CPRW Landscape Art Exhibition @ Barnabas Arts House

words: JOE HOBBINS

A hot favourite for this week’s 10 things is undoubtedly The Ian McMillan Orchestra at The Royal Welsh College Of Music & Drama in Cardiff (Fri 21 Sept, 7.30pm. Tickets: £15/£12 concessions). This melting pot of musical creation promises to provide an evening of entertainment like no other, with a mixture of music, poetry, comedy and improvisation from the renowned poet.

Head down to the newly opened World Of Boats in Cardiff Bay, (Open every day from 10:30am, Admission: Adults £7.50). The exhibit features a fascinating array of boats and interactive gismos, with an on-screen guide on the evolution of boat craft from TV’s Dick Strawbridge. With kids entering for free – provided Dick’s moustache doesn’t scare them away – this promises to be a fun day out for all the family.

Check out this year’s hopeful contestants in the BBC Radio 2 New Comedy Award (Tue 18 Sept, tickets: £7) at The Glee Club in Cardiff Bay. With previous finalists including the likes of Alan Carr, Peter Kay and Rhod Gilbert, comedy fans are sure to be in for a treat. 

Thank god it’s Friday! Looking to wind down after a hard week? The Season Taster Concert at St David’s Hall, Cardiff, presents some of the highlights of the National Orchestra of Wales’ forthcoming Cardiff season. (Friday 21 Sept 7.30pm, tickets £10.00-£27.50, Concessions available).

Looking for something more lively? With its third season about to commence, Cwtch Cabaret will have you on the edge of your seat. Prepare to be amazed as these entertainment artists blow you away with a scintillating array of acrobatics, magic and danger. Pontardawe Arts centre, (Friday 21 Sept, 8pm, tickets- check online).

Witness the vibrant British folk and roots scene as the collaborative band KAN put their unique twist on tradition in their contribution to the Roots Unearthed series at St David’s Hall, Cardiff (Tue 18 Sept, 8pm, tickets: £12).

On a similar note, The Legendary folk duo of Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick are back in town as Pontardawe Arts centre (Fri 22 Sept, 7.30pm, tickets: £15/ £7.50 for Under 16’s). After an emotional reunion in 2006, the pair are said to be “back at their best” combining acoustic guitar, rousing solos and a variety of traditional folk accompaniments.

What do sculptures and landscapes have to do with sound? Puzzled? Visit the House Of Mirrors (Until Sun 4 Nov Open Tues-Sun 11pm-5pm, Admission: Free) exhibition at the Mission Gallery, Swansea. In this site-specific installation, audiences will explore the relationship between sound and landscape as the inspired use of mirrors and speakers challenges your perceptions.

If you’d rather admire the welsh landscape without all the confusion of sound and mirrors, the CPRW LANDSCAPE ART EXHIBITION at Barnabas Arts House in Newport (Sat 15 Sept-Sat 6 Oct, Open Tue-Sat: 9am-5pm, admission: Free) provides a vitally important reflection on the value of our environment. Celebrating the natural beauty of the Welsh countryside, the exhibition sees a combination of the work of 13 acclaimed welsh artists using a variety of mediums.

“Double, double, toil and trouble,” for an evening of thrills, murder, tragedy and deceit, head to Pontardawe Arts Centre and witness the first production in Pontardawe’s innovative Shake It Up Shakespeare Project as Michelle McTernan stars in Macbeth (Wednesday 19 Sept, 7.30pm, tickets: £5-£9).