Find out what’s on in South Wales this week
It’s the week of Christmas and most of us will be heading off to see family, stuffing our faces fully and hibernating in the warmth of our homes until New Year’s resolutions force us to get out and about.
If you are, however, looking for something to keep you entertained this week then here’s a look at some of the events that are on in South Wales this week.
You don’t even have to leave the sofa for this one as Charlotte Church and Rhys Ifans will come to you – in the form of a surreal setting dreamt up by Dylan Thomas. They will be starring in Dan Y Wenallt (S4C – English subtitles available, Sat 27 Dec, 9pm), a welsh language take on Thomas famous ‘play for voices’ Under Milk Wood. Narrated by Ifan’s portrayal of the blind, old Captain Cat the movie shows a day in the life of sleepy fictional village Llareggub and its odd inhabitants (including Church’s baby obsessed Polly Garter).
If your thinking of hitting the clubs on boxing day, and working off some of that Christmas dinner, then you can bust some moves to cutting edge techno and a live performance from Ritzi Lee at Mood (Undertone, Cardiff, Fri 26. Tickets: £8).
For a brass-filled musical option you can’t go too wrong with the funk/ska/latin/jazz styling’s of Wonderbrass (Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Tue 23 Dec. Admissions: free) – especially as you can enjoy their performance in the WMC’s foyer for nothing!
If you’re looking to get your blood pumping then Dub War’s (The Bassment, Newport, Sat 27 Dec. Tickets: £12.50) reunion gig is a good place to start. The metal band formed in ’93 and their debut album Pain (1994) recalled everything from Faith No More to Jamaican dancehall, The Clash and I Against I-era Bad Brains. THis will be the band’s first live performance together since they parted way in 1997.
If Dub War isn’t enough o shock the system then a dip in the sea’s of Carmarthen Bay in the middle of Dec should do the job. The Tenby Boxing Day Swim (North Beach, Tenby, Fri 26 Dec. Entry: free) has been convincing people to dress up and run into the cold sea for 43 consecutive years. With around 600 swimmers getting involved (and most of them in fancy dress) last year, this is a great change to see waves of Pirates and Princesses will take to the water (or more likely, squeal and run quickly out of it).
You can see more Vikings and fairies breach the freezing waters at Pembrey Country Park for their Walrus Dip (Fri 26 Dec. Entry: free) and while you’re there you can go for a stroll down the award winning Cefn Sidan beach, or head to the borough of Bridgend for the 50th Porthcawl Christmas Morning Swim (Thurs 25 Dec. Admissions: free) to see over a thousand swimmers hitting the water for Ty Hafan.
You can get some Boxing Day fresh air and exercise without the cold waters by going a good old fashioned walk on the Dinas Powys Boxing Day Walk (Dinas Powys Village Square, Fri 26 Dec. Admissions: free) or for something a little bit warmer, and more relaxed then how about a Cardiff Geek Party (Gwdihw, Cardiff, Sun 28 Dec. Tickets: £1)? It’s a night out that feels like a night in with a range of retro consoles to get your hands on and play with.
Or watch other people get some exercise, in the form of ballet with Coppélia (St David’s Hall, Cardiff. Tickets: £14.50-£34.50 / £7.25-£17.25 children / £40-£95 family tickets). Filled with a good sense of humour (provided by incidences of mistaken identity and confused lovers) it’s a great choice for ballet beginners.