Buzz Magazine Buzz Magazine - July Issue

Aircraft Circu s Fire Gro up Grime Gypsy Hill eauties Bathing B g chalkin talian I H aving experienced it properly for the first time last year in all its Spiegeltent glory, I’m a big fan of the fun, frivolity and friskiness of the Blysh Festival. Hosted by the Wales Millennium Centre, this year’s festival has an absolutely packed programme of cabaret, circus and street theatre, as well some new additions. Returning to the festival will be the marvellously mischievous Miss Behave, as she once again plays the Mistress of Ceremonies for the opening Spiegeltent show. There will be more than just singing in Miss Behave’s Blysh Cabaret (Fri 18 July) as the saucy showstress will be joined by Scarlett Bell (who is a burlesque artist, singer and fire performer all rolled into one), the silly singing group Scales Of The Unexpected and inept hospital radio host DJ Ivan Brackenbury. If you feel like painting the town red, inspired by Miss Behave’s rouge and raunchy outfits, there will be a pumping Silent Disco on after the show to do just that. Other Blysh favourites making a comeback this year will be circus connoisseurs AirCraft Circus with their astounding acrobatic acts in Blysh Night At The Circus (Sat 19 July) and Harlequin Theatre will be presetting some swinging tunes in In Full Swing (Thus 24 July). Not all the fun will be taking place in the spectacular tent as, for the first time, the festival will be spilling into the city centre with STORE (Wed 16-Sat 19 July). There’s a saying that goes ‘don’t buy things, buy experiences’ and this unusual shopping event – where instead of buying goods you buy tickets to shows from international performance artists for as little as 50p – is the ideal excuse to do just that. All those buskers you encounter on a walk down Queen Street could also try their hand at a chance to perform on the WMC stage in the inaugural Blysh Busk Weekend (Sat 2 +Sun 3 Aug). Open to all performers and with a prize of £1000, the Bay will be booming with the sound of music. Back at the Centre I won’t know where to start. Grammy-winning cabaret star Lady Rizo (Fri 25 + Sat 26 July) shall be singing pop songs with a touch of vintage and a big helping of humour, The Big Bingo Show (Wed 30 + Thurs 31 July) sounds like a cracking way to spend a school night with glam facial fuzzed drag lady Timberlina hosting, and I’d certainly be up for the challenge of wheeling around a tent, fuelled up by a few Cuba Libres, at an adultsonly Roller Disco (Fri 1 + Sat 2 Aug). An older, cheekier audience is well catered for at Blysh but there is also plenty of free and family fun too – including specially commissioned outdoor performances from Ramshackilicious’ contemporary burger van soap opera Grime (Sun 20 July), and Pif Paf Theatre will also be at the ready to whisk little ones off in their exciting travelling machines The Flycycle and The Submercycle (Sun 27 July). If greeted by the usual Welsh weather you can seek shelter by the Glanfa stage where there will be some smooth moves on show courtesy of Blyshdance, whose show The Bomb In My Pacific (Sun 20 July) mashes together ballet, contemporary dance and musical theatre with music from Cian Ciarán of Super Furry Animals fame. The festival will face the music with a vast line of bands taking part over the month. Just some of the musicians performing include novelty swing band The Hot Potato Syncopators, comedy/cabaret/rock duo Rayguns Look Real Enough and vintage vocal trio the Siren Sisters (Thurs 26 July). From burlesque, sword-swallowing, death-defying acrobatics and silent discos to ballet, ukuleles, yoyos and swing dance, and a whole smattering of eccentricities and silliness in between, Blysh is going to be a crazy but wonderful few weeks. Blys

Buzz Magazine Buzz Magazine - July Issue | Page 13