(5 / 5)

Grand Ambition’s new play, ‘HOP- The Hopeful Hare,’ by Michelle McTernan, Steve Balsamo and John Quirk, was such a lovely story exploring love and grief through puppetry, song, and (lots of) vegetables!

Immediately when you enter the theatre, the setting and atmosphere conveyed the tone of the piece. They had birdsong through the speakers, a tree, plenty of plants, a plant bed with potatoes, carrots, peas, and cabbages, a wheelbarrow, and to the left in front of a shed was a deckchair, radio and coffee table. This was contained by a small section of blue fence to the left of the stage, with one wonky post. Even the front row of seats was covered in a hessian fabric to add to the outdoor, nature feel.

Images by Kirsten McTernan

The back of the stage showed a projection with blue skies and clouds, which was effectively utilised during the production for accessibility in captions as well as moments of animation. (I would like to mention also, that the performance I went to see was a BSL interpreted performance, which is great to see is happening more and more, not just on professional tours but also local and amateur ones.)

The story follows Grandpa, who every morning marks the day on his calendar before sitting in his deckchair and listening to Gardeners’ Question Time on the radio. Sometimes Grandpa was very receptive to the host and guest speaker, remarking on whether they were in Swansea or grumbling about them being in Cardiff or Aberystwyth. Other days, he would just turn it off.

During the first day, Grandpa strokes a well-loved toy rabbit and a happy birthday card, which immediately grabs the audience’s attention, making not only the young ones intrigued into a painful part of the character’s life, but the adults as well.

There are also animated scenes on the projection that explain Grandpa’s grumpiness, which is, of course, grief, in a much more powerful way than words could’ve done. When his wife died, he grieved her so much that he shut out his son in the process. The son walked away from their relationship to have his own partner and child.

Birds and slugs try to enter his garden every day, and every day Grandpa shoos them away. The slugs grumble as they leave. This was one of the many comedic elements, which combine well with the deeper tone of the piece.

At night, the hare (called Hop) enters, munching on the vegetables in the plant bed. Every night they go down, and Grandpa tries to stay awake to catch who, or what, is eating his crop.

Grandpa develops a relationship with Hop during the production revealing difficulties for his past but offering positivity for the future.

The set, animation, puppetry and original song came together to create a wonderful, heart-warming story that can connect with all ages, and was effective in teaching kids about grief and loss but also reminding all of the importance of working together with nature and animals.

I recommend this piece and wish there was more of this around, because now more than ever, kids need live theatre to connect to human stories in a physical way, away from screens.

Images by Kirsten McTernan

Hi Gwenllian, great to meet you, can you give our readers some background on yourself and your career

Hello! Great to meet you too. I’m an actor based in Llanharan but originally from Llanwinio in West Wales and I’ve been working as an actor for about 16 years. I trained at Rose Bruford College and then stayed in South East London for many years after graduating. As an actor I’ve had some wonderful experiences and opportunities and in recent years I’ve also been fortunate enough to work as an acting tutor which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.  

Rose Bruford College

Viv Goodman, lecturer on the AS and A Level Drama & Theatre Studies course across Coleg Gwent. Recently employed you to work with her students. Were there any teachers or youth group leaders who supported your route into the arts?

I have to say that I was very lucky growing up in a community that generally valued culture and the arts.  I had a wonderful drama teacher at Ysgol Y Preseli, Eirian Wyn Jones, who inspired many of us to pursue a career in the industry.   She was incredibly supportive and encouraging.  I was also a member of Aelwyd Crymych and under brilliant leadership from people like Kevin Davies and Eleri Mai Thomas I had countless invaluable experiences with the choir, drama club and ‘Gwersyll Gwaith’. 

Viv Goodman, lecturer on the AS and A Level Drama & Theatre Studies course across Coleg Gwent.

You recently supported the delivery of a unit called Women in Drama, at Coleg Gwent. What did this entail?

I joined Viv for a class at the start, middle and end of the unit so it was really interesting to follow along with the students on their journey through the process of creating devised pieces. It was great to talk all things women with them and having just had a baby I felt extra passionate about chatting about the highs and the lows of my experiences as a woman working in theatre.  The students were taking inspiration from The Paper Birds Theatre Company and so were keen to collect real stories to add as verbatim so a couple of the students in particular were interested to find out how my career was going as a new mother. I also supported and looked at the physical storytelling in one of the devised pieces and then there was a piece that was using some Welsh language too so I assisted with the shaping of that piece. 

The Paper Birds, theatre company

Viv often supports practising creatives to deliver activity with her students; do you feel this has value?

It has enormous value.  They get an insight into the reality of what being an actor, writer or director really entails which might not always be what they expect! Viv invites a variety of artists too so they get a different perspective from each and meeting practising creatives allows them to see that following a similar career path might be possible for them too if that’s what their goal is.  Viv creates a supportive and collaborative room which is brilliant…by inviting us in she places emphasis on creating industry connections which is really useful and motivating for the students and a thought provoking and inspirational experience for myself. 

The cultural sector is dominated by middle-class white men. Has the work to improve diversity for women had an effect? What more needs to happen?

 I know a lot has changed over the years but I think so much more needs to happen.  Arts funding has been cut time and again over the past 20 years so it feels like a very difficult time for the whole sector and a lot of the issues women face does come down to lack of funding but I think that we really do need to create more opportunities and open up space for more women. We should also focus on supporting and mentoring women during all stages of their career.  Women are probably more likely to have care responsibilities and without support it becomes really challenging to work within the system.   Also, in general far more girls take up drama in schools and yet this isn’t reflected in the cultural sector …it’s not as if the talent isn’t there so we have to keep pushing for more opportunities.  

Is the decline in A-level Drama take up, affecting who goes into performing arts training?

Absolutely. Especially for working class kids.  With cuts to publicly funded arts youth organisations and far less opportunities for young people to access drama activities, drama in schools might be the first opportunity for young people to engage with the performing arts and knowing how instrumental my drama teacher was in supporting my preparations for auditions for drama schools I’m certain that it will have a big impact. An A level Drama course is not just valuable for people who want to pursue a career in the arts- it builds confidence, develops communication and creativity.  Skills that are essential for pretty much any career.

And finally what culture have you been consuming recently that you would recommend  to our readers?

I have a 15 month old at home who hates sleep so consuming culture is tricky at the moment!  The highlight over the Christmas holidays however was going to see the Sherman Christmas play in the studio – ‘The Frog Prince’ written by Gwawr Loader and Directed by Elin Phillips. It was my son’s first experience of the theatre! Beautiful performances from Anni Dafydd and Owen Alun enthralled us from start to finish!

The Frog Prince

I’m also really looking forward to seeing Haylee McGee’s  ‘Age is a Feeling’ in a few weeks at the new Soho Theatre in Walthamstow and hoping it will be the first of many theatre trips this year!

Age is a Feeling

(4 / 5)

There is no doubt about it, 2:22 A Ghost Story is a global phenomenon. Since its debut in the West End in 2021, the production has had seven seasons in London, a record-breaking UK and Ireland tour and has inspired over thirty productions across the globe. It’s safe to say that the play penned by Danny Robins has enjoyed huge success and is still as popular as ever.

Judging by the gasps at the climatic twist in the tale, there are still people who are brand new to experiencing the plot of 2:22 for the first time. Even for someone like me, who has seen it before, the play still carries huge weight and the twist in the story still hits hard. The action sees a couple hosting their friends at their new home, with renovations still in full flow. What the play does so well is bring together four people who are clearly from such different places in their lives, careers, social backgrounds and more, and throws them together in an evening which tears their nerves to threads. The premise is simple; having just recently moved in with their newborn daughter, Jenny has started hearing noises through the baby monitor, whilst her husband, Sam has been travelling. The key point is that these footsteps always happen at the same time, 2:22am.

What follows is the pursuit of the truth and what is really going on in the baby’s room. The dynamic of the two couples is well played and scripted here, with each character’s beliefs and backgrounds bouncing off or colliding with another character. Sam is a scientist and therefore, complete disbeliever of his wife, chasing away her theories with flawless logic. Lauren seems more inclined to believe Jenny but is still sceptical, whereas her partner Ben is a firm believer. The clash of personalities here is excellent and very believable. These people come from all walks of life, and this is clearly executed throughout the script.

Sound and scenery add to the tensions of the piece. The stage remains fairly unchanged throughout, but the passage of time is marked by sound, blackouts and the stage proscenium being lit in stark red lights. This is highly effective, along with the dramatic sound effects, in ramping up the tension exponentially and the crowd often descended into nervous, anxious giggles in each of these passages of time. The effects on stage are also very good; not overdone, but when they are delivered, they’re very believable. It’s the lack of ghostly happenings rather than them being overwhelming and constant which makes the tale palatable and draws the audience in even more.

A small cast, but one that delivers in spades. Grant Kilburn is excellent as Ben, delivering much needed comedic relief which helps ease both the ghostly and social tensions. He is partnered with Natalie Casey’s Lauren, an eccentric, zealous peer of Sam. Casey owns the stage with gusto and swerves between comedy and drama with ease. Shvorne Marks is hugely capable in the role of Jenny. Her fear is palpable, and we are instantly on side with her and want to believe her story. She is the perfect counterbalance to Sam, portrayed by James Bye. Their relationship is very well delivered by the pair; their love is evident, but the marriage is scarred by their differences and inability to agree on this divisive topic.

I was very impressed with the play’s rewatch factor, as I have seen this before and obviously knew the twist in the story. It still had massive impact for me though; I had huge enjoyment spotting the clues cleverly interlaced throughout the script! If you’re up for a night of jumping out of your theatre seat, this is definitely the one for you! But it’s not just played for scares; it’s a well-constructed play full of great comedy, social commentary, fractured relationships and, of course, the devastating climatic ending which will leave you open mouthed. If you do manage to grab a ticket, just remember, ‘Shh! Please don’t tell!’

(4 / 5)

“Our Town is a play about life, love, and community. That’s what matters to us in Wales; that’s what matters to me. It’s a play that compels us to celebrate the everyday, to hold the ones we cherish. I can’t think of a better play to welcome audiences around Wales”
– Michael Sheen

Thornton Wilder’s three-act play Our Town was written in 1938- yet its themes certainly stand the test of time as is proven in this ground-breaking revival by the Welsh National Theatre, a new company founded by Welsh actor Michael Sheen.

The original play introduces the fictional American town of Grover’s Corners and the everyday lives of its citizens between the years 1901 and 1913. First performed in 1938, it went on to have enormous success on Broadway and received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Wilder made great use of metatheatrical devices throughout the original production- setting the play in the actual theatre where it was being performed, writing his main character as ‘Stage Manager’ (a narrator who frequently addresses the audience, breaking the ‘fourth wall’) and presenting a bare stage, with actors miming rather than using multiple props. These theatrical tools are also present throughout this new production and yet the piece has been elevated beautifully through use of physical theatre, the addition of economical objects to represent various items, buildings and so on and lighting design to end all lighting design- from blood orange sunsets to starry skies…it’s simply magical!

It was widely known that the decision had been made to move Grover’s Corners to Wales for this reimagining- the Welsh accents and the period costume creating a real Welsh spirit and aesthetic. However, a lot of Wilder’s original references to American placenames, historical events, and certain other Americanisms (dollars, high school etc.) remain, which makes for a rather confusing edit. There is a certain disconnect between the new setting in Wales and the old text which hasn’t been amended- a creative choice which feels a bit odd and left me wondering why. If you’re going to bring the story to Wales, surely you’d want to fully immerse your audience by making the change a complete one?

Then again, when a piece of theatre is as clever in its accomplishments as this one, perhaps this tale could be set anywhere in the world- for its actual relevance is in its themes. Themes which seem more important today than ever. In a world of chaos, war, terrorism, technological advancement, we are transported to simpler times here; where teenage lovers communicate through opened windows at night, mothers tend to their gardens and are members of the church choir, where meals are eaten together with family at the table rather than on laps in front of the television. And yet these people still loved, lost, had passions and dislikes, hoped and grieved…as we do today. We follow parents attempting to bring up their children, young people falling in love then building a family, an alcoholic hiding his sexuality…a community simply trying to navigate through life. A superbly strong cast play an array of wonderful characters- each providing us with something we can relate to. It’s impossible to single out any one performer for neither would work without the other…a fantastic nod to the overriding theme of community.

The triumph of this production is in its staging. It is seamless, flowing, almost militant in its execution. We hear music and see dance throughout, but the whole piece is comparable to one epic, flawless piece of choreography. Credit to Francesca Goodridge, Director and Jess Williams , Movement Director. Moved by the cast, wooden planks become houses, tables and shelves, chairs transform into lawn mowers, boxes, soda pumps, and ladders of varying heights are used for levels. Even the cast take on a few transformative challenges- including becoming the farmer’s milk cow…physical theatre at its absolute best!

The first, and much longer, of the acts is filled with sentimentality, love, hope and joy, yet we begin act two with a much more sombre mood and a plotline reminiscent of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol- with ghostly figures, time travel and feelings of regret- a message to the audience to celebrate life, hold your loved ones close and enjoy yourselves, as much as you can. So, despite Our Town having been written almost one hundred years ago- the moral of the story will forever be relevant.

What an extremely strong start for this new company and at the helm, a leader who has used his celebrity status to do good- to bring this play to life again, to create theatre in Wales at a time where Welsh arts and culture continues to go through a challenging period, often due to financial restraints, and to offer opportunities for emerging artists and future generations of theatre goers, makers and creators. I very much look forward to following their work, hopefully for a long time to come.

Our Town completes its run at Theatr Clwyd on February 21st.

Cast:

Michael Sheen — Stage Manager
Rithvik Andugula — Howie Newsome
Peter Devlin — George Gibbs
Aisha-May Hunte — Wally Webb
Rebecca Killick — Rebecca Gibbs
Alfie Llewellyn — Joe & Si Crowell
Rhodri Meilir — Mr Webb
Christina Modestou — Mrs Soames
Yasemin Özdemir — Emily Webb
Sian Reese-Williams — Mrs Gibbs
Nia Roberts — Mrs Webb
Kingdom Sibanda — Sam Craig
Gareth Snook — Professor Willard & Joe Stoddard
Matthew Trevannion — Dr Gibbs
Rhys Warrington — Simon Stimson
Kimberley Noble — Ensemble
Gareth Tempest — Ensemble
Jâms Thomas — Constable Warren

Creative Team:

Thornton Wilder — Writer
Francesca Goodridge — Director
Russell T Davies — Creative Associate
Hayley Grindle — Designer (Set & Costume)
Jess Williams — Movement Director
Ryan Joseph Stafford — Lighting Designer
Dyfan Jones — Composer, Musical Director & Sound Designer
Sam Jones — Casting Director
Dena Davies — Assistant Director / Theatr Clwyd
Dewi Hughes — Voice & Dialect Coach
Haruka Kuroda — Intimacy Director
Pádraig Cusack — Executive Producer (Welsh National Theatre)
David Sloan — Executive Producer (Rose Theatre)

It’s hard to categorise this show, but it’s essentially a piece of stand up combined with a lot of clowning.  The clowning animates an hour-long monologue that circles the issues raised by an obsession, in this case getting married before your twenty-seventh birthday.

There are a number of sketches – narrative moments which take us to a ball, a lunatic asylum and the house of an aged aunt.  Jane Austen is invoked along the way, of course, but so is Fleabag, the intention being to show the continuity of the central issue over two hundred years.  Love Island is not referenced, probably due to copyright issues. Depth and range are added to the stories by the use of black and white film clips shown on the backdrop which are punctuated by ironic remarks.  There are a lot of asides and a lot of audience participation, with one hapless individual being invited on stage to play a prospective suitor. (He told a good joke.)

The monologuer, comedian Rosaline Minnitt, is energetic and friendly.  She has an appropriate repertoire of facial expressions, and she flips her tones of voice easily.  She can sing and project and imitate accents.  She is confident of her material, throwing everything bar the kitchen sink at her subject.  There is no let-up, but she wins over her audience completely.  I was pleased that in all the verbal torrent there is only one expletive which could have been deleted.

Personally, I was interested and amused rather than blown away.  Still, credit where credit is due.  Most members of a Saturday night audience at Theatr Clwyd are the ‘wrong’ side of 40 and you might have expected them to be staid and unresponsive but Minnitt got on the right side of them/us straightaway.  Everyone sang a bit and we waved little electric lights in the air on cue  One of the high points of the evening was an audience member’s rendition of a screech owl’s call.

Not being either overwhelmed or partisan, I was well placed to appreciate how much effort had been put into the show by ensuring the incomprehensible storylines stayed on a crazy track.  The technical back up was efficient.  Lighting and sound effects happened – apparently – on time and the film clips ran smoothly (things like that have a habit of going wrong on the night).

In the end, the stage was left in a mess, with Clementine’s dolly figures of her parents and 67 sisters mixed up with the scores of love/hate letters that fluttered down at one point, but despite everything she had been doing for an hour, Minnitt still looked fresh and up for her next performance.  I’d be curious to see what she and Liebenspiel do get up to next.  It would be nice to see her working with or off another performer or two and -tackling a subject a tiny bit more – demanding?  Just a suggestion.