Blysh Festival of Carnival and Vaudeville Arts 2009

The first-ever Blysh Festival of carnival and vaudeville arts happens at the Wales Millennium Centre from Friday 17th July until Sunday 26th July 2009.

Part of the Cardiff Festival, Blysh is a mix of free music, street theatre, circus performances and workshops, cabaret shows and incorporates the WOW on the Waterfront show.

Musical highlights include a concert by Camille O' Sullivan and her five-piece band at the Weston Studio (July 23). The Weston Studio will also stage new shows by Mr and Mrs Clark (July 21), Circomedia (Friday 24 and Saturday 25), and Secret Carnival (July 26), who bring the festival to an end with their masked carnival featuring DJs, performance artists, circus acts, characters and bands. Their night of sideshows features DJ Matt the Hat, Lilywhitesass Dancers, Mrs Bens Costume Shop, Tarot Readers and some special surprise guests. There's also live music from Derwyddon Dr Gonzo (July 17), Plant Duw (July 24), Graveyard Johnny's (July 23) and Punksnotdad (July 21), a group of ageing punks from Cardiff led by Sid Life Crisis.

Blysh also brings a programme of cult cabaret to the Weston Studio including So & So Circus (July 17), and cabaret duo Bourgeois and Maurice, bring their new show 'Social Work' to the festival on the same day. They are followed by director Guy Masterson's black comedy Scaramouche Jones (July 18). Other acts include Human balloon Bruce Airhead (July 18), and Fraser Hooper (July 19).

The programme of free entertainment includes a series of circus workshops by Cardiff's Nofitstate Circus (July 18 and 19), while the Mis-Information Tent (July 24) set up their comedy stall at the Centre offering the (wrong) answers to all life's questions. Other free street theatre performances include shows from the Centre's resident art groups Odyssey Pod (July 21) and Touch Trust Carnival (July 21).

The free entertainment continues throughout the closing weekend (July 25) as the award-winning SWICA (South Wales Intercultural Community Arts) take over the Bay with performances from Samba Galez, a carnival parade and a Masquerade carnival before the finale of the aerial show Wow on the Waterfront. French theatre company Transe Express return to the Oval Basin to premiere their new aerial show 80-ft above the Bay.

For a cinema experience with a difference visit the Bay on Sunday when Cinecabagogo (July26), a cinema in the back of a black London Cab, will be parking up outside the Centre to screen a programme of short films in their mobile venue.

SWICA return to take over the Bay for the premiere of Dragon. Based on the 50th anniversary of the Welsh dragon being adopted onto the Welsh flag, the show brings the free festival of free entertainment to a close with a clash of music and colourful costumes.

The ticket prices varies for each event many are free. To book tickets for shows, call the ticket office on 08700 40 2000.

This a non-camping event, there are plenty of accommodation options available in Cardiff.

More information will be here when available.

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