Entertainment

Victorian style returns to the Torch with The Turn of the Screw

Published

1 month ago

October 2, 2025

AUDIENCES at the Torch Theatre this autumn can look forward to the elegance and drama of Victorian fashion as The Turn of the Screw takes to the stage.

Behind the scenes, local Costume Supervisor Louise Sturley has been working tirelessly to recreate the glamour and authenticity of the late 19th century. With just two professional actors – Seren Vickers and Samuel Freeman – set to play multiple roles, her work has been central to bringing the story to life.

“Having worked in costume for a number of years I already had a good knowledge of historical costume,” said Louise. “But it’s always prudent to brush up once in a while. I like to look at historical fashion books, with photographs, prints and sketches showing how garments were made. I think it’s important on a period production to get as close to accurate as possible. Research is key.”

Louise, who lives in Milford Haven, is a familiar face at the Torch. She first worked on Noises Off in 2006 and went on to design every in-house production until 2016, with highlights including The Hired Man and Brief Encounter. After returning in 2023, she says she is excited by the Torch’s current ambition and boundary-pushing approach.

This is not the first time Louise has worked on The Turn of the Screw. Back in 2013, under former Artistic Director Peter Doran, the play featured at least five actors, cast according to age. This new production, she explained, will take a different approach.

“I’m excited to see how Seren and Samuel will take on the different characters without making big physical changes to their appearance,” she said. “There may be a corset, a detachable collar, maybe a pocket watch – but anything else will be a surprise. What you can expect are beautiful Victorian silhouettes and the look of late-19th-century gentry.”

The Turn of the Screw runs at the Torch Theatre from Wednesday 8 October to Saturday 25 October. Tickets are priced £18–£28 and are available from torchtheatre.co.uk or by calling the Box Office on 01646 695267.

Entertainment

Local premiere for S4C documentary on Pembrokeshire’s ‘Cannabis Cove’

Published

7 hours ago

November 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Exclusive screening revisits one of Wales’ most remarkable police operations

A TWO-PART documentary exploring a major drugs bust that stunned a quiet Pembrokeshire seaside town will have its exclusive English-language premiere in Newport next week.

Cannabis Cove: Operation Seal Bay, produced for S4C, takes viewers back to 1983, when the peace of Newport was shattered by one of the most extraordinary police investigations in Welsh criminal history.

That summer, the town became the unlikely centre of an international smuggling ring after a local fisherman, Andy Burgess, spotted something unusual at a remote beach called Pwll Coch—known locally as Seal Bay.

Soon after, authorities discovered a concealed hatch on nearby Traeth Cell Hywel. Beneath it lay a man-made underground chamber stocked with food, radio equipment and fibreglass resin — “like something straight out of James Bond.”

The mystery unfolds

As detectives began to investigate, residents reported strange activity around Newport — unfamiliar luxury cars on rural lanes, and strangers flashing £50 notes in local pubs.

What followed was a sprawling investigation that reached from Pembrokeshire to Scandinavia and the Middle East. Within days, three men — Robin Boswell, Ken Dewar, and escaped drug trafficker Sam Spanggaard — were arrested.

However, the case soon hit a snag: the drugs had disappeared. Without the contraband, the entire prosecution risked collapse. Detectives began to suspect there was a local connection — someone who knew the coastline well.

Forty years on

More than four decades later, S4C’s new documentary returns to the mystery with rare interviews, archive footage, and dramatic re-enactments.

For the first time, it includes testimony from a local man — known only as “Jim” — whose words are voiced by an actor to protect his identity. “Jim,” who once modified cars for Boswell, became unwittingly entangled in a smuggling network stretching from Pembrokeshire to Morocco and beyond.

The two episodes retrace both the discovery of the secret underground chamber and the international scope of the operation that followed.

Local resident Wendy Phillips recalled: “Everyone knew everyone. Everyone knew each other’s business — that’s just how you were brought up.”

Screening in Newport

The pre-broadcast English-language screening of Cannabis Cove: Operation Seal Bay will take place at 6:30pm on Thursday, November 20, at Canolfan Bethlehem, Upper West Street, Newport.

Following the screening, there will be a Q&A session with retired detectives Don Evans and John Daniels, who worked on the original case, alongside the film’s director James Hale.

Entry is free, but donations will be taken on the door to support Canolfan Bethlehem.

Cannabis Cove: Operation Seal Bay airs on S4C later this month.

Entertainment

DJ Yoda bringing 1980s party vibes to Narberth

Published

2 days ago

November 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Legendary mixmaster marks 25 years since iconic ‘How To Cut & Paste’ mixtape

A NIGHT of pure nostalgia is heading for Narberth as world-famous turntablist DJ Yoda drops his 1980s-themed “Mixtape Live” show at The Queen’s Hall on Saturday, November 22.

The multi-award-winning DJ — real name Duncan Beiny — is promising a full-throttle celebration of pop culture’s most colourful decade, blending retro beats, movie moments, and video game sounds into a high-energy, one-of-a-kind performance.

Known for his genre-bending creativity, Yoda has taken his unique brand of turntablism to major festivals and clubs around the globe, earning praise from the BBC, who called him “a pioneer of the craft.”

Over his 30-year career, he’s collaborated with Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Damon Albarn, Diplo, and Mark Ronson, and was once named by Q Magazine as “one of the 10 DJs to see before you die.”

The Narberth show also celebrates 25 years since Yoda’s breakthrough 80s mixtape, How To Cut & Paste: The 80s Edition — the release that launched him into the spotlight and helped redefine DJ performance art.

Expect neon lights, vintage visuals, and the biggest hits of the decade — all remixed Yoda-style.

🎟️ Tickets are available now from thequeenshall.org.uk
or by calling 01834 861212.

Entertainment

Festive magic returns to The Silver Mountain Experience in Mid Wales

Published

2 days ago

November 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE SILVER MOUNTAIN EXPERIENCE is busily preparing for the return of their most beloved visitor, Santa Claus, for the festive season.

The popular visitor attraction, located just outside Aberystwyth on the A44 to Llangurig, is undergoing a spectacular transformation ahead of its Christmas event, running on selected dates from December 13 to 23.

With a whole host of activities and festive fun, there will be something for all the family to enjoy.

The Silver Mountain’s historic Victorian mine buildings have been transformed into bustling Elves’ Workshops and a magical Santa’s Grotto. Visitors will join the elves on an enchanting walk through the festive factory, discovering where the Christmas magic is made and hearing all about preparations for the big day.

Highlight for every child will be meeting Santa himself. Each family or group receives an exclusive, private visit with Santa, giving children the chance to share their Christmas wishes, receive a special gift for being on the ‘nice list’ and create memories that will last a lifetime.

But the festive fun doesn’t end there! A mischievous resident deep within the mines is determined to cause trouble this year. A certain well-known green character has set up home in one of the mine tunnels and is plotting to steal Christmas!

Families can embark on a heart-warming quest to melt his frosty heart and also explore his underground home!

Alongside the Elves’ Workshops, Grotto experience and the underground Christmas adventure, the site is bursting with all-day activities included in the ticket price. Guests can enjoy cookie decorating, the Rudolph and Patches’ Treasure Trail, the Fossil Dig, play areas and much more.

The beautifully decorated site, complete with the return of the Gingerbread House and Victorian Sweet Shop, offers countless photo opportunities to capture the perfect festive family moment.

Booking is essential, as this event sells out every year. Visitors are encouraged to secure their preferred time slot early to avoid disappointment by booking at : www.silvermountainexperience.co.uk/festive/