Carlos Acosta / Spring Fringe / The Beauty Parade / Tylwyth

Well, obviously, coronavirus panic has called a halt to all theatrical activity for the time being (including a rudimentary project I was working on); but at least I managed to see and review some interesting stuff before the shut-down.

Acosta Danza (photo: Johan Persson)

The most high-profile was legendary Cuban ballet dancer Carlos Acosta’s company delivering a beautifully diverse programme entitled “Acosta Danza Evolution” at the Wales Millennium Centre, culminating in Christopher Bruce’s amusing Rolling Stones-soundtracked “Rooster”. Also celebratory, although in a more sombre fashion was Kaite O’Reilly’s “The Beauty Parade”, in the W.M.C.’s Weston Studio - an aesthetically ambitious, multi-media tribute to female undercover operatives during World War 2.

 

Sophie Stone in "The Beauty Parade" (photo: Jorge Lizalde)

I also caught two shows in the now-truncated Spring Fringe season at The Other Room: the likeably ramshackle “Back To Berlin”, about the beginning of the end of the Cold War; and Katie Greenall’s “Fatty Fat Fat”, a brave but funny look at body image. There was, in addition, a trip to Newport’s Riverfront to see Operasonic’s enchanting “Vehicles”, a small-scale opera for young people, with a science-fiction twist.

 

"Back To Berlin" (photo: Dali Mia Poulsom)

The big hit of the year, however, was shaping up to be “Tylwyth” at the Sherman, Daf James follow-up to “Llwyth”, his pioneering look at the lives of gay men within a Welsh-speaking environment. I was delighted to note that a familiarity with the first play was unnecessary, and while I didn’t get all of the cultural references, sur-titles meant that most of the wit and darkness came across. Sadly, however, like most cultural life in the U.K. and beyond, the Welsh tour has been postponed.

 

"Tylwyth"

"Wolf" / "Suspense" / "Carmen"

Two theatre-reviewing assignments this week: my first visit of the year to The Other Room for a show in their Springe Fringe season of curated work – Lewis Doherty’s “Wolf” – a clever one-man parody action movie; and “An Evening Of… Suspense” – two classic American radio plays, including “Sorry, Wrong Number”, at the Atrium.

 

Lewis Doherty as "Wolf" (photo: Geraint Lewis)

In between, I took advantage of the rare opportunity to see an opera I’ve always wanted to  – Bizet’s “Carmen” from the Welsh National Opera at the Wales Millennium Centre (from the cheapest of cheap, restricted view tickets, in the upper circle). And a beautiful experience it was too, in Jo Davies’ production, apparently set in 1970s Brazil. Julia Mintzer was compellingly sexy as the titular temptress, but Peter Auty as soldier Don José and Giorgio Caoduru as Escamillo, the bullfighter she abandons him for were also hugely impressive, as was Elin Pritchard, making her home debut as the disregarded Micaëla. Timeless melodies, of course, teeing us up for the startlingly violent conclusion. Hopefully not the first major ambition I’ll achieve this year.

"Sprinkles"/"Constellations"

I finally got a chance to see “Sprinkles” – the first play from actress Katie-Elin Salt – presented as a Dirty Protest rehearsed reading at Chapter. The festive tale of a troubled young woman who gets a job as a department store elf, and is forced to face up to an unhappy past, it manages to be both poignant and scabrously funny. Having been in development for a while, it’s apparently destined to get a full run next year.

A few weeks ago, at The Other Room, I also got the opportunity to experience Nick Payne’s dazzlingly clever multiverse drama, “Constellations”, in what was essentially an amateur production (originating with The Unknown Theatre Company), although a highly accomplished one, with the play’s complexities beautifully realised.

"Constellations" (photo: Walter Hampson)

And it looks as though my first reviewing assignment of 2020 is booked in: “The King And I” at the Wales Millennium Centre. Shall we dance?

Edinburgh Fringe Shows / Homeless World Cup

This is the time of year when all theatrical activity ceases everywhere except in Edinburgh, so I thought I might as well flag up my reviews of those productions I’ve seen in Cardiff which are playing on the Festival Fringe – all of them solo shows, as it happens.

Carys Eleri’s multimedia take on love and loneliness, “Lovecraft” returns, last year’s run having been curtailed due to a bereavement; National Theatre Wales are showcasing two of their N.H.S. monologues, including Rachel Trezise’s abortion-themed “Cotton Fingers”; Dirty Protest are offering Sian Owen’s Newport odyssey “How To Be Brave”; Jonny Cotsen muses on his experience of a lifetime of deafness in “Louder Is Not Always Clearer”; and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama are bringing Benjamin McCann’s apocalyptic “Grit”. There’s also a non-Welsh show which played at The Other Room: “Laurie Black – Space Cadette”.

 

Carys Eleri (Photo - Kirsten McTernan)

Meanwhile, in Cardiff, the Homeless World Cup, backed spiritual and financially by Welsh actor Michael Sheen has been happening, which was well worth popping down to see in the city’s Bute Park, whether to check out the four-a-side sporting action, or other events, including musical entertainment in the evening. On Thursday, I managed to see the much-acclaimed relative indie newcomers Mellt, who were very impressive; as well as one of the finest bands ever to come out of Wales, The Joy Formidable, led by charismatic guitar heroine Ritzy, who mentioned that they were marking their tenth anniversary. Some very powerful, emotional songs, anchored by some jazz-tinged bass-playing; with the genial mood enhanced by the rabble-rousing drummer. Lovely stuff.

The Joy Formidable (with Michael Sheen side of stage)

"Yesterday" / "Seen" at The Other Room

Richard Curtis is adept at spinning an entire comedy screenplay out of a one-line idea. “Yesterday” is his latest, based on the idea that after a freak, worldwide power-outage, only one person – failing singer-songwriter Jack Malick, played by Himesh Patel – is able to remember that the Beatles exist, and is thus in a position to pass their classic songs off as his own. Patel is charmingly dorkish and even Ed Sheeran is effective in a cameo (as himself), but the heart of the film is Lily James as Malick’s (inexplicably single) friend/manager. There are plentiful cheesy moments, and the premise isn’t fully explored (perhaps because this would complicate things hugely), but the whole thing is lifted by director Danny Boyle’s trademark visual flourishes. “Yesterday” is really all about the love and power of music, though, and it is this spirit which elevates it into feel-good territory.

"Yesterday" poster

I got the chance to get some more theatre-directing practice this past weekend, working on a short piece by Mike Leitch for an evening of readings, under the “Seen” banner at The Other Room Theatre. In collaboration with young actors Geri McNamara, Robin Harper and T.O.R.’s Nerida Bradley, I think we managed to make the most of an emotionally resonant script, one of diverse trio of shorts (the others being by Nicholas Currie and Claire Boot) which played, as it turned out, to a full house, which was very gratifying.

Pepperland / Young Artists Festival / Dirty Protest

Last week I got the opportunity to experience, for the first time, the work of legendary American choreographer Mark Morris, as “Pepperland”, his and composer Ethan Iverson's tribute to the Beatles' "Sgt Pepper" album played at the Wales Millennium Centre as part of his group's U.K. tour. Wonderful stuff - very colourful and witty, and a much-needed reminder of late 1960s idealism and optimism.

 

"Pepperland" (photo: Mat Hayward)

Last week also saw the 5th annual Young Artists Festival at The Other Room. I got to see the final night of three, on which short plays by Isley Lynn, Brad Birch, Roger Williams, Lisa Parry, Nerida Bradley and Owen Thomas were performed by a cohort of young actors. As always, a selection of pieces which ran the gamut from darkly experimental to broadly comic; as always, an impressive set of performances.

There were more short plays the following evening. I managed to get to a hastily arranged evening of Dirty Protest pieces at local vegetarian cafe Milgi which was where the project started, in 2007, and which was due to close its doors for the final time. The yurt out back has hosted work by dozens of writers (myself included), and been graced by the presence of some remarkable actors (including, on one memorable occasion, a pre-fame Arthur Darvill and Phoebe Waller-Bridge). This celebratory event saw some of DP's greatest hits, from Kit Lambert, Tracy Harris, Alan Harris, Rhiannon Boyle and Roger Williams (again) performed by Siwan Morris (who took part in the very first Dirty Protest), Matthew Bulgo, Gareth Pierce and Rhian Blythe. All very jolly, and this time, I managed to get a seat.

Macbeth / Les Miserables / Storm 3 / Bottom / Camp Be Yourself / Motown / How To Be Brave

Last year, my birthday trip was to London to see the National Theatre’s “Macbeth”. Inevitably, less than a year later, it arrived in Cardiff, albeit with an entirely different cast, so I took the opportunity to experience it again at the Wales Millennium Centre. Famously given what might be termed a “chavvy” styling, the touring version seemed a little less barking mad than the original production – but still enjoyable and action-packed.

Michael Nardone as Macbeth (photo: Brinkhoff-Mogenburg)

Talking of barking madness, I was fortunate to be invited to review a preview performance of a Brexit-themed “Les Misérables” from August 012 at Chapter; drawing parallels between the battle of Waterloo and Britain’s relationship with the rest of the European Union – typical organised chaos from director Mathilde Lopez.

"Les Miserables" (photo: Studio Cano)

European identity was also in the subtext of “Storm 3: Together And Alone” from National Theatre Wales in Newport; Mike Brookes’ adaptation of Simone De Beauvoir’s “The Ethics of Ambiguity”; a bit of a hard slog, but a talented young Welsh cast.

"Storm 3" (National Theatre Wales)

More unambiguously entertaining was “Motown The Musical”, back at the Wales Millennium Centre; using the life-story of Berry Gordy Jr as a hook on which to hang some spectacular performances from that remarkable songbook.

"The Supremes" in "Motown The Musical" (photo: Tristram Kenton)

I also enjoyed the final two performances in the Spring Fringe season at The Other Room: “Camp Be Yourself”, an American summer-camp spoof from Box Theatre Company; and Willy Hudson’s “Bottom”, about the contemporary gay experience.

"Camp Be Yourself" (Box Theatre Company)

And, most recently, courtesy of Dirty Protest Theatre, Siân Owen’s “How To Be Brave”, a heartening one-woman play about being supported through tough times, performed in front of a community audience in the heart of Newport, the city which inspired it.

Laura Dalgleish in "How To Be Brave" (photo: Kirsten McTernan)

Roberto Devereux / Awakening / Peeling / The Full Monty / Shrew etc

There’s nothing like a spot of variety. On successive evenings at the end of February I watched a one-man play recreating a fictional kids TV show, a traditional 19^th century opera given a steam-punk visual flourish, and a trilogy of contemporary dance pieces, one involving spectacular mirror-based illusionism.

Justin Teddy Cliffe’s “Tigerface” – a piece about the importance of not letting go of your childhood dreams - was part of the Spring Fringe season at The Other Room, in which the very clever “Bummer And Lazarus”, a kind of canine take on “Waiting For Godot”, also featured.

Joyce El-Khoury (photo: Bill Cooper)

The opera was Donizetti’s “Roberto Devereux” from Welsh National Opera; a piece with which I was previously unfamiliar. This is his take on the story of Queen Elizabeth 1^st and the Earl of Essex, and featured a remarkably intense lead performance from Joyce El-Khoury as the vengeful monarch. In contrast, a couple of weeks later, again in the Wales Millennium Centre, came the touring version of “The Full Monty”, which was probably a closer adaptation of the angry “steelworkers turned male strippers” film than the largely female audience was expecting.

"Afterimage" (photo: Rhys Cozens)

The dance show was “Awakening” from National Dance Company Wales, comprising their now-classic “Tundra”, alongside the magical “Afterimage”, and Caroline Finn’s pagan-ritual-influenced “Reveller’s Mass”. This was in the Newport Riverfront, where the following week I saw Taking Flight’s revival of Kaite O’Reilly’s “Peeling”, about three actresses with disabilities reflecting on tokenism and much else.

"The Taming Of The Shrew" (photo: Mark Douet)

In addition to this was the Sherman’s “The Taming Of The Shrew”, which was free-wheeling fun featuring a strong largely female cast, although Jo Clifford’s gender-swapping Shakespeare rewrite didn’t really solve the problems of the play’s inherent sexism; and Meltem Arikan’s “Y Brain/Kargalar”, a lyrical two-hander in Welsh and Turkish about memory, exile and reinvention.

Then there was the Creative Conversation, hosted by National Theatre Wales, a day-long “Devoted and Disgruntled” discussion event, which was meant to be about the future of Welsh theatre in general rather than criticisms of the company; although a few inevitably surfaced. Still, it was good to be in a room with lots of people who love the art form.

"tick, tick... BOOM!" / Stammermouth / "See-Through" / Hijinx

I was lucky enough to pay my first ever visit to the Valleys town of Newbridge, a week or so ago, to see the inaugural production from a new company, Yes Please :– Jonathan “Rent” Larson’s small-scale rock musical “tick… tick… BOOM!” – an excellent trio of performances, even if the source material was a tad irritating in that neurotically complacent “off-Broadway musical” way.

There were also two visits to The Other Room, for their Spring Fringe season of off-beat visiting works – Stammermouth’s “Just A Few Words”, which has a personal resonance for me; and Claire Gaydon’s YouTube tragi-comedy, “See-Through” – both deceptively clever.

 

Stammermouth (photo: Holly Cade)

Not to mention the latest from Hijinx at the Sherman, in collaboration with Teatro La Ribalta and Frantic Assembly: “Into The Light” - a highly imaginative physical theatre piece in which performers both with and without learning disabilities explored the hunger to perform.

"Into The Light" (Hijinx)

"Space Cadette" / "Blue"

My first two theatre reviews of 2019 – inevitably, two very different pieces of work. First up was “Space Cadette”, part of a curated season of work from various festival fringes at The Other Room – a science-fiction-inflected cabaret performance from the very talented Laurie Black.

"Space Cadette"

A few days later came “Blue” from Chippy Lane at Chapter – a West-Walian family comedy-drama heavily influenced (this is acknowledged by producer Rebecca Jade Hammond and writer Rhys Warrington) by Tennessee Williams; if the critical consensus thus far is anything to go by, it’s the hit of the season.

"Blue" (photo: Kirsten McTernan) 

"The Last Five Years" / "Saturday Night Fever" / "Cheer" / "Frankenstein"

The big cultural news at the moment, locally, is the cancellation, through a bizarre set of circumstances, of the Wales Theatre Awards, about which it would be unwise to pontificate in public. This, added to continuing criticism of National Theatre Wales (I was lucky enough to be one of a group of writers who met with the Arts Council of Wales to discuss this very issue a few weeks ago), seems to paint a picture of a toxic atmosphere. There does seem, however, to be a great deal of solidarity amongst artists, which can only be a good sign in terms of future developments.

In terms of actual theatre-going, I’ve seen two musicals set in New York at the Wales Millennium Centre in the past few weeks: firstly, Leeway Productions’ bold reinvention of Jason Robert Brown’s off-Broadway doomed-relationship drama “The Last Five Years” as a piece inclusive of deaf performers (and audiences), exploiting the theme of mis-communication; and a lavish touring version of “Saturday Night Fever”, with all the grit of the original film, but the Bee Gees music intact.

"Saturday Night Fever" (photo: Pamela Raith)

My first festive show of the season was “Cheer”, from Big Loop at The Other Room – a clever, Orwellian take on Christmas. Then came Cascade Dance Theatre’s “Frankenstein” at Chapter – an exploration of the themes of Mary Shelley’s original, boasting some startling imagery and an excellent, largely electronic score played live.

"Cheers" (photo: Tess Seymour)

October 2018 etc

Again, much theatre-going in the past few weeks – largely themed around female talent, as it happened. There was Alan Harris’ “This Incredible Life” at Chapter, starring Welsh legend Sharon Morgan as a feisty former journalist afflicted by dementia; two touring productions at The Other Room – Isley Lynn’s startlingly frank, vaginismus-oriented “Skin A Cat”, and “Lands”, from Antler Theatre, a friendship-themed comedy-drama with a clever trampoline motif; “Street” and “Izzy’s Manifestos” a double-bill of monologues by Susan Monkton and Kevin Jones at A.J.’s Coffee House; and, on a somewhat more epic scale, the all-female version Nigel Williams’ adaptation of William Golding’s “Lord Of The Flies” at the Sherman.

"Lord Of The Flies" (photo: Sam Taylor)

Added to this, there was Alun Saunders’ “Tuck”, a musical drama about mental health issues amongst the drag-queen community, which kicked off the latest Performances For The Curious season at the Wales Millennium Centre; plus, again at the The Other Room another Kevin Jones play, the darkly nostalgic (well, 1990s) “Cardiff Boy”, which is turning out to be one of the most-praised productions of the year. Then there was National Dance Company Wales’ “Roots” at the W.M.C.’s Dance House – three short pieces intended to provide a painless introduction to contemporary ballet.

"Cardiff Boy" (photo: Kirsten McTernan)

The biennial Artes Mundi Prize has returned to the National Museum of Wales. This time round, it comprises two video installations (Bouchra Khalili’s take on Jean Genet’s supportive visit to see the Black Panthers in 1970; a fairly static piece by Apichatpong Weerasethakul; two 3D installations (Anna Boghiguian’s reflections on the steel industry; a tapestry twinned with a circular metal construction from Otobong Nkanga), and what I found the most immediately appealing exhibit – Trevor Paglen’s photography which finds ironic beauty in defence/aerospace technology.

The Made in Roath Festival was also taking place – I was lucky enough to be part of a well-attended Roathbud screening of short films, with “The Good Girl”.

"The Good Girl" by Lucy Logsdon from OTHNIEL SMITH on Vimeo.

There have also been a couple of visits to the cinema. I was impressed and moved by the latest remake of “A Star Is Born”, Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut (he also co-wrote the screenplay and some of the songs, and stars, of course). The style is quite cine-verité, and he and Lady Gaga are both highly convincing as Jackson, the alcoholic country-rock star on the skids, and Ally, the struggling, insecure club singer with whom he hooks up. There are some excellent supporting turns, especially from Sam Elliot as Jackson’s much older half-brother. The musical performances are believable as well, with Jackson’s rootsy “authenticity” cleverly contrasted with Ally’s shift from earnestness into choreographed commercial pop. Inevitably, there are few surprises in terms of narrative, but it still hits home, emotionally.

I also went to see Steve McQueen’s “Widows”, his adaptation of the 1980s’ TV series which I never saw) about the wives of slain robbers carrying out a heist. Stylishly done, if a little slow to begin with, with a script which deftly (but unsubtly) links organised crime with urban power politics. Some excellent performances, too, led by powerhouse Viola Davis, but with Elizabeth Debicki luminous as an abused woman finally finding herself, and Daniel Kaluuya as an extremely unpleasant bad guy.

"And Suddenly I Disappear" / "35 Times" / "The Awkward Years" / "Vincent River" / "Let's Talk About Death, Baby" / "La Traviata" / NTW Letter

Another amusing month of theatre-reviewing, starting with Kaite O’Reilly’s “And Suddenly I Disappear” at Chapter, a multimedia disquisition on attitudes towards disability, taking in both the U.K and Singapore; a trip to Newport to see the touring revival of Mercury Theatre Wales’ “35 Times”, taking on marital abuse; Matthew Bulgo’s “The Awkward Years” at The Other Room, featuring an excellent solo performance from Lauren O’Leary as a young woman on the verge of self-destruction; the unfamiliar location of Jacobs Antiques Market to catch Philip Ridley’s surprisingly conventional tale of homophobic violence, “Vincent River”; back to Chapter for “Dick Johns – Let’s Talk About Death, Baby”, the sort-of sequel to his “What Mid-Life Crisis” show from 2016; and most spectacularly, the Welsh National Opera’s re-staging of their first ever show at the Wales Millennium Centre, Verdi’s “La Traviata” – a rare chance to see a popular classical opera in a period setting.

"The Awkward Years" (photo: Kirsten McTernan)

Added to this, I was one of the signatories of an open letter to National Theatre Wales, questioning their work-rate and artistic policies, which turned out to be somewhat newsworthy, and may actually have some impact, hopefully positive.

"War Horse" / Theatre Uncut

The National Theatre’s 10^th anniversary tour of their massively successful adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s World War 1 novel “War Horse” has just arrived for a month-long residency at the Wales Millennium Centre, and I was glad to get to review it. Not entirely flawless, narrative-wise, but it is a technical marvel – and, of course, the horse puppetry is every bit as remarkable as advertised.

"War Horse" (pic: Wales Millennium Centre)

Every year, London company Theatre Uncut commissions a number of short, politically-oriented plays to be put on, worldwide, rights-free, as part of fundraising and consciousness-raising events. The 2018 batch, entitled “Power Plays”, are all written by women, and were performed for two nights at The Other Room in Cardiff. I went along purely out of curiosity, but the experience prompted me to suggest a short piece for the Wales Arts Review, which, fortunately, they saw fit to publish.

"Lovecraft" / "Five Green Bottles"

It’s a busy couple of weeks in Cardiff, for those interested in performance. The biennial Festival of Voice, produced by the Wales Millennium Centre is attracting stars of the magnitude of Elvis Costello, Patti Smith and Laura Marling, but there’s also a lot going on in terms of smaller scale, theatrical events. Thus I went to see “Lovecraft (Not The Sex Shop In Cardiff)”, a poppy musical take on the science of relationships written and performed by Carys Eleri. Great fun, and, one would hope, sure to attract attention when it plays in Edinburgh, come Festival time.

"Lovecraft"

Then, as well as the brilliant Young Artists’ Festival at The Other Room (to which I paid a highly enjoyable visit as a punter this year, having participated as a director last year), there is the Cardiff Fringe Theatre Festival, in which a lot of small companies take over non-traditional venues. So, it was downstairs at the Little Man Coffee bar that I saw “Five Green Bottles”, a new play which started out as a dark take on the 1960s sexual revolution and got still darker; it’s a piece which certainly deserves to be seen again.

"Solo" / "Mydidae" / "Peacekeeping"

Recent reviewing assignments included a double-bill of new short operas in the Ffresh Restaurant at the Wales Millennium Centre, “Peacekeeping” / “The Filmmaker And The Organ Trader”, which made up in musical inventiveness for what they lacked in narrative subtlety. Rather more involving was “Mydidae”, Jack Thorne’s intense drama about a troubled relationship, set entirely in a bathroom, presented by OtherLife, a company working out of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, at The Other Room – traumatic and compelling.

 

"Mydidae" (photo: Jack Willingham)

Being only a lukewarm follower of the “Star Wars” franchise, I went to see “Solo – A Star Wars Story” as a fan of sci-fi cinema generally. It’s the relatively straightforward tale of how Alden Ehrenreich’s young Han Solo develops from low-level thief to a slightly-higher-grade space pirate, picking up a surname, a furry friend, and some romantic cynicism along the way. Director Ron Howard (who replaced the “Lego Movie” team of Lord and Miller) reliably provides high-tech action and humour, and the story benefits from the absence of the mysticism and mythology of the series proper, although the shadow of The Empire is ever-present. As ever, the inevitable shoot-em-up sequences test the attention-span; but the film as a whole is more than entertaining enough.

ScriptDawg / "The Effect" / "The Play That Goes Wrong" / Finch & Keita

My big event of the past few weeks was my short play, “Nerd”, being presented by the good people of ScriptDawg at AJ’s Coffee Bar in Cardiff, alongside the amusing and aptly named “Chitterlings” by Leah Byrne, as part of “An Evening With Pigs”. My play, a monologue inspired by the on-going sexual abuse/exploitation scandal which has hit Hollywood and elsewhere and inspired the #metoo movement, was given a pitch-perfect performance by Chris Pegler-Lambert, as a British film producer reflecting on his own behaviour. One hopes the story will continue.

The director, Allan Neve, is also working as assistant director on “The Effect” at The Other Room, Lucy Prebble’s play set in a lab where anti-depression medication is being tested, and two subjects struggle to ascertain whether their mutual attraction is natural or chemically induced; a powerful production of a piece which manages to both ridiculously clever and emotionally involving. Also very clever, but largely in terms of stage mechanics, was another review assignment - the touring production of worldwide success “The Play That Goes Wrong” at the New Theatre; taking the form of a disastrous amateur theatre production of a 1920s murder mystery, it’s very funny - a masterpiece of comic timing and set design.

"The Effect" (photo: Kieran Cudlip)

Most recently, there was my brother’s gift of a rare visit to St David’s Hall, to see the inspired pairing of legendary Welsh harpist Catrin Finch and Senegalese kora-player Seckou Keita. The melding of two apparently disparate folk traditions was almost seamless, although, stylistically, it largely seemed to favour the Celtic side of the equation, although with more rhythmic colour. Their take on Bach’s Goldberg Variations was particularly breath-taking. Finch, wearing an extravagantly punky black wig, since she is currently undergoing medical treatment, seemed in high spirits and her playing was flawless, as was Keita’s – his brief lesson in kora technique was fascinating. They were briefly joined by another huge name in roots music circles – support act Gwyneth Glyn, whose more traditional take on folk (her own band including veteran musician and producer Dylan Fowler) was also very affecting. And it was a pleasure to be reminded once more of the marvellous acoustics in that venue. A magical couple of hours.

"Ready Player One" / "Inheriting Gods" / "All But Gone"

Not being a video-games aficionado I initially had no interest in seeing “Ready Player One”. However, given the good reviews, and the proven story-telling acumen of Steven Spielberg, I figured, correctly as it turned out, that it would at least be a visually stimulating experience. The story involves the inter-connectedness between a hellish real world of high-rise trailer-park slums, and a CGI realm of 3D gaming with real-life consequences. There is a quest, involving a group of “virtual” friends, led by Tye Sheridan and Olivia Cooke, seeking a set of keys which will allow them to take control of their universe and impeded by the villainous Ben Mendelsohn. It’s all very entertaining, with echoes of “Charlie And The Chocolate Factory”, plentiful positive undertones (inclusivity, little people rising up against The Man, the rise of the geeks), too many clever 1980s movie references to take in, and some good jokes. I suspect it won’t live long in the memory, however.

"Ready Player One" (Warner Bros)

My most recent theatre-reviewing assignments were Carmen Stephens’ likeable “Inheriting Gods” at Chapter, a two-hander about a Welsh girl on holiday in America making friends with a native American youth, and both of them reconnecting with their ancestors’ legacies; and the latest at The Other Room: Matthew Trevannions’s “All But Gone”, all about small-town relationships and life-long regrets – very emotional.

"Inheriting Gods" (photo: Kirsten McTernan)

"All But Gone" (photo: Kieran Cudlip)

"Terra Firma" / "A Number" / "Woman Of Flowers" / "The Commuter" / "The Shape Of Water"

My first reviewing assignment of the year was National Dance Theatre Wales three-part “Terra Firma” at the Sherman – a welcome chance to see two pieces I’ve seen before – “Folk” and the beautiful “Tundra”, alongside the recently-developed “Atalay”. Obviously, I’m no expert in dance, but there’s plenty there, in terms of grace and skill to delight the non-aficionado.

My second was the first in the new season at The Other Room – Caryl Churchill’s “A Number”, in which a father encounters cloned versions of his adult son. A very clever and involving two-hander, handled with great assurance.

And most recently, there was Theatr Pena’s “Woman of Flowers” at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama – Sion Eirian’s take on Saunders Lewis’ adaptation of the story of Blodeuwedd, from the Mabinogion – a rare chance to see some pleasingly weird classical Welsh theatre in English.

Sara Gregory in "Woman Of Flowers" (photo: Holly McCarthy)

I wouldn’t normally have gone to see a Liam Neeson action feature in the cinema, but “The Commuter” is notable for featuring my niece, Ella-Rae Smith, in what turns out (spoiler alert) to be an important role. The story of a recently unemployed salesman (and former cop) who is bribed/blackmailed by criminals to track down an associate on a commuter train, it’s very slickly directed by Jaume Collet-Serra; and Neeson is more charming than he’s allowed to be in his “Taken” guise. And, of course, Ella is excellent.

 “The Shape of Water”, Guillermo del Toro’s latest film is a fable of connection and outsiderdom, featuring a magical lead performance from Sally Hawkins. She plays Elisa, a mute cleaner, in a U.S. government facility in 1960s Baltimore, who becomes entranced by a new acquisition – a sea-creature captured in South America, the study of whose biology would impact on Man’s ability to breathe in space. The period detail is impeccable, as are the performances – Michael Shannon as the saturnine bad guy, Richard Jenkins as Elisa’s gentle, gay neighbour, and Octavia Spencer as her feisty friend and work-colleague.  It doesn’t break any new ground thematically, but it tells an age-old story with great style and sensitivity, and is well deserving of all the awards and nominations which are coming its way.

"The Disaster Artist" / "Wind In The Willows" / Flossy & Boo / "Cut & Run" / "The Chimes"

Like most people, I guess, I haven’t seen Tommy Wiseau’s “The Room” in its entirely, the clips that are available on Youtube having done enough to ensure me that it truly is one of the most inept films ever released. I was heartened, then, to see that “The Disaster Artist”, James Franco’s lightly fictionalised documentation of its production, is funny in a warm and sympathetic rather than a derisive way. The chemistry between him as Wiseau and Dave Franco as co-conspirator Greg Sestero is palpable (they are brothers, after all), and the portrait of obsessive ambition steaming ahead despite deficiencies in terms of talent is all too easy to relate to. A highlight in a year of strong, diverse films.

"The Disaster Artist"

Theatre experiences lately have included “Unspoken”, a double bill of mental illness-themed plays from Eno Theatre at the University of South Wales, and a number of festive offerings: The Sherman’s main stage production of “Wind In The Willows”, which was great fun; my first experience of local surreal comedy duo Flossy and Boo in their “Alternativity” at The Other Room; and Charles Dickens’ “The Chimes” – an adaptation of one of his Christmas novels, taking place in St John’s Church near Chapter, and featuring people who have experience of homelessness amongst the ensemble – highly effective, if a little unsubtle in terms of spoon-feeding contemporary relevance.

Flossy & Boo (photo: Llyr Attala)

And most recently, at Chapter, there was a Dirty Protest development (i.e. script-in-hand) performance of Branwen Davies “Cut And Run”, starring Catrin Stewart. Given that it’s the tale of a Welsh Londoner returning to spend the festive period at home, it could almost be a companion-piece to their previous success, Matthew Bulgo’s “Last Christmas”. The similarities end here, however; it is very much a woman’s story. There is dark humour and poignancy in equal measure; and its prospects should benefit from the fact that the narrative leaves Wales and Christmas far behind.