Director: Gavin Porter
The Butetown area of Cardiff grew up around the city’s docks, and the people that flowed in as migrants and seafarers gave it a distinctively multicultural identity as early as the nineteenth century. ‘Circle of Fifths’ is a home-grown celebration of the community’s resilience and particularly its customs and traditions around funerals; it is also one of the most life-affirming experiences one could hope to have at the Fringe.
The audience is welcomed initially to a gathering outside the venue, where musicians/mourners set the scene beside a coffin painted with Cardiff landmarks, and then lead a procession into the ‘church’. It is immediately obvious that this is a funeral where singing is expected, dancing encouraged, and deep emotion expressed, all led by a cast who slip seamlessly from reggae to soul and gospel.
Once we’re seated indoors (and we’re soon up dancing again), the show becomes a blend of film, music and storytelling, taking us into the lives and deaths of some amazing Butetown residents: elders who end their richly adventurous lives surrounded by family. Of course, there was a time when this wasn’t possible: the play was originally conceived as a response to director Gavin Porter’s loss of a beloved uncle who died during the first Covid lockdown in 2020. There are some beautiful musical moments as the voices blend and harmonise, and also some standout solos too: Francesca Dimech’s gorgeous performance of Grandma’s Hands, for example, and the sensational vocals and drumming of Anthony ‘Drumtan’ Ward. Sharp-suited Anthony ‘Wella’ Corria is at the centre of many of the tales, an irresistible frontman who seemed to be keeping the rest guessing about what he might do next. Shakeera Ahmun’s soaring vocals on Amazing Grace bring the goosebumps, and Kyle Legall completes the line-up with a gentle, benevolent presence. The sense of camaraderie between the cast members echoes their stories about a community where there’s always someone to help carry the load.
There’s an elegiac feeling too. Butetown has changed – pubs have closed, modern life means fewer weddings and christenings, and ‘the beauty of belonging’ is challenged by the wish to break free. But as we’re invited to celebrate at Jim’s Bar afterwards (with Welsh cakes) I’m left with the sense that I’ve been welcomed into the home of the most hospitable neighbours that anyone could hope for.
Runs until 30 August 2026 | Image: Contributed
