A new theatre cafe is set to open, providing a venue where people can enjoy live music while also showcasing their own talents on stage.
Cardiff Theatre Café will open its doors at 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 6, with the goal of creating a space where everyone is welcome to enjoy live music, celebrate inclusivity, and have the opportunity to perform themselves.
The new theatre café, located next to Andrews Coffee Court on Wellfield Road in Roath, has been created by a group of students with the help of Wayne Courtney and Nathan Wyburn to establish a venue that encourages people who love theatre to get involved and showcase their own talents in front of a live audience.
The café will be an addition to the already established Andrews Coffee Court managed by Courtney and Wyburn, which serves many people who use the community space of St Andrews Church for worship, events, classes, and groups.
Sam Walters, one of the founders of the theatre café, hopes to provide a secure place where all performers may feel welcomed and be appreciated. “This was made for people to come and just be themselves…it’s a hub for the wacky and weird so having this other extension is targeting more of the younger generation and more of the creative ones.”
According to Sophie Baker, the coronavirus outbreak has had a tremendous influence on the theatre and musical arts over the last two years. She believes that the new café will encourage more individuals to enjoy the industry, saying, “I don’t think it has been appreciated the way it should be, so we’re going to try and bring the love of theatre back and show people just how important it is.”
The students want to create a place where everyone can participate by getting up on stage and performing, whether it’s by singing a song, playing an instrument, or reciting a poem. Baker said, “It’s going to be so relaxed, we’ll all be sitting here and singing if we want to. Anyone can come up and sing… it’s just a safe space, there’s no judgement.”
“It’s just to help other people as well who don’t have the same opportunities to perform like we have. It gives them somewhere to perform and hopefully build their confidence.”
The idea for this new café was inspired by a London theatre café that provided a space for enthusiasts of musical theatre. This inspired these students to open their own venue in Cardiff where individuals could participate while watching and enjoying other live performances.
Ivan Jenkins-Jones had previously visited the Theatre Café in London and recalls how inclusive the place was to everyone. “It’s literally a stage in the centre of a normal café, where mothers and children would jump onto the stage to perform…that idea of family space, you can’t get any better than that.”
The Cardiff Theatre Cade will be open at 2pm every Sunday, giving like-minded friends the opportunity to gather and witness a wonderful set of performers sing your favourite musicals.
On Sunday’s opening night, special guests including West End talents, Stifyn Parri and Peter Karrie, will play a variety of musical songs for all to enjoy.
Join in the fun by requesting a musical number, doing a comedic act, or reading a poem, all while admiring the many other talents on display.
For more information about the Cardiff Theatre Cafe, visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cardifftheatrecafe