Category Archives: Theatre

Review Black Mountain, Paines Plough, Theatr Clwyd by Bethany McAulay


 
 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)
 
The Roundabout Theatre is small – and though I initially appreciated the intimacy of the compact audience, as soon as the lights dimmed, I began to experience intense claustrophobia. This, I believe, was intentional on behalf of the production team, who succeeded tremendously in their apparent attempt at creating an almost Artaudian production. I cannot distinguish a moment in which I was not on edge, or physically quivering, for the relentless mystery of the play. Certainly, Brad Birch’s ‘Black Mountain’ is the most refreshingly original, and impressively sinister play that I have ever witnessed.

Hasan Dixon portrayed Paul with an extraordinarily potent, compelling, and convincing performance; so much so that one may mistake his acting for genuine fear and frustration. This, naturally, only strengthened the air of threat that seemed to consume the theatre as effectively as the lingering clouds of mist (which, equally, were outstandingly atmospheric). His portrayal was, above all, believable – and that is predominantly what allowed for the exponentially threatening atmosphere that left me feeling equally as terrified as Paul himself.

Sally Messham as Helen was extremely well played, and though the actress’ characterisation of the character was beyond satisfactory, the character itself was difficult to understand. Helen’s flaws seemed to be ingrained not in Messham’s performance, but in the script itself, as a character who was initially presented as understanding and concerned for Paul’s wellbeing, abruptly became depraved and psychopathic; which seemed too unrealistic, even for this play
In point of fact, I found that the script lacked substance. Most of the action and thrill derived largely from the physicality and manner of the actors, as well as the technical and atmospheric devices employed. I believe that, had I not viewed this play in the intimacy of the round, and thus felt so closely involved within the performance, the dialogue would not have been sufficiently strong or theatrical enough to create much tension at all.

For a large part of the play, Katie Elin-Salt’s portrayal of Rebecca was almost frustratingly unconvincing, and was mostly comprised of repetitive gestures and an unchanging tone of voice. In contrast to Dixon’s consistently adaptable tone and manner, Elin-Salt’s performance did not appear to vary much at all, and became very unstimulating, very quickly. However, I began to understand the characterisation only in the final moments of the play, when Rebecca’s soullessness became intensely ominous, and I started to truly appreciate the darkness of the character. I truly regret that this was only prominent within the final ten minutes.
Although the set itself was essentially non-existent, the production was impressively and ingeniously staged, and though techniques such as sudden descents into darkness were frequently adopted, i was equally as stupefied by the final burst or strobe of glaring light than I was by the first. My feelings of paranoia and entrapment were prominent and consistent throughout the entire performance (though this was certainly not unpleasant – I acknowledged and appreciated the psychological thrill). Additionally, the employment of a single torch on stage whilst the remainder of the theatre remained in absolute darkness, as well as the frequent ear-splitting screams, were profoundly, and intriguingly, effective. Equally, the tension was enhanced tremendously during the moment in which Elin-Salt and Messham disappeared from audience view and ran frantically around the exterior of the seating area. Particularly during this moment, their menace felt like a personal threat.
‘Black Mountain’ was so consistently immersive, and felt so isolated from the world outside the theatre, I had to remind myself on numerous occasions throughout that it was merely a performance.

BLACK MOUNTAIN

Review, Black Mountain, Roundabout Theatre at Theatr Clwyd by Gareth Williams

 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)
Welcome to Roundabout. This unique pop-up theatre is taking the UK by storm. It is a masterful piece of engineering. Fully transportable, it is popping up in the most unlikely of places, including car parks, churchyards, seafronts, and housing estates. It takes six people about a day to construct, and needs nothing more than an Allen key to assemble. It is innovative, ingenious and distinctive. Its round white body is certainly noticeable alongside Theatr Clwyd, its current resting place. To have the opportunity to watch a play inside this intriguing structure was a very thrilling prospect.

The early signs were less than promising. Walking in, I could hardly see where I was going. The darkness was overwhelming. The theatre itself wasn’t much better. It was like entering a poorly-lit spaceship. I’d wandered onto the set of an early Doctor Who. I’d been transported back to the age of the 1950s B-movie. The media images seen beforehand only compounded matters further. It was a lot smaller than the press photos had made out. A technical fault at the start meant that my excitable early expectations were now almost entirely extinguished. I was really disappointed. But then the play began.
Black Mountain is a psychological thriller of the highest degree. It sees Rebecca (Katie Elin-Salt) and Paul (Hasan Dixon) travel to an isolated house in the country in an attempt to save their relationship. Writer Brad Birch has created an intriguing and unsettling plot that bubbles away with tension and drip feeds paranoia. The engrossing nature of his script meant that my initial shortcomings quickly dissipated. The intimacy of the space became its strength rather than a distractive weakness. The lighting effects used throughout were essential in the creation of a dark and disturbing tale.

Dixon is exceptional as the stuttering Paul. He conveys a sense of deep discomfort with relative ease. You can tell his character is walking on eggshells. He has a secret to hide from his wife Rebecca. She knows something is going on, but will he admit it? Birch doesn’t make it easy. Elin-Salt brings an intensity of strength to Rebecca that makes her appear a very confident woman. It is testament to her acting skills, however, that this confident exterior also harbours an unsettling tone. There is something deeper brewing beneath the surface. She is holding on to something. But what is it? Birch draws this out across sixty compelling minutes with his absorbing dialogue.
If you enjoyed recent television dramas The Replacement and Doctor Foster, this will be another similar storyline to savour. In some ways, the live action makes for an even greater thrill ride through the tempestuous relationships on stage, particularly as Rebecca turns the screw and the appearance of Helen (Sally Messham) muddies the waters for Paul. It becomes an increasingly sinister play, utterly gripping and completely enthralling. Ultimately, I came out of the darkness having seen the light.
Black Mountain is an absorbing play. The cast are absolutely fantastic and the direction is excellent. There may be some improvements to be made on the initial entrance to the Roundabout theatre. There is nothing but positive feedback on its content here though. An impressive debut for Paines Plough in North East Wales.
To find out more about Roundabout Theatre, click here.

Review Black Mountain, Co produced by Theatre Clwyd, Paines Plough and Orange Tree Theatre by Karis Clarke


 out of 5 stars (4 / 5)
 
Thursday 13th July 2017 Roundabout Pop up Theatre
Written by Brad Birch
Starring Hasan Dixon, Katie Elin-Salt and Sally Messham
Directed by awarding winning James Grieve Black Mountain is a disturbing physiological thriller that explores the darkest side of relationships. Set over a five day period, this one act play holds the audience in the middle of its white knuckle clenched palm. With a cast of three and brimming with expression the plays world premier was in  the grounds of Theatre Clwyd in Paines Plough, Roundabout Popup theatre. With a limited space, a couple of props namely a torch and (another item I shall not name for fear of ruining the plot) and extremely clever and well timed lighting, the focus was solely on the acting.  Thankfully the actors were all highly skilled and more than capable of delivering the multifaceted characterisations this play demanded.
 
I don’t want to give the plot away, as I think new stories are so few and far between in the theatre they should be cherished and discovered fresh by each audience. I will say from the get go the story had you guessing – why where they there ? What was their story ?  What was really going on ? The biggest question I had constantly going on however was – who’s side was I on? This type of dilemma I have a love hate relationship with. I admire writers who can produce characters who are so much more than the words on the page – and all three of these characters clearly are. We are never given the full story – just hints as to what has happened and with one word the characters / actors spoke volumes.  Speech was both passionate yet comic, weak yet strong, emotional yet pathetic – just as it is in everyday life .
The Roundabout pop up theatre is not a big space, although cleverly designed to seat a decent sized audience the actual stage space is small, fortunately for this play the close proximately to each other and the audience only added to heighten dramatic tension. I couldn’t help thinking how the play would work on a normal stage with props and staging I don’t think anything would be gained by setting the play differently, in fact I would suggest tension may be lost if the play had ran in a more naturalistic setting.
As it was, it certainly held jump out of your seat moments, if not jump out of your skin!

The Playwright Brad Birch

Well this dish had been well seasoned and cooked to a very high standard, my only reservation was the ending – without wanting to give anything away I would have been happier if there had been a final glimpse to just tie up the ending – a sprig of parsley –  just for clarification – but that does go against the grain of how the play ran – there was something along the vein of The Tales of The Unexpected about the story, you thought you knew what was coming, then you never, then you did, then what you thought half an hour earlier turned out to be right all along!
Overall this was a very enjoyable piece of theatre made all the more exciting by the fact it is being performed in a portable theatre that can literally be popped up at the road side if needed. (I support anything that involves theatre getting to the people or people getting to the theatre).
Black Mountain will be showing at Theatr Clwyd, Mold until 21st July and after then it will be touring various venues including Edinburgh Fringe before concluding at the Orange Tree Theatre in March 2018.
https://www.painesplough.com/play/black-mountain
For anyone who likes their drama with  a twist and sting in the tale this is a definite!
 
 
 

Top Tunes with Rhiannon White


Hi Rhiannon great to meet you, can you give our readers some background information on yourself please?
So a bit of background – I’m a Cardiff born, Cardiff based theatre director. I mainly work with my theatre company Common Wealth but I also work on freelance stuff which has ranged from taking a circus to Gaza to making a show on a beach.

Home


The work I make is socially engaged, often political and site specific – we find interesting places to stage our shows in the past we have made shows in houses,boxing gyms, courtrooms and now we’re making our new show in a huge industrial warehouse.
I grew up in Cardiff, St.Mellons – I’ve got a deep sense of love and pride for this city and the incredible people that I know here. I can’t imagine living anywhere else, this city gives me the fuel I need to spark and fuel my imagination. I love the magic of this city.
 
I think it was growing up in St.Mellons that got me into theatre. We didn’t have very much growing up but what we did have is loads of kids to play with. I spent my childhood playing in the street, dressing kids up in my mums old clothes and on plays on in the garden. I think that’s where my DIY spirit came from in those early lessons of making the most of what you’ve got.
My company Common Wealth grew out of those roots – we were a group of people that came together to make theatre. We started with nothing, making shows in large empty buildings, without funding and with the generosity of people who wanted to get involved.
Over the years Common Wealth has grown, we’ve made work in many different places, with incredible groups of people and are now working on shows in places like Chicago and Germany. Currently I am working on a new co-production with National Theatre Wales called We’re Still Here – I’m mega excited, it’s our first big show in Wales, staged in an epic former industrial warehouse and inspired by the incredible Save Our Steel Campaign.
https://nationaltheatrewales.org/were-still-here
This chat is specifically about music and the role it has played in your personal and professional life. Firstly to start off what are you currently listening to?
Currently I’m listening to Kojey Radical’s album 23winters – he’s a London spoken word, grime artist. I’m loving it because it’s so poignant and powerful it feels like a new genre, he’s also a visual artist so he’s fusing all these different forms together. He’s a powerful man, full of real energy and rooted in his truth. I respect that.

We are interviewing a range of people about their own musical inspiration, can you list 5 records/albums which have a personal resonance to you and why?

The Holy Bible, Manic Street Preachers
This album changed my life, bit cheesy but it did. I discovered it when I was in school and it was one of those ones that spoke to me about who I was, it helped me make sense of the world. It’s genius, I’d go as far to say they’re some of the best lyrics ever written.

Drunken Lullabies. Flogging Molly
I love punk. I love how fierce it can be and that you can loose yourself dancing to it and let everything go. This song is particularly special to me, it’s a song me and my friends used to sing early hours of the morning as the sun was rising. It reminds me of a friend that passed away, Daniel Griffiths. It reminds me of the wild times.

The 4th Branch, Immortal Technique
I also love hip hop, especially it’s conscious, political and says things that we rarely hear. Immortal Technique is an independent rapper in America who refuses record deals, he holds his own. This song particularly resonates with me because it’s about the Palestinian struggle, it captures the situation in all it’s horrific truth. When I was travelling in Palestine this was a soundtrack for me, in a strange way it gave me hope that someone was writing music about it and that was reaching people that might not know.

Immortal Technique



Shame, Young Fathers
Young fathers live. Wow, I dont have the words. I saw these guys at Clwb Ifor Bach, I had no idea and instantly fell in love with their music, I’d never heard anything like it in my life. Shame – has had a massive influence on my work, I use it in most of my workshops, it’s urgency really inspires me. I LOVE the video too.

Let them Eat Chaos, Kate Tempest
Kate’s a force of nature an important artist of our times – she always pops up at the right time, she inspires the shit out of me and puts me back on track. She’s a friend of mine and I’ve loved seeing her grow and smash it over the years. She’s reminds me to be true to myself, the past and to not apologise.
Just to put you on the spot could you choose one track from the five listed above and tell us why you have chosen this?
It would have to be Shame, it makes me feel alive and full of fire. It’s a song you can run, dance, scream and shout too. That’s important to me.

Many thanks for your time

Review Funny Girl, WMC by Eloise Stingemore


 
 out of 5 stars (5 / 5)
 
Sheridan Smith makes a joyous return to theatre in the role of Fanny Brice, for the first leg of the UK tour, after a celebrated run in the West End, bringing her own brand of exuberant mischief and spiritual warmth to the role.
Funny Girl is a bio-musical albeit more fiction that fact about the popular American singer-actress and comedian who was long associated with the Ziegfeld Follies. One of the biggest stars of the early 20th century, Brice lit up both Broadway and Hollywood with her comedic style and powerful voice. A hundred years later (1968), Barbra Streisand won an Academy Award for her portal one of America’s greatest clowns and a true icon of both stage and screen.
Smith was more than capable of overcoming the towering memory of Streisand in the central role, which is no mean feat, with her belting vocals, electable comic timing, assured dancing, earned her an unquestioned standing ovation. It is safe to say where audiences admired Streisand they adore Smith. In her hands, the lively Brooklyn joker is an intricate tangle of competing emotions, all covered up with a big, bright, Broadway smile.
The songs, in particular, Smith makes entirely her own, even though her voice isn’t exactly beautiful, it aches with conviction. Her tremendous rendition of People is steeped in yearning but also cut through with defiance. Whereas Don’t Rain on My Parade, Smith avoids brassy rhetoric to suggest a lonely woman exulting in her newfound happiness. All of which helped to strip the layers of armour-plated implacability to make Fanny a more likeable human being.
As for Darius Campbell, despite looking good in a ruffle shirt and singing each note pitch perfect he was unable to find much colour and variety in the one-dimensional character Nick Arnstein, a part made famous on screen by Omar Sharif. The best support for Fanny comes from Rachel Izen as Mrs Brice her aspirational mother and Joshua Lay as her lovingly loyal dance teacher, Eddie Ryan. Whereas the ensemble tap and ballet numbers from the talented cast were a joy to watch, but were ultimately there to simply support a superstar, Smith. Who has the presence and talent to wilt the hardest hearts, and deserves a packed out auditorium for the rest of the run.
 For tour dates and ticket information click here; http://www.funnygirlthemusical.co.uk/uk-tour/
 
 

An interview with ‘The Revlon Girl’ company.

 The Director of Get the Chance Guy O’Donnell recently met with The Revlon Girl company. We discussed the plays development, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and their plans for the future.
Hi pleased to meet you. Can you please give our readers some background information on yourself and your role in the arts in Wales?

 Pontardawe Arts Centre 
We are a small Arts venue based in the centre of Pontardawe, 20mins from Swansea. Our aim is to improve the cultural opportunities in the local area by providing a platform for the more striking shows within the arts. Annually we deliver approximately 60 professional shows encompassing drama, comedy, live music and children’s theatre. We also provide development opportunities to improve creative writing, script writing and song writing. We are involved in supporting emerging companies in assisting them with research and development opportunities in supporting the creation of high quality theatre. We also provide the practical things such as rehearsal rooms, technical and marketing support.
https://npttheatres.co.uk/pontardawe/

Writer/Producer- Neil Anthony Docking
Neil is a writer, composer and producer, and has worked in press, radio, film and theatre. He studied music at the University of Westminster and has written for The Guardian (newspaper), Station Road (BBC Radio Drama), The Throne Room (original play for radio), Bay College, Casualty (BBC), Nuts & Bolts, Crossroads, Emmerdale (ITV1) and has been shortlisted for the BBC Dennis Potter Screenwriting Award. He has written, scored and co- produced the original independent British feature film musical, Rain and most recently wrote and produced Storyline, an original comedy for online broadcast. He is married to Maxine Evans (they met in 1984 when they were both members of the West Glamorgan Youth Theatre and, in one way or another, have worked together pretty much ever since). ’The Revlon Girl’ is his first play.

Director/Producer – Maxine Evans
Maxine studied classical acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has worked as an actor, writer, series editor and director in television, film and theatre. She directed Without a Song or a Dance (shortlisted Best Director at the Cork Film Festival) Nuts & Bolts (ITV/RTS Award winner) and Rain (a Feature Film Musical) while her writing/series editor credits include Coronation Street, Crossroads and Nuts & Bolts (ITV). She continues to develop new writing for theatre (Goat Street Runners and Who’s Coat Is That Jacket?) and has recently directed a new comedy entitled Storyline. As an actor Maxine appears regularly on television- most notably in BBC’s Call The Midwife and A Song For Jenny and as the indomitable ‘Rhian’ in Sky 1’s hit comedy Stella.

 Can you tell us about the work your company is taking to this Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
‘The Revlon Girl’ is an original play based on a true story following the Aberfan Disaster of 1966 (in which 144 people were killed- 116 of them school children). Set 8 months after the disaster, the play tells the true story of a group of bereaved mothers who met to talk, cry and to even laugh without feeling guilty. At one of these meetings, the women looked at each other and admitted how much they felt they’d let themselves go. Afraid of being judged frivolous, they secretly arranged for a representative from Revlon to come and give them beauty tips.

A short version of the play was presented in Covent Garden in 2015 before a full length version toured Wales in 2016 during the 50th anniversary of the disaster to overwhelming audience and critical acclaim.
getthechance.wales/2016/10/01/review-revlon-girl-october-sixty-six-kat-leslie/

Theatre | The Revlon Girl


Following what we think will be a successful debut at Edinburgh, the play transfers to the London stage in the Autumn for a 4 week run at the prestigious Park Theatre.

 Wales Arts International who have funded some of the companies this year state,
“The idea is to help the selected Welsh companies to present their work at the Fringe in the best possible way – with the best conditions – and, importantly, to connect with international promoters and programmers participating in the British Council Edinburgh Showcase.”
 Why is their support important along with Arts Council Wales and British Council Wales?
As with the many people who have already said that ‘The Revlon Girl’ has worldwide appeal because it is a universal tale with enduring themes that is as much about courage as it is tragedy (and is a story told by women i.e. just over half the global population) I would only add that ‘The Revlon Girl’ exists in part- given that it’s a human story about one of the worst man-made disasters in history- to remind ourselves how indifference is the source of inhumanity and to ensure that this kind of thing never happens again (in fact, on its first outing in 2015, we were surprised just how many overseas audiences came to see it and were bowled over by the story and couldn’t believe that it happened at all)

However, most recently, the play has taken on a chilling- almost prescient – quality; something that has struck not just the writer but also the director and cast in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster in West London. Since the play in part explores and illuminates the reasons why disasters like these happen (and why, sadly, they are going to continue to happen) some sections of the play now make stark reading. Indeed, amidst the news reports of the tragedy itself and the subsequent public anger, the writer remarked recently: ’after Grenfell, people are going to think I’ve rewritten the speeches… like Rona’s: “Put up a memorial if you like; in forty or fifty years nobody’s going to remember what happened here anyway. It’ll be something else by then. Another disaster waiting to happen. But it’ll be the same people who’ll say there’s nothing to worry about. Those who’ll be far away and stand to make a lot of money…” ‘
The point is: anyone who has seen ‘The Revlon Girl’ will tell you about its worldwide potential. But that’s a tough mountain to climb. But now, with the help of ACW, British Council et al, it’s time to get out the climbing gear and realise that potential.
The festival features a huge range of productions and there is great deal of competition for audiences, why should audiences come and see your company’s work?
If you’re intending on seeing only one play at the festival, then ‘The Revlon Girl’ is it. Not just is it one of the most moving pieces of theatre you are ever likely to see, it is also one of the most up-lifting. In a sense it has all the hallmarks of a classic (i.e. it is a good story told well by an amazing cast- no gimmicks, no tricks) and fans of Arthur Miller, J.B. Priestly, John Osborne, Clifford Odets, Tracy Letts, Edward Albee, Aaron Sorkin and even David Mamet (or, to put it another way, anyone who likes their drama to be acute, moving, funny and enduring)- should come see it.
Welsh artists/Companies will be showcasing a range of art forms including theatre, new writing, site-specific work and contemporary dance. In your opinion is there anything that is distinctly Welsh which links them?
Difficult to comment at this stage since we haven’t seen each other’s work but I guess there’s one thing I can say for certain: having read about what’s going up and chatting with some of their creators, the one – distinctly Welsh- thing that links them is the sheer diversity of ideas. (I don’t know if there could be anywhere else – outside London of course- that could produce such a breadth of creativity and activity)
What would you recommend seeing from the other Welsh/Wales based companies going to this year’s festival or perhaps the festival as a whole?
I’d recommend seeing them all! And soon!
What do the artists and companies do when they aren’t performing?
Generally speaking, the cast are working all year round doing other jobs like providing voices for CBBC (Michelle McTernan) or appearing in the P&O ads being Rob Brydon’s wife (Zoe Harrison) or shooting new shows for HBO (Antonia Kinlay) or else appearing on stage and screen in a variety of roles (Charlotte Gray, Bethan Thomas). The director (Maxine Evans) is also known as an actor (Call The Midwife, Song For Jenny) and has just come back from shooting series 6 of the Sky 1 hit ’Stella’ by Ruth Jones, playing the indomitable ‘Rhian’.
Other than that, it’s all the things you do in the arts: getting inspired, developing new work and looking for money down the back of the sofa!
What’s the best Fringe show you’ve ever seen?
This is our first time at the Festival so looking forward to answering this question in full next year!
Thanks for your time

Review All About My Tits, Chapter Arts Centre by Helen Joy


 
 out of 5 stars (3 / 5)
 
All about my Tits
I know Anna, a bit. We worked together briefly in a local charity supporting people receiving mental health services. We stayed in touch as she moved her career into the arts. I interviewed her on Radio Cardiff about this play. Her play. Her life. Her tits.
Anyone thinking this was going to be about anyone else’s tits is mistaken. Any social-political commentary is suggestive rather than overt, Anna is her own one woman treatise on the elastic line between tit and breast, sexual objects and milk bar.
I really like the atmosphere as we walk in to take our seats. The room is dark, girls are dancing, pop is playing, pictures of breasts various on the screen.  White Russians are handed out. Not sure we get the significance yet. Much clearer when the breast milk samples are offered ’round later in the performance.
The dancing girls insinuate themselves into the audience. Hecklers and fighters for the views of others on breastfeeding as it progresses. A messy milky fight for rights.
It is a monologue of Anna’s experiences, a voyage ’round her breasts from girlhood to adulthood to motherhood and beyond. She refers to her book, diary perhaps, along the way. Stories are started, we are left to draw our own conclusions.
Anna uses her heckling dancers to good effect. A male heckler is used to make the point that it is not a show for titillation, ‘though Anna is fearless and shares her body appropriately and willingly and with a gentle self-deprecating humour.
Now. Here’s the thing. I haven’t had children and frankly, I don’t know much about tits as mother nature never felt much inclined towards generosity in that department.
This is a play about Anna’s tits. I have no idea what she is talking about for most of the time. I can see that the audience loves it – mostly women, mostly women with children I would assume, they are nodding in agreement and laughing with Anna throughout. She relates back. It is very nicely done.
Anna is sharing the intimate details of her life and most of the women, and a few men, are with her. Laughing with the relief of their own confusion, pain, embarrassments and pleasures being given air-time.
The atmosphere becomes heady with love for Anna, for her honesty, for the sisterhood. But I am lost.
I am sitting next to another woman equally detached from the proceedings. We want to love her too but we can’t. We are not part of this. But we admire her, enormously.
Afterwards, by invitation, the foyer is full of women signing the cartoon tits laid out on tables, they are groupies waiting for their heroine, their voice, to join them. Something powerful is happening here.
The clue was in the title. This is a brave, funny, honest autobiography and like many things we don’t quite like, don’t quite understand, it will stay with me far longer than anything I have enjoyed more.  It made me think about the changing roles of the breast in society and in nature. It made me slightly jealous.
PS typing this has been annoyingly tricky as predictive/corrective text replaces TITS with TITUS, BREASTS with BEASTS. Says it all really.
Seen: Friday, 7th July, 2017
Venue: Chapter Arts, Cardiff
Reviewer: Helen Joy for Get the Chance
Performer, producer, director, writer: Anna Suschitsky
 
https://www.chapter.org/all-about-my-tits
 
 

Top Tunes with Gary Owen


Hi Gary great to meet you, can you give our readers some background information on yourself please?
I’m a playwright. My family are from Pembrokeshire, I grew up in Bridgend, and I live in Cardiff. Mostly recently I’ve written Iphigenia in Splott for the Sherman Theatre, Violence and Son for the Royal Court, and Killology for both the Sherman and the Royal Court. Right now I’m working on a new version of Chekov’s classic comedy The Cherry Orchard, which relocates the play to Pembrokeshire in the very early 1980s. It’ll be on at the Sherman in October.

http://www.shermantheatre.co.uk/performance/theatre/the-cherry-orchard/
This chat is specifically about music and the role it has played in your personal and professional life. Firstly to start off what are you currently listening to?
I’ve actually got a playlist called “Just Great Songs!” – with the exclamation mark and everything – and I’m listening to that. Right now it’s playing “In Every Dream Home, A Heartache” by Roxy Music. A title I will almost certainly steal for a play one day. And now it’s playing “Glosh” by Cotton Wolf, from their amazing new album “Life in Analogue”.

We are interviewing a range of people about their own musical inspiration, can you list 5 records/albums which have a personal resonance to you and why?
On any day it could be any of dozens of other records, but for today. I find it almost impossible to work in silence, but at the same time if I’m going to work to music it can’t be too engaging, or it’ll distract me. So I’ve got a whole load of records that are maybe not quite music, or just very low key music, that I put on when I need to work. The top one is Brian Eno’s “Music for Airports”, but I use a lot of his ambient albums, especially “Discreet Music” and “Neroli”.

And then there’s a brilliant album called “Electric Enigma”, which is field recordings some guy made by going out into the desert and sticking up a big antenna so he could record radio noise made by cosmic rays and the solar wind and the Earth’s magnetic field. It’s available for free from the Internet Archive and it’s very beautiful.
https://archive.org/details/ird062
And I’ve got a CD-R called “Buildings”, which is two hours of recordings made by sticking contact mikes to buildings with lifts in them. So it’s two hours of lifts, going up and down buildings. Simon Proffitt gave it to me and I don’t know where he got it from. I worry he made it himself. Anyway it’s gorgeous.
“Bendith” by Bendith. Bendith are a Welsh folk supergroup made up of family trio Plu, together with Carwyn Ellis, mop-topped singer from psychedelic pop wonders Colorama.

They came together to make music mostly about Carwyn’s childhood in Carmarthenshire. There’s a lovely documentary show about the project on iPlayer which features live versions of the songs, and lots of pics of the villages and houses Carwyn’s family lived in, lots of elderly men in barns and sheds in the 1970s, and I’ve got a lot of very similar photos of my family in Pembrokeshire. And the music is so breathtakingly beautiful it stops me in my tracks every time I hear it. Not an album I can work to.

“Fantasia on a Theme from Thomas Tallis” by Vaughan Williams. Vaughan Williams is a deceptive composer in that he seems very catchy and undemanding and writes actual tunes (which is probably why I like him) but there’s a huge melancholy in much of his work (which is probably why I like him). “Fantasia…” was written in 1910 and it is, as its title suggests, a fifteen minute riff on a tune written in 1567 by the Elizabethan composer Thomas Tallis. Aside from being straightforwardly beautiful music, I love it because there is something glorious and heroic about these two men, collaborating across four centuries, together creating something neither could have made alone.

“Night Thoughts” by Suede. I have loved Suede since they and I were skinny indie boys in the 90s. Now they are chiselled indie men and I am a haggard old wreck, but I love them still. “Night Thoughts” is their latest album and I think it might be their best.

It’s nostalgic and sentimental and over-blown and glorious. They made a heart-breaking film to accompany the music that turns the album into what we now call a visual album. I was lucky enough to see a screening of it at Chapter, after which Brett and Mat did a q&a. I couldn’t ask them anything as I was too much of a sobbing mess.

“Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet” by Gavin Bryars. This is a 70 minute piece based around a loop of a homeless man singing a brief refrain, which Bryars recorded I believe in Elephant & Castle in 1971. And what Bryars did was to build up an accompaniment to the man’s voice – gradually he is joined by brass, strings, layers of harmony and eventually Tom Waits turns up and sings along with him. There’s something profoundly deceitful about it. No-one really took this man and lavished the care and attention and love he deserved on him, as they did on this snatched recording of his voice. So the piece is a comforting lie. And yet – it is irresistible. It is beautiful. I fall for it every time I hear it. In my guts I feel it is a wonderful tribute, even as I think it is a lie.



Just to put you on the spot could you choose one track from the five listed above and tell us why you have chosen this?
“Music for Airports” because I need it to work. But then, it’s not proper music. I could just work next to a lift and have Bendith to listen to. Yes, I’ll probably do that.

An interview with Gareth Clark


Hi Gareth pleased to meet you. Can you please give our readers some background information on yourself and your role in the arts in Wales?
Hello… I’m Gareth Clark and I work with Marega Palser under the name Mr and Mrs Clark. We make theatre performances and community art projects to share some of our thinking about the way we live and interact with our surroundings. The Clarks have been making performance work since 2006 and we are constantly trying to develop the way we make work so that it is surprising or engaging in different measures…. If that makes sense.
Thanks Gareth, can you tell us about the work your company is taking to this Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
(F.E.A.R.) is a solo show. It’s the first time we’ve produced a solo piece of work and it came from the research I’d done during a Creative Wales Award. It’s an autobiographical show that examines the multiple layers of fear used to control us in childhood and in our adult lives. It’s a direct and sometimes revealing account of how public information films, like those warning us against strangers, and news accounts of terror attacks constantly feed a wariness of other people. How distrust and fear perpetuate loneliness. It is a direct confession of fear from a man conditioned never to talk of such things and I think this opens up the debate about men’s mental health and our willingness to discuss our inner most feelings.
getthechance.wales/2017/03/01/bsl-review-f-e-r-mr-mrs-clark-production-chapter-arts-centre-stephanie-back/
getthechance.wales/2017/03/01/f-e-r-review-helen-joy/
Why is the support of Arts Council of Wales, Wales Arts International and British Council Wales so important?
Edinburgh is a competitive place. The very best are there and it costs a lot of money. The support is essential to help offset some of the risk companies take. However the opportunities are great. Four weeks at the fringe is like a years worth of business in one short hit. The number of people, promoters and producers attending make the festival an essential part of the calendar. Recognising that Welsh companies should be represented makes a lot of sense as the opportunities that are created beyond the fringe are excellent.
The festival features a huge range of productions and there is great deal of competition for audiences, why should audiences come and see your companies work?
That’s a good question and one that we have to constantly ask ourselves. This show. (F.E.A.R.) is a timely reminder that we are being manipulated through some of the press and political powers. There is a strong suggestion that uncertainty and fear allows governments and certain politicians to push through strong and divisive mandates. We’re seeing it across the world and we see it more and more in this country. I think now is a prime opportunity to talk about fear so that we can start discussing hope. However there is a strong lobby that thrives from chaos and war and that is something we have to overcome.
Welsh artists and companies will be showcasing a range of art forms including theatre, new writing, site-specific work and contemporary dance. In your opinion is there anything that is distinctly Welsh which links them?
I’ve not seen all the work. What I always get from watching Welsh companies is the incredible sense of passion. I think Wales has a thriving theatre scene that goes somewhat unnoticed… I think the same of the North East of England too… and I believe it’s time to shake the system up a little.
What would you recommend seeing from the other Welsh/Wales based companies going to this year’s festival or perhaps the festival as a whole?
I’ve been so head down working and trying to sell this show I’ve barely looked at the programme. However I would always recommend what Dirty Protest are doing and I particularly like the writing of Alan Harris. I think Revlon Girl will be on our radar as would fellow Newportonians Flying Bridge. At Zoo venues this year Liz Agiss is performing Slap and Tickle and it’s a real gem of a show. And whilst in Edinburgh I can never resist seeing Stewart Lee who never fails to delight in a subversive masterclass of comedy and Mark Thomas is always inspirational.

What do the artists and companies do when they aren’t performing?
There is always something to do. The morning is generally social media hype. Selling, prompting, reminding, sharing reviews online. Then we take to the streets and hand out fliers for the show usually picking our some key spots or performances that we think liked minded people might attend. The great thing about Edinburgh is seeing loads of shows. We will go to something everyday and sometimes see as many as five shows… supporting other companies in the hope they will do the same for you. Eating and drinking is added to this with some sleep but that how the four weeks will shape up.
 And finally what’s the best Fringe show you’ve ever seen?
There are so many. In 2015 it was On Track – Kristien De Proost at Summerhall. She ran for 70 minutes on a running machine whilst directly addressing us and changing costume and shoes. It was mind blowing, life affirming and challenging. I went twice.

Credit: Mirjam Devriendt

Thanks for your time Gareth and all the best for the festival
 

Review: The Cardiff Fringe Theatre Festival Launch by Sian Thomas



The launch party of the Cardiff Fringe Theatre Festival was one I wholeheartedly enjoyed attending, and am glad I did so. The launch party promoted the upcoming Fringe Theatre Festival, (and more information about that can be found at their own website: http://www.cardifffringetheatrefestival.co.uk/) as well as talk of their sponsors, and the events and activities planned.
The launch party consisted of a lot of mingling at first, but betwixt such there were three performances, which I believe were all wonderful.
The first was a snippet of a play called Three Days, with a touch of realism and the intrigue of drama that I thought was fairly enjoyable. As a snippet, I was not aware of the context of the piece, but focusing solely on what I did see, I did enjoy. There was a part that particularly stuck out to me. There was an instance where the characters were discussing their occupations and how they’re treated in them due to their age. I put a lot of attachment to that, as sometimes I worry about pursuing my chosen career and being hindered because of my age. So, it was nice to see characters I could relate to like that, even if only briefly.
The second performance was one I enjoyed very much, and the comedy element to it was nice to see. I don’t recall having seen theatre based on comedy recently, so this was a nice new feeling.
The third performance was the one I think I enjoyed the most. Two poems were performed by Alice Downing (the marketing director of the Fringe Festival), and both made my heart feel a little bit softer and made me appreciate words and how we all use them so much. I already love and cherish words and writing and poetry, so hearing another’s is always time well spent to me, so it really was a wonderful time. Also, and not to drag this back up but, it was really funny when she flubbed a word, and managed to laugh along with the rest of us in the audience.
Each performance was well-performed, and each with different aspects that I appreciated immensely.
Based on the launch party, I have high hopes and a lot of optimism towards the fate of the rest of the Fringe Theatre Festival, and I am looking forward to attending and experiencing the other events that caught my eye. I can’t wait to see what these nights hold.