Â鶹ԼÅÄ

Gary Raymond and guest critics review the Welsh arts and popular culture scene. This month Gary is joined by writer and composer Steph Power and author and critic Dr Emma Schofield.

They explore new film The Toll which sees an eclectic bunch of ne’er do wells come together in a star-studded dark comedy that tips a Stetson to spaghetti westerns as well as the more eccentric strand of Welsh comedy.

Gary and guests also give their views on the Oriel Mon exhibition Art as Antidote. It brings together the work of two artists who, on the face of it, appear to have very different styles and outlooks – Gilly Thomas with her sometimes nightmarish dream scenes heavy on symbolism, and Louise Morgan with her dramatic Welsh landscapes. The pair combine in a vast showcase of more than a 150 pieces.

The panel discuss Wonders of the Celtic Deep - a big budget ecology documentary in the tradition of Blue Planet and Life on Earth. The series takes the viewer on a deep dive journey around the coast of Wales, unveiling the hidden wilds of the underwater worlds on our doorstep. Narrated by Dame Sian Phillips, it also features a luscious accompanying score from Paul Maelor.

And they review a new book from the University of Wales Press - M. Wynn Thomas’s The History of Wales in Twelve Poems. The collection purports to use some nation-defining verse from down the centuries as a window into the history of the country, attempting to bring very different aspects and eras of the past into focus. Punctuated by evocative illustrations from Ruth Jen Evans, it's an ambitious but pocket-sized creation.