upfront
Ones To Watch 2014
As the new year draws closer we can finish
basking in the glory of culture that was 2013,
and now look ahead to what 2014 has to offer.
STAGE
pic: JAYDON MARTIN
The Wales Millennium Centre is certainly one
to watch in 2014 as it celebrates its 10th
anniversary with a whole host of big-name
shows. Expect green-skinned show tunes
in Wicked, heart-wrenching puppetry in War
Horse (main image) and a fantastic Christmas
show at the end of 2014 (this one’s a secret
until January, but keep your eyes peeled
because when the tickets go on sale they
certainly won’t be there for long).
Also on the WMC’s exciting repertoire is
Matthew Bourne’s dance adaptation of
school-text classic Lord Of The Flies.
Info: 029 2063 6464 / www.wmc.org.uk
Wicked pics: MATTHEW CROCKETT
FILM
Tom Cullen in The Last Days On Mars
John Giwa Amu
One to watch in this year’s film scene is production company Red
And Black Films. The company, which consists of producer John
Giwa-Amu and writer/director Caradog James, have already made
many waves the world of short films; being featured in festivals
around the world and landing themselves a shelf full of BAFTA
Cymru Awards. The New Year will see the start of their venture into
feature length movies.
Sci-fi thriller The Machine tells the tale of scientist Vincent McCarthy
who, in the depths of a new Cold War with China, creates a
weapon called ‘The Machine’. The human like robot is given
unparalleled strength, outstanding intelligence and, most important
of all, a consciousness. The film has so far scooped up three
BAFTA Cymru awards, and is due to hit the cinemas in March.
Another one to keep your eye on is Downton Abbey hunk Tom
Cullen, not just because he’s a looker but because he has two very
different projects in the pipeline.
Far from the country estates of Yorkshire Cullen plays sci-fi scientist
Richard Harrington whose team becomes stranded in their space
station when a strange biological agent turns their crew-mates into
horrific and violent creatures in The Last Days On Mars.
Cullen also stars in Desert Dancer, which is due to release in the
new year. The biographical film follows the true story of Iranian
Afshin Ghaffarian who, despite a nationwide ban on dancing, takes
to the internet and teaches himself to dance.
Info: www.redandblackfilms.com