Category Archives: LGBT

lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans / transgender

Aberration: All Queered Up 19 Feb 2016

Amy Dillwyn
Amy Dillwyn (R&S Morris)

All Queered Up

Celebrating LGBT History Month

Dathlu Mis Hanes LGBT

7.45pm Friday 19 February 2016 (doors open 7.30pm) Aberystwyth Arts Centre Studio

7:45pm Gwener 19 Chwefror (drysau am 7:30pm) Stiwdio Canolfan y Celfyddydau

Tickets £7.50 from box office // Tocynnau £7.50 o’r Swyddfa Docynnau:
www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk  01970 623232

An evening of talks, discussion
and music

Noswaith o gerddoraeth, siarad a thrafod

The life, loves & literature of Amy Dillwyn

Amy Dillwyn (1845-1935) was an iconoclastic novelist and a trailblazing female industrialist, described as ‘one of the most remarkable women in Great Britain’. For over 30 years, she was inspired and troubled by her unrequited love for the woman she called her ‘wife’ in her diaries, a story which she tells over again in her fiction.  This talk takes in the life, loves, and literature of this cigar-smoking pioneer. Presented by Dr Kirsti Bohata of Swansea University.

Cyflwyniad i’r awdur Amy Dillwyn gan Kirsti Bohata o Brifysgol Abertawe.

A conversation with Miss Frances Power Cobbe and Miss Mary Charlotte Lloyd

Frances Power Cobbe
Frances Cobbe

The writer and women’s rights campaigner Frances Power Cobbe (1822-1904) and her lifelong partner, the sculptor Mary Charlotte Lloyd, met in Rome. They lived together first in London and then near Dolgellau. Buried a century ago in the churchyard at Llanelltyd, they speak from beyond the grave about their lives and passions. Presented by Aberration’s own Jane Hoy and Helen Sandler.

Sgwrs o du hwnt i’r bed gyda’r awdur ac ymgyrchwr hawliad menwyod Frances Power Cobbe, a’i phartner oes a cherflunydd Mary Charlotte Lloyd. Cyflwynir gan Jane Hoy and Helen Sandler.

Thinking Gay Pictures: Art History and Gay Men 

The ‘father of art history’ was a gay man, J.J.  Winckelmann (1717 – 1768). His writings changed the way people viewed art. This illustrated talk looks at the effect his sensibility had on generations of  gay men and the ways in which they made, viewed and pursued sculptures and pictures – and represented their own desires. Presented by Professor Colin Cruise of Aberystwyth University.

Sgwrs am Gelf Hoyw gan Colin Cruise o Brifysgol Aberystwyth.

GirodetEndymionWeb
The Sleep of Endymion by Anne-Louis Girodet

Discussion

The evening is chaired by historian Norena Shopland, who will get us all talking about the LGBT lives of the past. Norena’s focus is the enormous influence people from Wales have made on all aspects of sexual orientation and gender identity. But when it comes to people from history, can we retro-sexualise individuals? Are modern terms such as homosexual and transgender appropriate?

Caiff y noswaith ei Chadeirio gan yr Hanesydd Norena Shopland, a fydd hefyd yn siarad am fywydau pobl LGBT y gorffennol.

Music

StephanieFineganWeb
Stephanie Finegan

Musical interlude from Stephanie Finegan: singer-songwriter, poet, force of nature.

Bydd cerddoriaeth byw gan gyfansoddwraig a’r gantores Stephanie Finegan.

Info & booking

Event in English // Mae’r digwyddiad yma yn Saesneg.

All welcome // Croeso i bawb

Tickets £7.50 from box office // Tocynnau £7.50 o’r Swyddfa Docynnau:
www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk  01970 623232

Join our Facebook group: Aberration Cymru

‘Be part of the queer arts scene that’s taking Mid Wales by storm’ – Diva magazine

Aberration is brought to you by Enfys Aber and SpringOut, in partnership with Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
Partneriaeth rhwng Enfys Aber, SpringOut a Chanolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth.

Back in Time – Saturday 13th February 2016

SpringOut is delighted to programme the Saturday evening fringe event entertainment at the National Festival of LGBT History – Midlands Hub, in Shrewsbury! (Now that is a mouthful!)

Aberration-38With SpringOut’s own fabulously popular compere Helen Sandler,  we’ll be presenting All the Nice Girls‘ theatrical tribute to real-life stars of music hall Gwen Farrah & Norah Blaney. Starting out in Lena Ashwell’s concert parties for the troops in WW1 the young Farrar and Blaney quickly adapted their classical ‘cello/piano act into a ‘turn’ full of repartee and physical humour. Household names in the early 1920s, Farrar and Blaney had an on and offstage partnership, singing popular love songs of the day to each other in West End Revues and living together openly.

Peter Scott Presland Beth1 Hannah

Peter Scott-Presland will also be joining us with some of his own musical jollity and tales from his personal experience, growing up as a gay man.

Local musicians Beth Prior and Hannah Fermor add to the delight of the evening with a dip into archival stories of LGBT lives – still on the writing table this will be the first outing for some tailor made music. Don’t miss it.

Tickets £8 (£5 if you cannot afford the full price) are available here: Eventbrite – Saturday evening entertainment

Venue: The Hive, 5 Belmont, Shrewsbury, SY1 1TE – click here for a map

Check out the rest of the Festival programme here: What’s On at the Festival

Cabarration 10 October 2015

previously at Aberration…

Aberration Cabaret

A Queer thing’s happening at the Arts Centre

Saturday 10 October 2015, Great Hall, Aberystwyth Arts Centre

LouSafireWeb
Lou Safire

Doors open 7.30pm (with entertainment while you settle in); show starts 8pm

Tickets: £12 / £9 from Aberystwyth Arts Centre box office

Join us for the return of Cabarration: the cabaret night with a very queer bite. Prepare to be amazed by a glitzy line-up of local and national talent in the Great Hall, from burlesque to comedy via circus and song.

LGBT theme (lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans). All welcome. Dress style: putting on the glitz.

“The rich atmosphere could only be described as Gatsbian with a queer twist!” – Ego magazine

Starring:

Bethany Black
Bethany Black

Bethany Black: Standup comedy from Bethany Black, who played Helen in Channel 4’s Cucumber & Banana, and will appear in the next series of Doctor Who. Funny, fabulous and queer. ‘Something quite special and unique… I was genuinely grateful for the experience.’ – Time Out

Lou Safire: Bohemian burlesque and vaudeville from a man who is 96% Extrovert, 4% Polyester. Lou brings together circus and striptease, strutting his stuff and scaring the horses.

Kate O’Donnell: Kate returns to Aberration with ‘A Short History of My Tits’, told with music, tassels and pizzazz. As seen at Mother’s Ruin in Manchester and Duckie’s in London. ‘Loud and proud trans woman making waves’ – Sunday Times

Kate O'Donnell
Kate O’Donnell

Arms Like Legs: ‘Four apocalyptic noise spirits invite you to succumb to the whims of sound for the liquefied pleasure of all!’ Imagine Black Sabbath blended with Patti Smith with a handful of doom and hip hop thrown in. 2013 MidMad Band Slam winners.

Nic Herriot will be reading us one of her cheeky short stories. She lives locally with her wife and, when not trying to tame the jackdaws who live in her chimney,  enjoys researching plots for her erotica.

Maj Ikle is proud to live off grid in a rural women’s community, not a million miles from Aber. She will be performing the first chapter of her forthcoming autobiography, entitled ‘Maggie Thatcher made me an SM Dyke’.

Ali Cocks: last seen teaching us all some moves on the pole, Ali will be making magical shapes in the air from her new aerial hoop. Ali also teaches pole fitness classes in Aberystwyth. Accompanied by Lucy Edwards.

Aber’s newest musical duo, László Xavia and Emily Farr, are influenced variously by Paolo Nutini, Passenger, Amy McDonald and Alanis Morissette. The result is a melodious set that you may well be the first to hear!

We will have a charity raffle in aid of LGBT good causes with fab prizes donated by local businesses including meals out, drinks and a weekend away.

Ali Cocks
Ali Cocks (by Craig Kirkwood)

Cabarration is hosted by Helen Sandler, who  has compered at the York Lesbian Arts Festival, L Fest and London’s Bar Wotever. Keeping you happy through the night. Unless you don’t like to be happy – no pressure.

The night ends with DJ and dancing – everyone’s favourite DJ Boundary (of Swing City fame) will play us out.

Oh, what a night! Don’t miss it!
BOOK NOW>>

View photos from last year’s Cabarration>>

 

Aberration is programmed by Enfys Aber (Aberystwyth University Staff LGBT Pride Society) and SpringOut, and is a partnership with Aberystwyth Arts Centre.

Shropshire Rainbow Film Festival 2015 Programme

SpringOut is programming the lesbian interest films again and delighted to be part of the Shropshire Rainbow Film Festival’s tenth birthday celebrations. We have picked films to suit different tastes – with hopefully a little overlap to tempt you to stay on and see something a bit different. As usual we have a documentary with Q & A – this year looking at Lesbian Custody cases of the 1970’s, accompanied by a lovely British short of ‘children’ (grown) nurtured in lesbian & gay households.

Full festival programme details can be found here : Rainbow Film Festival and, as always, the majority of the festival takes place at The Old Market Hall

A little precis :

Friday Night (16th October 2015)
19:30 Opening Ceremony – come and join us and raise a glass to 10 years
20:00 The Way He Looks

Saturday (17th October 2015)
10:15 – 12:00 Homegrown Shorts at OMH
13.00 – Mom’s Apple Pie: the Heart of the Lesbian Custody Movement plus Q&A – programmed by SpringOut
16:30 – Jayson Bend: Queen & Country plus Q&A
20:00 – Appropriate Behaviour – programmed by SpringOut

Sunday (18th October 2015)
11:00-12:30 Around the World Shorts (at other venue)
13:30 – Victim ith Q&A
16:30 – For 80 Days – programmed by SpringOut
18:30 – Boy Meets Girl

 

Aberration Mai 2015 RHAGLEN

Aberration yn cyflwyno:

Hoyw Heddiw // Gay Today

>>English here>>

Nos Sadwrn, Mai’r 9fed, 7yh (am 7.30)
Neuadd yr Adran Gwleidyddiaeth Ryngwladol,
Prifysgol Aberystwyth, Campŵs Penglais
£7 y tocyn gyda gwydraid o win

>>Prynwch tocynnau>>
Aberration, 1st feb Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Photo by Daryl Ras Gdalya Jemmott

Beth yw profiad LGBT yng Nghymru
heddiw (a thu hwnt)?
Noswaith llawn trafodaeth,
darlleniadau a cherddoriaeth fyw

7yh Diodydd

7.30yh Cyflwyniad gan Dr Jenny Mathers, pennaeth yr adran Gwleidyddiaeth Ryngwladol ac arbenigydd mewn materion hawliau dynol Rwsieg, gan gynnwys Pussy Riot a’r gyfraith gwrth-hoywon.

7.45yh Trafodaeth yn ymwneud â’r profiad o fod yn LGBT yng Nghymru, gyda’n panel campus:

Jaci Taylor, maer lesbiaidd cyntaf y DU i benodi ei phartner yn faeres (Aberystwyth, 2000).

Gareth Lloyd Roberts, cyfarwyddwr Canolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth, cyn-gynhyrchydd Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru.

Paddy O’Malley, cydolygydd a sylfaenydd cylchgrawn The Aberystwyth EGO ac aelod o’r grŵp, Sgarmes.

Cadeirydd – Elisa Haf, yn frodorol o Aber a chanddi radd meistr mewn Gwleidyddiaeth Ryngwladol a diddordeb mewn ffeministiaeth o’r adain chwith.

Mae pob un o’r siaradwyr yn medru’r Gymraeg ac fe gynhelir y drafodaeth yn y Gymraeg a’r Saesneg gydag adnoddau cyfieithu ar y pryd ar gael. Dilynir gan sesiwn holi – cyfle i chi holi eich cwestiynau chi i’r panel.

8.45yh Toriad

9yh Trafodaeth a darlleniad gan Richard Margraff Turley o’i lyfr newydd, The Cunning House. Mae’r llyfr yn ymwneud â’r rhagfarnau homoffobaidd tuag at y diwylliant hoyw yn Llundain y rhaglywiaeth a’r ymosodiad ar The White Swan ‘molly house’.

9.15yh Cerddoriaeth amlieithog gyda’r crwniwr o Fachynlleth, Nicola Burgess a’i band.

10yh Diwedd – dewch am ddiod ym mar y Canolfan Celfyddydau ac i drafod themâu’r noswaith.

Amcangyfrif yw’r rhaglen. Gall yr amserlen newid yn ôl rhediad y noswaith.

Cyflwynir Aberration i chi gan Enfys Aber (Rhwydwaith Staff LGBT Prifysgol Aberystwyth) a SpringOut (digwyddiadau celfyddydol i fenywod, pobol LGBT a’u ffrindiau).

>>Prynwch tocynnau ar-lein>>

>>Ymunwch â’r digwyddiad Facebook>>

>>Gwelwch lluniau o’r Aberration diwethaf>>

Aberration May 2015 PROGRAMME

[ARCHIVE RECORD OF PAST EVENT]
Aberration presents:

Hoyw Heddiw // Gay Today

>>Cymraeg yma>>

7pm (for 7.30) Saturday 9 May 2015
Main Hall, International Politics Building,
Aberystwyth University, Penglais Campus
£7 (includes a glass of wine)
Aberration, 1st feb Aberystwyth Arts Centre. Photo by Daryl Ras Gdalya Jemmott

What’s it like to be LGBT in Wales (and beyond)?
An evening of live music, discussion and readings

7pm Drinks

7.30pm Introduction by Dr Jenny Mathers, head of the International Politics department, an expert in Russian human rights issues including Pussy Riot and anti-gay legislation.

7.45pm Discussion about being LGBT in Wales, with our fabulous panel:

Jaci Taylor, who served as mayor of Aberystwyth in 2000-01, with her partner as mayoress.

Gareth Lloyd Roberts, director of Aberystwyth Arts Centre, past producer at Wales Millennium Centre.

Paddy O’Malley, co-editor and founder of The Aberystwyth EGO magazine and part of Sgarmes singing group.

Chaired by Elisa Haf, an Aber native with a degree in International Politics from the university and an interest in left-wing feminism.

The panel will be held in Welsh and English, with simultaneous translation. Followed by Q&A – join in with your questions for the panel.

8.45pm Interval

9pm Richard Margraff Turley will read from and talk about his new novel, The Cunning House, about attacks on gay culture in Regency London and the raid on the White Swan molly house.

9.15pm Multilingual live music from Machynlleth’s answer to Edith Piaf – Nicola Burgess & friends.

10pm Ends – come with us up to the Arts Centre to buy a drink in the bar and continue the conversation.

Timings are approximate. Programme subject to change.

Aberration is brought to you by Enfys Aber (Aber Uni’s LGBT staff network) and SpringOut (arts events for women, LGBT folk and friends).

>>View photos of the last fabulous Aberration>>

Aberration Quiz 27 Feb

Aberration Quiz

Blackouts (smaller)

Queer Quiz, Friday 27 February 2015

Dickie Beau is performing his show Blackouts: Twilight of the Idols at Aberystwyth Arts Centre and the Aberration team have arranged a fun pre-show quiz in the theatre bar at 5.45pm prompt, as part of LGBT History Month UK.
Bring your friends or join a team to meet new people. Questions will include the queer history of Wales and a photo quiz. Ends in time for a chat or a bite to eat before the show. All welcome, whether you are lesbian, gay, bi, undecided, straight, trans, intersex, whatever.
£1 per person on the night.
Quizmasters Mike Parker & Helen Sandler.
It’s Aberration’s first birthday so we hope you will raise a glass with us to celebrate!
Please book separately for the show, see below.
Quiz organised by SpringOut and Enfys Aber for Aberration.

Blackouts: Twilight of the Idols

Drag fabulist Dickie Beau shapeshifts through a shadowy soundscape of lost souls in a theatrical trip to the subconscious underworld of his future self. Bringing to life extraordinary audio artefacts, Dickie leads us on a bewitching adventure in found sound as he channels the ghosts of his childhood idols. Includes previously unheard tapes of Marilyn Monroe’s final interview.

Book your ticket to the Blackouts show on the Aberystwyth Arts Centre website>>

Cabarration lineup announced

CABARRATION:

Aberration meets cabaret!

[Rhaglen Cymraeg>>

Cabaret night with a very queer bite
8pm Saturday 8 November 2014, Great Hall, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, £10

Doors 7.30pm (with entertainment while you settle in), main show onstage at 8pm.

Book online now!

Starring:

Sgasgarmes-2132rmes: Aber’s dynamic close-harmony chorus gives it some glitter, bringing you camp classics, pop covers in two tongues… and surprises.

 

MimiAmore

Mimi Amore: A burlesque star who is sexy, humorous and downright dazzling, Mimi has been voted ‘Legend in the Making’.

IzzyRabeyIzzy Rabey & Bill Sutton: Izzy’s knockout voice soars through jazz classics and her own soulful songs.

 

 

 

AliCocksLowRes

Ali Cocks: Melding dance, gymnastics and aerial arts with pole-dancing in a unique show of fitness and thrills.

hilaryramsden

 

Hilary Ramsden: The surreal and funny rebel clown of Ceredigion.

 

HelenSandler

 

Helen Sandler: Your host for the night.

 

Ted Wroxley: Amazing table magician with nothing up his sleeve.

 

Cabaret artist Mar Gonga (photo: Dawn Kilner)

Mar Gonga: Juggling her magic crystal ball.

VestaClitoriaThe Swan Vestas: The music hall’s last surviving male impersonator treads the boards in the cheeky style of Tipping the Velvet.

 

 

 

Grit book coverCarey Wood-Duffy: Short passionate poems from the Cardiff American’s new collection, Grit.

 

 

 

george 2George Sandifer-Smith: Aber-based poet engages the audience with both humour and depth.

Emily Farr: … And her guitar!

Plus Raffle in aid of LGBT causes overseas, with acerbic writer and broadcaster Mike Parker, Plaid Cymru’s out gay parliamentary candidate for Ceredigion.

parkerplaid

Prizes from Over the Rainbow vegetarian guesthouse, Light of Asia Indian restaurant, Sombrero at Sophie’s, Irie’s cocktail lounge, Rummer’s bar and other friends of Aberration. Proceeds from raffle and popcorn sales will be distributed by Stonewall to LGBT causes overseas.

And at the end of the evening, DJ Boundary (Swing City) returns by popular demand to fill the dancefloor till late.

boundary

Book online now!

Don't miss this amazing night, which is an Aberration event, programmed by SpringOut and Enfys Aber supported by Aberystwyth Arts Centre. You won't find many LGBT arts events in Mid Wales and we're proud that Aberration is giving lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans audiences and their friends top-quality nights out in Aberystwyth.

Cabarration: Aberration meets cabaret in November

Aberration
A Queer thing’s happening at the Arts Centre
Saturday 8 November 2014
8pm Great Hall, Aberystwyth Arts Centre

Join us for Cabarration: a cabaret night with an LGBT* bite. Prepare to be amazed by a glitzy line-up of local and national talent in the Great Hall, from queer burlesque to camp comedy via circus and song. Stay late and dance with Swing City’s DJ Boundary – back by popular demand. All welcome.

Tickets: £10

Aberration is programmed by Enfys Aber (Aberystwyth University Staff LGBT Pride Society) and SpringOut.

*LGBT: lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender

 

 Photo of Mar Gonga by Dawn Kilner