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disability arts festival returns with eclectic programme
Now in its 10th year, Hijinx’s Unity Festival – the only inclusive disability arts festival of its kind in Wales – has put together a bumper programme of events. It’ll take place first in Cardiff for 11 days in June, with ticketed events at Wales Millennium Centre from Wed 22-Sun 26, before moving to Bangor and Llanelli.
In addition, Porter’s Bar is holding an opening comedy night (in person and livestreamed) on Thurs 16 June, featuring an international lineup of comics – like Juliana Heng, an autistic, non-binary comedian from Kuala Lumpur. It’s compèred by Richard Newman, a Welsh standup and actor diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at a young age.
NTW’s
immersive theatre experience celebrates grief rituals
National Theatre Wales is bringing a unique theatre event to Cardiff: Circle Of Fifths, a live documentary performance told through real-life stories of grief. It’s the work of Cardiff filmmaker and artist Gavin Porter – having been with NTW since their first year, this marks his first theatrical work.
Circle Of Fifths came about as a reaction to the last two years and the experiences we’ve all shared. After losing his uncle during the COVID-19 pandemic, Porter decided to pick up his camera and record the different ways in which the lives of loved ones are celebrated in grief, and the importance of traditions and rituals that we keep.
As music became a thread in these celebrations (the production takes its title from a tool of music theory that organises pitch into a sequence), Porter took to Twitter to ask people which songs they would like played at their funeral. Responses included everything from Abba to Nat King Cole.
Porter, along with a collective of musicians and artists drawing inspiration from Porter’s home of Butetown and beyond, use all this to create an immersive live documentary experience, combining film, music and theatre in line with NTW’s history of successful immersive productions. Tide Whisperer was an acclaimed production on the shores of Tenby and Roald Dahl’s City Of The Unexpected was billed as “Wales’ largest ever cultural event”.
As described by Porter, this show “will be a 360-degree experience, with performers, musicians, taped interviewees and film, all coming together to create a truly unique week of performances.”
CHRIS WILLIAMS
Circle Of Fifths, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Sat 18-Sun 26 June. Tickets: £8. Info:
nationaltheatrewales.org
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On Mon 20 and Tue 21 June, Chapter Arts hosts the film festival portion of the programme. Films confirmed so far are Glitch, in which protagonist Tom receives a new router with strange powers, and Stones And Dust, which sees a woman respond to her dying father trying to make amends for years of neglect.
There is plenty of free street theatre to see too at the WMC, St David’s Hall and on the Hayes, ranging from mysterious spacemen exploring a new world (The Astronauts), to playful and poetic dance about global themes of migration and belonging (Crossings), to a group of disgruntled mythical beasts (Grumpy Unicorns) [pictured].
Ticketed events consist of dance pieces Touch Me, examining what “our art of touching reveals about us”; Bogumer (Or Children Of Lunacharsky), concerning what happens when God is put on trial in Moscow circa 1919; El Festín De Los Cuerpos, from one of Europe’s most successful inclusive dance companies Danza Mobile, and the_crash.test, an interactive, Frankenstein tale of technology.
Closing the festival is the internationally acclaimed Drag Syndrome (spotlighted in our Pride spread), the drag troupe out to prove “that people with Down’s syndrome aren’t just sweet and cute – they are fierce, versatile, hard-working, professional artists who know how to put on a spectacular show”.
CHRIS WILLIAMS
Hijinx Unity Festival, Cardiff, Thurs 16-Sun 26 June; Bangor, Tues 28-Wed 29 June; Llanelli, Fri 1-Sat 2 July. Most events are free, check with venues for ticketed prices. Info:
hijinx.org.uk/unity2022
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