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NEWS: The search is on for Welsh amateur playwrights @velvetcoalminer #Blackwood #VelvetGoldmineArts

Iain_1
Iain Richards, founder of Velvet Coalmine

Velvet Coalmine, a music, literature and arts festival now in its fourth year, takes place between 7 – 16 September 2017 in Blackwood. As part of this year’s festival it has teamed up with Blackwood Little Theatre to find the newest and boldest playwrights from across Wales to write a one act play which will be read and appraised by four experienced and published authors.

The festival of writing, rock & roll and coal started in 2014 and since then has been instrumental in raising the profile of the area and the aspirations of local children and families. This competition will go that one step further, giving amateur writers the leg up they need.

Neil Maidman from the Blackwood Little Theatre, said: “It doesn’t matter if you haven’t had anything published, acted out or written anything before. This competition is all about finding new and raw talent that we can help get onto a bigger stage.”

Iain Richards, founder of Velvet Coalmine, added: “Since we started the festival we have had one aim – to empower local children to be whoever they want to be and do whatever they want to do. We hope that by launching this play writing competition and showcasing local talent to a wider audience, someone’s talent will get recognised amongst experts in their field.”

Here’s what you need to know to enter:

·       You should submit a one act play for at least two performers. It cannot be a monologue

·       The duration of the play should be around 40 – 50 minutes

·       The play should not have been previously published

·       Entries will only be accepted by authors over 18

·       Equal consideration will be given to English and Welsh language entries.

·       There is a prize of £250 for the winner and £100 for the runner up.

·       Winning play will have a script in hand public reading at Velvet Coalmine.

·      Entries should be e-mailed to blackwoodvelvet@outlook.com by midnight on the 31stJuly 2017

The winners will be announced on Friday 15 September at the festival. The full line up of acts will be announced on the 30 June along with ticket sales to the festival. For further information and criteria for entry go to www.velvetcoalmine.com

 

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How To Call Police When It’s Not Safe To Talk Out Loud #SilentSolutions

This simple process allows you to call police or other emergency services in circumstance where it may not be safe to talk outloud or make a noise.

Here’s how to place an emergency call when you’re scared to speak:

When you call 999, an operator asks which emergency service you require before rerouting the call to the police, ambulance service or fire brigade.
If a 999 caller doesn’t talk, the operator will ask them to cough or make another audible sound.
In certain situations, it may not be safe to make a noise – for example it could alert a potential attacker to your exact whereabouts.
Although there’s a simple way of signalling that it’s a genuine emergency and you haven’t just accidentally pocket-dialled.
You simply dial 55.

Emergency services simply don’t have the resources to investigate every call made to 999 during which no sound is made.

The procedure is called Silent Solutions and it was created so people in an emergency can call the police in dangerous situations.
After you dial 999 and you’ve been unable to audibly signal to the operator, your call will be forwarded to an operating system.
If you’re in danger, dial 55 otherwise the call will be terminated.

The ‘55’ Silent Solution protocol has been in place for over a decade, although a reminder has recently been issued as not many people know about the protocol.

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NEWS: @TheCentre casting news and forthcoming shows #Cardiff #Wales

wmc outsideLots of things happening at Wales Millennium Centre  in the coming months;

Here’s just a little taster

Casting news

JIMMY OSMOND TO STAR IN GREASE

Jimmy Osmond is to star in Grease as Teen Angel, having previously played the role in the West End. He joins Tom Parker (The Wanted) who makes his musical theatre debut playing Danny Zuko, Danielle Hope (Over the Rainbow winner) who plays Sandy and Louisa Lytton (Strictly Come Dancing, EastEnders) who plays Rizzo.

Grease is at Wales Millennium Centre between 17 and 29 July 2017

 

DARIUS CAMPBELL JOINS SHERIDAN SMITH IN FUNNY GIRL

Darius Campbell will reprise his role as Nick Arnstein, joining Sheridan Smith in Funny Girl. Funny Girl comes to Cardiff in July, after wowing critics and audiences alike in the West End. The iconic musical tells the story of Fanny Brice – whose vocal talents and comedic ability see her rise from Brooklyn music hall singer to Broadway star.

Funny Girl is at Wales Millennium Centre between 4 and 8 July 2017

MISS SAIGON

Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce final casting for the UK and Ireland tour of his acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical Miss Saigon. The cast includes Red Concepcion as The Engineer, Sooha Kim as Kim, Ashley Gilmour as Chris, Zoë Doano as Ellen, Gerald Santos as Thuy, Ryan O’Gorman as Joh and NaNa-Young Jeon as Gigi.

Miss Saigon is at Wales Millennium Centre between 29 November 2017 and 6 January 2018

CRAZY FOR YOU

Charlotte Wakefield will play Polly in Crazy For You, joining the previously announced Tom Chambers as Bobby and Caroline Flack as Irene. She made her West End debut as Wendla in Spring Awakening, for which she was nominated for an Olivier Award and played Maria in the critically acclaimed production of The Sound of Music at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre receiving nominations for Best Actress in a Musical at both the Evening Standard and Olivier Awards

Crazy For You is at Wales Millennium Centre between 5 and 9 September 2017

 

New Shows coming soon

 

ROB BRYDON ANNOUNCES SHOWS AT THE CENTRE

One of Wales’ greatest comedy exports, Rob Brydon, makes a welcome return to the Centre next year for his first stand-up tour since 2009.

Perhaps best known for the television shows Gavin and Stacey, Would I Lie To You? and The Trip, Rob starred opposite Kenneth Branagh earlier this year in the West End production of The Painkiller.

Rob Brydon: I Am Standing Up is at Wales Millennium Centre between 8 and 10 October 2018

 

SUNSET BOULEVARD COMES TO THE CENTRE

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award®-winning masterpiece Sunset Boulevard, starring internationally acclaimed musical theatre star, Ria Jones, as Norma Desmond, comes to The Centre next year.

In her mansion on Sunset Boulevard, faded silent-screen goddess Norma Desmond lives in a fantasy world. Impoverished screen writer Joe Gillis, on the run from debt collectors, stumbles into her reclusive world and is seduced by her and her luxurious lifestyle. Joe becomes trapped in a claustrophobic world until his love for another woman leads him to try and break free, with dramatic consequences.

Sunset Boulevard is at Wales Millennium Centre between 26 February and 3 March 2018

 

MILKSHAKE! LIVE COMES TO CARDIFF

Milkshake! Live The Magic Story Book is coming to Cardiff this summer. Starring Milkshake! favourites Bob the Builder, Little Princess, Noddy, Toyland Detective and Fireman Sam, the show will be presented by Milkshake!’s Olivia Birchenough and Derek Moran. This all singing all dancing musical masterpiece will take the audience on a journey through the world’s favourite fairy tales.

Milkshake! Live, The Magic Storybook is at Wales Millennium Centre on 9 July 2017

 

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Manchester

I can’t think of anything else to subject this blog than Manchester.

After the events of the last 12 hours, and reading people’s opinions on Facebook, here’s something written in the 90s by Phil Collins – and how relevant it feels today

‘To the outsider it seems that we in Britain
Live daily under the cloud of terrorism.
That familiarity sometimes makes you think of it as almost normal
Then suddenly something will happen’

We stand, hang our heads disbelieving
Then not knowing how could such a thing be wrong
We wonder just what they must be thinking
To take a life of one so young

So tell me when will it be over now, how soon?
How far must we go, to prove to you?

We wait and we wonder how this happened
Killing the old, the innocent, the young
While sons follow in fathers footsteps not understanding
That what they do could somehow be so wrong

So tell me when will it be over now, how soon?
How far must we go, to prove to you?

So we will wait and we’ll wonder

No regrets, no forgiveness, no compassion
These brave heroes only know to hit and run
Slowly my sadness turns to rage and we wonder
How can these scars ever heal, when all is said and done

So tell me when will it be over now, how soon?
How many tears must fall to prove to you?
Please tell me, when will it be over now, how soon?
And how far must they go, to prove to you?

So we wait and we wonder

Songwriters: Phillip David Charles Collins
We Wait And We Wonder lyrics © Imagem Music Inc

Those words, are from this song;

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Public Information Films – The 1970s

Public information films (PIFs) are a series of government commissioned short films, shown during television advertising breaks in the United Kingdom. The US equivalent is the public service announcement (PSA).

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