classic Blues structure but Matts White and Taylor bring some wonderful organ and electric guitar respectively to give it an added dimension. The soft and delicate composition on Seven Deaths of You creates a beautifully light atmosphere which allows deeper access into Jordan’s poetry. There is a real slice of folk storytelling here, delivered rather nicely through a deep voice that contains the faint presence of delicacy and vulnerability. Sweet City Ruin manages to uncover this further in lines like “stumbling through the city like a spectre” and “all you want is for the world to know that you were here” even as they are hidden behind the up-tempo, western swing style music.
There is a mythical quality to Elena which could be said to draw on folk tradition. The track that follows, Nightingale,certainly seems to suggest a strong folk influence upon Jordan’s work. His always gritty and grave delivery never allows for the same cadences that one might find among the typical folk singer however, meaning the loss of emotionality to some degree. What is lost here though is made up for in another unexpected musical addition, this time the introduction of pop elements followed by a sudden flurry of different instruments that take the album in a completely different direction. It means that, even as Jordan’s vocal starts to feel staid, there is enough originality to keep you listening right to the end.
Final track This Land has No Name is definitely worth sticking around for. On its musical surface is a wild west evoking landscape, complete with tolling bell and front porch guitar. It is the country music of the outlaws, reclaiming their rural roots from the urbanisation of an earlier sound. Dig a little deeper into the lyrics, and you begin to see the parallels. Yet this song speaks not of a place across the pond but a land much closer to home. Those “structures… crooked… battered” are the stone houses dotted across the countryside. The “roofs made of tin” are the barns stood in fields “still breathing [though] barely alive”. The bar, “as dry as a bone” and “the shops, boarded up” represent the communities who have lost their amenities to the forces of globalisation and capitalism. It is a depiction of Wales that is keenly felt and of which Dan Jordan seems acutely aware, no doubt garnered from his own geographical movement across the nation’s map. It is a protest song, if you will, inspired, whether conscious or not, by folk pioneers such as Bob Dylan, with a contemporary resonance that ensures Road to Ruin finishes with a political bang.
To find out more about Dan Jordan & The Warbirds, click here.To listen to album on Spotify, click here.
In the Jerwood upstairs, we are welcomed by smiling faces, finding our seats around the outside of a circular orchestra, filled with instruments and plant life.
The Song Project is what is says on the tin. A show created with feelings, thoughts, emotions and life circumstances and turned into song. While this feels a little like how songs are created in general, there is something new, interesting and unique about this performance.
The performers interact with us, with eye contact, welcoming us to the space, so while this is a performance, it certainly feels as if we are being welcomed by friends and into a less formal space.
There for sure is a feeling of something quite European about the type of music – reminding me of Sigur Ros, Little Talks, Bjork with its sense of sound scaping sounds and not following a usual song that one may find in the charts. With only 4 performers, they each chop and change instruments and places in the orchestra, showcasing their absolute talent.
Each song speaks to you. There are lyrics on depression, on fear, on the trails and tribulations of life, but all something that someone in the room could relate to. It’s serious at times, sometimes you just need to close your eyes and feel it in your soul and others it makes you laugh out loud.
Combined with well thought out lighting and set design, the movement of the performers around the space for sure makes this feel very professional and rehearsed but at times ad hoc and keeping us on our toes.
The Song Project could easily be described with one word: Inspirational. Coming away, I felt euphoric and sentimental as well as fully inspired to create my own work. The Song Project has something for everyone, and feels like a very intimate and extraordinary gig.
In this latest interview, Get the Chance member Gareth Williams chats to singer-songwriter Eleri Angharad. Their chat takes place in the form of a podcast, the third in a trial series in conversation with Welsh creatives. Eleri talks about her new EP, Nightclub Floor, as well as Swansea’s music scene, songwriting, her creative journey as a musician, and Welsh identity.
To find out more about Eleri, visit her website here, or follow her on social media @ImEleriAngharad.
You can purchase Nightclub Floor on her website, or stream it here.
Get the Chance supports volunteer critics like Gareth to access a world of cultural provision. We receive no ongoing, external funding. If you can support our work please donate here. Thanks.
Hi Zara great to meet you, can you give our readers some background information on yourself please?
My name is Zara, and I am photographer from and based here in Cardiff. My degrees are in English Literature rather than photography – I am self taught but I get some helpful advice from my partner who did study photography.
What got you interested in the arts?
When I was growing up, we always had books and went to the cinema, so that started it off I suppose. I still enjoy film and reading but it started when I was young. At Christmas we’d go to the theatre to but when I was a teenager, I became interested in Indie music.
Cardiff Calling (great name!) is a new project featuring brown and black fans of punk and goth music and fashion. We have really enjoyed looking at your photos to date on your Twitter feed. How did this project develop and what are your hopes for the future?
Thanks. The Cardiff Calling flyer is a mash up of the Xray Spex single sleeve ‘Identity’ and ‘London Calling’ album cover by The Clash. This project came from an idea I had after I photographed fans of the punk singer/icon Poly Styrene. It has developed because I wanted to focus on brown and black fans of punk and goth music and fashion because as a brown person, I am interested in it, and I know I’m not the only one who is. It’s as though we go to gigs, buy the music, dress the part, but are a niche within a subculture and all I want to do is show some visibility.
A selection of images from Cardiff Calling are featured below
I would like to have an exhibition of this current project and I want to link my portraits with my street photography – both are mainly focused on the overlooked. I would like to continue in a similar line of looking for and photographing underrepresented groups within Indie music with a particular focus on brown and black people. I will probably combine it with street photography in the future.
Over the last 18 months with the BLM movement and black history now being taught in Welsh schools do you feel artists of colour in Wales are now being fairly represented in education and cultural spaces?
I don’t think artists of colour are fairly represented and more needs to be done, particularly as we are part of Welsh life and culture. Therefore, it’s only right and fair that black history be taught in school, and it should start as early as the infant school. A movement like BLM is really important because being treated unfairly based on the colour of your skin is wrong. It’s disappointing that black and brown people’s input is being recognised quite late in the day because of systemic racism but I am hopeful that representation in education and cultural spaces both behind the scenes as well as up front in the gallery/theatre/cinema space will be the norm sooner rather than later.
If you are interested in getting involved in Cardiff Calling you can contact Zara at zaramader@hotmail.com
You reference Poly Styrene in your work, why is she such an inspiration to you?
Poly Styrene is such an inspiration for me because she was one of only a handful of non-white people in a famous punk band and being a woman as well was quite extraordinary. Being half Somali and half British myself it was unusual at the time to see a woman with the same ethnicity as me who was famous. I don’t know if it was in her mind that she would be inspirational to a brown girl in Wales, but she was. There wasn’t the same type of language when I was growing up as there is today like ‘you have to see it to be it’. But it certainly helps to see people like you doing things you’re interested in.
Poly Styrene
https://youtu.be/fYoiCStDTQg
Get the Chance works to support a diverse range of members of the public to access cultural provision. Are you aware of any barriers that creatives in Wales face? If you are, what might be done to remove these barriers?
I think certain barriers are a problem for creatives in Wales such as a lack of time and money. The creative industries aren’t given the same type of priority as more tradition careers such as teaching, law or medicine, they are also peddled as difficult to get in to and more difficult to sustain unless you get lucky, or you know the right people. I hope organisations realise that opportunities need to be created that offer finances and useful links to people that need it. These offers need to be genuine and real for creatives, of any age, to build a career.
With the roll out of the Covid-19 vacancies, the arts sector is hopeful audiences will return to venues and theatres. If theatres want to attract audiences, what do you think they should do?
It’s been a difficult time for a lot of venues, but the vaccine rollout has been a good thing to help arts spaces open again. I think theatres could consider cheaper ticket prices for a period, maybe approach organisations, schools and disadvantaged groups that may have less access to the theatre in general.
If you were able to fund an area of the arts in Wales what would this be and why?
This a difficult one. It would be a toss-up between cinema and photography, but I really enjoy watching films, so I’ll go for film. Also, I appreciate the skills involved from different parts of the creative industries that come together that get a film made.
What excites you about the arts in Wales?
What excites me about the arts in Wales is the array of talent here in different disciplines. Because we are lucky to have people from different cultures with careers as artists it adds a new aspect to arts practice here in Wales. We help Wales and its cultural output in a very positive way.
What was the last really great thing that you experienced that you would like to share with our readers?
I was given two Xray Spex 7 inch singles from a friend recently and because I have a record player I’ve been able to listen to them. It’s made me listen to some of the vinyl I have and I really enjoy it. It’s a small thing but I appreciate.
Creating opportunities for a diverse range of people to experience and respond to sport, arts, culture and live events. / Lleisiau amrywiol o Gymru yn ymateb i'r celfyddydau a digwyddiadau byw
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