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Wales Millennium Centre

Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay These are archive messages - to air your views please visit our messageboard.


Amy Pugh needs help:

"I can't find any information about the words on the facia of the building. Does anyone know what they mean?"

Dan in Pontypridd provides the answer:

"The inscription is two poems, one Welsh and one English. The English is 'In these stones horizons sing' and the Welsh 'Crev Gwir Fel Gwydr O Ffwrnais Awen' (creating truth in glass from the furnace of inspiration)."


Tom Dodd from Blaenau Ffestiniog suggests a new name:

"I have no doubt that the WMC is a superb building providing some wonderful events. However, just about all of the representatives in the debate on BBC2 continuously referred to it as a centre for Wales. I would imagine that they really mean South and South East Wales rather than the whole of Wales! Here in the north it is, in practical terms, meaningless. Between 150/200 miles away. Instead of further finance in support of it how about some finance towards a similar place in the North!? A change of name to South Wales Millenium Centre might be more appropriate."


G Thomas from Camarthen is a fan of the centre:

"I have just watched the excellent On Show debate regards the Millennium Centre, and I would like to endorse the comments on its marvellous facilities with its wow factor

"My family and I have travelled from West Wales to see four wonderful shows to date, the last Show being Saturday Night Fever. We've already booked the whole family of six adults and six grandchildren to see the Christmas production of the Wizard of Oz.

"I agreed with the comments in the debate that youth involvement at this marvellous venue is of the essence, and that the National Eisteddfod of Wales should certainly be encouraged in basing itself there say every third year.

"My other suggestion is that a week long Festival of Musical Youth Theatre , should be staged , open to all youth theatre groups throughout Wales and the UK. Each evening a different show would be presented by a competing group for the award of a Wales Millennium International Youth Musical Theatre Cup. Each participating company would be judged by a panel for best producer, best performer, best supporting actor, costumes, lighting plot design, stage management etc.

"This festival would be based on the very successful Irish Waterford International Festival of Light Opera, and would attract visitors from far and wide.

"The envisaged week's festival would bring in good business into the city, and also fill many hotels and guest houses with cast members, friends. Perhaps hotels and businesses could help to sponsor this event? Tickets would be available at a reduced rate for a full 6 evening shows, designed for theatre groups who make a holiday of the event. This happens in Waterford where the competitive shows are staged at the Theatre Royal.

" Best wishes for the continued success of the centre."


Richard Motley from Cardiff thinks the marketing could be better:

"I rarely know what is on because so little effort is made to publicise the programme. Why are events not regularly advertised in the local papers or with posters? The only time I get to know what is going on is when friends tell me, and yet I regularly go to events at the New Theatre, St Davids, Sherman, CIA - because these venues promote their programmes. The biggest risk being taken by the WMC is the failure to adequately publicise their programme of events."


Sue Beard from Chepstow agrees:

"Information needs to be more easily available. If you do not have access to a computer, no phone numbers are obtainable, and advanced notice of entertainment is also unavailable as no local papers carry any information."


Glyn Howells thinks the pricing is too high:

"I am sixty years old and out of work. I cannot aford the price of a ticket."


Dave from Sully feels discriminated against:

"Non-Welsh speakers people make up over 80% of the Welsh population, yet the Welsh speakers get all the attention, just like at the Millenium Centre tonight. No doubt most of them travelled down from North Wales. Please remember there are many non-Welsh speakers in Wales who would like to think they are Welsh in spite of the comments of some at the Millenium Centre. I understand there are three Welsh languages which one am I expected to learn?"


Dianne Banner from Pontypool shares Dave's concern:

"It's a fabulous venue. During the last year the programme has been varied and therefore appealing to a wide audience. I believe it is important to avoid any attempt by Welsh language activists to have too many all-Welsh language events, as this will be a turn-off for many people in Wales and in the wider Arts community. Please keep its appeal as broad as possible."


Margaret Bevan from Swansea performed in the foyer:

"I am the leader of Swansea Accordion Orchestra and we recently gave a Sunday afternoon performance in the Glanfa Foyer. We had wonderful comments after the performance from visitors as far away as the USA. We thoroughly enjoyed playing in a space with great acoustics and a relaxed atmosphere. We are looking forward to playing at the WMC again next spring ."


Joan Willson from Camarthen is was put off by the seating:

"My sister and I have seen a number of wonderful shows at the centre, but have been seated on those wooden seats which are embarrasingly too close and very uncomfortable. Our enjoyment of the shows was spoiled, especially as we paid almost £30 for our seats, which I consider stops people who have not been theatre-goers taking a chance."


Marilyn Croft from Neath enjoyed her visits:

"It's a fabulous showpiece for the whole of Wales and an excellent venue for top quality productions. My family and I have thoroughly enjoyed our visits to see 'The Taming of the Shrew' and 'Miss Saigon' and look forward to many more visits to the Centre. I should, however, like to see the WMC as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company's on-tour venues. I am sure that many theatre going people would welcome such productions."


Brian Stephens has mixed views:

"The hall itself is not very impressive apart from the enormous graffiti across the front. But there is symbolism everywhere. Slate from north Wales and coal from the south. Inside, the pillars represent the coal and its fossils, and the wood is the Liassic rock of the Glamorgan coast. The Triassic red marl of the cliffs on the other side of the bay is represented by part of the side walls inside the auditorium.

"The signposting is not very easy to follow and the cloakroom and ticket office are rather depressing on first sight. One feels unease on walking along a row of the uncomfortable seats due to the slope of the floor. Rather like being on a boat (perhaps that's part of the symbolism).

"The lack of escalators is scandalous. The fact that the lifts are difficult to find doesn't help either. The toilets are similarly not very obvious.

"The seaward end of the foyer however is more welcoming. There are the cafés and a shop. The windows of the Ty Cerdd office provide interest to the music lover too.

"The view of the bay is rather blocked by the Pierhead building, attractive though it is. There is also the Assembly Folly glasshouse dominating the view from the end café.

"However the acoustics inside are very good, as is the visibility of the stage. The foyer could do with some representations of the arts being performed there. Statutes, busts of composers, paintings of ballet etc.

"Poor Ivor Novello out there in the cold will surely be vandalised. He should be brought in - poor devil!

"Apart from that the place is great and we should do all we can to make it a prolonged success."


Karyn from Pontypridd says it's what happens inside the venue that counts:

"I think people who have made past comments are focusing too much on the building and not enough on the actual use of the facility. There are 7 resident organisations including the Touch Trust, which in its first year has made a difference to thousands of disabled people's lives. For every performance put on there is a range of prices most from £5 making it accessible to everyone. What's more important - the style of the building or what happens in it?"


Julian Lewis in Chippenham says it's a great landmark:

"I love the Wales Millennium Centre. I think it is one of the best things Cardiff has ever thought of. The place is absolutley HUGE! I love the design and location of the building. I've never seen anything there but I have had a tour and the auditorium is just mind-boggling, I'm hoping to see The Wizard Of Oz in December and I'm looking forward to it. GO WMC!"


Garry Tippins in Barry isn't impressed:

"Visited on 14th July 2005. A beautiful building from the outside but it is supposed to be a theatre. The public areas leave you gasping for air when it is warm outside. The seats must be the most uncomfortable I have ever sat on in any theatre in the world and if you sit anywhere other than the stalls take oxygen and a powerful binocular. If this is the best Cardiff can do as its flagship then we are in a sorry state. The Architect must be laughing all the way to the bank. Thank God we have still got the St David Hall and the New Theatre."


Jan Gray in Cardiff thinks ticket prices should be lower:

"I think the centre should be affordable for all to enjoy, at prices that are reasonable compared to the London prices - so that you will have filled houses at a reasonable price, as opposed to half filled houses that the people cannot afford."


John Martin in West Kirby, Wirral, says the educational aspect of the centre shouldn't be forgotten:

"Discussion about the Wales Millennium Centre tends to focus on the building. People forget the success in promoting arts for the young through the Arts Explorer Project. The involvement of schools whilst the Centre was still being built was brilliant.

"We have a jewel of an arts centre in North Wales in Mold, two theatres, two galleries, a film screen, exhibitions of painting, ceramics, wood carving, repertory and touring plays, chamber music and the ability to cater for the whole of the public; children, adults, schools, and the elderly.

"People within a 50 mile radius have taken Theatr Clwyd (as we still call it) to their hearts. I look forward to a time when through its concern for the coming generation the Wales Millennium Centre will be truly taken to the hearts of all the people of Wales."


Richard Nicholson in Penarth is a fan but thinks there's room for improvement:

"The good points - the auditorium is fantastic, acoustics and sound from WNO I don't think could be bettered anywhere in the country. The staff are friendly, helpful and ready to please.

"The bad points - the public areas are not very good. The 'Leith Bars' are appalling and should be dumped as soon as possible. Try and buy a white wine spritzer - all they can offer is white wine and sparkiling water!!! There are no draught beers and the staff training leaves a lot to be desired.

"Signage is very poor - there appears to be many people struggling with the signs and trying to find their way. The lifts are very good - a great improvement on St David's Hall but no escalators!!?? If you can't get the lifts because of volume of people, the designer should have tried walking up the stairs to the upper circle a few times. There is going to be a heart attack there without a doubt!!!

"It is a fantastic venue that has been spoilt by poor design in the public area. PS Try buying some sweets to eat during a performance??!!"


Stephen Burns in Cardiff enjoyed some ice dancing:

"I was fortunate to get tickets for Sleeping Beauty on Ice. A brilliant show. The stage is not small, but perhaps for ice skaters it might be considered a bit under sized. However, we were presented with some of the best entertainment that I have ever seen. The hall is wonderful, and the seats are roomy and comfortable. Truly a brilliant hall, and the disabled facilities are superb."


Huw Jackson from Welling, Kent, is a fan:

"Brilliant, breathtaking. A fantastic auditorium with good comfortable roomy seating and a great view of stage. Cirque Eloise helped make our Xmas."


Rialto in Cardiff doesn't think much of the centre's appearance:

"Not so much an armadillo - more of a big fat brown slug. I do not know anybody with a polite word to say about the outside - its thunder already stolen by The Sage in Gateshead which looks far nicer."

  • See photos of The Sage on the BBC Tyne website


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