In our latest Playwright interview, the Director of Get the Chance, Guy O’Donnell meets Playwright Vic Mills, they discuss his career to date, his latest play ‘Sanctuary: The Secrets of the Gunter Mansion’ and his thoughts on career support for Playwrights in Wales.

So, what got you interested in the arts?

I came from a non-conformist chapel background, where both of my parents were public speakers, writers, teachers, preachers – so performance of the spoken word was part of what we lived and breathed from infant hood. Music too was central to life.  Both my parents were avid readers and we grew up in a home without a television so I read a huge amount – many of the classics before I was eleven.

Why do you write?

That’s probably changed  great deal over the years – from poetry as a teenager and young adult to writing for theatre from the time I was about 20.  I write because I enjoy the process and each stage of sharing and developing a script is incredibly exciting – the isolation in the first part of the process and then the development of a script with a team is nerve-wracking and exhilarating.  Then, right through to the first performance the piece continues to develop and is still changing and hopefully improving until it’s last performance.  The chemistry with my director, Neil Maidman, and recently with the Contemporancient Team of poet Dr Kevin Mills, composer Stephen Preston and our actors is hugely exciting.

Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas come from?

Research around a specific subject – like The Chartists, mental asylums in Wales, Dr Richard Price, ‘The Gunter Mansion’ in Abergavenny  – is the starting point – finding where the theatre is in a story, what might be relevant, challenging, inspiring, for contemporary audiences.  Then, like most playwrights, I build scenes around conflict.  I also search for empathy with every character I develop – they all have to have something of me in them – good, bad and appalling.

I have written theatre with a social and political drive, often linked to an aspect of Welsh history in the last twenty years and that continues to be my focus.

Whilst I usually produce what might be called ‘naturalist dialogue’ as central to a piece, the work itself is not usually naturalistic overall.  My great inspiration is Brecht and so music, poetry, ‘chorus’, multiple playing, non-linear structure, are all key tools in creating something meant to evoke intellectual challenge rather than pure entertainment.

Can you describe your writing day? Do you have a process or a minimum word count?

I usually spend a year or so reading around a subject and then write a first draft of a play obsessively and very quickly – maybe within 10 days.  I don’t keep any record of how much time I spend at it during those days – but writing comes easily when it comes at all and it usual flies out when it’s ready to.  It gets huge amounts of patient re-working for months afterwards, but the arc is there.

Do you have a specific place that you work from?

I have a study and a MacBook Air.  I write notes in proper notebooks with a fountain pen.  I like fountain pens a lot.  I really like fountain pens.  Once I start writing the script – its straight on the MacBook though.

Your latest play ‘Sanctuary: The Secrets of the Gunter Mansion’ plays at The Borough Theatre, Abergavenny at 7.30pm on Wednesday 21st June.

“This new play with music tells how, for more than 400 years, Abergavenny has provided sanctuary for those in danger – here the horrors and joys of their secret stories are told in thrilling theatre and music.”

Can you tell us more about the background to this production and your hopes for its production?

This started with reading an historical text about two leaders of the Jesuits being caught in a priest hole in Worcestershire in 1605 and exploring the idea of people being hunted, tortured and killed for their faith but also willing to do the same things to other people, with only marginally different faith.  This seemed incredibly relevant to life for people in many parts of the world today so worth exploring.  We have worked with ‘The Plas Gunter Mansion’ in Abergavenny, where these priests probably hid in the months prior to be caught – we have linked that with the story of Syrian refugee woman in Abergavenny today – she is not an historical figure but is based on stories of real Syrian refugees in Wales.

We’ve worked with Syrian musicians and our composer to bring the cultures together in music and explore the idea of sanctuary in Abergavenny and in Wales across the ages.  It’s a play about the Welsh nation being made up of people from around the world and about the importance of tolerance.  But there’s a lot of difficult stuff in the play about people’s willingness to suffer for their beliefs and to make others suffer who do not share them.

Kevin, my brother, an academic and poet, has produced wonderful verse for the piece and has worked with Stephen Preston, our musician/composer to create stunning songs alongside our Syrian musicians.  We’ve worked with our close collaborator, film maker Chris Lloyd to deliver a multi-media piece, where film and visual imagery plays a huge part.  Our director and dramaturg, Neil Maidman, is someone I have worked with for more than 25 years so we shape a piece together, understanding each others strengths pretty intuitively by now.

We hope that through exploring our shared history, we will learn more about ourselves and those with whom we share our communal lives and spaces.

This will be performed during National Refugee Week and all performances will be free for refugees.

Sanctuary – Cast, Director, Writer, and Lyricist

What role do you think Theatres and Playwrights have in telling the narratives of the citizens of their respective nations?

You can tell from my previous answer that this is a central tenet of all I do as a writer and what this theatre company, Contemporancient Theatre, is all about.  Heb Hanes – Heb Hunaniaeth is our motto, and that is at the heart of what we do.

There are a range of organisations supporting Wales based writers. I wonder if you feel the current support network and career opportunities feel ‘healthy’ to you? Is it possible to sustain a career as a writer in Wales and if not, what would help?

I worked as a drama teacher, English teacher and Deputy Headteacher until I was able to retire at 55, and work full time in theatre.  I was able to write and get plays produced throughout that time and have had plays of mine produced and performed all around the world.  I have never made any money to speak of through that.  If a play of mine is performed I get about £50 per performance in royalties.

I spend a huge amount of time applying for funding – far more that I do actually writing or developing scripts.  If I had to rely on what I earned from theatre to live, I couldn’t.  I ensure that freelance actors, musicians, crew etc are paid union rates and I try to find some money in the budget for writing and script development.  I don’t know how anyone writing for theatre could make a living just by writing, unless they were hugely successful.

You are a member of the Get The Chance team yourself and have reviewed a range of productions. Why are you a member of our team of volunteer critics and what value does this opportunity have to you?

I watch as much live theatre as I can, and I usually have very strong opinions about what I experience.  Part of the joy of any art is the discussion it evokes – Get The Chance gives people an opportunity to formulate and articulate ideas about performance arts so it’s a vehicle for them and publicity for the event that have attended.  What’s not to like about that?

If you were able to fund an area of the arts what would this be and why?

One of my many causes is ‘working class people in arts’ and theatre specifically, of course. 

The tradition of great working class actors, playwrights etc that fuelled British theatre has been choked off.  I would love to see bursaries or grants for theatre practitioners of working class background to support their work, and organisations like ACW creating funding areas for projects delivered by practitioners from the working class. 

What currently inspires you about the arts in the Wales?

The extent to which good work continues to get put on despite the odds. 

What was the last really great thing that you experienced that you would like to share with our readers?

I saw Rosie Sheehy in Alls Well That Ends Well at the RSC Stratford last year.  Didn’t know her, or of her, at the time.  Stunning, stunning performance – by a kid from down the road.  Blistering and inspiring.  I love actors who can really speak verse – get verse.  Wonderful physical and vocal performance.  I love the fact that she was there and blew everyone else off the stage and that she’s a Welsh kid from an ordinary background.

Hi Chris, great to meet you, can you give our readers some background information on yourself please?

Shwmae! I am a writer. I was born in Abergavenny, raised in Ebbw Vale, and then Cwmbrân, and now living in Bridgend with my fiancé. I had a Welsh language education in Pontypool (and now I predominately identify as a Welsh language theatre maker). I studied my BA in Drama at Aberystwyth University, and my MA in International Dramaturgy at the University of Amsterdam. I’ve been writing for theatre for about 10 years now, having had many fantastic opportunities to exercise and explore new work. I’ve been fortunate to work with Theatr Bara Caws, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, Theatr Iolo, Theatrau Sir Gar, National Theatre Wales, Dutch National Opera, Ensemble Modern, Cwmni Theatr Frân Wen and Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch. I’ve also worked in a pharmacy, as a teaching assistant and a drama club facilitator. It’s all relative!

So, what got you interested in the arts?

I have my parents to thank for that. Neither of them work in the arts, but they regularly took my sister and I to the theatre from a very young age. The stating point was likely seeing ‘Budgie the Little Helicopter’ at the New Theatre, Cardiff. They also took us to Kids Week in London (a brilliant initiative) during the summer, all the way up until we were 16. They always encouraged broad-mindedness in any art form we watched. We went to all sorts of theatre across the country, as well as the cinema, museums, art galleries, as well as the weekly movie nights we would have at home.

Why do you write?

I see the world in a very creative way. Ideas come to me all the time from all corners of life. Human behaviour and experience is theatrical. I have too many ideas. Writing is a method in which to make sense of things. News bulletins and anecdotes and shared-experiences and reading historical documents translate into creative artforms that I visualise. To me, everything has creative potential. I can’t always deal with things ‘just’ as they are, or as matter of fact. I like to imagine and interpret all the time, and ask – ‘why are things like that?’

Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas come from?

Anywhere. And new ideas usually catch you off-guard! There’s been many a situation where I have had to say: ‘Stop a minute, I have to write this down!’. From there, it’s usually many weeks of toying, thinking, contemplating, researching. If the idea disappears after 6 weeks, then I can’t love it that much to begin immediately. I don’t always start with ‘something to say’. That usually comes later. If I have an idea, and later on it begins to resonate with my own personal opinions, experiences or perspective on things (or challenges them) – and the idea sits with me long enough (I get bored quite easily too) – then I know I may have something. I also thrive on collaboration. I like to work with a director very early on to really uncover a play.

Can you describe your writing day? Do you have a process or a minimum word count?

I personally don’t think there’s such a thing as a writing day because, every time I sit down to ‘write’, I usually scroll on Twitter or stare blankly somewhere. You have to let the ideas come to you. Sometimes they come in chronologically, order sometimes in a random order. The ‘process’ is trusting that it is a process that requires time. I also think it’s healthy to have a different approach and process with each new play. Let the work dictate to you what it needs. I recently completed the first draft of a new play entirely by hand in a notebook because I wanted to try not writing any of it at home and to make the process more mobile. Now I have to find time to type it up . . .

This spring you have two new Welsh Language productions on tour, Cariad yn Oes y Gin produced by Theatr Bara Caws which is described as “A dark comedy about the experiences of a young, bohemian and rebellious couple as they seek a new, adventurous life.” And Golygfeydd o’r Pla Du, a Theatrau Sir Gâr Production, supported by Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru which is described as “A mischievous, black (death) comedy about crisis and corruption, packed with scandal, songs, singing goats and horse sh*t. Welcome to the Black Death – there’s nothing funnier.”

There is clearly a theme of dark comedy in your work! What inspired both productions and what are your ambitions for the tours?

‘Cariad yn Oes y Gin’ was inspired by asking how something so destructive, like gin, was discovered for the first time. I was interested in how, in 1736, it affected people on a societal level, and how a bridge once build between the lower and upper classes was suddenly eradicated because of gentrification. I also wanted to see it through the lens of a young, care-free (and rather naive couple) who get a big slice of reality when paving their own way through life.

I’ve thought a lot about the nature of love and relationships over the past couple of years, and how one must adapt and, sometimes, compromise in a true relationship, whilst also holding on to their very true selves. Gin, a new and destructive drink in society, becomes a symbol of freedom and power for this young, rabble-rousing couple.

‘Golygfeydd o’r Pla Du’ began life as wanting to be popcorn-theatre for Welsh language audiences in the vain of some of my heroes: Mel Brooks, Monty Python and The League of Gentleman. It’s written for 4 actors sharing around 35 characters. It’s fast, it’s polymathic and outrageous. Of course, like all theatre work, it quickly evolved into something more than just a satirical comedy, and I began to see how crisis, such as a pandemic, brings out the true nature of people. It seems there are many out there who benefited from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the play aims to make an acknowledgment of that through satire.

Both productions take place in an historical context. Do you think the plays period and themes will resonate with contemporary audiences?

I think so. I find it easier to contemplate what is going around us in the present through a historical lens. There’s a sense that enough time has settled for us to learn from history and to see things exactly as they are through the ‘then’. The ‘Gin Craze’ saw many people’s freedoms being curbed, not just on the basis that the drink was doing so much harm to people, but the working classes were entirely to blame for the increase in violence. You’d be surprised at how much corruption and scandal became evident as a result of the Black Death. People began to see the cracks in their leadership and in the feudal system. The ‘Peasant’s Revolt’ came shortly after that. It wasn’t all ‘Partygate’ or how much of public funding was spent on a private jet flight of 30 minutes, but the gesture of abuses of power was very much the same. Through history, we see lessons that have never been learnt.

There are a range of organisations supporting Wales based writers. I wonder if you feel the current support network and career opportunities feel ‘healthy’ to you? Is it possible to sustain a career as a writer in Wales and if not, what would help?

Yes, it certainly feels healthy. I was very fortunate to be invited to a few of those schemes myself (particularly the Sherman Theatre’s schemes in 2016 – 2018 curated by Philip and Christine Carne, Brad Birch, Gethin Evans and David Mercatali). My worry is that there still aren’t schemes to commit to writers long-term – to take risks. Theatr Bara Caws, Theatrau Sir Gar, Theatr Iolo, Blackwood Miners Institute . . . they’ve all taken a risk on me by following through. It takes time, but I don’t know a single aspiring/emerging writer who wouldn’t want to take that time if it meant the end-goal was getting their work seen and discussed by a paying audience.

Is it sustainable being a writer? No, not really. But I recommend training and taking work in other aspects of the arts, if possible: box office, outreach, education, administration, technical . . . whatever. It all feeds into your understanding of the working mechanism that makes up an arts organisation and gives you a greater appreciation of it. However, never work for free.

If you were able to fund an area of the arts what would this be and why?

Access. It’s a financial barrier for many companies, and the costs are increasing for everything. A ‘Dream Scheme’ would be to see core arts organisations given additional resources and funding to ensure that all aspects of access can be addressed: in-house software for captioning, cheaper/free hire of captioning software (Theatr Gen’s access app Sibrwd is super-easy, for example)

More funding to ensure BSL interpreters/Audio describers are given more performances and more preparation time, access costs being subsidies by larger funding bodies (but not necessarily included in core production budgets) and that wide-spread training is free, accessible and continuous.

What currently inspires you about the arts in Wales?

An identity that has shifted from that of coal miners and choirs and drowned villages to telling the real, contemporary stories of the diverse people of Wales. Also, our awakened sense of nationhood sat in the context of the British Empire. I’ve seen a lot of Welsh language work in the past few years that touches on this in an exciting way. To put all that into context, I went to see ‘The Corn is Green’ by Emlyn Williams at the National Theatre last year. Without going on about it, there’s a reason why that play ISN’T being performed in Wales and HASN’T for a very long time.

What was the last really great thing that you experienced that you would like to share with our readers?

Oh, I went to see Damien Chazelle’s new film ‘Babylon’ recently!

In it, I saw two of my favourite films slammed together in an orgiastic, unapologetic party: ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ meeting ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’. It actually made me think a little about ‘Cariad yn Oes y Gin’ (I love it when that happens – you’re nervous about an idea you’ve thought of, and then see someone else execute it in a different context, making you confident that your idea will work!). For all the drug-fuelled, addicted splendour that ‘Wolf’ and ‘Babylon’ brought, the party has to die down eventually, because people get hurt. That’s what we see in Dylan and Nansi’s journey in ‘Gin’.

Thanks for your time

Croeso, wir!

In our latest Playwright interview the Director of Get the Chance, Guy O’Donnell meets Actor and Playwright Richard Mylan, They discuss his career to date, his first play Sorted for Grand Ambition, the companies focus on creativity in Swansea and Richards personal approach to creativity and sharing his life experiences with the wider world.

Hi Richard, great to meet you, many audiences in Wales know you from Theatre or TV, can you tell us how you got started in the arts?
I originally trained as a dancer, got into a Lloyd Webber musical where I spent 4 years (which was very much my schooling). Started dipping my toe into acting, loved it- I’ve been an actor over 25 years. Now I co-run the resident theatre production company Grand Ambition at the Grand Theatre, Swansea along with fellow creatives: Michelle McTernan, Steve Balsamo and Christian Patterson.

We’ve had an incredible first year, we produced a Gala performance to celebrate 125 years of the theatre and ‘A Number’ by Caryl Churchill.

As well as many community outreach projects and the formation of TAG (The ActorsGroup). We’re currently in rehearsals for my debut play Sorter our first original production.

So, what got you interested in the arts?

Rubbish in school- got positive attention for dancing so went with it… It was the gateway really, once I discovered the different forms of dance, choreography- I was hooked. It was my first glimpse of creativity as apposed to learning.

Why do you write?

Sorter is my first attempt at writing. I wrote it to make sense of 20 years of my life as a heroin addict. I was originally going to write it in diary form- just to get it documented & out of my head. But I struggled to write in the first person. Probably because I felt disconnected from it all… or in denial. So I went to a very familiar place as an actor – play form, my lived experience through two characters and when I did that, 20 years flew out of me in three weeks. It was a very cathartic experience.

Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas come from?

For me it came from real life. Before I began writing I knew the basic structure. I also did A LOT of research. Before I attempted to write real life vicariously, I made sure I was heavily informed. That way, I could deviate from the structure if I wanted to…go with it to a certain extent. Sometimes it was a blind alley, sometimes it was a welcome discovery.

Can you describe your writing day? Do you have a process or a minimum word count?

It’s just structured writing time, but I don’t really have a process as such- or a word count. I’m far more productive if I don’t put pressure on myself.

Do you have a specific place that you work from?

Not really. I can work anywhere as long as it’s an environment where I can focus, but that could be at home with the TV on in the background or a busy cafe. Sometimes life going on around me can put me into a rhythm.

You first play Sorter will premier at Swansea Grand this March. The marketing information for the production states that you wrote Sorter, to “come to terms with your battle with heroin addiction & hope it can lead to a bigger conversation with addictions treated with empathy, dignity & understanding.” has it been difficult for you to share so much of your own personal journey on the page and stage?

I’ve been in recovery for over 10 years so I feel safe enough to explore it all. I’m also incredibly supported by the Grand Ambition team, the staff at the theatre and Swansea Council.

As well as your professional writing debut, Sorter marks the premier production for Grand Ambition a new and exciting creative collective based at Swansea Grand Theatre focusing on a new perspective to capture the arts through the Swansea lens. It’s a collaboration with Swansea Council and Swansea based professional artists – Richard Mylan, Steve Balsamo, Michelle McTernan and Christian Patterson. Why did you and the other creatives involved decide to launch this new company now and what has been the reaction?

We felt that Swansea people should see themselves on stage at the Grand Theatre, their lives and communities reflected in quality work. We also felt very strongly that we could help to create opportunities for those living in/from Swansea. Historically we’ve haemorrhaged creative talent as a city and when you look at our incredible cultural heritage that doesn’t make sense. So we want to add to the brilliant work from theatres & companies like Volcano, Lighthouse, Fluellen etc. We want to bring our collective experience and help to enrich the ecology of venues and output.

What are your future plans for this new company?

To tell Swansea stories, bring new footfall into the theatre, build opportunities for Swansea talent and inspire the next generation of theatre goers and theatre makers.

As well as being a Writer and Actor the public also know you through your documentary Richard and Jaco: Life with Autism. The documentary provided a fascinating insight into your and Jaco’s relationship and the form of autism Jaco lives with known as Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) Both the documentary and Sorter share aspects of your personal life with the wider world, beyond your professional work. Why is it important for you to work in this way and have there ever been times when it’s caused you any doubt?

I’ve always had doubts about sharing my personal life. But its always come from a genuine desire to change the common narrative. It was a joint decision to share Jaco with the world and he’s very glad that we did. But ultimately it was because our experience with Jaco is one of joy, hope and personal learning and growth. I’d not seen any documentaries that reflected that autistic experience.

With my addiction issues it was different because I was carrying it around with me. A huge negative weight that was affecting my mental health. So going public was really about unburdening that weight. But also it was because professional addicts are not generally known about because stigma and the fear surrounding it stops anyone sharing their experiences.

You can listen to Richard sharing his personal journey in the Podcast below from the Stop and Search series. He shares his battle with addiction in hopes that he can raise awareness for other people who may be struggling, and to wipe away the stigma that can often come with addiction. In this special episode we have a very intimate conversation with Richard about his heroin use which lasted twenty years – how and why he got to that place of addiction, and his advocacy for a change of attitudes.

There are a range of organisations supporting Wales based writers. I wonder if you feel the current support network and career opportunities feel ‘healthy’ to you? Is it possible to sustain a career as a writer in Wales and if not, what would help?

It could and should be better. It’s healthy in terms of output but not so healthy in terms of support. Output- because freelance writers are resourceful, determined, used to fighting to support their own ambition by any means. But that’s not sustainable. I think organisations realise this in general terms, but more needs to be done to support our network of writers, from budding to established. I learned a lot from my time with Swansea & District Writers Circle. We can all learn from support networks such as these.

If you were able to fund an area of the arts what would this be and why?

There are many areas of the arts that need funding but In Swansea right now and in Wales, there is a real shortage of technical talent, designers, set builders, stage managers, lighting designers and stage technicians. The infrastructure to nurture talent is there so I would fund grassroots and pathway opportunities.

What currently inspires you about the arts in Wales?

The quality of work currently being made in Wales is a huge inspiration to me. Companies like Theatr na nÓg, Leeway Productions, Sherman, Clywd and then creatives like Hannah McPake, Seiriol Davies, Tracy Harris, Dan Lloyd, Francesca Goodridge, Sophie Melville- the list is long!… they’re all smashing it and inspire me.

What was the last really great thing that you experienced that you would like to share with our readers?

Yesterday during rehearsals. The process of bringing Sorter to the stage is blowing my tiny mind! Every day is a great experience at the moment & I can’t wait to share it with our audiences.

Hi Diana, great to meet you, what first got you interested in the arts?

As child, I was always into creative writing and storytelling. I wanted to be a song writer (still kind of do) and I would also write short stories. I wrote my first play when I was around 11 or 12 for my church and just loved the idea of entertaining audiences.

Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas come from?

Ideas come in a variety of ways for me. Either I go looking (which rarely yields results) or I just get flashes of inspiration. It has to be said though, that it is pretty rare for me to find an idea that I fall in love long enough to want to work on but when I do, there is no greater feeling. I often start with finding the world first then, figuring out a premise before populating the world with characters. In terms of process, I now understand the importance of planning and structuring where I can so I try to complete that first before I start scripting.

 Can you describe your writing day? Do you have a process or a minimum word count?

I definitely don’t have word count. On a good day, I’d have been doing some writing in my head the night before so I really try and put that down until there is nothing left in my head or until I have to get on with life duties. I do try and write from the beginning of the story until the end but if there is a scene I am struggling with, I’ll just skip it and focus on one that’s strongest in my mind.

 Your latest play Trouble in Butetown plays at The Donmar Warehouse, London from the 10 February. The production takes place in an area of Cardiff Docks, called Butetown or Tiger Bay during World War Two. The production information describes the area as “home to souls from every corner of the globe” What drew you to this location and period for your play?

I fell in love with the history. It’s strange as, prior to writing about Tiger Bay, I knew very little about its history so I cannot explain what led me to go down that path but I’m glad I did. The more I researched, the more I fell in love with it. As a girl from Peckham in south London, I know a lot of people would be surprised to hear that I would choose to write this story but actually, there are elements of Tiger Bay’s history that I can relate to. I grew up in London, so I understand the world of racially diverse communities first hand. As a Peckham girl, I know what it’s like to grow up in a town that has a negative reputation that is not completely deserved, neither is it completely undeserved (we’re also both experiencing massive gentrification).

I also grew up around people like the characters in my play, salt of the earth types who would take the mick out of you but also have your back if you were ever in trouble. Tiger Bay’s cultural identity is also made up in part, of the West African culture. Being of West African descent myself, I felt I could easily relate. There were many periods I could have set this play in but I chose WW2 as the world of Jim Crow that the black American GIs who arrived in Cardiff suffered under, contrasted very nicely with the diversity and inclusion of Tiger Bay. I also felt that we have seen a ton of WW2 stories depicting the life of white Britain. I don’t believe I have seen anything that depicts the life of British people of colour.

Do you think the plays period and themes will resonate with contemporary audiences?

I think it will. This is a time where people are very open to forgotten histories. I also think that the themes of race and identity are very pertinent today. Essentially, this is a human story and I don’t think they ever really go out of style.

Trouble in Butetown is a recipient of the Theatre Royal Haymarket Writers Award and The George Devine Award. Did winning these awards increase awareness of your work and make commissioning of the production more likely?

Most definitely. The George Devine is a very well regarded theatre award and it was a real privilege to win it. It got the play in front of many venues, the Donmar being one of them and the rest, as they say, is history. The TRHW award was really important as it provided the necessary funds for me to develop the play and also provided support for the production as a whole. I am very grateful to have received both.

 There are a range of organisations supporting UK based writers. I wonder if you feel the current support network and career opportunities feel ‘healthy’ to you? Is it possible to sustain a career as a writer in the UK and if not what would help?

That’s a pretty tough one for me to answer as historically, I never wrote fast enough to make a consistent living as a writer. I have however found that there has often been support when I needed it most, I am thinking of amazing organisations like The Peggy Ramsey Fund or the Fleabag fund. I think there can always be more support for writers especially due to the precarious nature of our jobs.

If you were able to fund an area of the arts what would this be and why?

I would probably say that I would fund new writing from under represented voices. In order for this industry to remain fresh and vibrant, we need a diversity of voices.

 What currently inspires you about the arts in the UK?

The landscape has changed so drastically since I started on this journey. There is a real appetite for new stories and there does seem to be a willingness from a lot of organisations to support new talent. It does feel like it’s all for the taking now.

 What was the last really great thing that you experienced that you would like to share with our readers?

My daughter turning three years old. She is the love of my life and to be surrounded by all our friends and family meant the world to me.

You can find out more about Trouble in Butetown and book tickets here

Interviewed by Guy O’Donnell, Director Get the Chance

Hi Nyla great to meet you, what got you interested in the arts?

For as long as I remember I have always had a love for performing. My parents said that they would watch me with my teddies in the garden pretending I was in another world and talking to myself, I was always creating stories and living in my own imagination. I also attended a very creative church growing up and from the age of 6-12 I was involved in productions, always singing, dancing and acting.

 You are the Creative Arts Development Officer for G Expressions based in Newport, the organisation “works to support young people aged 10-25 to dance develop and achieve their dreams. Through dance, theatre, and leadership activities , giving young people the confidence, tools and skills to achieve their goals.” How did you come to be involved in the organisation and why is its work important?

My family members run the organisation and since it began in 2010 I have always been involved in some shape or form. I was a young mum, therefore my children were my priority and my personal dreams of performing were put to the side but I assisted with G-Expressions on projects and would help out with dance at their previous studio ‘Bella Bella’. When they started doing theatre shows in 2014 I was keen to help out and began shadowing and assisting the writer and director of the shows, which happened to be Alexandria Riley.

I then made my debut as a starring role in their production of ‘Sisters Acting up’ and felt such a buzz, even being at the age of 28 it was an amazing feeling and seeing how G-Expressions facilitate all their service users and staff, giving them a platform to achieve their dreams was such a great feeling. I then became an assistant director on their last show ‘Hard Knock Life’ and also got my job as Creative Arts Development Officer.

Being able to support young people in exploring their creative gifts is like a dream job for me. Giving them a safe place where they don’t feel judged and can be who they want to be, with the encouragement and guidance to do so gives them confidence and self-belief to reach their full potential.

You have written and are currently working on a new live production for G Expressions called Urban School of Arts. The production is described as “An original story filled with dance and drama about young people surviving their journey through performing arts school, all in hopes of pursuing their dreams of becoming artists” Can you tell us more about the creative process for the production and your intentions for it?

I began writing the story line during the Pandemic, after discussions with young people during a podcast I had set up through G-Expressions called ‘Say it How it is’. It was a great opportunity for young people to talk about different topics that they felt they were affected by and allowed them to talk openly and honestly, as most had said that they don’t feel listened to or even understood by authorities and adults. The stories came from real life topics and made me want to raise awareness about these topics that young people face, to help them talk more about it but to also give them a platform to express themselves in a creative way where they can be heard. I always wanted it to be an original as in the past we have used music that people know but have always had the issues of copyright, but I felt that we were in a place where we could offer more opportunities for artists to be recognised for their talents. I worked with some local young artists who love to write and produce and we managed to get funding from the High Sheriff to bring in a professional producer and work in the studio to record these songs. We now have a soundtrack alongside the show and I would love to see this tour and possibly see other drama schools put it on, who knows?

Urban School of Arts can be seen at The Riverfront Theatre, Newport from 03-04 Feb, tickets can be booked here

Much of your work takes place in Newport and is supported by The University of South Wales and The Riverfront Theatre, what more can be done to create opportunities for young creatives based in Newport?

We need more funding and buildings, it’s a simple answer really. G-Expressions are fortunate to have such a great partnership with USW and are now building on their relationship with The Riverfront Theatre and I am hoping that more opportunities come from this show. Access for young people interested in the arts is difficult, especially the young people we work with who don’t have the right backgrounds or finances. There needs to be more training and projects for them to be involved in.

If you were able to fund an area of the arts what would this be and why?

Training and development for artists who are new and need that bit of support. For myself, giving opportunities is so important.

 What currently inspires you about the arts in the UK?

People who are doing things their way and making their mark. I feel that there is so much talent out there that people don’t know about, but they are creeping through the gaps and slowly getting noticed. I am inspired by those who don’t quit, those theatre groups and artists who are doing what they love despite the challenges they face is inspiring.

What was the last really great thing that you experienced that you would like to share with our readers?

‘The Making of a Monster’- Connor Allen’s raw talent and vulnerability to be brave and so in your face was a true example of an all-round creative. It was a brilliant show that I hope continues and is recognised for its genius way of writing and performance.