ARTY CHOKE!
by @mabjones
APRIL is the cruelest month, wrote Shakespeare. But, in arty terms, it’s still as kind and generous as ever. Here are some of the cool events coming up.
We begin on Sun 1 Apr with Made In Spring, the sibling festival to the very popular Made In Roath, which offers a whole weekend of wondrous activities. More family friendly fun comes in the form of the Explore! Children’s Festival at the Royal Welsh College Of Music And Drama on Tues 10 and Wed 11 Apr.
In my own favourite sphere, lit world will be buzzing with bright and brilliant happenings. On Fri 12 we see the launch of Jon Gower’s latest novel, and the writer will be in conversation with cultural colonel Gary Raymond. That’s at the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea. At the same venue, poet Lynne Rees will be giving a reading on Thurs 26, while not far away at the Dylan Thomas Birth Place there will be a celebration of poetry and music for Welsh Mam’s Day on Fri 27. In Cardiff, the Welsh heat of the National Team Poetry Slam will take place at 10 Feet Tall on Sun 29.
Clytemnestra (from Wed 18) will be Sherman Cymru’s first commissioned English language production since its reopening in February, and is written by ex-National Poet Gwyneth Lewis. It sounds fantastic! I am also looking forward to Jon Treganna’s play Buggerall, which shows as part of the Laugharne Festival.
Up‘n’coming comic Elis James (who has given this poet many lifts to gigs – ta Elis!) is in Cardiff Bay’s Glee Club on Wed 4, while Rich Hall will be in Port Talbot’s Princess Royal Theatre on Mon 30. The bitingly funny Dan Le Sac v Scroobius Pip are in the Globe on Thurs 12, and their unique blend of satire, spoken word, and electro-hip-pop comes highly recommended.
In music, the Porthcawl International Jazz Festival begins on Fri 13, while the Osmonds will be at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena on Sat 14. People of a certain age, take note!
As a Diff-born gal, I am looking forward to the Cardiff Before Cardiff photo exhibition at the Wales Millennium Centre from Thurs 5 – come along and look out for your great-great-grand-parents. Elysium in Swansea has the very interesting looking Reconstructions exhibition from Fri 27, and Attic will be showcasing North Walian Gwyn Roberts from Sat 21.
So, not a cruel month at all really. Enjoy!