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Theatre

Welsh and Wales trained creatives win at BBC Audio Drama Awards 2025

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The winners of the BBC Audio Drama Award 2025 were announced in a live ceremony from the Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House last night. The Best Original Single Drama Category winner was: The Invitation, written by Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Stage Management, Graduate, Katherine Chandler, and produced by John Norton, for BBC Audio Wales & West.

The Comedy drama stars Welsh actors, Siwan Morris and Kimberley Nixon.

“When her eight-year-old daughter is the only one in the class who doesn’t get a party invitation, Lizzie challenges the birthday girl’s mum, Jo. As their two world views collide, all hell breaks loose. What are the rules here?”

The full cast includes

Jo – Siwan Morris
Lizzie – Kimberley Nixon
Huw – Tomos Eames
Ritchie Tyne- Nathan Sussex
Mrs Wilson – Zoe Davies
Margaret – Hannah McPake
The Postman – Anthony Corria
Micha – Joséphine López-Norton
Ellie – Raphaëlle López-Norton

Production Coordinator: Eleri McAuliffe
Sound Design: Catherine Robinson and Nigel Lewis
Producer: John Norton

You can listen to The Invitation here

A BBC Audio Wales Production

The Best Actress Category was won by Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Acting graduate, Cecilia Appiah for her role in Oleanna, directed by Gary Brown for BBC Studios Audio Salford

You can find out more about the BBC Audio Drama Awards 2025, in the article below from the BBC Media Centre

BBC Audio Drama Award winners announced along with plans for new monthly 90-minute play on BBC Radio 4

The BBC has revealed the winners of the 2025 Audio Drama Awards, celebrating the exceptional talent and creativity in the field of audio drama and comedy, in a ceremony tonight (30th March) hosted by actor and comedian Miles Jupp at the iconic Radio Theatre in Broadcasting House.

The BBC’s Chief Content Officer, Charlotte Moore, gave a speech emphasising the BBC’s commitment to audio drama and announced plans to launch a monthly 90-minute play slot starting later in the spring on BBC Radio 4, which will focus on new dramas and original adaptations of classic stage plays. These will sit alongside the very best of the recent archive, allowing new and existing listeners the opportunity for a deep dive into this beloved genre.

“For over 100 years, the BBC has been a pioneer in audio drama, and today we remain the largest commissioner of audio drama globally – and our commitment to new writing remains unparalleled. In the last year alone we’ve featured the work of 30 new writers and broadcast 118 new titles, ranging from single dramas to 10-part series,” said Moore. “While we celebrate our rich heritage and legacy, we must also embrace the evolving digital audio landscape to ensure the continued success of audio drama and its home on BBC Sounds. We will persist in championing new writing and talent, providing opportunities for emerging voices as well as established names across our networks, to deliver the very best to our listeners. I’m thrilled that the new 90-minute play slot on Radio 4 will bring the power of longform audio drama to many millions more listeners.”

The ceremony also included a posthumous Outstanding Contribution award for much-missed producer Bill Dare, given in recognition of his huge influence on comedy, and particularly his contribution to audio comedy on BBC Radio 4. Dare, who tragically passed away earlier this month following an accident overseas, leaves behind a legacy of award-winning satirical programmes for radio and TV, including Dead Ringers, which is set to mark its 25th anniversary on Radio 4 later this year, Spitting Image, and recent Radio 4 comedy The Island starring Stephen Mangan.

Julia McKenzie, BBC Radio 4’s Commissioner for Comedy, said, “Bill Dare’s contribution to comedy is unparalleled. He brought joy to so many listeners and his unique talent is hugely missed. This award is a tribute to his legendary status and the immense impact he had on comedy, at BBC Radio 4 and beyond.”

Moore also presented an Outstanding Contribution award to the podcast drama Central Intelligence, written by Greg Haddrick, produced by John Scott Dryden and Emma Hearn, and executive-produced by Howard Stringer and Jeremy Fox for Goldhawk Productions. The drama was recognised for the sheer scale of its ambition and its success with digital listeners, with over 2.5 million plays. Kim Cattrall, who stars in the series as narrator Eloise Page, was present to celebrate the series’ win. Central Intelligence has been a smash hit with listeners on BBC Sounds and is part of the Limelight series of podcast dramas, which showcases fresh approaches to serialized storytelling from the very best new and established writing, acting, and production talents, and consistently ranks in the top ten most-listened-to podcasts on BBC Sounds. It returns for a second series on 20th June.

Also amongst the winners was BAFTA and Emmy-award winner Sean Bean, who received the Best Actor award for his role in Antigone by Jean Anouilh. Anouilh’s powerful reworking of the classic Greek play, which was an instant success when first staged in Paris in 1944, showcased Bean’s exceptional talent for audio acting. Cecilia Appiah won Best Actress for her portrayal of Carol in Oleanna, David Mamet’s most controversial play. Oleanna is an incendiary exploration of gender, education, class, power, and perception, which divided audiences but captured the zeitgeist. Appiah’s compelling performance was a hit with listeners and praised by the judges.

Alison Hindell, Radio 4’s Commissioner for Drama and Fiction, said, “Tonight we celebrate the huge variety of audio drama as a genre – from gripping new podcasts to classic plays – and the people who work so hard to bring brilliant audio drama to the BBC’s audiences. The future of audio drama looks bright, with listeners’ interest in the genre continuing to grow, and the BBC is here to champion it all the way.”

Full List of Winners of the 2025 Audio Drama Awards:

• Best Original Single Drama: The Invitation by Katherine Chandler, produced by John Norton, for BBC Audio Wales & West. Special commendation for Nearly Light by Kit Withington, produced by Jelena Budimir at Naked Productions for BBC Radio 4.

• Best Original Series or Serial: Life Lines by Al Smith, produced by Sally Avens at BBC Studios Audio London for BBC Radio 4.

• Best Adaptation: Tam O’Shanter by Robert Burns, adapted by Gary McNair, produced by Kirsty Williams for BBC Audio Scotland. Special commendation for Love and Information by Caryl Churchill, produced by Mary Peate and Jessica Dromgoole at Hooley Productions for BBC Radio 4.

• Best Actor: Sean Bean for his role in Antigone, directed by Pauline Harris at BBC Studios Audio London for BBC Radio 3.

• Best Actress: Cecilia Appiah for her role in Oleanna, directed by Gary Brown for BBC Studios Audio Salford. Special commendations for Michelle Fairley in Hello, I Appear to Have Killed My Husband, directed by Kirsty Williams for BBC Audio Scotland, and Kate O’Flynn in Spores, directed by Nicolas Jackson at Afonica for BBC Radio 3.

• Best Comedy Performance: Rosie Cavaliero in The Train at Platform 4, produced by James Robinson at BBC Studios Audio for BBC Radio 4.

• The Marc Beeby Award for Best Debut Performance: Mae Munuo in Tribe of Two, directed by Jesse Fox at Afonica for BBC Radio 4.

• Best Sitcom or Comedy Drama: Rum Punch by Travis Jay, produced by Daisy Knight at Avalon for BBC Radio 4.

• Best Stand Up or Sketch Comedy: Janey Godley: the C Bomb Series 2 by Janey Godley with Ashley Storrie, produced by Richard Melvin at Dabster Productions for BBC Radio 4. Special commendation for Munya Chawawa’s Election Doom Scroll by Munya Chawawa, Matthew Crosby, James Farmer, and Joe McArdle, produced by Jo Maney and Ben Wicks at Expectation TV for BBC Radio 4.

• Best Use of Sound: Restless Dreams, sound by Eloise Whitmore, produced by Eloise Whitmore and Polly Thomas at Naked Productions for BBC Radio 4.

• Best Podcast Audio Drama: The Skies Are Watching, written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto at Goldhawk Productions for BBC Radio 4. Special commendation for Central Intelligence by Greg Haddrick, produced by John Scott Dryden and Emma Hearn at Goldhawk Productions, and executive-produced by Howard Stringer and Jeremy Fox, for BBC Radio 4. Central Intelligence also received an Outstanding Contribution Award.

• Best European Drama: The Fall of Lapinville by Benjamin Abitan, produced by Chloé Asous-Plunian for Arte Radio, France.

• Imison Award: Tether by Isley Lynn, produced by Fay Lomas at BBC Audio Wales and West for BBC Radio 4.

• Tinniswood Award: Man Friday by Edson Burton, produced by Mary Ward-Lowery at BBC Audio Wales and West for BBC Radio 4.

About the BBC Audio Drama Awards:

The BBC Audio Drama Awards celebrate the passionate and dedicated work of professionals who bring this artform to listeners – from actors to writers, producers and sound designers.

Previous winners include Rosamund Pike, Susan Wokoma, Miriam Margolyes, Juliet Aubrey, Bridget Christie, Edmund Davies, Phil Wang, Danny Sapani, John Hurt and many more.

The BBC once again joined with the Society of Authors and Writers’ Guild of Great Britain to present the two annual writing awards run by these organisations, the Imison Award (for best script by a writer new to audio) and the Tinniswood Award (for the best audio script of the year).

The BBC has compiled a timeline of key audio drama moments from the past century, which can be found here

Article above can be found here

Opera & classical

Review, Bristol Ensemble, Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, Bristol 1904 Arts by James Ellis

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

In what might be most curious venue discovery this year, the city would give up its secrets thanks to the Bristol Ensemble and a stirring gig at Bristol 1904 Arts. Located next door to The Red Lodge, with cute maze gardens and TGI Fridays wall décor saw art, instruments and other oddities scattered around the space.

This eccentric space was the set up for the concert. Hex 1 by Anna Meredith was the opener and a way to fill in the rest of the hour before the main Messiaen. Meredith wears many musical hats, I recall her score from A24’s Tuesday, a poor film, her offering the best thing about it. Written for violin and cello, there is an almost folk horror aura to its few minutes. Not as compelling as expected, though in the surroundings added atmospheres. The interplay between both insutments saw discordance and ethereal patterns. I’d like to listen agian.

Violinist Roger Hickle introduced both works, before the Quartet for the End of Time, he noted that the first players of this piece (Messiaen and other musicians in a POW camp in Poland), never played the work together again after its premier. The intense difficulty comes from its unabashed intensity, Catholic dogma melds with birdsong, in a work of hope and grace. Messiaen’s melody making is always evident, never going full hog into Avant-Garde trends. Any performance should move and thankfully this did here.

Hickle had the soaring finale solo, loving tributes to Jesus. On cello, Harriet Wiltshire tackled the famous solo also a dedication to Christ, though some grimaces proved how much hard work this can be. Done to emotional effect, it played off, Wiltshire played throughout with abandon. David Pagett on clarinet also had one of these many solos now with his very own movement all to himself. The avian friends clamour about, drone like ringing and affirmed, stomping bars to wrap up are all highlights. He played with serious determination and the silence after was also telling. Paul Israel who took on the role Messiaen did at the first concert, had the scuttling, proud, rhythmic bouts that demand the role. Israel followed with the others and for his own bursts fended finely through this chamber masterpiece. 

Opera & classical

Review, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Wigmore Hall, London by James Ellis

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out of 5 stars (3 / 5)

Returning to London would see Mozart heavy encounters. What would I discover this time round? Would I learn something new or find a new favourite piece?

The Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin presented a Mozart heavy bill though the rest was filled with new composer’s unknown to me. Georg Druschetzky and his Oboe Quartet in G minor was the first of these discoveries. Xenia Löffler as the solo had great range, though does this vintage instrument sound as if it can go out of tune every so often? A lovely opening, sweet and impassioned. Paul Wranitzky followed with his String Quartet in G, another stupendous find. I realise there are so many more music makers out there from the past. The players had a sharp focus, and all the joy of the piece rang forth. Melodies were this eras bread and butter, as well as gentle dynamics and hushed listenability.

With Mozart in his first outing, the Horn Quintet in E flat, Erwin Wieringa had holistic flashes. This true horn which he plays, has charm and some warm, though it can be so muted and almost unruly leading to not so harmonious blends. After the break, Mozart’s Oboe Quartet in F had frilly moments, not the most outstanding work he ever did. There was panache for this quarter, thanks to Löffler as a soloist of high regard. Perhaps the most stimulating Mozart of the night goes to the Adagio & Fugue in C minor. This quartet from Mayumi Hirasaki, Georg Kallweit, Clemens-Maria Nuszbaumer and Katharina Litschig deliver a loving feel for the Baroque and Classical and what surrounds it.

The wrap up was another find, that of Carl Stamktz’s Quintet in E flat. It is the vigour I savoured most here, swoops and plunges all in a conventional but still adrenaline inducing all the same. Musically it owes to Mozart, though still has enough originality to stand out. The encore of Mozart’s Musical Joke finale got laughs and smiles abound. Those, at few notes of sheer discord are shocking and have always been highly amusing.

Art, Celebrations

The Get the Chance, Cultural Impact Awards 2025, Winners.

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The Winners of the Get the Chance, Cultural Impact Awards 2025, supported by Tempo Time Credits, Ffilm Cymru Wales and Porters Cardiff, were announced on Sat 22 March at Porters Cardiff.

Congratulation to all of all of the those Long/Short Listed and the winners. Thanks to all of the members of the public that took time to nominate, it was great to see a range of cultural activity that reaches a broad range of the public and its positive impact on their quality of life.

Thanks to our panel for volunteering their time to support this inaugural Awards event.

Rachel Gegeshidze, Chief Executive, Tempo Time Credits said of the event.

“What an inspiring and emotional evening at the Get the Chance inaugural Cultural Impact Awards this evening at Porters Cardiff. Get The Chance is a remarkable social enterprise based in South Wales, dedicated to creating opportunities for a diverse range of individuals to engage with and respond to sport, arts, culture, and live events. This evening, I had the honour of presenting the Cultural Champion Award, and it was truly inspiring to hear about the incredible initiatives taking place across Wales that engage people in culture, arts, and heritage. The stories shared, reflect the passionate commitment of individuals and organisations working tirelessly to make a difference in their communities. Now more than ever we need to work in partnership to connect communities and celebrate diversity and inclusivity. In the words of one of tonight’s winners “If you can’t see it, you can’t be it!” Guy O’Donnell your commitment and passion for engagement is truly incredible and your work changes communities and lives!”

Category

Public Event

(Sponsored by Tanio)

Grav – 10 year celebration/ Owen Thomas and Gareth John Bale

“Very proud to accept this award from the brilliant Get the Chance on behalf of everyone at the Torch Theatre
Special thanks to Peter Doran Gareth Bale Chelsey Gillard, Guy O’Donnell. Huge love to Grav and his family x”

Creative of the Year

(Sponsored by Porters Cardiff)

Geinor Styles, Theatr na nÓg

Community and Education Project

(Sponsored by The Red Shoes Poster Archive)

Mess Up The Mess Theatre Company with a focus on the regular Youth Theatre and their projects

“What a fantastic evening we had on Saturday at the inaugural Cultural Impact Awards led by Get the Chance
Overjoyed and honoured to have won 2 awards! Community and Education Project of the Year Award for our Youth Theatre and Facilitator of The Year Award for Joanne Shackley recognising her enormous contribution to Mess Up The Mess.
Thank you to all those involved in our work artists, staff, young people, families, funders and volunteers. It is a big team effort!
Thank you to Get the Chance for giving us this platform it is so needed right now. Porter’s Cardiff

Huge congratulations to all the other nominees and winners you are doing life changing work!

Queertawe Taking Flight Theatre Company UCAN Productions Peoplespeakup Theatr na nÓg Theatrau Sir Gar Owen Thomas”

Facilitator of the Year

 Joanne Shackley, Mess Up The Mess Theatre Company, The Yfory Project

“Well that was a wonderful surprise. I was awarded the facilitator of the year in the @getthechance1 Cultural Impact Awards.

When I first started my career just leaving Uni and didn’t have a clue what a facilitator was and that I could even make it a career in it. Now accepting an award as facilitator of the year is mind blowing.

A massive thank you to @messupthemess for making me the person and creative I am today. Giving me amazing opportunities to grow and develop. I was so lucky to make a difference to young people’s lives creatively. I am so proud to have been part of Mess Up The Mess and taught me so many amazing values. I am excited to keep supporting such an important company.

A thank you to @getthechance1 for helping the creative community celebrate and highlight the amazing work in Wales. The Arts truly makes a difference!”

Culture and Health

(Sponsored by Christine O’Donnell)

People Speak Up, Creative Home Delivery Service

“Wow wow – we won!!!! Fe wnaethom ennill!!!!

Diolch i’n tîm, artistiaid llawrydd, cyfranogwyr a phartneriaid
Da iawn i bawb a enwebwyd. Cymaint o weithgareddau pwysig yn digwydd trwy Gymru.

DIOLCH i Get The Chance, Guy O’Donnell a Tempo Time Credits am noson i ddathlu’r celfyddydau.

Well done to our team, freelancers, participants and partners
Well done to everyone who was nominated. So much important activity taking place across Wales.

DIOLCH thank you to Get The Chance and Tempo Time credits for an evening of celebrating the arts.”

Cultural Champion

(Sponsored by Tempo Time Credits)

Sara Sirati, Ardour Academy

Commitment to Arts, Heritage & Culture

(Sponsored by Awen Cultural Trust)

Samea Ahmed, Mount Stuart Primary School

“So proud of our amazing teacher Samea Ahmed who won the ‘Commitment to Arts, Heritage & Culture Award’ at tonight’s inaugural ‘Cultural Impact Awards 2025’”
Mrs Shubnam Aziz, Senior Leader at Mount Stuart Primary School

Disabled Creativity

Alex Rees and Jane Latham, UCAN Productions

“UCAN is delighted to win the FIRST EVER Get the Chance Cultural Impact ‘Disabled Creativity’ award! Congratulations to Alex, Gwennan and Flo for their fantastic Arts Award project.

Mae UCAN yn falch iawn ein bod wedi ennill gwobr ‘Creadigrwydd Anabl’ yng Ngwobrau Effaith Ddiwylliannol Get the Chance CYNTAF ERIOED! Llongyfarchiadau i Alex, Gwennan a Flo am eu prosiect Arts Awards gwych.”

Lifetime Impact Award

Taking Flight Theatre

“We are absolutely thrilled to have been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at last night’s Cultural Impact Awards at Porter’s Cardiff , organised by Get the Chance , supported by Tempo Time Credits Cymru . The award was presented to us by trustee Sara Beer, who had kept it a complete secret. We were rather overwhelmed. Thank you to everyone who has made this journey possible. Let’s keep shouting about access, eh? It really does make the work better for everyone.”

Dance

Review ‘Shorts | Byrion’ National Dance Company Wales, Dance House by Matt Gough

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Firstly, go see the show … it’s good, fun, and refreshing. A cohesive programme of three short works from “up and coming” choreographers.

The night felt positively retro-futuristic  in style and design. ‘UN3D’, and ‘Hang there Baby’ were giving  ‘Wes Anderson meets 1970s Robert North’ aesthetics  with contemporary sensibilities. Infinity Duet suggested early Trisha Brown but without being derivative in its design or movement.

I felt I was seeing  the threshold of change in the choreographic practices presented. Each practice was deftly supported by rehearsal director Victoria Roberts who gave each work space to breath, but guided a coherent, and articulate company throughout the evening.

https://youtu.be/ygrA6cAqRf4?si=pj8VxzgtBsskqAXV

Infinity Duet : Faye Tan and Cecile Johnson-Soliz 

A trio of performers (two people and a sculpture engage in actions, refractions, and contemplation. This abstracted but subtly interpersonal encounter, was  performed to a score of (s)crunching paper with a meandering ostinato. If you wanted this work to go on longer, keep your fingers crossed that  NDCW will bring back “In Tandem” from the same creative team.

UN3D :Osian Meilir 

A series of unfolding movement ideas and concepts (de)synchronised to the sounds of Björk, and The Police. A humorous encounter that transforms the costumes as much as the movement materials. Overall I enjoyed the flower of unfolding delights, but some ideas lingered a little too long.

Hang in There, Baby : John-William Watson

70’s pastels, and a new years office party at the setting for exploration of decisions, destiny, and clones. The cubicle sized set, carefully constructed movement, and alternative outcomes offered contemporary dance meets Wes Anderson. Although this work was a remounting, it didn’t sit uncomfortably on the company, or seem at odds with the rest of the program.

I hope NDCW will continue to develop these (and other) new voices as it establishes its new identity and leadership. Thresholds can be fragile spaces, and the Welsh dance sector needs growth and belief..  

Dance

Review Cassa Pancho’s Ballet Black – Ballet Black: SHADOWS,by Tanica Psalmist

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A shadow work incorporates infused acoustic piano & synthesiser, blended sounds to engineer the depths between living in conflict with the illusions & reality. Visiting the quantum fields to face the past, present & future; where we can no longer run away from suppressed truths & conditioning, returning to inescapable sentiments to explore infinite possibilities of emotional currency to sustain vitality & redeem creation and soul activation.

A Shadow Work highlights significant stages of manifesting your inner light subconsciously & consciously, being the architect of your energy, giving yourself permission to be vulnerable to restore your inner-power. Entering portals & tunnels that will psychologically challenge you but eventually revive your innate power, to allow life the flow through your good, bad & ugly experiences, feeling multi energy forces to move strategically within you to protect your energy, reinvest your power to operate around negative aspects that’s depleted areas we struggle to amplify who & what we allow into our quantum fields to reactivate, re-cleanse & detox with the end goal to empower, own your truth, validate self & intuitively guard your essence when leaving the shadows to pour back into self for healing purposes.

The journey told through dance channels curiosity as we divinely follow dancer Taraja Hudon on her spiritual & mental endeavours as she emotionally breaks through vicious cycles to learn past lessons to prevent them from reoccurring, to stop attracting unpleasant experiences, where we acknowledge her running away from a box, with her shadow’s encouraging her to reopen the box potentially filled with images of past trauma, hurt, pain, difficulty & imbalanced relationships. The fellow dancers play both her inner & outer demons; reinforcing her to free her mind, face her face & enter into the unknown aspects of ourselves to become complete, whole & victorious.

In the second show entitled: About My Sister, The Serial Killer, inspired by the book ‘My Sister’ by author; Oyinkan Braithwaite. The audience were taken on an intensifying choreography piece that was suspenseful both musically & metaphorically. All dancers generated movement that was sensual, cunning & intriguing as we witnessed two different material happening simultaneously, keeping us at the edge of our seats. Cassa Pancho herself had both choreographed & directed this performance, she incorporated themes of fantasy, infatuation, allure, fatal attraction & vindictive tendencies well, the adaption of this book onto the stage offers a distorted reality of introspection & deception intertwined.

Celebrations

The Get the Chance, Cultural Impact Awards 2025, Short list.

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The Panel for the Get the Chance, Cultural Impact Awards 2025, supported by Tempo Time Credits, Ffilm Cymru Wales and Porters Cardiff, met two weeks ago, to decide the Long and Short list for this years awards. The Short list is below, the quality of nominations was very high and the panel had a very difficult decision, congratulations to everyone listed below!

The Short listed nominees will be invited to attend the live awards event at Porters, Cardiff on Saturday 22 March at Porters Cardiff 5-7pm.

Thanks to all of the members of the public that took time to nominate, it was great to see a range of cultural activity that reaches a broad range of the public and its positive impact on their quality of life.

Thanks to our panel for volunteering their time to support this inaugural Awards event.

Category

Public Event

(Sponsored by Tanio)

Operation Julie Tour, Theatr na nÓg

Grav – 10 year celebration/ Owen Thomas and Gareth John Bale

Mae Gen Ti Ddreigiau/You’ve Got Dragons adapted by Manon Steffan Ros from the book by Kathryn Cave & Nick Maland/ Taking Flight Theatre Company

Creative of the Year

(Sponsored by Porters Cardiff)

Bradley Rmer One, Yusuf Ismail and Shawqi Hasson, Unify Creative

Geinor Styles, Theatr na nÓg

Gavin Porter, Director

Community and Education Project

(Sponsored by The Red Shoes Poster Archive)

The Fight Company, Theatr na nÓg

Little Gigs Bach, The Little Gigs Team and Cerdd CF,  The Cardiff Commitment Curriculum Team

Mess Up The Mess Theatre Company with a focus on the regular Youth Theatre and their projects

Facilitator of the Year

Sara Sirati, Ardour Academy, Create & Connect

Steph Bailey Scott, Taking Flight Theatre Company, Taking Flight Youth Theatre/ You’ve Got Dragons/Introduction to working Inclusively/Deaf Awareness training

 Joanne Shackley, Mess Up The Mess Theatre Company, The Yfory Project

Culture and Health

(Sponsored by Christine O’Donnell)

People Speak Up, Creative Home Delivery Service

Sara Sirati and Anna Coviello, Ardour Academy LTD, Butterfly Soup

Queertawe artists, staff, partners and participants, Connect and Flourish project led by Mess Up The Mess Theatre Company in partnership with Bethan Marlow, Cerian Wilshire-Davies, Swansea Pride, Urban HQ, SwanScene and Swansea Bay Health Board, Queertawe and Queertawe Frinj,

Cultural Champion

(Sponsored by Tempo Time Credits)

Debbie Webster, Theatr na nÓg, Chair of the Board

Sara Sirati, Ardour Academy

Jak Bjornstrom, Galwad & The Edit

Commitment to Arts, Heritage & Culture

(Sponsored by Awen Cultural Trust)

Samea Ahmed, Mount Stuart Primary School

Louise Williams, Cadoxton Primary School, Barry,

Ruth Wiltshire, Head Teacher, St. Paul’s Church in Wales, Primary School, Cardiff

Disabled Creativity

Taking Flight Theatre

Alex Rees and Jane Latham, UCAN Productions

The Craidd Project

Opera & classical

Review, London Symphony Orchestra, Haydn’s London Symphony, Barbican, London by James Ellis

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Photo credit: Mark Allan

out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

Barbara Hannigan is thriving at the London Symphony Orchestra. Her USP of both conductor and singer is a bold feat and might not always work. Though on a night like this thing were all set for greatness. A rare outing of Albert Roussel and Le festin de l’araignée – Symphonic Fragments would herald the start. Though perhaps more curiosity than compelling, these very French passages have gusto and some charm. Roussel who rarely gets outings in the standard repertoire, has to work hard to get heard. All the right moments are there yet something hasn’t quite made the cut. I’d like to hear more and this again.

In an arrangement by Anthony Girard, Ravel’s Histoires naturelle’s is a marvellous setting of the poetry of Jules Renard. These lovely settings of the mostly avians sort see jilted peacocks, a restless cricket, an existential swan a content kingfisher and of course, a disgruntled gujnea-fowl. As always with Ravel (and now Girad) there are buckets of charm, this really is tellingly delightfully verse. As well as the snazzy orchestration, baritone Stéphane Degout is a native French speaker and is also a great actor to boot. All these silly moments spent with these critters and flying creatures, vividly portrayed by Degout, who never over does his voice, it was smooth and very listenable.

What really sealed the deal was Hannigan doing what she does best: sing and also conduct at the very same time. I’ve had some reservations upon seeing her in the past, I recall an LSO gig in Bath of Messiaen and Mahler. Though her conducting might just be a little rigid, when she sings and continues to guide the orchestra with her back to them, things thrive. With the poetry of Rimbaud, this romantic upstart gets the Benjamin Britten treatment in what his one of his finer short concerts works. Extravagant poetry mingles with Hannagan’s soprano in scintillating form. The strings of the orchestra also shone, when Britten gets is right…the score seem to marvel at all sorts of lavish sights depicted in the poems of fantastical antiquity. It’s her acting which also pulls you in. I found myself in a state of amazement.

It’s been just over four months since hearing Haydn’s London Symphony again at the Barbican. With Hannigan at the helm, the almost monotonous repeat of the melody could wain elsewhere. It was tight throughout this Symphony 104; its elegance is matched by its sincerity. You can often see Haydn winking in good cheer, naturally. Pumping rhythms mingle with pressed slower bars, this is often digestible and wraps up a concert in fine taste and cheery fashion. Maybe this fine soprano maestro is warming on me?

Opera & classical

Review, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Crossing Generations, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London by James Ellis

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

I’m aware of orchestras doing their utmost to get the younger audiences into their events. This feeling was apparent when at this latest London Philharmonic Orchestra concert and I am all for it. This highly eccentric programme would appease both new audiences and diehard fans. Kevin John Edusei as maestro would throughout the night maintain these odd works with vigour and joy.

Frank Zappa did a fine job blurring the line between rock music and orchestra writing. In what might be the strangest, yet most splendid music I’ve heard at a gig for some time, his music stood out in many ways. Maybe it’s the surreal names: The Dog Breath Variations/Uncle Meat; Outrage at Valdez; G-Spot Tornao, or the odd rhythms and timbres…it’s hard not to like. The standout were the percussive forces and a lone banjo later what appeared to be acoustic guitar. Zappa creates orchestral creations that would have appeased the MTV listener (we are talking roughly that era), its muscle lying within its curious meters. I found many smiles and raised eyebrows throughout. Ripping good fun.

A European premiere with Dinuk Wijeratne with a new Clarinet Concerto. With soloist Kinan Azmeh, thing started off very Ives like, as he played off stage as the string ensemble disturbed with eerie natures, a lone string piano played by Azmeh also stood out. This was it for numbers, strictly not brass, woodwind nor percussion so there was a profound sense of intimacy. Azmeh impressed with sounds from far afield, the middle east and strange registers within the instrument. Heaps of discord and the lone clarinet getting soaring cadenzas, thanks to the wisdom and clarity of Azmeh. Though what felt like a classical structure, didn’t necessarily keep, it proved to be a stimulating premiere one of notes in recent months.

This slight evening would wrap up with Bohuslav Martinů. His Symphony No. 6 (Fantasies symphonies) proved highly alert and absorbing. Though the pacing may be erratic, Martinů knew how to compress the listener with anxiety inducing music, thanks to a incredibly clever handling of orchestration. The intense tightening grip would scarcely loosen over us, we remain at the mercy over this intense symphonic work, all the types of instruments played tutti though no one group out did the other. I was compelled by the grip the players had over the piece, a work not even 30 minutes in length though very demanding yet constantly regrouping. This proves Martinů should be heard be here much more. This is genius levels of creation.

Featured, Theatre, Uncategorized

Review: Calamity Jane, Wales Millennium Centre by Gemma Treharne-Foose 

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out of 5 stars (3 / 5)

A rootin’-tootin’, boot-scooting good time…

For anyone looking for a way to escape the horrors of the 2025 news cycle, may I recommend instead a little excursion to the prairies and saloon bar of Deadwood City in Goldrush-era USA? 

The 2025 touring production tweaks the 1961 stage play, based on the 1953 Hollywood smash musical movie featuring the iconic Doris Day and gives it a little bit of a “modern” touch. You may have memories watching Calamity during holidays, or maybe on a Sunday with your grandparents…you may not know *how* you know the “Whip-crack-away” song or the tune to “Just Blew in from the Windy City”, but even if you don’t remember the movie exactly, the 2025 musical will draw you in for its spectacle. From its cowboys and hoe-downs, to the the Americana bluegrass musicians and the vocal powerhouse that is Carrie Hope Fletcher, there are plenty of story, song and dance nuggets to keep you satiated. 

We meet Calamity, Wild Bill Hickock and a rag-tag ensemble of Deadwood City saloon-goers at the Watermill Theatre, HQ for the production’s story where Director/Choreographer Nick Winston and Director Nikolai Foster first imagined the world of Calamity in 2014. For this production, the production team have added a few extra songs and lost others synonymous with problematic representation or iconography. 

The production does well to navigate some of the awkwardness and “cringe” (to quote my daughter’s favourite phrase) of songs written in an era where men literally imagined the idea, wrote the story, the theme tunes and then staged and directed the show featuring predominantly white men. It’s a bit like watching Little House on the Prairie – it’s almost an absurd parody of the true harshnesses, shocking injustices and brutality of frontier life, but it sure was nice escaping to a fantasy for a few hours. I even enjoyed a song sung by Katie Brown (Seren Sandham-Davies) and Calamity about “A woman’s touch”, where they spruced up the homestead cabin with some tablecloths, patchwork curtains and dried flowers. No trad-wives here though, thankfully – Calamity is whip-smart and there is plenty of sass and energy from Vinny Coyle (playing Wild Bill) and the wonderful Samuel Holmes playing Francis Fryer. Holmes’ comedy chops and comic physicality were a real highlight throughout. 

There were some humorous queer-coded moments which the producers could have leaned into a little more during the scenes where Katie Brown moves in and “runs away” with Calamity Jane. It’s a little “nudge-nudge, wink-wink”, but at least this production has a little more diversity than the man-fest that was the original film. The musicians and ensemble cast mingled about freely providing pace and colour to the script, which at times fell a little flat here and there. Being set in the Wild West with a gaggle of blow-ins, the accents did wander a little “off-piste” at times, but anyone whose watched a production of Guys and Dolls will be familiar with accents oscillating between Noo Yoik and Surrey. It’s all good, clean fun and the cast were great sports and had a great rapport. Huge respect (or should I say Yee-Hawwww!) to Richard Lock for his bow-legged shuffling and toothless gurning as “Rattlesnake” – he really looked the part! 

Centering the entirety of the production in the same Saloon spot may have made sense, but I did find myself wanting to see more more travel, movement and visual interest in the wider set, which could perhaps provide more of a sense of place of the vast rolling plains and prairies where Calamity roamed. Her stagecoach excursions are brought to life by straddling the saloon pianos and chairs, spinning umbrellas, wheels and the two tapping coconut shells for horses hooves. It’s a nostalgic, good time romp through some of Hollywood’s most enduring musical classics and Carrie Hope Fletcher’s voice is truly beautiful. The production finished with an audience rendition of the Black Hills of Dekota, a hoedown reprise and joyous soft-shoe shuffling, spins (and – spoiler alert – there’s a double wedding). Well it was written in 1953 don’t forget…

There’s plenty of life in Calamity Jane and her musical / film iterations – It would be wonderful to see a Hollywood biopic of the real Calamity. Her letters and diary to her and Wild Bill’s daughter Janey in the 1800s were found to contain a true glimpse of her life and character. The songs only tell part of the story. But in the meantime, the stagecoach, Wild Bill and Calam will be in Cardiff til they “Whipcrack Away” on the March 15th. So if you’re fancying a hoe-down and a Sarsparilla, with the gang you’d better saddle up….

Calamity Jane at the WMC – Book here (closes 15th March)