10 April 2019 saw the centenary of the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Punjab, an event that I had never heard of until I read Anita Anand’s insightful and brilliantly written book The Patient Assassin published by Simon & Schuster.
I really appreciated her fascinating account of events that gave me knowledge of a part of British history that I hardly knew existed. Put simply it’s about an heroic deed that avenged a horrific act, but it is so much more than that.
I knew little of any of the history of British rule in India despite growing up in Leicester, a city where people from many parts of the Indian subcontinent live. I went to school in the 60s when the history I was taught was very white, very British and full of propoganda. It wasn’t until I was older that I began to find out more about the dark past of British Colonialism.
The book is set during the rule of the British Raj and concentrates specifically on the intriguing life of Udham Singh, from his experience of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919 to his death by hanging for the assassination in London of Michael O’ Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of the Punjab in India, in 1940. Udham, with his eye constantly on the prize, lived his life in many places, with stolen identities and in subterfuge for over 20 years until he was able to accomplish his goal.
I can’t tell you more because you have to read the book to discover this well told story which affected so many lives, meticulously researched and brought to life by Anita Anand.
This story for her has a personal perspective as her grandfather survived the massacre at Jallianwala Bagh. At her own admission she struggled to distance herself from it, yet she wrote it with a graceful objectivity that allows the reader to hold final judgement. Anita Anand is an accomplished author who I had only known previously as the presenter of Any Questions. I highly recommend this book and will definitely be moving on to more of her works. @tweeter_anita congratulations on this great book.
Bully was a one person play performed in Ffresh at the Wales Millennium Centre. It was written for Unsolicited Theatre by playwright Tom Wentworth. This was a work in-progress reading which makes this play difficult to review. This play follows the story of Eddie a gay rugby player who becomes disabled during an accident. He becomes angry and frustrated and takes this out on the people closest to him.
The character of Eddie was played by an actor who was a wheelchair user and so this served as a visual reference that Eddie is disabled. Due to prior knowledge and experience this made the character justified in his anger as he was confined to his chair which was discussed heavily through the play. This production was raw, somewhat realist and very emotional. As this play was a work-in progress reading and had no staging and props (excluding the wheelchair itself) the focus should have been on the acting or performance of the play, instead it was focussed on the script and its story. But unlike Bump I seemed to focus on the page turning of the script. This script reading became very obvious as it was held by a metal arm attached to the wheelchair and sometimes appeared in front of the actors face. This took the focus off the actor and onto the paper script itself which was something I did not think should happen but understandable with it being a work in progress.
This play was told by a friendly and approachable character in a wheelchair. His mannerisms and speech patterns made me feel as if this character was somehow related to me. We have all experienced a uncle or family friend telling us a story about when they were young and doing silly things to try and warn us against it. As this story was about something that happened in the past it felt like one of these stories. On top of this the story contained many funny lines which made the audience chuckle which only added to the relatability of the character. The section of the play where Eddie discussed being in the crash and being in the hospital was very vivid and realistic. To the point where I could image myself experiencing the accident while the words were being said it created a clear imagine of the hospital in my head.
This production was a lot less moving and emotional than Bump which may have been to the actor moving across the stage, while this did allow for change of topics and a chance for the audience to understand what had happened and to add to the realism of the piece. At times it created unnecessary pauses and forced my attention to the captioning (where parts of speech were missed out and certain words were incorrect, which would have caused problems for people who needed them.) The thing that confused me most about this production was why was it called ‘Bully?’ On Unsolicited Theatres website it states the character becomes a bully while being disabled and them becomes bullied. I think this concept was missed in the production. The events at the end of the play are somewhat like a bully but I felt as if it appeared more as a loss of anger then something he would do respectively. But this may have been due to the fact I felt a connection to the actor and so unconsciously refused to accept him as a bully, which is a sign of good writing. Either way, Bully is a hard-hitting play that gives an insight into how it feels to become disabled which made for a very interesting watch.
Bump was a one person play performed in Ffresh at the Wales Millennium Centre. It was written for Unsolicited Theatre by playwright Kelly Jones. This was a work in-progress reading which makes this play difficult to review. As Kelly had the script in her hand while on stage this meant there was little (although there was some) acting or performance, instead it was focussed on the script and its story.
I can definitely see the potential in this script and a venue such as Ffresh worked and would work as a full production. This production contained no props and very little staging (all they used were two chairs on the stage) this meant the focus would, eventually, just be on the character of Jo but due to this being a work in progress reading and the character not being fully realised .The focus was on the story. Despite this however, Kelly’s performance was amazing and she did ‘perform’ certain aspects of the script.
This play was unlike any play I have seen before. I must confess that I tend to not enjoy plays, just out of preference, but this reading was unique. This story follows the character of Jo from the modern day, back to fifteen years and then back to modern day again. The audience discover that Reggie had to drop out of school to look after her new-born nephew and deals with some very controversial and complex issues. As the story was set in the past fifteen years, it was relatable. The story was also contemporary as it involved concepts such as Facebook, laptops and mobile phones. I felt as if this story was based on something that could have easily have happened recently. This meant the audience could easily empathise with Jo and relate to her hardships. The script was written to portray to the audience that Reggie had really experienced what had happened. At times the character would talk about things that were off topic, she would make jokes and experience things/emotions that everyone at one point or another had gone through. This all made the story and the character seem like a normal person and so made it relatable for the audience. The monologue of the character was spoken as if it was meant to be direct to each audience member. The actress playing Reggie, forced eye contact to the audience and the script used conversational language which made everyone feel part of the story. As a result of this, the entire play was emotional and moving for everyone experiencing it.
This play covered some very controversial issues but did so in a respectful way. The character of Reggie was a lesbian but this was not the main focus of the story or a ‘big reveal’ set up in the play, instead it was a casual remark (she being female and saying she was dating another female) which is an important thing for modern theatre. This helps audiences become more aware of the the sexual preference of homosexuality and makes people who are part of the LGTBQ community feel more like everyone else and accepted in society, which can only be a positive thing. It also discussed the act of motherhood and how many people are not sure if they could look after a baby. Or what to do with a new baby which, while comical at times, would have put new mothers at ease and made them feel as if its not just themselves who are stressed and confused. The play also dealt with the role of family on someone’s upbringing from childhood even into adulthood and the important/effects of perspectives.
I would have to give a warning to people wanting to watch this play as it does contain a lot of swearing which many people may find uncomfortable. But also, as stated earlier, this play deals with many topics (acts of terrorism, homosexuality) which many people may not be comfortable with. Due to this being a work on progress reading there is a limit on how well I can rate it as I’m rating it’s potential rather that the performance I actually saw. It displays a grittier and real side of life through the medium of drama which avid theatre fans would enjoy.
Before watching ‘The Bodyguard’, at Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff I was very excited. The songs are many of my favourites and so I knew it would be an enjoyable performance, but this show did not disappoint. At first, I thought it would be similar to Motown in which the songs are great and popular, and people would sing along to, but the narrative is somewhat less important, but I could not have been more wrong. In fact, I would consider ‘The Bodyguard’ as one of the best all-round productions that I have seen. Having some of my ‘guilty pleasure’ songs included in this production was the icing on the cake. The last time I saw Alexander Burke in a production was in ‘Sister Act,’ which I felt she didn’t suit but this powerful ballad-based character was a lot more suited to Alexander and her singing style.
The production’s opening was a striking shadow-projected scene, which had loud sound effects, which caused audible gasps from the audience. This was a fantastic way to grab audience attention in the first few minutes of the show. It was easy to spot that this scene would be book-ending the whole production and a similar scene would take place at the end of the show. This is the first time, in my experience, that this type of structure is used which made me keep the image in my head to see how the plot would lead to it again in the end. This meant the entire time I was thinking about this opening scene, which was not a distraction in any sense but would be considered an effective opening scene. The opening number however was flawless. The production values of staging, light and pyros was superb and the dancing was incredible. I don’t know if it was intentional, but I instantly drew comparisons of the character ‘Rachel Marron’ both are super successful artists, costumes show similarities to one another and the ‘performance’ of their songs (especially this one) were of the highest quality. However, I believe that this performance topped the Beyoncé performances I have seen live and this number could have easily been a show in itself. It would not have been out of place as a concert/performance in somewhere like the 02 Arena. The one small drawback to this number was, Alexander Burke, who played Rachel Marron, is an incredible singer and actor but her dancing is the weakest of the three (all of which are obviously of a high level but her dancing is not quite as good as the other two) which could be noticed through the big dance numbers such as this one and also during the opening number there was a short scene of dialogue which took place. Due to everything that was happening on the stage (lights, dancers, music etc.) I missed a lot of this dialogue which was clearly not what the directors would have wanted. The bold opening scene and awe-inspiring opening number contrasted each other perfectly and ‘set the scene’ for the rest of the production. This show alternates between these amazing, popular songs and tense dramatic scenes, which the opening sequences set up for the rest of the show beautifully.
Many of the supporting characters in this production were very relatable and believable which is important for productions like this. The young boy who plays Fetcher was an incredible dancer, which was shown in one of the dance rehearsals scenes towards the beginning of the musical. He was amazing and I would say upstaged some of the other dancers. They used the young boy to perform lifts and flips which obviously would have been easier due to the size of the actor. Although, during this scene the character crawled through a table which I believe did not quite fit the rest of the choreography, but this is a minor detail. This character would have primarily involved to provide an ‘awww’ factor as he is the young son of Rachel who gets caught up in the events of the stalker. This did build the sympathy toward Rachel and ‘hatred’ toward the stalker. The stalker (played by Phil Atkinson) was a key character although he is barely on the stage, even when he wasn’t on stage his presence could still be felt. When he was on stage when he is silent and is in almost darkness, which was an extremely effective way to build tension, and it is only in act two that he speaks. The whole presentation (including casting) of this character was perfect and this character-built fear from the audience. Although it was a bit strange that this character spent a lot the time without a top on.
One of the most enjoyable scenes in the whole show was a
karaoke scene not because of dramatic staging, of phenomenal singing or
whatever it was just a fun scene. It opened with three girls drunkenly singing ‘Where
Do Broken Hearts Go’ it was really funny and I felt like I have seen the same
scene in real life. A group of girls singing a popular song like that in
karaoke while ‘butchering’ the song, but the difference was in this show these
actresses were doing it intentionally. This seemed to be a common theme in this
production. Later in this scene, Frank Farmer, the bodyguard (played by Benoit Marechal)
goes onto karaoke to take on Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ which I
have personally been tempted to do but never have had the guts to due to the
power of the song. However, Frank combated this by ‘talking’ the song, which
had the whole audience rolling in laughter. Which was really nice to see the
softer side of frank. This scene was ended by the iconic song ‘I Have Nothing’
which was beautifully sung by Alexander. Which was obviously sang to and about
Frank as we found out they have an attraction between the two of them.
The final scene of this act was in a club. It revolved
around Frank and Tony Scibeli, the security guard (played by Craig Berry)
protecting Rachel from any potential threats in the club. In this scene the spotlight
illuminates the stalker. This meant my eyes were following the stalker’s track
around the stage, which only added to the tension and drama. IThis scene looked
more like it took place in a nightclub due to the flashing lights and music
rather than a normal club but apart from this the scene was well staged and
executed.
The beginning of Act Two had a big dance number to the song
‘I’m Every Woman’, which is a song I know very well. The dancers in this scene
were excellent and the acrobatics were a spectacle to watch. However, at
certain points in the number there were movements that were supposed to be done
at the same time and were actually out of time with one another. But I really
enjoyed this opening, as its ‘over-the-top ness’ was a perfect way to regain
the excitement after the intermission. There was a few people in the audience
singing along with the music which I personally find great as it shows they are
enjoying the song etc., but I know some people are against this, so this is
worth noting.
In one scene the staging changed from a luxurious mansion to
a log cabin. I really liked the concept of the staging as a log cabin suggest
warmth and safety, which was exactly what it was supposed to do within the
story. The contrasts between these two setting also helped shift the focus from
Rachel and her fame/money etc. to family. This is added to be a heart-warming
rendition of ‘Jesus Loves Me’ between Nicky Marron, Rachel and Fletcher.
Fletcher however did struggle with this song as it is a complex rhythm and
strange vocals but as he was a child this was somewhat ignored. The lights and
effects were continued to be used to make the Stalker actually terrifying as he
appears from nowhere at points and disappears quickly after.
Probably the biggest and best number in the entire
production is the classic ‘I Will Always Love You.’ This song was kept right
until the end to act as an emotional tribute to everything that happened
throughout the narrative. As the earlier ‘rendition’ by Frank in karaoke, was
comical this final number was show stopping. The staging, costume and lights
worked perfectly to add to the emotional nature of the song and Alexander’s
vocals were outstanding. She did change some of the vocal trills from the original,
which were fantastic. During this song there was a montage projected onto the
stage of the Rachel and Frank and their story so far. I found this to be
somewhat distracting from the song and could have done without it, but the
montage was not a cheesy and unnecessary it was heartfelt and emotional. After all this
happened the entire cast sung ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody.’ This involved
solos from different members of the cast, including the Stalker (which was a
nice inclusion in my opinion), dance sequences and ‘party’ lighting. This was
when the audience were encouraged to sing and dance. The two songs (I Will Always
Love You and I Wanna Dance with Somebody) obviously contrasted each other and
helped cement the pairing of drama and fun.
This production was well thought out and planned. Everything from music, lighting, costumes to props used all worked perfectly together, which was really nice to watch. The production aspects of the show were fantastic and one of the best I have seen. Alexander Burke’s portrayal of the iconic role is on par with Whitney’s (which is high praise) and this a show not to miss.
Taliesin Arts Centre has always felt welcoming to me. I particularly enjoyed collecting my tickets from the box office and having a smooch around the shop and gallery. Sadly the gallery is no longer there and a smart little box office has been established on the upper level. My ticket on this occasion, along with a very useful programme, is handed to me by a representative of the company and I am made very welcome.
Programmes are very important to me as I like to know a bit of background on the company and its creatives, and what I am about to encounter. The programme for Awakening is well written, with just enough information about everything I need to know. A summary of each piece and a brief description, with an extra word from the choreographer gives me just enough of an insight of what I am about to see without giving the game away. We are told that Awakening intends to ‘offer audiences diverse perspectives on the world’. The selection of 3 pieces shown tonight do that and more. It begins with Tundra, an entertaining and relatively accessible work, leads us into the very clever Afterimage and brings us finally to Reveller’s Mass, an unexpected and wild collage of religious iconography. A complimentary programme of work that does what an internationally acclaimed dance company should do – please, excite and challenge perceptions.
The audience is very mixed in age range, Taliesin Arts Centre and National Dance Company Wales have done well in their development of audiences for dance. I understand that Awakening has done well across its tour. Observing the marketing which includes stunning images and great trailers as well as the dedication to outreach work, I can see why it has been such a success. I expect that the company’s reputation and the quality of the work has meant that word of mouth, always the best form of advertising, has had a lot to do with it too.
The first performance of the
evening, Tundra, is an excellent start to the evening. We are presented with a
red square, with a dark and somewhat foreboding image of a tall dancer, making
its first statement. We enter then a stage lit by 2 strip lights, the width of
the stage, which whilst stark in appearance often alter in their brightness.
The company of 7 dancers appear like Russian dolls, with patterned tops and
long a-line skirts performing what I understand to be the traditional Beryozka
dance, which just looks amazing; the dancers are so clever at this illusion of
floating I wonder whether they are wearing Heelys to glide around the stage.
The soundscape and subtle lighting design play their part here and throughout
the piece; I feel as if I am looking into a time tunnel, a sort of digitally
remastered version of these folk dancers, chained together and stuck in a time
warp. Echoes of Russian folk music, throat singing and sounds of natural
elements help to give a feel of otherworldliness captured in time.
Divested of their skirts, the
dancers are now fully adorned in fabulously patterned body suits, reflecting
the gaiety of folk costumes and with more contemporary colours, particularly
the striking ice blue. With white socks they look at once like ice skaters and
then like gymnasts; their precise, linked movements, performed in almost
perfect unison, along with the lighting continue to make them appear Tron-like,
as if they are trapped together in a computer memory. This is the thing I like
best about contemporary dance, that it can be interpreted by the viewer in
whatever way we want. Whilst the programme gives minimal instructions, there is
plenty of room for my imagination to take me on that journey.
The choreography of Tundra is joyful, with so much to draw on, even including head bobbling, taking the reach of the Russian state into Asian territory. The soundscape continues throughout from thunderous crashes to the echoing sound of a child singing. The choreography relies on patterns and format; there are imperfections with a foot placed differently and a kick not quite in line, but I am tending towards intentional imperfection here, almost like a glitch in the system. The focus moves from marching upright to legs and feet, where once again the costumes come into play. I always marvel at dancers’ feet and these white sock clad movements continue the fascination. I am not surprised that this is such a popular piece.
Afterimage – the mirror that constantly reveals – is mesmerising in a totally different way. Initially I believe the set is 2 tables, 1 behind the other with 1 male sat at each. An illusion, as the whole work is an illusion set to confuse and play with our visual perception. A letter is delivered to the rear table using the method of Pepper’s Ghost, described in the programme as an effect originally used in carnival sideshows to conjure ‘ghosts’ in séances. The piece continues with reality and ghosts intertwined; 6 dancers, male and female, perform effortless movement and develop relationships that engage the viewer as their eyes adjust to see the dancer, the reflection and the ghost in a mirror that is so clear it feels like you could reach through it. It is strangely enticing to see the opposite view of the dancers as they move in and out of vision. The story of the piece is based around the letter, eventually opened and read, leaving the viewer with questions as to its content. Did she die? She looks like she died. Did she leave? It feels quite sad. Whatever the story, the effect of the female dancer walking away with one of the tables is a powerful ending to a piece that provides mysterious fascination to its end. Altogether a technically clever piece, although I fear that once viewed, the spectacle is gone.
Revellers’ Mass is everything it
promises to be. As featured in the programme we are presented with a long thin
table, its width almost covers the stage. This is the centre-piece, the table
of the last supper, which eventually reveals that it holds the water and the
wine as the dancers splash in it and perform on it. Candles placed along the
‘table’ are lit as church bells ring; an atmosphere of calm is created as
people mill around. Strange looking broken mannequins with arms or bits
missing, reminiscent of Da Vinci statues, complete the set. The costumes of
black lace dresses worn by male and female in almost androgynous fashion look
Italian or Spanish. A piano plays in the background, and then music – loud, dramatic,
vocal, operatic enters the fray and the dance begins. It is a bizarre display,
at times pious and at its most dramatic, irreligious. I don’t try to understand
at this point, just to observe and enjoy, because the audience is silent and
rapt in this feast of extraordinary choreography. It is as if we can see the
Sodom and Gomorrah of the world behind the religious iconography. Dutiful
gestures are mixed with what appear to be acts of disobedience; the
choreography is untamed and appears to reflect different cultures and beliefs.
The mannequins are brought into play, one carried around as if it symbolises a
religious statue. A scene of wildness is created, with a central figure
carrying a broken mannequin that pours gold onto the stage and is followed by
an almost crawling figure that hankers after it as it spills from its guts. A
false finish then, which on reflection feels intentional, as the movement
stops, the lights lower and the audience begins its applause, which lasts for
some time until we realise that there is more. The priest-like figure comes to
the front of the stage and stands staring, whilst to the sounds of Piaf’s ‘Je
ne Regret Rien’, the stage is cleared of its detritus by the rest of the cast. When
we are sure that this is the end, the audience applauds loudly, showing their
appreciation of this fantastic piece, which reflects the mess of the world in
which we live.
A fabulous evening of dance, beautifully crafted, carefully performed and very well received.
When booking to see a National Theatre Wales production, there is an expectation for something thought provoking, intense and different.
The STORM cycle is a series of multimedia works that aims to explore the themes of truth and testimony, it includes original texts, specially created sounds and novel physical-acts TOGETHER AND ALONE succeeded in including specially created sounds – the composition was eery and worked to punctuate the piece. It also drew on Simone de Beauvoir’s Pour une moral de l’ambiguite, a work that explores the varying ethical attitudes of people and how they relate to the idea of “freedom”.
TOGETHER AND ALONE presents, through 8 different people, a different view of freedom and what their freedom means to them.
It is an interesting concept showcased against a high-impact backdrop; the cast and audience all stranded together on a stage that could be the prow of a ship, or the floor of a warehouse, or a holding area for refugees. Strewn around are clear plastic bin bags rammed and bursting forth with clothes, as if people have packed to leave, or have donated to charity, or have left somewhere in a hurry. Two large screens display statements that seem like negative rewrites of inspirational quotes.
The spectacle of this, when entering and waiting for the action to start, boded well. But the reality, when things “got going” was that there would be no action. As tremendous as each actor may have been, it was impossible to enjoy their hard work – the words delivered were a series of self-reflective testimonies and as much character as the actors tried to put in it was stripped away by the overwhelming monotony of it all. Perhaps this was the point – we live in a world where we talk about, think about, tweet/insta/facebook/snapchat about ourselves; we are so preoccupied with ourselves and how we see ourselves within the world, and how we think and want others to see us, that we do nothing of real importance. (I understand this is a generalisation, just to make everyone clear…in case you think ill of me, because that’s not something I want…now should I put a winky face emoji here to make it clear I’m making a joke? Hmmm…)
Whether this was the point or not, it simply felt tedious. I was working so hard to take in the words, but the movement and interaction that was there (and, be assured, the actors did as much as they could), just wasn’t enough to fill the gaps of character and story; the total absence of energy meant that I missed all the substance, the nuances, the political leanings, because I was too busy worrying about how long it would take for my knee to start hurting from all the standing, and thinking about how it could be made more dynamic and engaging. Convincing myself that my lack of engagement must be a mental fog which, surely, must indicate the early onset of the menopause!
The monologues/statements the characters were making were extremely well written, but the voices (no matter what accent they were in) still sounded the same. Yet as standalone tracks they could have been truly engaging; in podcast form, for example, the audience could listen and explore at their own pace, if they had something to watch too, or something to do (fold clothes and bag them, perhaps). I appreciate this is easier said than done though and, as usual, NTW has staged something different and risky – unfortunately, the biggest risk for me is how alienating a piece of theatre like this can be.
National Theatre Wales presented STORM.3 TOGETHER AND ALONE at The Neon in Newport from 21st-23rd March so you can’t go and see it now but, to be honest, if you’re anything like me you’d have spent more time thinking about whether there’d be time for a glass of wine at Le Pub than being moved by the work, anyway.
Dwy
ddrama gyfoes wedi eu lleoli yn y brifddinas, gan ddau o’n hawduron mwyaf
beiddgar.
Merched Caerdydd (gan Catrin Dafydd)
Caerdydd yw cartref Cariad, Liberty ac
Awen. Er eu bod nhw’n troedio llwybrau gwahanol iawn i’w gilydd, mae ganddyn
nhw fwy yn gyffredin na’u dinas. Dyma dair o ferched ifanc disglair ac,
efallai, annisgwyl y Gymru gyfoes sy’n ceisio gwneud synnwyr o’u bywydau blêr.
Merched sy’n ymrafael â’u gorffennol wrth geisio llywio’u dyfodol. Ond a fydd
newid yn bosib? Neu a ydi eu ffawd eisoes wedi’i benderfynu?
Nos Sadwrn o Hyd (gan Roger Williams)
Wedi i Take That chwalu perthynas Lee a
Matthew mewn clwb nos yn y brifddinas, mae Lee yn cymryd camau cynnar, melys ar
lwybr carwriaeth newydd. Am gyfnod byr
mae bywyd yn fêl i gyd, ond ar ôl bob nos Sadwrn daw realiti oer bore Sul. Ac fel mae Lee’n darganfod, does dim byd yn
para am byth.
Roedd 2018 yn flwyddyn arbennig iawn i Catrin
Dafydd, sydd yn nofelydd, bardd a chyflwynydd radio, ac yn un o awduron Pobol
y Cwm (BBC Cymru). Enillodd y Goron yn Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Caerdydd, a
hynny’n fuan ar ôl ennill Gwobr Ffuglen Gymraeg Llyfr y Flwyddyn 2018 am ei
nofel arbrofol Gwales. Comisiynwyd Merched Caerdydd yn wreiddiol
gan Bwyllgor Llên a Drama Eisteddfod Caerdydd, ac fe’i datblygwyd a’i chyflwyno
gan Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru fel rhan o raglen Theatr Gen Creu yn y
Steddfod.
Mae Nos Sadwrn o Hyd yn drosiad
Cymraeg gan Roger Williams o’i ddrama boblogaidd Saturday Night
Forever. Llwyddodd ei fersiwn Saesneg gwreiddiol i ddenu canmoliaeth gan
gynulleidfaoedd ac adolygwyr fel ei gilydd. Comisiynwyd yr addasiad Cymraeg hwn
gan yr Eisteddfod a Stonewall Cymru, ac fe’i cyflwynwyd am y tro cyntaf yn
Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Caerdydd 2018 gan gwmni OOMFF, fel rhan o raglen Mas ar
y Maes, sef prosiect newydd ar y cyd rhwng yr Eisteddfod, Stonewall Cymru a’r
gymuned LGBTQ+. Mae Roger yn enw adnabyddus ym myd y ddrama yng Nghymru, yn
arbennig felly am gyfresi teledu poblogaidd felCaerdydd aBang. Enillodd Bang nifer o wobrau nodedig,
yn cynnwys Medal Efydd Gŵyl Gwobrau Teledu a Ffilm Ryngwladol Efrog Newydd 2018
– Rhaglen Adloniant Orau (Drama Drosedd), ac enillodd wobr Drama Teledu BAFTA
Cymru 2018. Mae gwaith Roger ar gyfer y llwyfan yn cynnwysTir Sir
Gâr (Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, 2013).
Cyfarwyddwr:
Mared Swain (Merched Caerdydd)
Aled Pedrick (Nos Sadwrn o Hyd)
Cynllunydd Set a Gwisgoedd:
Heledd Rees
Cynllunydd Goleuo:
Elanor Higgins
Cynllunydd Sain a Chyfansoddwr:
Dyfan Jones
(Cynllun sain Nos Sadwrn o Hyd yn seiliedig ar gynllun gwreiddiol gan
Heddwyn Davies)
Cast:
Emmy Stonelake
Gwenllian Higginson
Hanna Jarman
Sion Ifan
Cynhyrchiad Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
mewn cydweithrediad ag Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru, Mas ar y Maes, Stonewall
Cymru ac OOMFF, gyda chefnogaeth gan Theatr Clwyd.
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru yw’r cwmni theatr cenedlaethol iaith Gymraeg. Rydym yn creu profiadau theatr beiddgar, uchelgeisiol, cynhwysol a chofiadwy wrth galon ein cymunedau, mewn canolfannau theatr traddodiadol a lleoliadau annisgwyl ledled Cymru a thu hwnt.
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru is pleased to announce the full cast for the production Merched Caerdydd / Nos Sadwrn o Hyd which will tour Wales between 13 March and 13 April. Merched Caerdydd is a new work by Catrin Dafydd which was presented as a rehearsed reading of a work-in-progress to large audiences at the Cardiff National Eisteddfod in 2018, and Nos Sadwrn o Hyd is an adaptation by Roger Williams of his own popular play Saturday Night Forever. Two contemporary plays based in the capital city, by two of Wales’s most distinct voices.
https://youtu.be/wMaOHpWVa6I
The cast are Emmy Stonelake, Gwenllian Higginson and Hanna Jarman (Merched Caerdydd) and Sion Ifan (Nos Sadwrn o Hyd).
Gwenllian Higginson
Hanna Jarman
Emmy Stonelake
Sion Ifan
Joining Emmy Stonelake, who took part in
the rehearsed readings of Merched Caerdydd (Theatr Gen Creu yn y
Steddfod), will be Gwenllian Higginson and Hanna Jarman. Gwenllian
Higginson returns to Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru following previous
appearances in Macbeth (2017), Yr Hwyaden Fach Hyll/The Ugly Duckling (in co-production with Sherman Theatre, 2014/15) and Dyled Eileen (2014). Gwenllian also appeared recently in Exodus (Motherlode Theatre). Hanna
Jarman joins the company for the first time. Her recent theatre credits
include Hud y Crochan Uwd/The Magic Porridge Pot by Sherman Theatre and
she’ll be appearing soon in Merched Parchus on S4C which she co-wrote
with Mari Beard.
Sion Ifan returns to play Lee in Nos
Sadwrn o Hyd, following his widely acclaimed performance when the
adaptation was first staged at the 2018 Cardiff National Eisteddfod. Sion has
appeared on S4C in programmes including Byw Celwydd, Y Streic a Fi, Tir and Teulu and has performed with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in Pan Oedd y Byd yn Fach, Y Fenyw Ddaeth o’r Môr, and Tir Sir
Gâr.
Mared Swain, Neontopia’s Artistic Director, directs Merched Caerdydd. Her
recent directing credits include Tuck, A Good Clean Heart and Lovecraft
(Not the Sex Shop in Cardiff). Her television credits include Storyline
ProducerforGwaith Cartref. Aled Pedrick directs Nos
Sadwrn o Hyd. Aled is best known as an actor on the popular series 35
Awr and Parch and he recently appeared in Sherman Theatre’s
acclaimed production, Woof.Aled has also directed for Theatr
Clwyd and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru (Pan Oedd y Byd yn Fach, 2016).
These two one-hour-long plays will be
presented as a double bill with a 20-minute interval. The production opens in
Theatr Clwyd before touring throughout Wales, and the tour comes to an end in
Cardiff with a series of performances at the Weston Studio as part of the Wales
Millennium Centre’s Performances for the Curious season.
This is a Welsh language production. The Sibrwd app provides English-language access.
Details of the production
Two contemporary plays based in the
capital city, by two of Wales’s most distinct voices.
Merched Caerdydd (Cardiff Girls) by Catrin Dafydd
Cardiff is home to Cariad, Liberty and
Awen. Whilst they each tread a very different path in life, they have more in
common than their city alone. Here are three young, bright, and perhaps
unexpected women from contemporary Wales, each trying to make sense of their
messy lives. They are women trying to come to terms with their pasts whilst
navigating their futures. But will change be possible? Or has their fate
already been sealed?
Nos Sadwrn o Hyd (Saturday Night Forever)by Roger Williams
Following a messy break-up, sound-tracked
by Take That in a city centre nightclub, Lee goes looking for love and finds
it. For a short while life is sweet, but after every Saturday night dawns the
harsh reality of Sunday morning and, as Lee discovers, nothing lasts forever.
2018 was a very special year for Catrin
Dafydd, who is a novelist, poet, radio presenter and a script writer for Pobol
y Cwm (BBC Cymru Wales). She won the Crown at the Cardiff National
Eisteddfod, very soon after winning the Fiction category in the Welsh Book of
the Year Awards 2018 for her experimental novel Gwales. Merched
Caerdydd was originally commissioned by the Literature and Drama Committee
of the Cardiff National Eisteddfod and was developed and presented for the
first time by Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru as a work-in-progress as part of the Theatr
Gen Creu yn y Steddfod programme.
Nos Sadwrn o Hyd is a Welsh language adaptation by the playwright Roger Williams of his own popular play Saturday Night Forever.
The original English version was well-received by audiences and reviewers
alike. This adaptation was commissioned by the National Eisteddfod and
Stonewall Cymru and was presented for the first time at this year’s Cardiff
National Eisteddfod by OOMFF as part of the Mas ar y Maes programme – a
new project arranged jointly between the Eisteddfod, Stonewall Cymru and the
LGBTQ+ community. Roger Williams is an established writer in the world of Welsh
drama, particularly for his popular television series such as Caerdydd
andBang. Bang has won a number of notable awards,
including the Bronze Medal at the New York International Television and Film
Awards 2018 – Best Entertainment Programme (Crime Play). It also won the BAFTA
Cymru/Wales Award 2018 for a Television Play. Roger’s work for the stage
includes Tir Sir Gâr(Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, 2013).
A Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru production in
association with the National Eisteddfod of Wales, Mas ar y Maes, Stonewall
Cymru and OOMFF, supported by Theatr Clwyd.
Director:
Mared
Swain (Merched Caerdydd)
Aled
Pedrick (Nos Sadwrn o Hyd)
Set
and Costume Designer:
Heledd
Rees
Lighting
Designer:
Elanor
Higgins
Sound
Designer and Composer:
Dyfan
Jones
(Sound
design of Nos Sadwrn o Hyd based on an original design by Heddwyn Davies)Cast:
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru is the Welsh-language national theatre of Wales. We create bold, ambitious, inclusive and memorable theatre experiences in the heart of our communities, at traditional theatre venues and unexpected locations across Wales and beyond.
When I was first introduced to Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew I found it amusing and, I think, quite romantic. Forgive me – I was 11, going on 12, and Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet had recently convinced me that all Shakespeare was romantic!
The truth, as Jo Clifford’s reimagining shows us, is that there is no romance in Shrew.
It is a play within a play, within a play, and you are invited, as an audience, to join in with suspending your disbelief – you are asked to dream, along with the players, of a world where women are the higher power. This alone might put some readers off going – don’t let it. Despite the serious nature of the subject and the action, this production manages to be riotously funny as it explores a matriarchal Shakespearean landscape.
Credit Mark Douet
The design (Madeleine Girling), made up of a ring in the centre, voils that separate it from the audience when required, and mic stands and off-set piano all make it clear that this is a “show”; an arena of exploration, with on-stage music and sound effects provided by the cast (predominantly from Hannah Jarrett-Scott who plays a bawdy, arrogant Luciento, unapologetically brandishing an electric guitar like a weapon of lust). The players break character regularly to help explain what’s going on, and to help themselves work out who they are now, and next, and what exactly is happening; there is a lot of fun to be poked at the original in this way as it really does make you realise just how ridiculous the whole idea is.
Credit Mark Douet
Using a mix of composed and re-worked songs (such as the opening to Bloody Motherf***ing **shole by Martha Wainwright, ironically sung by Scarlett Brookes’s unnerving Petruchio), the hard-to-digest moments are broken up by musical interjections that the whole cast take part in, though Jarrett-Scott and Alexandria Riley (most often playing Tranio) take the lead in this.
I enjoyed every performance from each actor, whichever character or mode they happened to be playing at different times; I believed in them equally and, for me, it is a triumph that there were no “stand out” performances in this play challenging the absence of equality. It speaks to the quality of their chemistry and what must surely have been a furiously fun and raw rehearsal process. The direction (Michael Fentiman) adds layers of meaning to the reframed, pared down text, illuminating the darker elements including domestic abuse, manipulation and gas lighting. The whole production is carefully balanced in this way; the serious, uncomfortable moments offset by humour and spectacle which allows these subjects to be explored without the whole thing feeling dour and depressing. Instead, you come out with questions around power and identity and how far have we really come in creating an equal, fair society?
Credit Mark Douet
If you are interested in seeing something blazingly different, then I’d recommend spending a few bob on tickets to this sassy, sexy, piece of theatre. Just…think about who you take with you as the very faint-hearted might find it a little uncomfortable. Personally, for me that was the draw!
The Taming of the Shrew is a co-production between Sherman Theatre and Tron Theatre Company. Be amazed by it at Sherman Theatre, Cardiff until 16th March. Tickets £18 (standard). Check out the website for concessions.
I was `shook` by the talent UWTSD students presented in their main house production of ‘Earthquakes in London’ by Mike Bartlett! Excellently directed by Iona Hefin, assisted by Kiera Sikora. This piece had my glued to my seat!
This story is unfolded through 3 sisters, an estranged father and an unborn child! Tackling hard hitting, relevant themes including climate change, mental health and modern relationships! With three intertwining storylines this play has many characters to be portrayed making this a perfect and clever choice made by Hefin for the 3rd year Acting students to explore!
As you enter
the space you are instantly brought in to an exciting environment because the
set for this piece is incredible! The entire theatre is the centre of an earthquake!
With three platforms set up for action! Turning a traditional proscenium arch
space into reversed thrust production. With the use of projection throughout tying
this piece together. The design and production students working on this piece
have done exceptional work and are a credit to the production.
Being taken on such an epic journey is a challenge for any group of actors, and the acting students at UWTSD didn’t disappoint. With a cast of 23 working as one, no one dropped the ball. The energy is the room really kept my engaged and interested throughout. With some stand out performances from Emma Davis as Peter/Emily, Ryan Stead as Colin and Grace Hazel Nicholls as Jasmine (cast 2). This group of Acting students should be incredibly proud of the work they have produced.
Grace Hazel Nicholls as Jasmine and Michael Rodney as Tom.
This show
wouldn’t have been the epic production it was without Ioan Hefin. His passion
to tell this story was filtered throughout. Ioan is truly talented.
This production is one UWTSD should treasure.
Creating opportunities for a diverse range of people to experience and respond to sport, arts, culture and live events. / Lleisiau amrywiol o Gymru yn ymateb i'r celfyddydau a digwyddiadau byw
(4.5 / 5)
(2 / 5)
(5 / 5)
