Entertainment
St Davids Festival of Ideas Brings Big Name Speakers to Pembrokeshire
DEBATE, discussion and big ideas are coming to Wales’ smallest city this month, as St Davids hosts its second annual Festival of Ideas.
The two-day festival has talks on topics from spirituality to saving the oceans, food to future generations, and lots more in between.
Former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams, Future Generations Commissioner Sophie Howe, rugby legend Eddie Butler, and former Secretary of State for Wales Peter Hain, are just some of the speakers that are appearing at the event.
And the festival also has a local flavour, with talks on The Future of Food with Simon Wright from Wright’s Food Emporium, Dean of St Davids Cathedral Dr Sarah Rowland-Jones discussing Christianity, Marxism and The Common Good, and Rachel Kelway-Lewis from Solva Community Land Trust on Tackling the Housing Crisis.
This year is the first live Festival of Ideas. Last year’s online version of the festival saw speakers like actor Jerome Flynn and Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price, sessions on everything from mental health to climate change, and an audience of hundreds of people from across the globe.
The not-for-profit festival is run by a team of local volunteers. Andy Middleton, founder director of TYF Adventures, is one of the festival organisers. He said:
“After the success of our online festival last year, it’s wonderful to be welcoming speakers and audiences to St Davids in person this year. Our city was once an important resting point for pilgrims and travellers and a special place for people from different parts to share beliefs and ideas. The festival was created to rekindle that power and shape conversations that will help make St Davids’ residents and visitors more curious about the world around them and ready to start shaping the next 1500 years of its history.”
The event takes place on 25 and 26 March. Tickets cost £40 (weekend), £30 (Saturday only) or £20 (Friday only). For tickets, more information and a full line-up of speakers, visit www.stdavidsideas.co.uk
Entertainment
Billie Eilish concert film to premiere at Mwldan this May
AS ONE of the most influential artists of her generation, Billie Eilish has reshaped the landscape of global pop stardom with her distinctive sound and visual style.
Now, audiences are being offered a rare behind-the-scenes perspective as Mwldan in Cardigan prepares to screen Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft from May 8.
Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker James Cameron and filmed during Eilish’s sold-out world tour, the production goes beyond a conventional concert film. Instead, it promises an immersive cinematic experience, combining live performance with a deeper look at the artist’s creative world.
Cameron’s use of cutting-edge, high-frame-rate technology is expected to deliver a visually striking presentation, capturing both the scale of the live shows and the more intimate moments behind the scenes.
Tickets are priced at £15 and are available via the Mwldan website or by contacting the box office between 12pm and 8pm, Tuesday to Sunday, on 01239 621200.
Entertainment
Paul Smith’s debut stand-up special Pablo Live to be screened at Mwldan
ONLINE clips of Paul Smith delivering sharp, unscripted roasts to audience members have propelled him to rapid fame, and now audiences will have the chance to see his debut special on the big screen at Mwldan.
Pablo Live will be screened on May 8 and May 22, offering fans an opportunity to experience Smith’s stand-up in full.
Filmed in Dublin, the special showcases his uncompromising style, blending quick-fire audience interactions with incisive wit and candid stories drawn from everyday life.
Known for his fearless humour and crowd work, Smith delivers a performance that is both unfiltered and energetic, capturing the atmosphere that has made him a standout name on the comedy circuit.
Tickets are priced at £16 and are available via the Mwldan website or by contacting the box office between 12pm and 8pm, Tuesday to Sunday, on 01239 621200.
The screening is rated 18 by the BBFC due to strong language and adult humour.
Entertainment
Met Opera production broadcast to Mwldan
STEP into an evening of passion, longing, and missed chances as Mwldan brings the magic of the Metropolitan Opera to the big screen.
On May 5, Mwldan in Cardigan will host a live stream of the Met Opera’s acclaimed production of Eugene Onegin.
Presented in association with the Royal Ballet and Opera, witness the drama unfold on the big screen without leaving West Wales.
Following her acclaimed 2024 company debut in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, soprano Asmik Grigorian returns to the Met as Tatiana, the lovestruck young heroine in this ardent operatic adaptation of Pushkin.
Baritone Igor Golovatenko reprises his portrayal of the urbane Onegin, who realizes his affection for her all too late.
Tickets are priced at £18 and are available now from www.mwldan.co.uk or by phoning their box office between 12 – 8pm Tue – Sun 01239 621 200.
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