Big films, live theatre, comedy and community events — there’s plenty happening at Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre this week.
Whether you’re after a night at the cinema, live music, or something a bit different, here’s what’s coming up.
Cinema
Madfabulous (12A)
Friday 5 – Thursday 18 June
In the 1890s, flamboyant Henry Paget arrives on Anglesey, North Wales, to claim his inheritance as the Fifth Marquess. Alongside his spirited cousin Lily and loyal butler Gelert, Henry’s theatrical eccentricities charm the locals but scandalise the elite. As he fights to carve out a unique identity, he must navigate stifling traditions, greedy relatives, and his late father’s cold legacy.
Backrooms (15)
Friday 12-Thursday 18 June
A strange doorway appears in the basement of a furniture showroom. Directed by Kane Parsons, this A24 film brings the viral “Backrooms” story to the big screen, transforming internet legend into an unnerving cinematic journey.
Shrek 25th Anniversary (U)
Saturday 13-Sunday 14 June
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Shrek returns to the big screen. When Shrek’s swamp is overrun by fairytale creatures, he strikes a deal with Lord Farquaad: rescue Princess Fiona, and win back his home. Alongside Donkey, Shrek’s quest leads to unexpected friendship, romance, and a surprising secret.
David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet (PG)
Sunday 14 June, 2.30pm
A powerful portrait of life on Earth from Sir David Attenborough, drawing on over 90 years of exploring every continent and documenting the natural world in all its beauty and fragility. The film confronts the greatest challenges facing our planet while offering a hopeful vision for the future. Join us for a special screening celebrating David Attenborough’s 100th birthday.
Effi o Blaenau (15)
Friday 19 June-Thursday 2 July
Based on Gary Owen’s acclaimed monodrama Iphigenia in Splott, Effi o Blaenau is Marc Evans’ cinematic adaptation set in Blaenau Ffestiniog. Effi, hoping to escape her struggling hometown, briefly glimpses a new future after meeting injured soldier Lee. When reality sets in, she faces life as a single, unemployed mother-to-be, and her story highlights the region’s social challenges.
PREVIEW: As well as the run of screenings between 19 June and 2 July, there will also be a special preview of the film and a Q&A session with the director Marc Evans on Thursday 18 June, 7pm.
Charlie the Wonderdog (PG)
Friday 19-Sunday 21 June
Timid 9-year-old Danny teams up with his beloved family dog Charlie, who gets abducted by aliens and returns with superpowers, to thwart a plan by the neighbour’s sinister cat Puddy to destroy humanity.
Refugee Week 2026: A World Not Ours (15)
Thursday 18 June, 11am – Free
As part of the 2026 Refugee Week , Pontio will hold a free screening of A World Not Ours, an intimate, humorous, portrait of three generations of exile in the refugee camp of Ein el-Helweh, in southern Lebanon. Based on a wealth of personal recordings, family archives, and historical footage, the film is a sensitive, and illuminating study of belonging, friendship, and family.
Filmed over more than 20 years by multiple generations of the same family, A World Not Ours is more than just a family portrait; it is an attempt to record what is being forgotten, and mark what should not be erased from collective memory.
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Theatr Bryn Terfel
Rich Hall: Chin Music
Thursday 18 June, 8pm
“Chin Music” has two meanings. One is idle talk. The other is a brushback throw in baseball or cricket to intimidate the batter. Both describe Rich Hall’s comedy. Idle but intimidating. Sharp, quick, splenetic, and sublimely improvisational. If you’ve never seen him, you need to hustle down to your local venue and grab a seat because he never disappoints. Ever.
WNO Orchestra Summertime Soiree
Friday 19 June, 7pm
Conductor: Harry Ogg
Soloist: Tara Erraught, mezzo-soprano
Schumann Genoveve Overture
Vaughan Williams Songs of Travel
Frances Jenkins The Coming of Night
Mendelssohn Symphony No 5 Reformation
Join WNO Orchestra and internationally renowned mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught and conductor Harry Ogg for an unforgettable summer concert.
The performance begins with the drama of Schumann’s Genoveve Overture, setting the stage for a concert full of passion and intensity. Tara Erraught then takes the spotlight with Vaughan Williams’s song cycle Songs of Travel. Traditionally performed by baritones, Erraught’s rich mezzo tones offers new depth and colour to the piece for a truly unique experience.
Following the interval, Frances Jenkins’s The Coming of Night, based on a poem by the same name, will captivate listeners with its evocative portrayal of twilight and the quiet beauty of dusk. The concert concludes with Mendelssohn’s exhilarating Symphony No 5 Reformation a jubilant finale filled with grandeur and spirit.
Join us for a sensational concert that will lift your heart and leave you basking in the glow of summer.
