Hay Festival After hours

Hay Festival After Hours returns to Cardiff on Thursday 12 November, taking over The Weston Studio at the Wales Millennium Centre for a one-off night of conversation, performance and provocation. It's the third time the strand has come to the city, bringing the Hay Festival's programme out of its home in Hay-on-Wye and into the Welsh capital. The Cardiff date follows stops at the Bristol Beacon and Birmingham Old Rep Theatre earlier in the year, and the whole series is staged with the support of the Unwin Charitable Trust, which helps widen access to the conversations and performances the festival runs year-round.

The bill draws on pantomime, Christmas number ones and emerging Welsh talent. Craig Revel-Horwood—Australian-British dancer, choreographer and Strictly Come Dancing judge since 2004—will be talking about The Book of Panto, tracing the art of panto from its ancient international roots through to the British tradition we recognise today. Bob Stanley, founding member of Saint Etienne and journalist for The Guardian, NME and The Times, charts seven decades of British Christmas number ones. And Betsan, a soul and jazz-influenced singer-songwriter who splits her time between London and Cardiff, performs from her EP Awst.

It's a mixed bag of a night, so you'll get a bit of everything: a look at the history of panto, a run through the UK's festive chart-toppers, and a live set from a local songwriter. Book signings follow the main event, so there's a chance to pick up the books and have a word with the guests after they've finished on stage. The whole thing kicks off at 7.30pm at The Weston Studio, Wales Millennium Centre, Bute Place, Cardiff, CF10 5AL.