Steel Magnolia’s at The New Theatre Cardiff

Ad | The Steel Magnolias Tour has arrived in Cardiff. Based on the play and film, the play has famous faces, witty one-liners and a touching storyline. Here’s what you can expect when seeing Steel Magnolias at the New Theatre Cardiff.

This blog post contains affiliate links. If you purchase or sign up for anything from this website, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

I love the theatre! However, I hate to admit since COVID; I haven’t been as much as I used to. It’s a habit I’ve got out of rather than because there is a lack of touring shows in Cardiff. Yesterday, I got my toe back in the water by attending the opening night of Steel Magnolias at The New Theatre Cardiff.

80s Louisiana comes to Cardiff

Steel Magnolias is based on the Off-Broadway play from 1987 by Robert Harling and the 1989 film which starred Sally Field, Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts. The play follows the trials and tribulations of six sassy women in their small-town southern beauty salon in Louisiana.

It starts with bride-to-be Shelby (Diana Vickers) and her mother M’Lynn (Laura Main), arriving at Truvy Jones’s (Lucy Speed) hair salon on the morning of her wedding. The trio are joined at the salon by newbie Annelle (Elizabeth Ayodele), town grouch Ouiser (usually played by Harriet Thorpe, but was understudied by Claire Carpenter) and friend Clairee (Caroline Harked). The four-scene play stretches over two years and explores the mother-daughter dynamic and the role of friends as a supporting mechanism.

Diana Vickers was an interesting watch as the young bride, who, despite her type 1 diabetes diagnosis, is determined to become a mother. This greatly concerns her own mother, who is aware of the dangers involved and tries to dissuade her from making the decision. The salon soon becomes a support network for the pair. And let’s face it, we all know how therapeutic a visit to the hairdresser can be! (My salon is Freestyle Hair Design, who love to put the world to rights with me!)

Steel Magnolias Cardiff Review

Be prepared to go on an emotional rollercoaster as you go through the highs and lows of everyday life with the characters – which are well-rounded and defined. The dialogue is sharp and witty and full of fantastic one-liners. Some of which I’m going to add to my repertoire.

Some of the finer details will make you smile, such as pictures of Dolly Parton on the salon’s wall, cheekily reminding us of her Steel Magnolia’s role. What I loved most were the spectacular costumes, which Dolly would be proud of. You knew it was the 80s without it looking like a cheap stereotype, even with the big fabulous hair.

For me, Laura Main (M’Lynn) stole the show. She told the story brilliantly, I always knew what she was thinking, even if she wasn’t speaking. Her final outburst had the audience fighting back the tears or reaching for the tissues. It was dramatic but realistic. Anyone who’s lost someone could easily connect, remembering those fraught emotions.

The only disappointment was that some of the southern accents started to slip at times or were too over the top. Caroline Harked was (posh) British throughout. Having not seen the film, I thought this was intentional. However, this doesn’t distract from the storytelling. And the audience didn’t really care.

Despite the tragedy at its heart, Steel Magnolias is a fast-paced, hilarious play that sweeps you up and plops you down into life in this small Louisiana town. A great deal of authenticity is delivered by a highly competent cast, making it a thrill to watch.

Book your tickets

If you can, grab a ticket, you won’t be disappointed. The play runs until 22 April 2023, with tickets starting from £19 per person.

Where is the New Theatre Cardiff? Address: Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3LN

Cardiff Tickets

How to get there

Transport for Wales now offers Multiflex, which gives you 12 journeys for the same price as 5 returns. Who doesn’t want to save money? With stops in Taffs Well, Radyr, Whitchurch, Llandaff North, Cathays, Cardiff Bay, plus two in the city centre. Queen Street is less than a 5-minute walk to The New Theatre, and Cardiff Central is about a 15-minute walk.

Pre-book your parking and save!

There is an NCP car park across the road from The New Theatre. NCP Park Pass is an easy way to save money on parking. Not only do you access special parking deals, but you also don’t need to remember where you put the ticket collected at the barrier – mine always gets lost in the handbag. As payment is contact-free and cashless, you do it on your phone.

You can always pre-book your parking online and save money if that’s not your thing. Find a car park, choose your date and time, enter your details and make your payment. Once you’ve booked your parking online, you will receive a booking confirmation email detailing your booking and how to enter and exit the car park.

Eat Out Before Watching the Play

Cardiff is a foodie’s delight. From the quality of the produce to the level of cooking, at both the casual and cheap eats, Cardiff is staking a serious claim to being one of the most exciting places to eat in the UK.

Get 50% off food in Cardiff

We all need to refuel and rehydrate. If you love food and drink, do you have a Tastecard? You get 50% off the food bill or two meals for the price of one. There are over six thousand participating restaurants across the UK. Get a 90-day free trial here:

Places to Drink in Cardiff

You’re always close to the best bars in Cardiff city centre. If you’d like to have a drink before or after the show, there’s plenty of places nearby to choose from.

Stay the night

If you know when you’d like to travel, try to book in advance and as soon as possible. Prices tend to rise the closer you get to the travel date. However, there is a vast array to accommodate all budgets.

easyHotel Cardiff

The easyHotel Cardiff is a 10-minute walk from the theatre. It has double rooms (with or without a window), accessible bedrooms and twin rooms. Found a short walk behind Cardiff Queen Street train station, the budget hotel has en-suite bathrooms, heated rooms in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. WiFi is free; pay and display and multi-storey car parks are nearby.

Radisson Cardiff

The Radisson Blue Hotel Cardiff is in the city centre. The 4-star hotel has smart TVs in the bedrooms, private bathrooms with complimentary toiletries, laptop-compatible safes, and limited onsite parking.

Dog friendly hotels in Cardiff

Your perfect dog-friendly escape in Cardiff awaits! Before I had my rescue dog, Ivan, I didn’t think Cardiff was very dog friendly. How wrong was I? The dog friendly hotels in Cardiff include national chain hotels, budget brands, pubs and country houses.

The Copthorne

The Copthorne, part of Millennium Hotels and Resorts, is a traditional 4-star hotel in Cardiff that is ideally located between the city centre and the coast of Barry Island. Ideal for business travellers, couples or families, it is a perfect base. You can expect free Wi-Fi, an indoor pool and modern in-room amenities. Book early and save up to 20% off:

The surrounding areas

Don’t be afraid of staying out of central Cardiff, either. Penarth, Barry, Caerphilly, Pontypridd, and Merthyr Tydfil are the surrounding areas connected by regular buses and trains. You can also plan with LastMinute.com. Stay at great hotels at a fraction of the price.

Cottages and Houses

The award-winning business, Sykes Cottages, has properties across the UK, and the ones near Cardiff are beautiful. From cosy lodges with traditional woodburning stoves to contemporary accommodation with a hot tub. With all the amenities you could need, including parking, WiFi and many dog-friendly places, check out Sykes Holiday Cottages.

Disclaimer: I was invited by Trafalgar Theatres to the opening night of Steel Magnolias at the New Theatre Cardiff in return for a review of my experience. My feedback is my honest, unbiased review.

FREE Visit Cardiff Checklist & Guide

Get your FREE Visting Cardiff Checklist and Guide with over 25 pages full of travel tips, how to get around, places to visit, food and drink, shopping, parks and green spaces, some Welsh phrases and a travel itinerary.

Free Visit Cardiff Guide

Do you want to be the first to read my latest blog posts? If you have enjoyed my Steel Magnolias at the New Theatre Cardiff review, you can stay updated with my other news, the best of Cardiff, South Wales and travel features by signing up for my mailing list:

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Follow me on social media: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Cabaret in Cardiff

9 things you didn’t know you could do at Insole Court

Free things to do in Cardiff