I have been hooked on Coco The Time-Travelling Tart ever since she sprung across my social media screen. I have always been obsessed with her interaction with audience members within art galleries and museums and the slightly fabricated tales she would tell them. When I saw that she would be doing a show at Fringe, I was so excited.
In one of Underbelly’s small containers, we have an intimate setting with the famous Coco. She is everything fabulous and wonderful, with an air of Diana about her but the filth of a drag queen. At the same time, she is so welcoming, friendly and, suddenly, we’re not an audience but good friends who have come for a journey with her.
I wasn’t sure what I would expect from Coco – I also knew that she would be doing tours at the National Museum as well and wondered how what I had seen on social media would translate to the stage. However, this was something completely different. Coco was still Coco; lewd yet beautifully friendly and ever so glamorous. But there was a narrative to the show; a lost earring meant that we travelled together throughout history, using our imagination and the odd prop to give our imagination something to run with. Obviously, not entirely historically accurate; I MAY be wrong but I’m not sure Coco, nor us (who time travelled with her in a “black cab”) were really there but the embellishments were extremely comedic and there was enough history that it didn’t go over anyone’s head. You didn’t need to be a history nerd to understand the plot and so it was accessible and humorous for everyone.
As any comedy show, a healthy dose of audience interaction is involved; whether you’re the special time travelling slave, you’re asked to offer a lap to Coco for the cab ride, or like me, you’re pulled up on the famous Titanic door or have a glug of your drink taken by the famous Coco herself. With all of this, she makes sure you are okay and comfortable and this is wonderful when we soon learn that the eye contact and nod or shake of the head is a good enough connection to allow or not allow consent. But she is also lovely, ribbing you as a friend in only a way true friends do and it was genuinely hard to say goodbye.
The show is lewd, a little crude and with that, she pushes boundaries for shock factor and this is nothing but hilarious, though maybe not for the faint hearted. And when something goes a little awry (her poor shoe broke part way through) she is so quick to turn it into a comedic moment and be with us in the laughter.
Coco The Time-Travelling Tart is a bunch of dirty, comical fun. With our friendly time travelling guide, we learn much about history and genuinely feel like we have been on one hell of a journey with this glamorous idol.
If I’d been stuck on a desert island with only Charlize Theron wearing a designer swimsuit for company for seven years, I’d throw a raft together and push off into the sea, so I understand Odysseus, but does Christopher Nolan?
In Homer’s first epic, The Iliad, men feature as warriors willing to die in the pursuit of glory. If their lives are to be short, they will live on in their reputation for heroism, Achilles being the prime example,
In The Odyssey Homer presented a different type of man – one forced to go to war, but one who wants to survive, who longs to return to his wife, his family and his homeland. In direct contrast to Achilles, Odysseus’ focus on going home once he has done his duty defines him. It carries him through any number of obstacles, disasters and distractions. and means he succeeds, even if it takes him ten long years.
Christopher Nolan’s film version of The Odyssey suggests he has confused the epics. Because it allows him to make an action movie, he stresses Odysseus’ capacity as a warrior chieftain rather than his capacity as a lover, husband and father. His Odysseus (played by Matt Damon) is obsessed with Troy rather than Ithaca
Nonetheless, from one angle, Nolan’s treatment is a success. Wikipedia provides the details.
In the first month after the film’s release, it may have grossed as much as $1 billion worldwide, a good return on a production budget of $250 million. In France, it was put on in 730 cinemas and attracted an audience of nearly a quarter of a million on its opening day. The income will drop off in the months to come but that hardly matters. Nolan had a good day at the office.
The secret behind this financial success is not hard to find. Of his $250 million production budget, Nolan may have spent half on marketing. This reminds us how modern culture is driven by economics, not by a need for glory or love. The basis of creative activity is now the bottom line, not the aesthetics. The consequence is today’s cultural products are disposable. Nolan’s work will soon be forgotten, drowned under the constant mass production of other films and the tsunamis of other visual media. This won’t concern Nolan himself because he has achieved his fifteen minutes of fame and the fortune he has amassed in the process will do very nicely, thank you.
In terms of absolute success, it is worth remembering though the source material his film muddles through was composed approximately 2,700 years ago and is still very much in circulation. Indeed, Nolan’s film has driven up its sales in bookshops and online. So there’s a contrast. Getting on for three millennia ago, one man (probably) using the most basic of tools – pen and paper – organised a set of myths and legends to construct something meaningful and way beyond the likes of Nolan. The delivery of Homer’s epics only required a lyre and a good singing voice, not a multi-million-dollar technological studio system or an IMAX cinema.
Beyond the momentary hullaballoo of financial returns and audience numbers, there is not a lot to be said for Nolan’s film.
Given the scale of The Odyssey’s marketing budget, criticism is redundant. What is said about it will not influence the numbers of people seeing it. But the comments that have been made show where we are with contemporary critical appreciation. Broadly speaking, those who like escapist family entertainment suitable for twelve-year-olds are in favour and those who like reading and thinking are against. Thus, Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave The Odyssey five out of five stars, calling it “a film with thrilling ambition, boldness, seriousness, generosity and flair”. (Seriousness, really?) Mary Beard, on the other hand, described it as “an Odyssey without the sex”, lacking the “elusive… humour” of the original. (Again, Wikipedia + AI.)
Gushing in The New York Times, Manohla Dargis described the film as “an anomalous big-studio entertainment that Nolan has filled with stars and polished to a high gleam, turning a 3,000-year-old poem into a smart, thoughtful film with Old Hollywood allure.” (Thoughtful?) But Emily Wilson, whose 2017 translation may have been a resource for the film, decried the film in the London Review of Books for lacking “psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth”, labelling the writing “abysmal”, and arguing that it had “nothing convincing to say” about the Odyssey’s major themes.
Wilson was certainly right about the writing of the dialogue. I went along with the not-too-gruesome action scenes, and I even appreciated some of the IMAX boosted special effects. Polyphemus the Cyclops was scary (until he shrank to a third of his size when he lay down to sleep). The giants were impressive killing machines, even if they looked like refugees from Star Wars. The wooden horse was memorable too, even if it fell over because its wheels had come off. I felt as if I was on a boat during the voyages. The ancient world costumes were good – they had probably come out of studio storage warehouses.
But where it all fell apart – absolutely – was the dialogue. I winced every time there was a conversation. What got said ejected me out of the escapist historic situation and brought me crashing back to twenty first century reality with a jolt. Odysseus talked to Calypso (Charlize Theron) as if she was his therapist, not his mistress. Telemachus talked like a frat boy, looking forward to seeing his ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ reunited. When his dad did eventually turn up, he was as pleased as any dad might be on graduation day. Nolan simply couldn’t handle the tension of the ultimate family reunion.
The conversational disasters were not the result of the use of American accents. They were simply the product of Nolan’s fashionable reliance on action to move the story on and to impress his target audience. He wasn’t interested in using dialogue to reveal individual psychology or explore complex dramatic situations. He wasn’t going to waste time on intimacy or sexual activity. Odysseus and Calypso wander along the beach not even holding hands. There is no chance of Odysseus having a fling with Circe, either, although he is said to have fathered at least one child with her. And no sooner is he reunited with Penelope (after an absence of twenty years) than the two of them are getting on to a boat to sail off and pay their respects to the dead. The huge and completely unrealistic fight with the suitors is no substitute for the meeting of a husband and wife after twenty years (a lifetime in the ancient world).
Despite what Manohla Dargis claims, you don’t think about a man’s singular need for his family and his home as you emerge from the IMAX with your ears ringing. You don’t wonder if the arguments and ideas of the ancient story are still valid. And despite Peter Bradshaw’s review, the only serious thing about this Odyssey is the profit Nolan has made.
Instead, what goes through your mind is how you can make unconscionable amounts of money by resorting to a lavish collage of Hollywood clichés and peopling it with a cast of celebrities. You can update Ursula Andress’ bikini scene, using Charlize Theron as Calypso; you can squeeze in pop star Zendaya as Athena (even if you can’t think of anything for her to actually do); you can have the rapper Travis Scott (without his signature Nikes) as a bard; you can even revisit Batman with your Agammemnon. You can invoke the ‘Old Hollywood’ ghosts of Charlton Heston and Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. You can even reference Bruce Lee and all those endless kung-fu show-downs where the hero dispatches a minimum of thirty adversaries.
The one thing you can’t do with all the resources at your disposal is create a work of art.
Communities Engagement Partner at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Guy O’Donnell was one of the speakers at the annual Arts Marketing Association Conference, Amplify in Edinburgh in July.
In the role of Communities Engagement Partner, Guy works on delivering a wide range of engagement activity, working across every aspect of the College with potential students, community groups, schools, colleges, audience members, partner organisations, decision makers and the wider public.
Guys presentation is shared below to give an overview of the work of the Department.
The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) is in a position to make a significant impact on the cultural accessibility and inclusion of people who may be facing barriers to engaging with live performances.
By actively supporting these audiences to work with their students, and share the creative outcomes on their stages and exhibitions, RWCMD has fostered a more inclusive, diverse, and collaborative environment that benefits both the participants and our students.
In this overview you can learn more about the work RWCMD has supported to develop;
Demonstratable techniques to increase the diversity of audiences
New ways to curate a cultural programme
Ways to work with volunteers to increase attendance and income
After many audience development initiatives, audiences are still mainly white, well-educated, middle-class, and middle-aged. This lack of diversity makes it difficult to demonstrate the value of publicly funded cultural activity. It also raises doubts about how creative and lively the arts sector is and its genuine connection to the broader general public.
In this article I will outline the work of the Communities Engagement Department at RWCMD, to co-create, empower, and support active audiences who face barriers, offering them opportunities to work directly with our students. Our goal is to not only enhance the cultural engagement of these communities but to provide them with a meaningful platform to share their creativity, exchange ideas, and contribute to the training of our students.
The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff, attracts the best creative talent from across the globe. As Wales’s national conservatoire, we fire imagination and drive innovation, offering training to more than eight hundred actors, musicians, designers, technicians, and arts managers from more than forty countries.
https://youtu.be/HD49S5KUUqQ?si=xHTHxhWEKeNaC_64
The College’s events calendar encompasses over five hundred public performances every year including orchestral concerts, recitals, drama, opera, and musical theatre. The creative diversity of the College ensures a stimulating environment and broad experience for students of all disciplines.
RWCMD is a space for everyone, through proactive measures, we seek to address barriers, promote diversity in all its forms, and cultivate a culture of belonging where everyone, has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
The mission of college is to be a space for everyone; the role of the Communities Engagement Partner works to support a greater range of students and the public to be aware of college and our work. In order to deliver on this mission When I first came into the role in Sep 22, I spent time learning about our live performance programme and meet with lots of staff and students and members of the public to get their views. What came across most strongly was the potential of our live cultural offer to open up conversations about access to the arts and it is a natural strength as the national conservatoire of Wales.
Using this information one of the first projects we developed was Calypso Jazz with The Windrush Cymru Elders
The Windrush Cymru Elders, led by Race Council Cymru, come from different areas across South Wales. They’re a proactive group of Elders who promote understanding of ethnic minority elders’ concerns and needs while celebrating key milestones and marking the contributions of people of African descent.
The group meets weekly, usually in the College, to enjoy each other’s company and take part in creative activities in and around Wales. The College and Race Council Cymru colleagues, provide support and meeting facilities for the group who use College as a community hub.
They collaborate with us on feedback and input to the What’s On performance programme. A range of colleagues and students from college have presented to the group to foster an understanding of the College’s work and develop links with The Windrush Community. Public performance is central to student learning, as is understanding a diverse range of audiences and their needs.
At the start of the new academic year, we have a large-scale concert led by jazz musician Dennis Rollins, supported by our students. Prior to the performance Dennis and staff, met members of The Windrush Elders to discuss their musical heritage, the conversations led to a co-created concert performance where our students and the Elders shared a stage, to a paying public, to celebrate Calypso Jazz.
The Elders have also been supported by college to join The Tempo Time Credit Network. Tempo Time Credits are an external UK wide organisation. They build local and national networks of organisations, bringing people together in their local communities to conduct valued and important voluntary work. Volunteers earn Tempo Time Credits as part of a reward and recognition scheme for the invaluable work they do within their communities. These Credits can be exchanged for a range of services and activities provided by their local and national Recognition Partners of which College is one.
https://youtu.be/LPbfdUPem28?si=UXwEQIhAj5F626m3
The Elders earn two Tempo Time Credits volunteering their time as part of their weekly meetings, supporting their community. Most of the group have used their credits to see a college performance. As some of the Elders would find the physical cost of tickets a barrier, this collaboration benefits everyone involved.
Using their Time Credits the Windrush Elders have seen opera, drama and classical music. They have also brought their grandchildren to see Wearable Art, the costume showcase created and performed by Design for Performance students. This introduces tomorrow’s talent from a range of communities to the College and inspires them for future career possibilities in the creative industries.
Karen and Linda two of the Elders have used their Tempo Time Credits to see performances by South African musician Abel Selaocoe
They said of their Time Credit membership
‘Since coming to college, we have had the wonderful ability to earn Tempo Time Credits through volunteering our time to support our group, The Windrush Elders. This has opened up the possibility to use credits as reward payments for different things such as theatre shows or going to leisure centres.
At College, we’ve seen Abel Selaocoe, the jazz cello player twice, last December as part of a quartet and then again as part of an orchestra of violinists & cello players. We thought both performances were astounding and loved every minute.
Being able to attend these performances and be included with Abel’s audience participation was so lovely. We actually felt we were transported to his home country of South Africa! We are looking forward to future performances at college.’
Our Tempo Time Credit spend at RWCMD has increased year on year from,
• Sep 22-July 23 = the annual spend was 87
• Sep 23- July 24 = the annual spend was 184
• Sep 24- July 25 = the annual spend was 230
At College, the average café/bar spend by audience members per individual production is £10-15. If two hundred people spend £12.50 over one year, that is an additional £2,500 over the year. This shows supporting Time Credit spend is a great way to support secondary spend with in most cases no additional outgoings.
Audiences from groups including Blind communities. The Homeless community and The Windrush Elders were supported to access a college exhibition called Welcome to Wales. The exhibition from by International theatre designer and RWCMD International Chair in Drama, Pamela Howard OBE was a free installation at the Old Library, in The Hayes in the centre of Cardiff , the exhibition was a unique retelling of poignant journeys and the welcome, Wales gave to so many artists, performers and musicians, including Pamela’s own ancestors.
The community groups attending the exhibition were supported by a diverse range of creative professionals to create their own creative outcomes based on the initial exhibition. The resulting work was exhibited in college alongside the work of our Production Design students. Creative outcomes included creative writing, poetry, songs, visual art, braille art and sculptures. This work was subsequently used as a teaching aid for our students when learning about inclusive programming.
RWCMD hosted the ‘Windrush Cymru – Our Voices, Our Stories’- history exhibition at the College as part of its tour, which also included the Senedd and National Museum Wales.
The project and resulting exhibition directly responded to a call from Elders of the Windrush Generation who wanted to ensure that their generation’s legacy is captured and retained for posterity.
Three of the Elders have received training to act on behalf of College as Community Volunteers. Our Community Volunteers spend time advocating amongst their own networks about performances at college. They have supported new attenders who I or Colleges traditional marketing would have had difficulty reaching.
In the summer of 2025, two of our Community Volunteers independently supported ten of the Elders to attend a showing of the Grenfell installation by Steve McQueen at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff. This activity has shifted the traditional hierarchical process of accessing cultural provision, it democratises and empowers the communities we seek to reach. We aim to build on this work in the coming years.
To conclude as we are the College of Music and Drama, an illustration of community activity that brings together our students and members of the public who might be facing barriers in their lives centred around a celebration of musical activity.
The Good Vibrations Chorus is a free signing group targeted at those living with Parkinson’s but open to all. Chorus members take part in vocal exercises, warmups and sing both familiar and new songs with the intention of strengthening the voice to counteract the softening of speech and the loss of muscle tone common in Parkinson’s.
Singing has been shown to reduce Parkinson’s symptoms like tremor, and issues with walking and posture. This is because it helps to relax muscles and release tension in the back and neck. Singing can also help to reduce anxiety and low mood by lowering stress hormones and increases the brain’s ‘feel-good’ chemical (endorphins).
The Windrush Elders are supported to attend the Chorus, we are aware of a lack of diversity in Arts and Health initiatives, the Elders collaborate with us to support members of their own networks to attend.
Our Repertoire is broad and diverse; it contains traditional Choral music but also musicians such as Bob Marley to support the College mission of being a space for everybody.
The Chorus members have shared the comments below in relation to their membership;
It’s great. It’s like a jewel, really, that’s shining brightly. We’ve got the right people in positions, such as Josh and Dora, the tutors. Along with the complimentary package that we have with the students fulfilling their ambitions and their requirements at the same time is wonderful. There’s different layers to all of this, so it’s great. And the backing of the College and Parkinson’s Cymru, it’s great as well.
‘Thursdays are great because that means it’s a choir day! Hurrah! It really is the highlight of my week and I always look forward to our sessions. I sing with two other choirs but what I love about the Good Vibrations Chorus is the relaxed atmosphere and it’s good to get to know other people who are living with Parkinson’s. The choir is friendly and welcoming and Josh, our musical director, balances the rehearsals perfectly between singing and having a lot of fun. We always have a laugh. It’s such a tonic! It’s so uplifting and from a well-being point of view that’s immeasurable. All that wrapped up in a great big ball of joy is such a positive thing.’
If you’re part of the generation who was informed by Horrible Histories books and later the television show (let’s be honest, it was on CBBC but was purely for us adults) then you grew up with a sense of history not being the stuffy, serious topic and actually one of comedy.
Out of this, podcasts such as You’re Dead to Me and Oh What A Time have developed, and now there is much more appreciation of history and the comical aspects of times gone by. We are also a species who love to know “what if” – what would have happened if that event did or did not happen? Paul Coulter takes us on this journey, spanning decades and lifetimes, to tell us about just 5 Mistakes that Changed History.
We are swung from Alexander The Great, all the way up to Churchill in this lecture meets stand up comedy show. Performed in what actually looks like an old coliseum style lecture hall, Coulter uses multi-media, referencing modern elements such as memes and his own childhood to reflect and relate these ancient tales to us, a modern audience. This has this structured pattern, seen in many solo stand up performances, and is used well to create extra elements of comedy, separate to those from the story alone.
Perhaps it was the choice of venue, but it did in fact feel like a lecture, with a professor who was trying to engage his students. It had its comical moments, but more in an astonished way, mostly at the stupidity of the past. It was of course informative and educational, and as a history lover, I did in fact enjoy it immensely… but as a piece of theatre or stand up? It felt that this could be a loose connection.
5 Mistakes that Changed History is educational, fun and a great modern approach to bringing history to the masses. However, adding this into a comedy or theatrical genre felt slightly tenuous, no matter how entertaining it was.
Thanks to our contributions to Get The Chance Wales, a long standing partnership with Tempo Time Credits rewards us for our volunteer contributions to the site. Tempo has a lot of unique and interesting offers, with these being exchanged for credits earned per review.
I have in the past used these to access entry to the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, trips on Uber Clipper Boats and I have donated these to others. Other offers during Covid existed such as subscriptions to Disney plus. The credits can be used across the country, for a range of activities from culture, to health and fitness to heritage and more.
An Easter weekend resulted in me spending time with my whole family, containing 4 children aged 11 to 3. Struggling to decide what to do with them, but being a 1 hour drive from Cornwall, I booked us into Newquay Zoo, as offered by Tempo. It was so easy and straight forward, and it allowed us a really lovely day in the chilly but lovely Easter sun. We saw a wealth of animals and read about the zoo’s contribution to conservation. Favourites of the kids ranged from Otters, Penguins and Lynx cats, while us adults loved Warty Pigs, Armadillos and Red Pandas. Delicious and affordable lunch was available, freshly made on site with fresh brewed coffee, and a mid visit ice cream and play in the playground nicely broke up the walk around and a outlet for the kids to expel their energy. The Easter weekend brought a treasure trail for the kids to spot eggs with letters around the zoo, resulting in an anagram we needed to decipher to win an Otter experience. Another very fun addition.
Booking was simple and easy and obtaining the tickets further at the zoo was simple and quick. We had a wonderful time and big thanks to Tempo for enabling us to do so!
In this interview, Director of Get the Chance, Guy O’Donnell chats to Judith Dray, Head of Library Services, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Mandie Garrigan, Libraries Assistant, RWCMD. We discuss their roles at the College, access to the library, the Drama Association of Wales Collection and their latest recommendations!
What got you interested in the library service?
MG: I have a background in the performing arts and managing bookshops in Hay-on-Wye but more importantly my jobs have been customer serviced based which is required for this role. The library service here is a little different, it allows me to interact with our staff and students, but I’ve also been working with our archives and special collections (mostly the College Archives and The Foyle Opera, Rara Collection).
Working in the library also involves helping on projects, creating working systems and generally having a go at anything! I started managing the DAW (Drama Association of Wales) collection when I covered for a maternity post 5 years ago. I manage all the memberships, orders, invoicing and have catalogued the sets in the past.
JD: Like Mandie, I have a background in performing arts. I also have lots of experience working in higher education, both working with research collections and supporting learning. I originally came to the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD) as an archivist in 2018 and then was seconded to Head of Library Services during the pandemic and became permanent in 2022. The role marries together my background in the performing arts with my passions for libraries and higher education. We have lots of fascinating, unique, and distinctive collections here: I’ve loved finding out about them and I’m excited to share them with new audiences.
The RWCMD library houses the Drama Association of Wales (DAW) collection. This is the largest lending collection of scripts in English in the UK and is available for hire to individuals and groups.Can you tell me more about the collection and how it’s used?
JD: The Drama Association of Wales formerly housed the largest lending collection of scripts in English in the UK. In 2014, the play text collection transferred to the RWCMD Library and is available for hire to individuals and groups. Mandie is the person who works most closely with the collection and the people and groups who borrow from it.
MG: The collection inherited some members when it came here, so when it arrived a membership scheme was set up where groups or individuals pay to become members. This allows them to have access to the collection and borrow plays. We have some University of the Third Age members, amateur drama groups, play reading groups and individuals who enjoy our plays. Over the last few years, Covid has changed the way people meet and groups are only just getting back together, so the service is now running again. We would like to develop the service over the next few years, and it is currently under review.
Michael Sheen patron of Drama Association of Wales and International Chair of Drama, RWCMD said of the collection “This drama collection is of hugely significant cultural value. It’s imperative that it’s saved for the nation. It seems fitting that it’s been rescued by the Royal Welsh College, and found its rightful home at the National Conservatoire of Wales.”
JD: We welcome community members to the RWCMD Library. It’s free to browse and members of the public can join in order to borrow items. There’s more information about joining online here and we welcome enquiries by email (library@rwcmd.ac.uk).
MG: Yes, anyone can join as Judith says, and you can now browse a portion of the DAW collection online. I think around 2,800 of the DAW plays have been catalogued now, mainly the sets.
With increased pressure on public funding many Library services have been cut or are under threat, why are libraries important to you and wider society?
JD: As an academic library, we are not facing the same existential threats as many public libraries have faced in recent times, but it is a worrying trend. Libraries are not just about lending books. At their best, libraries can foster communities; they can provide safe spaces; and they can promote equality and inclusion by giving free access to resources, computers, and equipment.
What was the last really great book that you read that you would like to share with our readers?
JD: Earlier this year I read Whole Notes: Life Lessons through Music by Ed Ayres. I’ve been recommending it to everyone and bought a copy for the RWCMD Library. It is about music, healing, the lived experiences of a transgender musician, teaching, learning and so much more. It also includes Spotify playlists which enable the reader to share in some of Ed’s experiences which I thought was a lovely touch.
MG: Not my last but I am reading Breath: A New Science of a Lost Art by James Nester which is also available in our library. I’m only on the first few chapters but it’s one of those books that can challenge your perception on something we all do. I enjoy books that question the way we think about our bodies and mental health. I am also very keen browser of our art and design books, one of my favourites being Stages of decay by Julia Solis, a book depicting various theatres/performing areas in dilapidated conditions which are strangely beautiful.
Trawsnewid is an Amgueddfa Cymru- National Museum Wales project aimed at LGBTQ+ young people aged 16-25. The project is run partly online and in person at the Waterfront Museum in Swansea.
The project explores queer Welsh history and the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people living in Wales today through talks and workshops. There is also opportunity for participants to deliver their own talks and workshops with support from the museum. So far, the group have created a digital cabaret and a delivered a series of workshops for Swansea Pride and are working towards creating a museum takeover event and an exhibition at the Waterfront Museum in March.
We are looking for new participants to join this project, so if you identify as LGBTQ+ and are aged 16-25 and would like to get involved with the Trawsnewid project, please email bloedd.ac@museumwales.ac.uk for more information.
If you would like to watch the Pride Cabaret created by the participants of Trawsnewid, you can view it below:
In this latest interview, Get the Chance member Gareth Williams chats to actor and director Eleri B. Jones.
Eleri is a graduate of the University of Manchester and Drama Centre London. She is currently undertaking a traineeship with Theatr Clwyd as an Assistant Director.
Here, she talks to us about the traineeship; her involvement in Clwyd’s latest production, The Picture of Dorian Gray; a collaborative project with the North East Wales archives*; and representation and the arts in Wales.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz2_z9fvnKA
To find out more about The Picture of Dorian Gray, including how to purchase tickets, click here.
*Below is one of four videos produced by Theatr Clwyd in collaboration with the North East Wales Archives as part of the project ‘Women Rediscovered…’. To watch them all, click here to access their YouTube channel.
Get the Chance supports volunteer critics like Gareth to access a world of cultural provision. We receive no ongoing, external funding. If you can support our work please donate here thanks.
Helo, fy enw i yw Cerian a dwi’n hwylusydd ymgysylltu ieuenctid am yr Amgueddfa Cymru. Rydyn ni’n dechrau prosiect newydd am bobl ifanc LHDT+ o oedran 16- 25. Enw’r prosiect yw Trawsnewid, bydd y prosiect yn canolbwyntio ar y thema o drawsnewidiadau. Trwy’r prosiect byddwn ni’n archwilio pobl draws a gwrthiant cydymffurfio rhywedd o hanes Cymraeg a’r profiadau o bobl sy’n byw heddiw.
Bydd cyfarfod bob ail wythnos gyda’r bobl ifanc, bydd y sesiynau yn weithdai creadigol sy’n archwilio’r thema o’r prosiect gyda’r cyfle am y cyfranogwyr i redeg sesiynau eu hunain. Trwy’r prosiect byddwn ni’n gweithio tuag at cynnal ddigwyddiadau fel trosfeddiannu’r Amgueddfa yn yr Amgueddfa genedlaethol y Glannau yn Abertawe ac arddangosfa o’r gwaith sy’n cael ei chreu dros y prosiect. Bydd y prosiect yn cael ei addasu am y diddordebau’r grŵp fel celf, perfformio, ysgrifennu creadigol neu hanes.
Bydd y prosiect yn dechrau gyda sesiwn ar lein am 6yp ar y 24ain o Chwefror, byddwn ni’n cyflwyno’r prosiect, cyfarfod ei’n gilydd a dylunio cerdyn post sy’n cael ei ysbrydoli gan y casgliad LHDT+ yr amgueddfa.
Os ydych chi eisiau cymryd rhan yn y prosiect, cael unrhyw gwestiynau am y brosiect neu yn gwybod unrhyw berson ifanc gyda diddordeb i gymryd rhan anfon e-bost i: cerian.wilshere@museumwales.ac.uk
Hello, my name is Cerian and I am a youth engagement facilitator for Amgueddfa Cymru- National Museum Wales. We are about to start a project for LGBTQ+ young people aged 16-25. The project is called Trawsnewid and is going to be focused around the theme of transformations. Throughout this project we will be exploring trans and gender non-conforming figures in Welsh history and lived experiences today.
There will be a bi-weekly meeting with the young people, these sessions will be creative workshops exploring the theme of the project with the opportunity for the participants to run their own sessions. Throughout the project we will be working towards putting on our own events such as a museum takeover at the Waterfront Museum in Swansea and an exhibition of the work created throughout the project. The project will be tailored to the interests of the group, whether that’s history, art, creative writing, performance etc.
The project will begin with an online session on the 24th February at 6pm, we will be introducing the project, getting to know each other and designing our own postcard inspired by the museum’s LGBT+ Collection.
If you would like to get involved in the project, find out any more information about the project or know of any young people who would be interested please email: cerian.wilshere@museumwales.ac.uk
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
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