ARTY CHOKE!
Digesting the best of South Wales culture in the month ahead
by @mabjones
FEB’S the month the money begins to trickle back in and, with all the self-punishing resolutions broken, we can put our will power and our hard-earned moolah into some new and less puritanical projects! A bellydance class is just the thing for, if not shifting podge, then at least coming to terms with it… Tuesdays at NoFit State’s Junkbox Studios in Cardiff is the place for beginners, starting at 6.30pm, with Fiora Touliatou, a Greek-born goddess with the hippest hips in Christendom! If that’s too bellytastic for some of you, then how about a lovely romantic tea dance? Get yourself suited and booted and head to Porthcawl Pavilion on Tues 12 and/or Sat 26 for some band-led ballroom action.
The Royal Welsh College Of Music And Drama also has the very exciting Costume In Performance event happening on Mon 28 with ‘wild and wonderful costumes created from scrap and recycled materials’ in a mix of dance, music, light and sound that is sure to bedazzle and delight. You can also see NoFit State’s Noodles, a work in progress production inspired by Fellini’s film Fred and Ginger at Newport’s Riverfront from Wed 6-Fri 8.
Comedian Andrew Lawrence is at Cardiff’s Glee Club on Thurs 7 while The Riverfront has one of my faves, Russell Kane, on Sat 9. The delightful Simon Munnery is at Chapter on Wed 20 with “a beautiful mix of sketches, handcrafted animation, music and stand-up”. One of the perpetual questions in comedy is whether women can be funny… As Lucy Porter and Pam Ayres (another fave!) prove, of course they can. Lucy’s at Theatr Brycheiniog on Thurs 21 while Pam is at the (busy!) Riverfront on Fri 22.
Sherman Cymru will be showing Sexual Perversity In Chicago, David Mamet’s award-winning dark comedy which looks at love and relationships between friends in the 1970s. Sherman also showcase Grimm Tales, a collaboration between Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and award-winning Theatr Iolo. That’s on Thurs 28, too.
Award-winning choreographer Deborah Light brings together three remarkable dance artists in Hide, from Thurs 21 at Chapter. Art of the photographic sort then at Ffotogallery in Penarth with two of the most famous Lithuanian snappers on show – ground-breaking, and extremely powerful, Borderlines can be seen from Sat 16.