Sherman Swingers

No, Sherman Cymru hasn't started a swing band or swing dance classes (although both would be fun), they really are throwing a swingers party. On Friday 20 July, random pairings, created through the age-old method of keys in a bowl, will be spending the night together, but instead of bodily fluids these party-goers will be sharing ideas as they put together a new piece of theatre. They will then have less than two days to perfect their work, before presenting them to the public on Sunday afternoon.

Twenty writers (including BAFTA-winning Helen Griffin who I recently interviewed), ten directors and over forty actors will be involved, representing some of the best Welsh talent. Not only is this a one-off chance to experience these unique collaborations, it's also a rare opportunity to see the underbelly of Sherman Cymru, beyond the theatres. Each of the works will be written specifically for an area of the building other than the usual performance spaces, again chosen at random through the key bowl.  Having visited the dressing rooms, the wardrobe cupboard, the electricians' lair and so on during the Sherman Cymru Open House I'm very intrigued by what the teams will come up with to fill these spaces. The works will be presented in two tours around the building, each one lasting roughly an hour.

For tickets and a full list of the writers and directors involved see here.

Sherman Cymru camper van for sale

Regular readers will know that since Sherman Cymru reopened in February, it's become a bit of a second home for me. But before the £6.5million refurbishment was revealed, there was the camper van. This eye-catching vehicle toured Wales for two years, drumming up publicity and funding and keeping the name of the company in the public imagination. Now it could be yours, as Sherman Cymru are putting their van up for sale on eBay.

This is no ordinary camper van. Originally imported from Africa, this 25 year old vehicle has been beautifully restored with a reconditioned engine. In that quarter of a century, the van must surely have had an exciting life, and has now become a small part of theatre history. Since 2010, it helped to keep Sherman Cymru producing while their building was being beautified, by taking productions to other theatres and unusual locations throughout Wales.

Now that the theatre is back in business, the camper van needs a new loving home. So from Sunday 17 June, for 7 days, the camper van will be auctioned on eBay (http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/shermancymru/) with a reserve of £9,000. The Sherman Cymru branding will be removed before the sale, but the van will still be bright pink. So if you want an eye-catching vehicle with a fascinating history, get bidding!

Matthew Bourne's Early Adventures: Review

As Matthew Bourne celebrates the 25th anniversary of his company New Adventures, he has revived three of the earliest works to win him acclaim: Spitfire, Town and Country and The Infernal Galop, creating the triple-bill Early Adventures. This a rare chance to experience the birth of Bourne's iconic style which for a quarter of a century now has been redefining the possibilities of dance. At the heart of all three pieces is a drive to turn the unexpected into dance. Bourne has a unique talent for spotting and building upon the choreography in unlikely actions, such as being washed, dried and dressed by a servant. When I interviewed Matthew Bourne (listen to the whole conversation here) I asked if he was reacting against the common perception of dance as sweet and fluffy. He agreed, explaining that there's nothing wrong with sweet and fluffy but dance can be so much more. Early Adventures is at turns erotic, playful and deeply comic, proving just how versatile dance can be.

Spitfire (1988), subtitled "An advertisement divertissement", transfers a traditional ballet soundtrack to a male underwear advert,  full of posturing and bravado. Bourne's appreciation of the male form is nowhere more evident, but Spitfire is also an extremely funny piece. Bourne insists that he makes theatre, not dance, and so the facial expressions of the characters tell just as much of a story as their bodies, with each model desperate to be the most desired. 

Town & Country (1991) was the first piece for which New Adventures were nominated for an Olivier Award, and my favourite of the three. A series of vignettes, often bursting with irony, present typical scenes from the contrasting areas. Town ranges from a homage to Brief Encounter to a stunning scooter number (I was amazed they could balance so well at such a pace). Country, on the other hand, encompasses clog dancing, cow milking, fox hunting and some incredibly cute, scene-stealing puppets. While most of the pieces are incredibly funny, the tone suddenly changes to beautiful, moving pieces, which prove that from the beginning Bourne was an all-round talent.

The Infernal Galop (1989), "A French dance with English subtitles", features French icons from La Marseillaise and the Can-Can to Edith Piaf. Mocking French stereotypes, especially passionate romance, the choreography always tells a story and often makes you laugh out loud.  

"The productions and cast numbers might have got bigger over the years, but I'd like to think that desire to make people laugh and cry and to give audiences a great night out was there right from the very beginning" - Matthew Bourne, programme notes.

Watching Early Adventures, you have to agree with Bourne. From this highly entertaining piece, the origins of his iconic style are very clear, yet Early Adventures does not pale in comparison with his latter enormous successes. While they are older than me, these early pieces still seem so fresh and original - like all of Bourne's ground-breaking work, they retain a timeless quality. Bourne's undeniable talent as a choreographer and director is only enhanced by the supremely talented cast, who can not only dance with enviable skill, but also bring so much energy and character to their performance. If you've ever been put off dance because you think it's staid and dull, let Matthew Bourne and his Early Adventures prove you wrong.

Early Adventures is at Sherman Cymru until 6 June, then continues touring. Full details at http://www.new-adventures.net/productions/early_adventures or @early_adventures on Twitter.

Matthew Bourne's Early Adventures

Back in November, Matthew Bourne brought his ground-breaking Nutcracker! to the Wales Millennium Centre, where I was lucky enough to meet and interview him. At the time he told me he would be bringing his Early Adventures to Sherman Cymru in June, and I've been looking forward to it ever since. Now it's almost here!

Matthew is, in my opinion at least, the greatest living choreographer. For the last 25 years, he has been redefining dance, breaking boundaries between ballet and contemporary, and creating iconic pieces that are full of energy, style and humour. His all-male Swan Lake is instantly recognisable and revolutionised the way dance is conceived. When I met Matthew I was actually shaking, I was so nervous to meet such a legend. He was absolutely lovely though, extremely down-to-earth and welcoming, which just makes me admire him even more.

In our conversation, we obviously discussed Nutcracker!, which was celebrating its twentieth anniversary (but remains as fresh as ever!), but we also spoke about Early Adventures and Matthew's style in general. Early Adventures brings together three of his earliest, critically acclaimed pieces, which launched his career: Spitfire, Town & Country and The Infernal Galop. Matthew says that he has built on these early pieces, keeping a similar style, throughout his work, so this is a great opportunity to experience the foundations of his incredible career.

To get an idea of Matthew's style, if you're not already familiar with it, watch this trailer.

Matthew Bourne's Early Adventures is on at Sherman Cymru, Cardiff 5-6 June. Tickets are available here. More information about the show and the other tour dates is available here.

Minsk 2011: A Reply to Kathy Acker

I've never really thought very much about Belarus. I didn't even know that it is Europe's last dictatorship. So while Minsk may not always be an easy watch, it's undoubtedly a necessary effort to raise awareness of the problems that afflict the country particularly its capital city.

Police brutality, homophobia, alcoholism and the prevalence and power of the sex industry are just some of the issues raised in this multimedia piece from the Belarus Free Theatre, which blends theatre and movement with video projection. The title refers to an earlier work by the BFT, New York in 1979, based on a text about identity and sexuality from American punk writer Kathy Acker. Minsk thus relocates these issues to the Belarusian capital, weaving together stories of struggles and scars.

"Many girls find scars sexy. In this regard, Minsk is a beautiful and very sexy city".

Minsk is a deeply personal piece. Written as a collaboration between all the performers, every story we see and hear is true and the result of bitter personal experience, which is what gives Minsk its power. Most of the performers lost their jobs in Minsk and/or were arrested because they dared to use theatre as a way to protest. Some aren't even allowed to ever go back. There are some laugh-out-loud moments, reflecting how humour is often born as a way of dealing with difficult situations. Often light-hearted, joyful scenes will suddenly change to something dark; like a peaceful carnival shattered by police violence. It's this contrast that shocks the audience out of apathy, reminding us that the repression and exploitation in Belarus doesn't go away just because we are not thinking about it. In fact, the culmination of the play is a gut-wrenching cry out to the rest of Europe, the rest of the world, asking just how much does Belarus have to do to get our attention.

Minsk is an absorbing character piece. It will make you feel uncomfortable at times, but that means the Belarus Free Theatre are achieving what they set out to do. The piece is a fascinating, and very moving, insight into a country that is rarely on our radar, guaranteed to leave you thinking long after it finishes.

Cardiff events this week not to be missed

If I were in Cardiff this week, there's a whole load of fantastic cultural goings-on I wouldn't want to miss. However, as I'm going into hospital instead, I'd like to encourage other people to go and then report back to me please!

Poetry Under Pressure - Thurs 24/Fri 25 May 

Academics from my department at Cardiff University - the School of European Languages, Translation and Politics - have invited two East German poets, Uwe Kolbe and Richard Pietraß, for a two-day poetry extravaganza. There's a poetry reading (Thurs 7-8:30, Chapter) and a public colloquium (Fri from 10, EUROS building) featuring interviews, talks from academics and a free lunch, as well as two workshops, one for translators (Thurs 10-12, EUROS building) and one for poets (Fri 3-5, Wales Millennium Centre).

The full programme is available here: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/europ/newsandevents/events/underpressure.html

The Human Library - Sat 26 May @ The Old Library

More from the School of European Languages, Translation and Politics, this time as part of the Transeuropa Festival. The Human Library is like a real library, only the books are humans. People from a whole range of backgrounds with so many different life experiences. 'Readers' sit down with their 'book' and get to know there story. Given that Cardiff is such a vibrant city, I'm sure there'll be lots of people with fascinating stories to tell.

More info is available here: http://www.cardiffstory.com/content.asp?nav=178,228&id=641

The Get Together - until Sat 26 May @ Sherman Cymru

As I've said many times before, one of the great things about Sherman Cymru is its commitment to new writing, and Simon Crowther's The Get Together is another example. Four friends and a few drinks promises to end in 'laughter, betrayal and blood'.

If you go to any of these events (and why not?), please comment and let me know how they went!

ELWYN

In all of the production's publicity, ELWYN is capitalised, as if it's being shouted at you. It seems inappropriate for such an inoffensive work, or indeed the shy and retiring title character. In fact, ELWYN is a sweet, heart-warming play about overcoming obstacles and the power of friendship.

A co-production between the Wales Theatre Company and Aberystwyth Arts Centre, ELWYN started out as the novel Blood Brothers (nothing to do with the musical) by Norwegian Ingvar Ambjornsen, which was then made into the award-winning 2005 film Elling. Elling in turn has been adapted to the stage in over twenty countries. Having created an extremely successful German version, acclaimed director Michael Bogdanov now brings the story to Wales. It has become an extremely local story, even referencing Chapter Arts Centre and Karen 'Media Wales' Price.

At its heart though, the story remains unchanged. Elwyn (Russell Gomer) is a 40-something mummy's boy who spent his entire life at home with mother until her death when he was taken into a rehabilitation centre. There he shares a room with Kelly (Ieuan Rhys), who is obsessed with food and sex, but only ever gets the former. When the authorities decide it's time to release them back into society, the unlikely friendship between the two characters helps them to overcome the new challenges life throws at them. Rhys is incredibly funny while Gomer does a great job balancing the two sides to Elywn, his neurotic real self and his suave, man-of-the-world fantasy. Strong support from Bethan Thomas and Bill Belamy in various roles rounds off a small but perfectly formed cast.


ELWYN is described as 'a comedy for grown-ups'. While there is a steady stream of chuckles and some real laugh-out-loud moments, for me the play is much more interesting in sociological terms: it's a really poignant insight into how people cope with new and difficult situations. I also really enjoyed the music, but I probably shouldn't admit to sharing music taste with a 42 year old man who spent most of his life clinging to his mother's apron strings!

ELWYN is at Sherman Cymru until 12 May 2012, then continues touring Wales until 19 May.

Helen Griffin on Who's Afraid of Rachel Roberts?

Helen Griffin is a Welsh writer and actress who won a BAFTA in 2005 for her performance in her self-penned film Little White Lies. Rachel Roberts, another Welsh actress, rose to fame in the 1960s, staring in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and This Sporting Life, before taking her own life in 1980. Now the two come together in Who's Afraid of Rachel Roberts? a new play co-written by Griffin and stand-up comedian Dave Ainsworth. I spoke to Helen about the play and her attraction to the character of Rachel.

Who's Afraid of Rachel Roberts? is currently touring, and comes to Sherman Cymru, Cardiff on 17-18 May 2012.

Preview: Sherman Cymru Presents Clytemnestra

Today I was lucky enough to be invited into rehearsals of Sherman Cymru's latest in-house production, Clytemnestra. It was really fascinating to see just how much hard work goes into every minute of a new play, and watching the production come together.

Clytemnestra is an ancient Greek tale, brought into the not-too-distant future by Gwyneth Lewis. It stars Jaye Griffiths as the titular character, whose daughter Iphigenia is raped and killed by a rival tribe, Nick Moss as Agamemnon, the husband who gave Iphigenia away to her killers, and Jonah Russell as Aegisthus, another rival who becomes Clytemnestra's lover. As the supernatural furies, Adam Redmore and Nia Gwynne drive forward their schemes. I was really impressed by how real the characters already seem, without costumes or sets. A credit to the actors and to Amy Hodge's direction.

A story of betrayal, murder, revenge, desire and despair, Clytemnestra is certainly high drama. In the scene I witnessed being put together, a claustrophobic, post-apocalyptic atmosphere is created by dance and some quite terrifying music. However, Amy assures me that it's not all dark - the Chorus provide some light relief with bawdy humour and the extreme physicality of the piece is counterbalanced with beautiful poetic language.

After the rehearsal, Amy spoke to me about the direction of Clytemnestra and why it is an exciting, relevant piece for today:

Clytemnestra is showing at Sherman Cymru 18 April-5 May. Tickets are available here and remember all tickets are half price for under 25s.

Clwyd Theatr Cymru presents A Doll's House

The last (and first) time I saw Ibsen's 1879 classic A Doll's House was in Paris with Audrey Tautou staring as Nora, so Clywd Theatre Cymru had a lot to live up to. I'm pleased to say they did a wonderful job, and I have nothing but praise for their production.

Firstly, I loved the intimate, in-the-round staging. Having Nora surrounded by the audience at such close proximity really highlighted how trapped she is, by her marriage and the judging gaze of patriarchal society. Max Jones' beautiful but restrictive costumes served the same purpose, while the minimal sets meant that nothing distracted from the quality of the performances.

And what performances! As the eponymous doll, Caryl Morgan excels, dexterously taking Nora from a joyful, carefree creature to a serious, independent woman. An alumnus of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, she once again proves what quality the college turns out. I was particularly impressed with her balance between physicality, bringing madness to the stage through her desperate dancing, and total vulnerability.As her husband Torvald, Simon Dutton is at first suave and sophisticated, exuding an aura of total control that left no doubt as to why Nora seems completely smitten with him. Then as events begin to escalate, his mixture of condescension, naivety and sheer panic is truly engrossing. The supporting cast - Catrin Aaron (Nora's old friend Kristine Linde), John Cording (the couple's best friend Dr Rank), and Llion Williams (Nils Krogstad, the spark for the play's events) - are equally believable and engaging. Altogether, an exceptional ensemble.

As for the play itself, A Doll's House is a classic for a reason. Throughout his life, Ibsen was a stern critic of the patriarchal society he lived in and a defender of women's rights. There is perhaps no better vehicle for his beliefs than A Doll's House (although ironically it earned Ibsen the disdain of one particular woman, Laura Kieler, whose tragedy he stole for the plot of this play). The play delivers a powerful message about women's rights - the right to work, to education, to be treated as an equal by their husband, to have their beliefs taken into account by the law - which was totally shocking in 1879 and remains important today. Don't miss the chance to see this ground-breaking play so well produced by Clwyd Theatr Cymru.

PS: For some Ibsen-themed music, here's Broken Records with If Eilert Loevborg Wrote A Song It Would Sound Like This, based on Hedda Gabler.

Salomé with new music from Charlie Barber

"Salomé, what a woman, what a part, innocent body and a sinful heart!" 

- Norma Desmond, Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard is one of my favourite musicals, so I have been aware of the story of Salomé for a very long time, but until today I had never seen the 1923 film. It turns out that's because few people have. The lovechild of Alla Nazimova, a Russian emigré who found fame on the American stage and screen, and designer Natacha Rambova, who wrote the script under the pseudonym Peter M Winters, the film never really found an audience. Nazimova, known for her flamboyant bisexual lifestyle, reportedly only hired gay or bisexual actors, creating such a scandal that it resulted in the film being shelved. Nazimova was bankrupted and her film production career ended. Now 90 years later, Salomé finally gets its audience, thanks to Charlie Barber, who has composed new music to accompany the film.

Charlie Barber explained at the pre-show talk that he was looking for a film which he could bring to an audience as a fresh experience, rather than something well-known like a Fritz Lang film. His choice of the film was also inspired by the vivid memory of a Lindsay Kemp production of the original Oscar Wilde play which opened with heavy percussion. The new score is based heavily on Arabic rhythms, which Barber says attracted him because of their mathematical quality, and performed with unpitched percussion instruments and voices (a choir singing extracts from the Psalms in Latin, Hebrew and Greek, in keeping with the period, and impressive vocal improvisation from Sianed Jones). Barber didn't want the music to just underscore what we see on screen, but to be a unique experience in itself. Nonetheless, whether as fortuitous as Barber would have us believe or not, the score certainly seems tailored to the action in the film, highlighting the melodrama.

Before the film, Barber warned us that it was going to be extremely camp and he wasn't exaggerating! The men were caked in make-up, jewellery, wigs and nipple-tassels.

Herod especially was shown as a complete buffoon, more of a clown (complete with bright red lips) than the Tetrarch of Judea.  

The point of the music then, was to counteract this campfest, with 'serious' rhythms, which keep the audience hooked. I have to say it did a very good job, adding a new layer of depth to the viewing experience, although we still couldn't help laughing at some of the more ridiculous aspects of the film!

It wasn't all camp though; there were some really beautiful art nouveau pieces, designed by Rambova following illustrations by Aubrey Beardsley. I was particularly struck by Salomé, shot in sepia as she fantasises about being queen among Herod's peacocks.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the night for me, though, was finding out just how true to life Sunset Boulevard is. Nazimova - who incidentally lived on Sunset Boulevard - cast herself as the 16 year old Salomé when she was 44 years old, much like Norma Desmond in the film/musical. This was quite off-putting in the film, because even though her body remained remarkably youthful, this is by no means a 16 year old face:

In short, Salomé is definitely worth watching, both for the beautiful art nouveau costumes and to have a good giggle at the camper side of the film. Charlie Barber's music perfectly compliments the on-screen action, and also provides a good focus for attention if you ever drift off of the film. Full details of the tour can be found at www.soundaffairs.co.uk, where you can also buy the soundtrack.

PS: If you have no idea what I'm talking about when I link Sunset Boulevard and Salomé, watch this:

Top things to do in Cardiff over Easter

Every Monday I run through the best things to see and do in Cardiff for the rest of the week. This week's show was going to be a bumper-edition, with cultural highlights for the next three weeks over Easter holidays. However, when I got to the studio everything was locked; it seems most of Cardiff University has already gone on holiday. Not to be deterred, here's my top three recommendations in blog form.


A Doll's House @ Sherman Cymru 3-6 April
Hot off the success of As You Like It at the New Theatre, Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Wales' premier drama production company, return to Cardiff with a new production of Ibsen's 1879 classic A Doll's House. Radical when it was realised, and still powerful today, A Doll's House tells the story of Nora, a housewife with an apparently idyllic life, who slowly begins to crave independence and self-determination. Clwyd have built a reputation for the quality of their production, and this version of A Doll's House, directed by Emma Lucia, has already won rave reviews from audiences at Clwyd Theatr in Mold. I can't wait to see it on Wednesday!

Art Car Bootique @ Chapter Arts Centre 15 April 
Think you know car bootsales? Think again! Chapter Arts Centre have teamed up with Something Creatives to bring you the bootsale as you've never seen it before, featuring 50 pitches of art, performances, dealers and curated projects, plus plenty of British food and ales. And if you think you're a master-baker, why not enter the Bootique British Bake-off and put your skills to the test? The event was a huge hit last year, as you can see in the video.

South Pacific @ Wales Millennium Centre 17-28 April
My number one event not to miss this Easter. This brand new production of South Pacific, which started at the Lincoln Centre in New York in 2008, has won rave reviews and a whole bunch of Tony Awards. Written in 1949 by Rogers and Hammerstein, South Pacific is undoubtedly one of the best loved musicals of all time. So many of its songs have become hits, including Some Enchanted Evening, Younger Than Springtime, There is Nothing Like a Dame, I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair, and many more. The story combines comedy and romance with a serious message about racial prejudice. The UK tour cast is led by West End stars Samantha Womack and Jason Howard and sees Loretta Ables Sayre returning to the part of Bloody Mary for which she was Tony-nominated. Not to be missed.

Barflies @ The Vuclan Hotel

"You are still not Charles Bukowski and I am not Diane Cluck" - Emmy The Great, 24

Until tonight, all I knew of Charles Bukowski was that he is one of the most acclaimed cult writers ever and that lots of aspiring poets and songwriters try to emulate him, filling their verses with alcohol, women and pain. I have often told myself to read his work (Ham On Rye has been sitting on my desk untouched for some weeks now). Now, with Barflies, the Grid Iron Theatre Company (with a little help from Sherman Cymru) has brought Bukowski to me, in a very unsettling encounter in a small Cardiff pub.

Barflies, directed and adapted by Ben Harrison, brings together three short stories from Bukowski's The Most Beautiful Woman in Town, as well as several poems and short extracts from other works. Bukowski's alter-ego Henry Chinaski, wallowing in alcohol and regret, recounts the women in his life and their effect on his work from his bar stool, while we crowd around him on stools of our own.

It is definitely not for the faint-hearted. Copious quantities of booze and bodily fluids are sprayed, sex is simulated inches from our faces. In a particularly difficult to watch moment, Henry searches through his viscera, dribbling saliva, until he pulls out his own liver. Gut-wrenching is a word often applied to theatre, but rarely is it a physical action seen on stage.

So I can't say that I enjoyed Barflies, but I certainly didn't dislike it either. Like the week when I read Blue of Noon and Los Alegres Desahuciados, I could feel the will to live ebbing away as I passed more and more time with these desperate, booze-soaked, debauched characters, yet I remained captivated by them. The quality of Bukowski's writing shines through the mire, both his gift for story-telling and his mastery of words, his enthralling combinations of sounds.

I was also impressed by the unique staging (even though the barstools got quite uncomfortable) and the cast. Keith Fleming does a stellar job bringing Henry to life. He plays drunk without falling into caricature and has enough charisma to keep the audience engrossed in an often difficult to watch character. As all of Henry's women - Cass, Vicky, Margy, Vivienne and Sarah - Charlene Boyd excels at creating distinct characters. She is particularly touching as the suicidal Cass, Henry's one true love, swinging from psychosis to very subtle emotion. Rounding off the cast, David Paul Jones' smooth, dark voice and piano playing heightens the claustrophobic feel of the piece.

"Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead" 

Bukowski's most famous quote, when finally uttered by Henry, is an awkward moment. The distinctly middle-class audience, some of whom squirm at even seeing the drunken debauchery, let alone participating, are the kind of people that Henry/Charles would abhor and that knowledge visibly causes discomfort. I think Bukowski would be pleased.

Shock n Awe presents Muscle @ Sherman Cymru

Muscle is certainly the most unique show I've ever seen. With just five men and minimal costumes and props, the Shock n Awe Performance Co create a whole world of characters; men and women, children and pensioners, priests and murderers. It's a testament to the strength of the cast and the writing that we were completely sucked into these characters' stories, seeing an old woman when really a young man stood before us.

Muscle began as a conversation in a pub between writer Greg Cullen and choreographer Phil Williams about what it means to be a man. Determined to move beyond the stereotype of men from Mars, they set out on a journey across Wales interviewing men from all walks of life and, as Greg explains, "Once they started talking, the most incredible stories poured out of them". One of the greatest strengths of Muscle is the diversity of the anecdotes brought to life so expertly through not just acting but dance, animation (from Kirsty Green) and music (composed by RWCMD student Benjamin Talbott). Some, like the story of an extraordinarily well-endowed grandfather, are laugh-out-loud funny, while many are quite heartbreaking, exemplifying the potential fragility of man. Muscle skilfully danced between these two extremes, joy and sorrow, the one heightening the other. The characters ranged from Welsh miners to a Libyan freedom-fighter turned Cardiff cab driver, children in the Valleys to a gay Brazilian ex-Catholic priest. Each story presented a different interpretation of what it means to be a man, but each was thoroughly engrossing.

Many of the stories revolved around fathers - losing one, meeting one, becoming one. It was very interesting to see how much the father-son relationship, or lack thereof, weighs upon the idea of masculinity. Greg and Phil both lost their fathers during the conception of the show and Muscle is a tribute to them that they would surely have been very proud of.

Although I will never know how it feels to be a man, I was still completely gripped by Muscle, because as Greg and Phil say, it's a very human show. You don't have to be a father, a son, a fighter, to be moved by these stories, nor to be swept away with the technical skill of the performers and creatives. It's truly a production not to be missed.

Muscle continues at Sherman Cymru until 17th March then heads on tour. Full details at www.shocknawe.org.uk. Muscle is constantly evolving so you can add your story on their website and it might well be in a future version of the production. Shock n Awe's next project is Love At First Light, opening at Chapter Arts Centre 8th-19th May - once again you can send them your story and maybe see it on stage.


PS: I had this song stuck in my head the whole time I was writing this...

Je Kiffe Elektro Kif @ Sherman Cymru

If kif means love, then je kiffe this high-octane dance piece which brings the exuberance of Paris' latest craze to British stages.

So what is Elektro Kif? It's a brand new dance-theatre production directed and choreographed by Blanca Li, celebrating the vibrant and eclectic electro style of dance that sprung up in the clubs and on the streets of Paris over the last few years. It's a style that's still evolving, blending together breaking, disco, popping & locking and even some classical dance moves. The incredibly talented troupe of eight dancers, brought together by Blanca as the winners of various dance competitions, all come from very different backgrounds and bring this to their performance. Blanca says she witnessed the birth of the dance in Paris and knew she had to bring it to the stage.

However, Elektro Kif is more than just some very impressive dancing. Telling the story of one day at a college, the show displayed a real theatricality, turning mundane activities like eating lunch or a trigonometry class into spectacular entertainment. The boys' characters really shone through, and mixed with the energy of the performance and the extremely colourful costumes, the result was the most fun I've had at the theatre in a very long time. I couldn't help smiling through the whole thing! In the post-show talk, the boys all agreed that they really love performing in the show and their enthusiasm is what makes Elektro Kif so special.

It was wonderful to see such a mixed audience at Sherman Cymru for Elektro Kif last night, including lots of teenagers. Dynamic performances like this are so important for getting a new generation into the theatre. Everyone in the audience seemed blown away by the skill and energy of the boys, as well as the positions they could get their bodies into, and many women were seen still swooning long after the show finished.

During the post-show talk, someone asked if they'd been watching Got To Dance, but as company manager Glyslein Lefever responded, as the prize is to perform in a professional show, they've already won. They're performing around the country and wowing audiences with their incredible skill. The tour continues for another month, so don't miss out!

Open House @ Sherman Cymru

Today I braved the snow to visit the Sherman Cymru's Open House, along with a large crowd who had gathered to celebrate the reopening of what is so much more than a theatre.

The Sherman Cymru (www.shermancymru.co.uk) was originally opened in 1973 as part of the University of Wales and has since been through many guises, but has always been at the heart of the local community. In February 2010 the Sherman closed for a £6.5million redesign to create a space that would really cater for the community's needs. Beyond its spectacular new façade and much improved seating for the utmost comfort during performances, the new building was designed to create a space where people of all ages and walks of life could come and be creative. There is a new café/bar area with free Wi-Fi so the Sherman can be a space to gather and discuss or a retreat to focus on work. Moreover, the new writing and rehearsal spaces mean the Sherman can continue and improve its role as a key centre for new creative work, particularly in Welsh.

One of my favourite parts of the new building is the memory wall, where anyone can add a note or a picture about what the Sherman means to them.

It was heart-warming to see that this theatre has such a special place in so many people's lives. I particularly liked the letters like the one below (sorry it's so fuzzy), where people said they went on their first dates with their future spouses at the Sherman. I hope that the new building will provide even more of these special moments for years to come.

While I was there, I spoke to Suzanne Carter, PR & Campaigns Manager, who told me more about the new building and what to expect from the next season:

I also asked some long-time patrons what they thought of the new Sherman:

Special thanks to Deryn Tudor for her lively and informative tour, and all her help with lost keys!!