Find out what’s on in South Wales this week
‘The rhythm of life is a powerful thing’…as is the River Of Light Parade (Caerphilly, Thurs 18 Dec, 6.30pm. Admissions: free) in Caerphilly. The illuminating annul event returns as the public are invited to watch hundreds of homemade lanterns light up the streets of Caerphilly, heading towards the town’s Castle – where the whole affair will end with a firework filled finale.
Lanterns aren’t the only bright and beautiful things parading around town this week as vintage swing trio the Puppini Sisters will be bringing their joy filled three-part harmonies to Cardiff. Their festive show, Christmas With The Puppini Sisters (Glee Club, Cardiff Bay, Tues 16 Dec. Tickets: £25), will see the ‘sisters’ don their best Christmas’ outfits and sing their merry hearts out.
If you like Christmas’ shows with less retro and more Russian dance then look no further than the Russian State Ballet’s rendition of The Nutcracker (St David’s Hall, Cardiff, Sat 20-Wed 24 Dec. Tickets: £14.50-£32 / £7.25-£17.25 child / £40-£95.00 family tickets). The world renowned ballet troupe will be bringing along the Orchestra Of Siberia to tell a good old fashioned love story.
If you’ve started lining up your Christmas films, and have Miracle On 34th Street listed then you might want to not bother digging out your decades old VHS recording of it and see the tale of Kris Kringle on the stage instead. Miracle On 34th Street The Musical (Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Thurs18-Tue 23 Dec. Tickets: £6-£12) will get a jolly looking man to convince a psychiatrist, a courtroom, and the entire state of New York, that Santa Claus is real – all in the medium of song!
On the darker side of festive theatre is Caroline Sabine’s dark, Narnia-esque Blood On The Snow (Four Elms, Newport Road, Cardiff, Fri 19 Dec-Tues 23 Dec. Tickets: £8-£12). Following her extremely successful A Curious Zoo two years ago (where she turned her own home into a captivating Christmas wonderland) Sabine returns this year with her interpretation of Benjamin Britten’s choral ensemble A Ceremony Of Carols. She will be breathing new life into the former Four Elms church (now run by circus group NoFit State) as she brings a magical forest into its halls.
Christmas do’s aren’t all snowy shows as the organisers of Escape’s Delusion throw their Delusion Christmas Party (Escape, Swansea, Sat 20 Dec. Tickets: £15/£10 early bird ticket) and round off the year with a festive trance and progressive party featuring Simon Patterson, Ben Nicky and plenty more.
Though he can usually be seen hitting the venues or London, or touring around the States with Elton John, synthpop singer Bright Light Bright Light (Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, Tues 16 Dec. Tickets: £10/£8 early bird) will be back on home turf with his house/synth/pop combo this week.
Something new is coming to town this week with DIY Cardiff Presents (Gwdihw, Cardiff, Tue 16 Dec. Tickets: £5) – a new punk collective who will be playing host to the loud pop-punk of Caves, the more melodic tunes of The Modern Farewell and weird emo sounds of Pipedream.
Though he’s been very busy writing soundtracks/making documentaries/writing books musician Gruff Rhys (Sherman Cymru, Cardiff, Thurs 18-Sat 20 Dec. Tickets: £20) still has time to play some live music. He’ll be performing some of his creative, grown-up pop with support from the melody-strong neo-psychedelia Martin Carr.
Another critically acclaimed creative is having his work showcased as the National Museum in Cardiff will be presenting Maurice Marinot: A Passion For Glass (Sat 20 Dec-Sun 7 Jun. Admissions: free). This 19th century artist was a glass-work pioneer was one of the first to create ornaments with the use of bubbles, metal leaf and coloured glass.