Penyrheol Theatre

In addition to entertaining the audience, 4th Wall Production's version of Rent made a great effort in raising awareness and money for the Terrence Higgins Trust – a charity that campaigns on various AIDS and HIV related issues.

It's an appropriate charity for the play, as the rock musical tells the story of a group of young bohemians in New York striving for success, love and acceptance while facing the obstacles of poverty and the AIDS epidemic.

Catchy songs and high-energy dancing was delivered by a mix of professional and amateur actors from Swansea, all capturing the mood perfectly on each occasion — be it the dynamic opening number, to the emotional climax later on.

As well as directing the show, Dean Verbeck puts in a strong performance as Mark. His efforts in the opening song set the tone for the night, which was well-matched by the rest of the cast. Greg Arthur displayed some adept acting talent as guitar-strumming Roger and linked perfectly with Linzi Richards as Mimi the exotic dancer. Sophie Lewis was a joy to watch, adding a touch of crazy as Maureen, while Robert Quibel was awarded rapturous applause as Angel.

The live band added plenty of life and provided the musical backdrop for a number of top-class vocal performances, including Michael Aubin as Colins, Cath Fraser as Joanne and Sean Davies as Benny.

Chris Carra