Building a new City Centre Campus for Newport

I was out and about on the construction site of the new City Centre Campus for Newport's University yesterday and it was great to see work beginning on a building that will revolutionise the riverfront area. Below is a short video I made of the progress so far...

Kathakali Comes to Caerleon

On Friday I was privileged to see the Kala Chethena Kathakali Company prepare for their evening performance at Newport’s University. To go behind the scenes as the world’s foremost Indian dance drama company applied their elaborate make-up was amazing. ITV Wales were there to film the weather spot ‘live’ for the evening news so there was quite a buzz.

I took some photos of Ramachandran Unnithan as he went through the various stages of having his face made-up. Ramachandran specialises in playing villains and he certainly spooked me.

The performance at the University was the result of a visit to India by staff and students on the Religious Studies & Philosophy course in 2007. When they first encountered Kathakali in Kollam, southern Kerala, the group were so struck by the performance and elaborate costumes that the programme leader, Dr Lynn Foulston, was inspired to invite a Kathakali company to perform in Wales where the people of Newport could enjoy the spectacular display.

I’m pleased to say it was a full house. Full news of the event can be seen on the University’s website at: http://www3.newport.ac.uk/news/displayStory.aspx?story_id=338

Newport Graduate’s 007 Mission

I was chatting to a really nice guy who’s created one of the hi-tech special effects for the latest James Bond film ‘Quantum of Solace’. Alistair Burleigh is a graduate of Newport University and designed a big glowing cube that flashes on and off to sultry Latin rhythms at a glitzy party thrown by the film’s villain. (Bond villains all tend to throw big parties these days – they used to just have secret cavernous lairs.)

Anyway, Alistair has a company called wrap3 which specialise in light sculptures (some of his work is pictured here) and it was while he was exhibiting at the Tent London design festival that someone told him they were from the new Bond film and were really impressed with his work.

“We’ll be in touch,” they said.

Ali never expected to hear anything but two weeks later found himself at a meeting being invited to provide the “wow factor” for the big party scene. The upshot was, he was flown out to Panama for two weeks to build the cube and run it to the music (he’s also a VJ).

During shooting, Ali met Daniel Craig, the latest incarnation of James Bond. Alistair won’t be attending the film’s premiere as he’ll be in Cannes working on another big project for one of the world’ top fashion brands. Nice work if you can get it. It was great chatting to a really innovative artist who’s doing great things on high profile projects but is really down to earth.

“Working on the Bond film was very exciting, but at the end of the day it became just another job,” he said.

Watch out for his contribution to the movie when it opens soon. In the meantime, check out Alistair’s innovative multimedia installations on his company’s website http://www.wrap3.co.uk/

The Dresser - Newport amdram at its best

I went to see Newport Playgoers' production of 'The Dresser' last night and was again impressed at how good local amateur theatre can be. Everyone in it - particularly Lawrence Llewellyn as Norman, the dresser, and Will Smith-Haddon, as the ageing actor-manager at the end of his career (and his tether) - was absolutely brilliant. Great set to complement the acting and beautifully directed by Ruth Ferguson. Playgoers' next production will be Agatha Christie's classic country house murder mystery, 'The Hollow' - another must-see.

Newport hosts international festival of digital artists worldwide

I was at the launch of an exciting new venture recently – a unique year long, on-line event which will showcase the work of digital artists worldwide, the International Festival of Digital Arts (IFDA).

By using the internet with enhanced video and sound quality, the Festival will transcend any traditional boundaries of time and space. There are several categories - including video and music - and anyone and everyone is invited to enter their work online.

I’ll certainly be entering some of my work – including a short film I’m working on about the love affair between a real person and their computer generated alter ego.

Partners in the Festival include the International Film School Wales which is based at Newport’s University, Newport City Council, Real Radio and The Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre. Further details can be found on the Festival’s website: http://www.amritsa.com/idmf/home09.htm

Battles Galore in Backstage Drama Set in the Blitz

It's 1941 and as the blitz rages outside a small provincial theatre, the effeminate personal assistant of a deteriorating veteran actor struggles to get his boss through a difficult performance of ‘King Lear’.

‘The Dresser’, this month’s production by Newport Playgoers Society, is the ultimate backstage drama. Written from first hand experience by Ronald Harwood, once dresser to the notorious actor-manager Sir Donald Wolfit, it tells of two men, both blotting out the real world through commitment to their craft.

Long-suffering Norman is the dresser to the legendary actor known as ‘Sir’ whose ragbag theatrical group of misfits tours war-torn Britain, stoically insisting the show must go on. The two are locked in a war of words as Norman encourages and cajoles ‘Sir’ to contend with his stage fright as he slowly cracks up under the strain of keeping his travelling Shakespearean company operational.

Theatre-goers are sure to enjoy this intense and claustrophobic adaptation of the award-winning play which became an Oscar-nominated film starring Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay.

‘The Dresser’ by Ronald Harwood is on at the Dolman Theatre from 14 – 18 October at 7.15pm with an extra matinee performance on the Saturday at 2.30pm. Tickets are available by telephoning the theatre box office on 01633 263670 or 01633 656757. For information about joining Newport Playgoers Society phone or visit http://www.dolmantheatre.co.uk/

Ghosts are Going - see them Now!

The amazing 'Ghosts in Armour' exhibition at Newport’s Riverfront arts centre only has a few more days to run. This unique multimedia exhibition, which records the huge steelworks in the city centre that once employed thousands, was put together by students, lecturers and graduates of the University of Wales, Newport.

I was fortunate enough to visit some of the artists involved in the building just a couple of days before it was demolished. It was easy to see why the enormous derelict empty shell of a building that once bustled with life captured the imaginations of photographers Janire Najera and Matt Wright. I only wish I’d taken more photos of the steelworks before it was knocked down and gone forever. Here’s a link to an article I wrote about it in the latest edition of The Business magazine (pages 26-27). http://publishing.yudu.com/Aqn86/BusinessOctoberNovem/resources/index.htm

The story of the Exhibition on the University of Wales, Newport website:http://www3.newport.ac.uk/news/displayStory.aspx?story_id=30

And you must visit their website:

http://www.ghostsinarmour.com/