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Musical, Theatre

BARBARA HUGHES-MOORE INTERVIEWS DAKOTA STARR ON FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS: THE MUSICAL

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Get the Chance Community Critic Barbara Hughes-Moore speaks with actor and singer Dakota Starr, who is part of the touring cast for Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical. This feel-good new show charts the real-life story of the Cornish ‘Buoy Band’, who went from singing sea shanties in their beloved hometown of Port Isaac to performing on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury. The show is playing at the New Theatre Cardiff from 25 – 29 October (you can find out more about the production and book tickets here). Dakota, who plays Ben, one of the titular Fishermen, chats with us about the joy of singing sea shanties onstage, touring with such a tight-knit cast, and why audiences will come out of the theatre with a song in their hearts!

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Thank you so much for speaking with me today, Dakota!

Pleasure! Nice to be here.

Tell us a little bit about Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical.

Well, it’s a new musical based on the true story of the band The Fisherman’s Friends, who are a group of unlikely stars who were fishermen from the Cornish town of Port Isaac. They were discovered quite by accident by a record executive and shot to fame in the early 2010s. This show is a slightly fictionalised although based on reality musical about their rise to stardom and its effect on the community and their families.

What role do you play and how did you get involved?

I play Ben, who is one of the main fishermen. There are nine of us in total in the shanty band and I am one of the main singers, which isn’t something I could have said earlier in my career! Our voices blend together quite beautifully, which is an unexpected bonus. I got involved in the usual way: a couple of rounds of auditions, expecting not to get the job at every step!

So you’re already harmonising together as a team?

Absolutely! I’d say of the nine of us, there are probably 3 or 4 who are West End singers, and the rest of us are actors who can hold a tune. One of the clever things they did during the casting was to find nine individual voices that blend together in their natural ranges quite beautifully. The harmonies stitch together really nicely.

Do you have a favourite sea shanty?

There’s a song called John Kanaka which I’m a big fan of, and which we do a couple of times in the show: first, as part of the hometown concert singing for the local community, and later on the trip to London to meet the record producer for the first time. It’s the soundtrack to the band travelling on their minibus to London to seek fame and fortune. That’s my favourite shanty, but there are songs that have been written specifically for the show which are more like folk songs. One of these is sung by Parisa Shahmir as Alwyn, who’s the female lead of the show, and she has such a sensational voice. It’s a sight to behold.

How does the story translate to the stage?

We have a life-size boat that fills the stage in the introduction and then later on during the song Rattling Winches, where they take the wannabe manager out on the boat to see what he’s made of. It’s a real visceral way of showing the world these men come from and the dangers they face, and the graft they have to put in just to scrape a living as professional lobster fishermen. It’s a sight to behold, quite a spectacle.

How do you bond as a cast behind the scenes, especially on such a big UK tour?

It’s a unique cast as far as I’ve experienced in my career: right from the first day of rehearsals, it’s been an environment of kindness and togetherness. It’s fitting, as we’re in a show that’s based on such a close-knit community whose catchphrase is ‘one and all’, that the only way to survive is to come together as a team and as a community. They’ve managed to cast a group of people who’ve done that in the rehearsal room and then now on the road as well. Touring is always a strange and tiring and stressful journey, but today [for example] we had our day off, so I met up with one of the cast and we went for coffee and went shopping together. It’s a chance to bond with someone that I don’t spend any time with onstage. It’s a lovely cast to work with.

What’s your favourite scene to perform with the cast?

My favourite scenes are the ones that take place in the pub. Their entire community is based around a pub called The Golden Lion, which exists in the real Port Isaac. It’s where the men met and rehearsed and started singing together. It’s the hub and heart and soul of that village. The scenes that take place there are filled with camaraderie and a gentle teasing of each other, and a real feeling of a group of people who know each other so well, and who know each other’s histories so well, that they can laugh and cry and get under each other’s skin and have conflict and resolve that conflict all in one environment. Those things feel like the most community-based for the whole cast.

In the spirit of gentle teasing, who do you feel is most and least like their characters?

Parisa (Shahmir, who plays Alwyn) is the most like her character, because Alwyn is a very strong-minded young lady who knows her own mind and what she wants and what she doesn’t. Even having this romance with a record producer doesn’t tempt her into the world of professional music. She’s a singer-songwriter both in the show and in real life, and she’s given the opportunity in the show to chase a solo career if she wants one, and to see what the music business is like – and decides that she’s happy where she is. She sings and plays and lives in Port Isaac, and that’s where her heart lives, and she doesn’t want to be chewed up and spat out by an industry that has no interest in. parisa has that same strength of character and purpose – she’s very well cast!

I’m going to say Jason Langley, who plays Danny the record exec, is the least like his character. That character is kind-hearted, which Jason shares with him, but he’s a blagger, which Jason doesn’t. the character is very much out for himself at first, but he learns the power of community and the strength of respecting the people around you and the love a community can have for each other, which is alien to him. He’s happy to lie and cheat and get what he wants and fight his way in, which is very un-Jason: Jason is very team-oriented and looking out for everyone else all the time.

What do you want audiences to come out of the theatre feeling after this show?

I would like them to come out of the theatre feeling closer to the people around them, and feeling bonded to the places they come from and the people they know and the people they love. It’s such a story of people supporting each other and lifting each other up, and that we’re all greater than the sum of our parts; that we can all, as a community or as a team, be something quite special. I think, in this current climate, that a sense of community and of working together and helping each other is more essential than ever.

Have you ever performed in Cardiff before, or the New Theatre specifically?

It’ll be my first time performing in Cardiff! We have family friends who live in Cardiff so I can’t wait for them to see me on the big stage for the first time. I’ve visited many times but never performed here, so it’s exciting for me.

We’re very excited to see you perform in Cardiff! I have one last question for you: because the Fisherman’s Friends are known as a buoy band, I want to know: do you have a favourite boy band?

Tricky!

So many good ones to choose from, I know.

There are! I’m taking this question far too seriously.

You can’t be too serious about boy bands, Dakota!

I know! My favourite boy band is an acapella group called The Magnets: one of them is a beat boxers and the rest of the voices go from bass to very high tenor. They do incredible close harmony versions of pop songs that are done a cappella.

How perfect for the Fisherman’s Friends! Thank you so much for your time, Dakota – we can’t wait for the show.

Can’t wait to perform there! Thank you for having me.

Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical is playing at the New Theatre Cardiff from 25 – 29 October. You can find out more about the production and book tickets here, and check out our syndicated interview with Dakota’s cast members Robert Duncan, James Gaddas, and Susan Penhaligon, along with director James Grieve and writer Amanda Whittington here.
Theatre

PREVIEW AN INSPECTOR CALLS, NEW THEATRE 18-22 OCTOBER

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This is a syndicated interview for An Inspector Calls, which is performing at Cardiff’s New Theatre from 18-22 Oct 2022. The death of a young woman at a high-class dinner party summons Inspector Goole to the scene of the crime in JB Priestley’s classic thriller. Stephen Daldry’s multi award-winning National Theatre production returns to embark on a sweeping UK. Stars George Rowlands and Evlyne Oyedokun, discuss why it’s the ultimate theatrical thriller.

Did you study An Inspector Calls at school? If so, did you enjoy it when you first read it? Do you think your appreciation of the play is different as an adult?

George: I did read it at school, although I can’t really remember much of it. But I did always like it. I always think at school when you sit down and analyse every single word it can make you go a bit crazy, and I always thought it ruined books and plays. But now that I’m an adult, or more importantly now that I’m an actor, I definitely have more of an appreciation for it.

Evelyn: I actually didn’t study An Inspector Calls at school, I studied To Kill A Mockingbird. I’d heard about An Inspector Calls but I didn’t really know what it was, or really anything about it. It wasn’t until I got this audition that I actually read the play for the first time, and I still didn’t quite understand it. It took me a while to realise how many layers this play actually has.

This production of An Inspector Calls is now 30 years old and yet still as popular as ever. What do you think makes the play so timeless and this production so engaging?
Evelyn: Well, the fact that is has three timelines helps. It’s set across three timelines – you’ve got 1912 which is where the play is set, then you’ve got the future, which is the Blitz, 1945, and then you’ve also got the current now, 2022. It’s amazing. You’re flicking through the past, present and the now constantly, and it’s so reflective on humanity so it makes it so relevant, and people can really see themselves.

George: At the end of the day, at its centre it’s a play about somebody in distress, and that doesn’t get old, does it? I think at different points in time when we’ve put it on over the last 30 years, it’s been relevant. And this time around I think it’s more relevant than ever because of what’s going on in terms of the strike action and housing crisis.

Can you tell me three facts about your character?

George: Eric is well educated because he’s been sent to public school. He enjoys a drink, probably a little bit too much. The third fact is that Eric really wants to be respected by, namely his dad. Unfortunately, the combination of those three facts results in some pretty catastrophic things.

Evelyn: Three facts about Sheila… well she’s absolutely besotted with Gerald. She is very self-absorbed and in her own world, as she’s been brought up that way. She absolutely adores clothes. It’s hard to give facts without spoiling it!

What made you want to be an actor?

Evelyn: Oh gosh! With me, I actually didn’t ever want to be an actor, it happened by accident. From a young age I was struggling with people, and I never really spoke – I was pretty much mute to people I didn’t really know. My mum advised me to go and see a youth company at the weekends, so I did that, and I didn’t realise how natural it was to act as it is to live in the real world. I was a lot freer. That’s how I realised it’s the only thing I can do. Drama school taught me how to speak, and acting taught me how to be more of a human than I ever was.

George: I think it beat doing any other boring job. I did find out quite early on in Year 6, for the end of school plays we did Wizard of Oz and I completely rewrote the script because I thought it was rubbish, and obviously made my parts the best. I like storytelling and I like the creative and artistic aspect of it. With this production it has enabled that part of acting, and it’s been a really good creative process.

What’s the best part of about going on tour with a show?

Evelyn: It’s exciting to share a relevant story with so many people. We come to you guys, and you stay where you are.

George: Being able to play in these amazing theatres, I’m really excited to do that, and bringing the story to people.

Do you have any particular venues on this tour that you’re most excited to visit?

Evelyn: To be honest my main one would probably be New Wimbledon Theatre because it’s the one my mum will get to see.

George: Well, I’m excited about them all. But Bromley Churchill Theatre I have a funny connection with because I did a play there last year, in the studio. I was doing Macbeth at the time, and I think Jon Bishop was playing above us. They’d hired security and there were loads of people, and we were underneath doing sweaty Shakespeare in a room. And now cut to a year later and I’ve gone up, literally upstairs. I’m excited to do that, and I also love Bromley as I lived there for a while.

What advice would you give me about going on tour? Are there any essentials to have in your dressing room, or top tips for making yourself feel at home in each town/city?

Evelyn: I’m really bad at this stuff, a lot of people tend to make their dressing rooms cosy with nice blankets and things. I just bring everything that I have in my bag and that’s pretty much it. Some people put up fairy lights and flowers, but for me I’m very simple. With autism, as long as I’ve got really comfy clothes, a phone charger and headphones to cancel out sound, I’m all good.

George: I’m sharing a room with Simon who’s playing Gerald. I don’t know… I think a bottle of water goes a long way. A bottle of water and some Vaseline is not a terrible idea – for the lips, obviously. I get chapped lips.

What’s the most challenging part of being a performer?

Evelyn: For me it’s not being able to see your work or the story you’re creating because you’re so involved and living in the moment of it. You don’t really see the end result. I feel that the end result is mainly the response from the audience, if they got the story then we’ve done our job. I think that’s the most challenging part of it.

George: With other jobs you can put a direct amount of work in, you can work more, you can do this this and this and your results will be better because of it. Like if you’re studying for an exam, the more you revise the better the result. But with acting it doesn’t work like that because being good is so subjective – there’s no grade. I think that’s quite hard. Putting lots of work in and not knowing really how it will go.

Evelyn: One of the sayings at RADA was, ‘plan it, know it and forget it’ – it’s the hardest thing to do, but it’s the most rewarding thing to do.

If you could swap roles with the other person for a performance, would you?

Evelyn: If I had to be someone out of all the characters it would definitely be the inspector, because I’m obsessed with crime documentaries and serial killers, everything to do with murder, unsolved murder, unsolved mysteries, death row, all of that! I’ve pretty much seen everything and I rewatch it to
go to sleep.

George: If I could pick any character I’d probably pick Edna. I would love to play the role of Edna. If you haven’t seen this production, there’s a special thing that Edna is part of – a little bit of magic. She’s amazing. My second choice would be Mrs Birling. I really like Mrs Birling, she’s got such sass, and doesn’t have the insecurities that Eric is stuck with.

An Inspector Calls is playing at Cardiff’s New Theatre from 18-22 Oct 2022. You can find out more about the production and book tickets here.

Theatre

“I write because I want to tell important stories which present voices and characters we don’t get to see enough of” An Interview with Playwright Jennifer Lunn.

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In our latest Playwright interview Director of Get The Chance Guy O’Donnell chats to Playwright Jennnifer Lunn. Jennifer discusses her career to date, her writing process, working for Read For Good and her thoughts on opportunities for Playwrights in Wales.

Great to meet you Jennifer, how did you first get interested in the arts?

 I was very lucky that my parents were both very active in amateur theatre and so my brothers and I grew up making theatre from when we were very tiny. I was in my first production at 12 weeks old!! I absolutely loved the communal experience of it, the stories and the magic – and I could never really imagine myself doing anything else. I used to say that if I ended up just sweeping the stage in a theatre I would be happy! (And I’ve done a lot of stage sweeping in my time!!) 

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

 My ideas mainly come from injustices or inequities that I want to address. Things I’d like to be able to change. My first play, Es & Flo (which was set to premiere at Edinburgh’s Traverse theatre before the Covid-19 pandemic led to the fringe’s cancellation. It won the Popcorn Writing award 2020 for new work. An extract can be seen below) is about an older lesbian couple who risk being separated because their relationship isn’t official. I wanted to show the places where work still needs to be done in the journey towards equality. My plays Core and Terroir are both about the climate emergency and how we, as humans are responding to it. 

There is also something about the characters I want to put on stage. I want to give space to voices and characters who we don’t often see. My plays often centre around queer women and non-binary people. My characters are intersectional – For example in Core, Clem is a Deaf, queer polar scientist and Jules is a Black, queer politician. The play is not about them being Deaf or Black or queer. It’s about their relationship with each other and the future. I wanted to show that these characters’ stories shouldn’t focus on their ‘protected characteristics’. 

I’m excited to announce that a fully staged production of Es and Flo will premier at The Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff on the 28 April and runs until the 13 May.

I started writing the play about ten years ago. A queer love story with a cast of 5 female characters from 8-71!! A story of secrets, memories, female solidarity and chosen families… A play I wasn’t sure I could write and never imagined would make it to the stage. But people liked it. It won a couple of awards and today… tickets went on sale for its premiere in Cardiff in April!!. I am SO SO grateful to everyone (and it really has taken a village) who has supported this play over the last ten years. From the first readings of scenes in the back room of a pub with Shake it Up, to readings and workshops, through postponements and Covid and finally now… with the best team I could ever have asked for! Not least the wonderful Susie McKenna who is directing it with such care and love. I am a very lucky writer! I am very proud of this play and I cannot wait to see how our incredible creatives and cast bring it to life.

You can find out more information and book here

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

No writing day is the same for me. It absolutely depends on what I’m working on. One of the things that took me a while to realise was that a lot of “writing” isn’t actually writing. It’s thinking, watching, reading, going for walks, researching, talking. It’s all vital and absolutely part of the work even though it often feels like procrastination. 

A lot of my writing time is spent scrawling on a whiteboard in different coloured pens trying to figure out structure and plot and then sitting on the floor staring at it!! 

 Why and where do you write?

 I write because I want to tell important stories which present voices and characters we don’t get to see enough of. I write to provoke conversations and promote change. I write because I want to try and make sense of the world for myself and others.

Jennifer’s desk at home

I have an office at home with my big whiteboard on the wall and a lovely stand up desk. But there are some days where I need to be under a blanket on the sofa or on a coffee shop. One of my favourite places to work is Gladstone’s Library in North Wales. It is a silent library and it is an amazing place to research and read and write. 

Gladstone’s Library in North Wales
Jennifer’s room at Gladstone’s Library in North Wales

 Your latest play was shortlisted in the Papatango New Writing Prize congratulations! Where did the initial spark for the play come from and can you update us on its development?

About ten years ago I had an idea for a play that asked the question “Why don’t we make the obvious choices to save the planet?” The idea was to look at a couple’s relationship falling apart because of choices, sacrifices, efforts that they hadn’t made for each other set against a backdrop of climate change. The idea was to highlight our brilliant ability to sabotage our own futures in both or personal and global lives. The play went through several iterations and finally, when I realised that what I really wanted to say was that we should be listening to the younger generation, I discovered what the story should be. 

Because the play was shortlisted for the Papatango Prize, I was incredibly lucky to have the chance to have a filmed reading of the play produced. The play is written to be performed bilingually in English and BSL so I worked with the brilliant Director Emily Howlett and a wonderful cast of Deaf and hearing actors who all speak BSL to work to create the translations and to make sure the communication between the Deaf and hearing characters feels believable. 

Director Emily Howlett

I’m now working with the wonderful Jafar Iqbal and we’re raising funds to do a longer R&D of the play and to work with Emily and a Deaf video designer to develop the visual aspects and creative captioning for the show.

Jafar Iqbal

In your spare time you are a Read for Good team member, the project supports young people in hospital to access reading , how did you come to be involved?

About 13 years ago I did a bit of volunteering at a children’s hospital school and from that I developed some projects to collect stories from children in hospital. Read For Good then approached the hospital, offering them visits from a storyteller and the hospital school headteacher recommended me. I started with one hospital and now regularly work in three hospitals, visiting children and their families, giving away free brand new books and also spending time telling and creating stories with them. It is an absolute privilege to spend time with these families often at really difficult times, hopefully bringing a bit of a smile. I would also say that I learn the best lessons about story from the young people who tell me stories. They are fearless in the creativity and it is very inspiring as a writer!! 

There are a range of organisations supporting Welsh and 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?

 There are some wonderful people and organisations supporting writers in Wales. The brilliant Branwen Davies and Alice Eklund who have just finished their time as the literary team at The Sherman were extraordinary and I look forward to seeing who steps into their shoes. Tamara Harvey and Liam Evans-Ford at Theatr Clwyd, along with Literary Associate Raphael Martin have been an incredible support for writers – especially since the pandemic. I was really fortunate to be part of their Writers in Residence scheme and to be commissioned to write for Curtain Up last year which commissioned 15 Welsh/Wales based writers to write short plays as soon as the theatre reopened. Angharad Lee of Leeway Productions is offering brilliant opportunities to writers wanting to develop musical theatre here in Wales and it’s been wonderful to watch the fruits of that these last two years. 

Branwen Davies
Alice Eklund
Tamara Harvey
Liam Evans-Ford
Raphael Martin
Angharad Lee

That said… there aren’t enough opportunities for commissions right now. I was lucky to be commissioned by WMC back in 2018 and to be commissioned by RWCMD/The Sherman to write for the NEW21 season but there are very few theatres in Wales commissioning new plays or even staging mid or large scale productions.

Terroir, Jennifer Lunn NEW 21 RWCMD/Sherman Theatre

The Play On scheme set up by Theatr Clwyd, NTW and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru means plays are being read and writers getting feedback but whether/when any of these plays will reach out stages is unclear. 

I would love to see Wales generally producing more work and that work touring Wales and beyond. 

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

 Audience development. Without some big steps forward in cultivating audiences, theatre in Wales will never be able to grow and therefore become somewhere that can sustain artists.

I would love to see a huge investment in audiences – whether that be a subsidising of theatre tickets or schemes to offer free tickets. We are entering a time where people are struggling to pay bills and eat. Theatre tickets are, for many, a luxury they can’t afford. But we know that the arts are a vital part of people’s social engagement and well-being and I would love to see us really make it possible for people to see and participate in more. 

 What excites you about the arts in Wales?

 The people! I am always inspired and energised by the artists I know and have the pleasure of working with. There is such an incredible creative energy in Wales and I am loving seeing a new generation starting to come through with exciting new ideas and ways of working.

I am also excited by the work we are doing here developing and championing accessible work and how creative captioning, BSL and audio description are becoming more and more embedded in our work. We definitely still have a way to go but it’s a great journey to be on. 

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

I saw WMC’s A Boy With Two Hearts at the National Theatre in London last week. So wonderful to see a Welsh-made show about an immigrant family using English and Farsi and with wonderful creative captioning. And to see that having transferred and reaching an audience beyond Wales after two successful runs in Cardiff was brilliant! 

The show is beautiful and political and important and made me feel proud to live in Wales. 

Theatre, Uncategorized

Review: Iphigenia in Splott, Gary Owen, Lyric Hammersmith

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out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

I have wanted to see this play for such a long time. Having lived in Cardiff, knowing the area, the people, being half Welsh and writing for a predominantly Welsh based online magazine, the opportunity to see this in London where I live was too much of an opportunity to miss.

Iphigenia in Splott is a monologue piece based on one character, her travel through drink, drugs, poverty, her look for love and some position in the World. She thinks she finds a reason why she was put on this Earth, more than once, to find it cruelly taken from her grasp. We see her change emotionally, physically and mentally over a 75 minute period. A lifetime explored in just over an hour.

As expected – Iphigenia is nothing but spectacular. The character itself is vibrant, funny, and energetic. Iphigenia (played by Sophie Melville) is to some extent a parody of the council estate, on the poverty line person, that cannot only be seen in Cardiff but all over the country. But there is something that stops her being stereotypical. She isn’t a one dimensional character who puts a bad name on a community, a threat to society or others or is made fun of due to this. She is confident, she is abrupt but she is real and sensitive and after everything, a person.

The aesthetics have a somewhat Royal Court aspect to it – a simplicity but elements of theatricality and aim to impact. Basic staging and lighting, there are only 3 chairs that Iphigenia utilises, nothing massively inventive but aids in creating scenes in a pub, a club, her flat, a hospital and so on. Behind, a wall of lights, some broken, which look a little like blinds, which flash in colour and intensity at very specific moments to shock and throw the emotional impact in your face. It isn’t overdone though – it is minimal, relying much on the writing and on the performance itself. But it does give a theatrical element to the story.

The story itself isn’t necessarily one of anything that is unusual. The heartbreak in different guises has been told in lots of different formats over the last 20, 30, if not more, years. However, there is something new in the way that Owen has written this. We never really see the twists and turns coming. It is as shocking as if we haven’t ever heard the topics before, but written and delivered in such a way that it hurts nonetheless and shocks you to the core. Perhaps, we fall in love with Iphigenia – her approach to life, her impressions, her humour and when she is vulnerable, we don’t want the bad things to happen to her. Melville throws herself into the character – real tears and sweat and colour changing in her face at exertion and pain. She is so believable, that it’s hard to even consider that this is a fictional character and a play.

Ending by bringing her story back onto us, we are targeted and given guilt, even if not directly affected. There is a real comment on how others, especially those of a lower class or in poverty act as the guinea pigs or the collateral damage to pave the way for better processes, better services, better treatment. In a World and a country that seems to be disintegrating by the day, it is almost as if Owen predicted this. But at the same time, it is a story as old as time and one never changing.

Iphigenia in Splott is absolutely phenomenal. It is a real example of the hardships that some face, of how there isn’t always a happy ending or a magical turn around to some lives, of how many sacrifice a lot to help others without them ever realising it. It is emotional and comical and heartbreaking. I came away in tears at the pain I felt for the character but also at the real life problems our World faces today.

Theatre

REVIEW When Darkness Falls, New Theatre by Barbara Hughes-Moore

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You know that feeling, right? When you’re alone, and yet you know – somewhere deep in your soul – that you’re being watched? That singular chill down the spine is what’s promised by When Darkness Falls, a new ghost story by James Milton and Paul Morrissey (who also directs). Now touring across the UK, this tense two-hander is playing at Cardiff’s New Theatre this week, with plenty of tricks and treats for audiences this Halloween season.

The story is deceptively simple: John Blondel (Peter Duncan), Guernsey historian and sceptic of all things that go bump in the night, invites a mysterious young man known only as The Speaker (Daniel Rainford) to record the first in a series of podcasts charting the ghoulish history of the island. A storm is brewing outside but also within, as nightmarish stories of torture, murder and revenge unfold, and long-repressed secrets are dragged into the light.

Save for an eerily effective (and, dare I say, ghostly?) performance from Rhys Jennings, who voices the parapsychologist on the tapes and who understudies both lead roles (you can check out our interview with Rhys here), Peter Duncan and Daniel Rainford are the only two people onstage throughout. They do an excellent job of drawing you in to the play’s strange, spooky world and holding your attention (not to mention your breath!) And it’s the kind of show which yearns to be watched again, once you know all the twists and turns.

Though he became a household name through his beloved tenure on Blue Peter, Duncan began his career on the stage in Laurence Olivier’s National Theatre. Here, Duncan conveys a very sympathetic sense of jaded affability before descending into something akin to madness. He spars extremely well with Rainford, who is fresh off his acclaimed turn as Tommo in Private Peaceful, a role he originated. Rainford is a captivating storyteller, and his calm and measured demeanour ably conceals the deep waters within. There are moments when the pair ‘step into’ the characters of the stories they tell, which I would have loved to have seen mined further. And while the Speaker’s arc blossoms into something fittingly tragic, Blondel’s is an unfinished symphony – perhaps setting up a sequel. You certainly get invested enough in the characters and the story to want one.

Their interactions are underscored by a host of ghostly illusions, courtesy by John Bulleid, Associate of the Inner Magic Circle with Silver Star, who was part of the team behind Harry Potter and The Cursed Child. The effects – and jumpscares! – are cleverly interwoven into the set, which is designed by Justin Williams, and by Bethany Gupwell’s lighting and Daniel Higgott’s sound. The set – a dismal, purgatorial office – is filled with shadowy corners and a creepy corridor of opaque glass that makes every reflection ghostly.

While the show gets a little less scary in the second half – and there are some deliberately funny lines that Duncan in particular delivers with relish – it ramps up the tension the way a dripping tap becomes a tidal wave. This is a dread that oozes, that seeps into the cracks of your very soul. What’s scarier still is that it’s based on truth. The tale of the German soldiers was especially haunting, as was its message: that the most frightening thing of all is the human capacity for cruelty. That sort of horror is absorbed into the walls of a place; it cannot be bricked in or painted over. It can only be confronted.

While the play ends on a somewhat ambiguous note, it leaves us with a question: do you believe in ghosts? By the time the curtain falls, you might just get your answer. Suspenseful and spooky, this is the perfect show to get you in the Halloween mood. When Darkness Falls, will you rise to meet it?

When Darkness Falls is playing at the New Theatre Cardiff from 11 – 15 October (you can find out more about the production and book tickets here).

Musical, Theatre

PREVIEW, FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS: THE MUSICAL, NEW THEATRE CARDIFF

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This is a syndicated interview for Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical, which is performing at the New Theatre Cardiff from 25-29 Oct 2022. Stars Robert Duncan, James Gaddas, Susan Penhaligon, along with director James Grieve and writer Amanda Whittington, discuss why it’s the ultimate feel-good show.

As the world premiere production of Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical embarks on a UK and Ireland tour, director James Grieve promises audiences are in store for “a feel-good, foot stomping, sea shanty musical telling the astonishing story of the world’s least likely boyband”.

Based on the true story of the Cornish singing sensations and the smash hit 2019 film about them, the show has already played to packed houses at the Hall for Cornwall in Truro – where it broke box office records as the most successful production in the venue’s history.

Grieve is in no doubt as to why the musical, with its mix of comedy and drama, was so rapturously received in Truro and why it is sure to captivate audiences around the country. “It’s so heart-warming to see a group of very normal, humble people achieve something extraordinary,” he says of the tale of a bunch of fishermen who come together to sing traditional working songs to raise money for charity, never expecting to land a record deal and end up performing at the Pyramid
Stage at Glastonbury.

“The real Fisherman’s Friends are ordinary blokes who work hard as fishermen, farmers, builders and shopkeepers. We all see ourselves in them. They never sought fame and fortune but it found them and their remarkable talent, and it’s wonderful when good people get justly rewarded. That’s what makes this story so uplifting. But more than a story about finding fame and fortune it’s a story about friendship, loyalty, community and the unbreakable ties that bind us, and it is full of humour.”

The multi-level set designed by Lucy Osborne recreates the fishing village of Port Isaac, including the famous Golden Lion pub where the lads first begin singing over a few pints, as well as the Atlantic ocean and locations in London.

There’s also a life-size boat on stage, with the director adding: “We wanted to capture the hard graft and very real danger of life as a working fisherman at the mercy of stormy weather and
rough seas. I’m fortunate to be working with a world-class team of creatives who have summoned howling winds, towering waves and vicious storms through dazzling design, lighting, sound, choreography and music.”

As in the film, the audience discovers the Fisherman’s Friends through the eyes of Danny, a music manager who stumbles into Port Isaac and finds his life transformed by the village, the band and the songs.

Starring as Jim, the group’s lead singer, James Gaddas is no stranger to musicals. He’s known for Bad Girls and Hollyoaks on TV but he’s also been in the likes of Billy Elliot, Spamalot
and Mamma Mia! on stage. “But I’ve never done anything like this before. It’s earthy and visceral. The music is strong and grounded. It dates back as long as 200 years ago, with the fishermen adapting it for today but staying true to those roots.”

There are 37 musical numbers in the show, including most of the songs from the film and many more besides, with the singers accompanied by seven folk musicians who between them play around 40 instruments. “And the band are stunning,” James enthuses. “You get a cappella performances, then the counterpoints when the musicians join in.”

The actor describes Jim as a man for whom his boat, his crew and singing with his mates are his life. And Gaddas feels there’s a universality to the characters, noting: “These are people you can relate to and we all want that magic moment when things turn around for everyday people doing everyday jobs. It’s like a kid playing football in the park and a scout just happens to be there. It’s something unexpected suddenly happening to the underdog.”

Robert Duncan plays Jim’s father Jago, who is in his 70s and the elder statesman of the group. Born in the Cornish town of St Austell, Duncan didn’t hesitate to say yes to the show. “It’s set in a place I know very well,” he says, “and I was excited about doing something from my own neck of the woods. It’s like me paying homage, plus I’d never done a musical before.”

The star of Drop The Dead Donkey has toured in Twelve Angry Men and Rehearsal for Murder. How is he finding singing the sea shanties? Robert laughs. “It’s certainly not water off a duck’s back but David White, our music supervisor and arranger, told me ‘We don’t want the most wonderful voices in the world, these are fishermen, so do it as you believe working people would sing’. I did sing in choirs when I was younger but before this I’d never have had the confidence to sing a song on stage. Somehow this felt like the right time and when I was given the opportunity I grasped it with both hands.”

The story, he believes, is in many ways specific to Cornwall yet it has a universal appeal. “Some of the things in it are peculiarly Cornish but the idea of how the landscape shapes people is
true wherever you go. Plus it’s about community and getting through things together, which is now more relevant than ever.”

Duncan believes audiences around the country are going to love the songs in the show. “The a cappella group, which I feel privileged to be a part of, creates such a strong sound and it touches people. There’s a lot of emotion in this play and it’s not just a cappella, we also have the folk band who are so talented they can play anything. They become a part of the community on stage, wondering around with harps and double basses.”

Playing Jago’s wife Maggie is Susan Penhaligon, who was also raised in Cornwall and says: “There’s an old phrase ‘Cornish women be brave and stubborn’ and that’s what Maggie is. Her
roots are in Cornwall and she’s typical in that she’s independent, free-thinking and tough. I love her and I feel like I know her.”

Having lived in St Ives and Falmouth from age six until she went to boarding school in Bristol when she was 11, Penhaligon adds: “Fisherman’s Friends is a Cornish story and they don’t come along very often. As far as I’m concerned, we’re exporting the right kind of Cornish culture rather than bobbing boats, pasties and jam and cream on scones. It’s not the picture postcard image, it’s the real Cornwall.”

Asked if she can relate to Maggie as a character, she laughs. “Yes because I think I’m also brave and stubborn.” And she agrees the story will resonate around the country. “It’s has a truth to it and it’s about history. There’s something basic and organic about it that touches people and the music is fantastic.”

The actress came to fame in Bouquet of Barbed Wire and is known for A Fine Romance and Emmerdale on TV and a variety of stage roles including Three Sisters and Of Mice and Men. Fisherman’s Friends is only her second musical, after she played Fräulein Schneider in the 2017 tour of Cabaret. “And I’ve never been so terrified in my life,” she recalls of singing on stage for the first time, “but by the end of the run they couldn’t get me off the stage.” She laughs. “When it comes to the singing, I’m an actress who gets away with it.”

Adapting the story for the stage, Amanda Whittington points out: “It’s a fascinating world to explore and discover. Port Isaac and the fisherman’s way of life is rich territory for drama and the characters are funny, real and recognisable. “Then of course there’s the sea shanties, which are beautiful and timeless. The traditional shanties are the backbone of the story but there’s also contemporary songs of the sea and wonderful new songs written especially for the show.”

The writer, whose previous stage adaptations include Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and Tipping the Velvet, is seeking to strike a balance between fact and fiction, explaining: I love the fact it’s about a real place and time, yet it’s full of mythical and magical elements. It’s about making sure we stay true to the original fishermen’s story but embracing the possibilities theatre brings.”

As for what she hopes audiences will take away from seeing it, Amanda says: “Times are tough and we want Fisherman’s Friends to be a joyous and life-affirming experience for all. It’s a
story about the place you call home, whatever and wherever that is. I also think you’ll be literally taking the songs away in your head and heart. Once heard, they’re never forgotten.”

Theatre

Review Jezebel, Cherish Menzo, Battersea Arts Centre by Tanica Psalmist

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

JEZEBEL provides both a theatrical showcase & an artistic abstract preview on late 90’s to modern day Hip hop & its cultural loopholes!

Diving straight into how black women especially have been and continue to experimentally explore their bodily freeness, expression of art through a women’s untapped sexiness, sensual & rhythmic nature in catchy, loved music videos whilst splashing waves of controversy through sexual exploitation where we’re suddenly hit with the reality of pleasure & pain working in synchronicity.

JEZEBEL is performed, produced & choreographed by Cherish Menzo & Co-Produced by Frascati Producties. Jezebel is a dance performance which explores the themes of mental strain, sexual exploitation and the creativity of black music lyrically/rhythmically in dancehall and hip hop, as well as acceptance, acceptance of bodies & owning how it feels & appears to magnify confidence.

From video vixen imagery the audience metaphorically witness through Cherish’s dancing pure fiery sexual pleasure, nature & women divine energy. Whilst embodying a video vixens version of freedom of expression through sex via dance, passion & physical exhaustion. Cherish exhibits power wearing hot pink leather Spanx with a pink crop top, open legged poses and erotic, unleaded movements. If Jezebel’s aim is about video vixens coming into their own power this was transparent & harnessed well with female dominance.

The multimedia & incorporation of the lyrics like ‘OOchie Wally’ by Nas explicitly & unapologetically talks about sex & ‘Big Pimpin’ by Jayz is well remixed so we only get to hear Cherish’s voice – impressive! We heard soundtracks specifically produced for JEZEBEL from Artist composer; Michael Nunes, which helped to add a distinctive atmosphere & ambience; as we experienced gunshots, hypnotic motions and individuality.

From dark blue illuminated midst, dim to flashing lights, smokey haze to mysterious gaze on her bicycle to the reveal of fur coats, long nails, gold dentures & saliva drooling from Cherish’s mouth you can honestly expect the unexpected from all angles, delivering various perspectives.

JEZEBEL is attention gripping just as it were if you were watching an enticing music video filled with booty popping, dance sexual explosions & classic, authentic rapping. Eye opening on gender disparities in the music industry as well as negative connotations linked to women objectiveness, obsession & thrill, controversy & untapped battles Nubian women face in the lost language of hip hop culture!

Theatre

Review Destiny, Florence Espeut-Nickless, Chapter Arts Centre by Rhys Payne

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out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

Those who don’t know me personally will not be aware but when I am not travelling the length and breadth of Cardiff discovering new pieces of theatre, I am a secondary school-level English teacher. Before becoming allocated to a certain school I had spent a few months being sent across Wales covering for teachers (across all subjects) who were absent and so I have a few years of experience of working with young learners. In my humble and potentially controversial opinion, I think that the young people of this generation are very misunderstood! Having learnt about the personal situations and personal journeys that some of my students have had to experience (including the break up of family units, losing loved ones, and dealing with violent family members among other things) at such a young age is so shocking! Now don’t get me wrong, sometimes they can be extremely disruptive and frustrating but when you think about what they have had to get through to just get to school but if I was in their shoes I don’t think I would even be able to turn up never mind sat quietly and complete all work to the best of my ability! The reason this show is so powerful is not only for it being about an all too common story for young women but also it is told by a character who you could easily bump into when walking through your local city centre!

Growing up I was lucky enough to avoid the urge of wanting to go out to a nightclub without being of the legal age. Don’t get me wrong there would be moments where I would ask friends or family to get me drinks in a bar or for a house party (which I am absolutely not encouraging) but the idea of clubbing under age was not something that particularly excited me. However, some of my friends would sometimes borrow other people’s IDs so that they could get into a nightclub which in all honesty would often make me feel uneasy. One of the many things that this one lesson production does excellently is capture the excitement young people feel before hitting the town on a night out including the sacred pre-drinks rituals that are silently passed down from generations before them. The play starts by showing Destiny as she is preparing for her first-ever night out despite being only fifteen years old. This night goes off with a bang as she feels the euphoric rush of slight intoxication mixed with the thunderous music/flashing lights as Destiny and her close friend enter Karma which is the hottest club in town! As the night progresses and the cheap drinks continue to our however this experience takes a turn for the worst as Destiny falls out with her best friend and decides to run away with a newly found lover she discovered in the club. In the passionate (and drunken) haze they decide that a car park would be the perfect place to solidify their love but are interrupted by two men who violently assault both Destiny and her partner with the former being not only physically but also sexually. As out titular character is dealing with this horrendous attack, her mother begins to become more and more distant leading to her having to move into a shared living space with a bunch of strangers and yet this continues her journey through college and still attempts to peruse her dreams!

‘Destiny’ the play is interestingly a one-person play that is entirely performed by the amazing Florence Espeut-Nickless who seems to excel under the pressure of being the only person on stage! If it was me I know that I would find the pressure of carrying an entire show extremely overwhelming but Florence did not seemed fazed in the slightest. This relatable character begins the show as an brash and extremely headstrong character but as the story progresses the audience grows to develop a massive sense of sympathy towards Destiny with everyone watching being pulled into the world being created in front of them. Florence Espeut-Nickless was able to really showcase her incredible acting abilities within this role with the West Country vernacular used by Destiny to the on-stage breakdowns perfectly captured by Florence through convincing hyperventilating and floods of tears running down her face. It sounds like a strange thing to say but this production was only an hour long but felt so good much longer but in a positive way. I had totally lost an concept of time and actually forgot that I was watching a piece of theatre that has been performed multiple times in succession. To me, the show transcends the idea of simply watching a play but instead you are watching a familiar characters unfolding in front of the audience’s eyes with a story that has become all to frequent in modern life.

Theatre

Barbara Hughes-Moore interviews Rhys Jennings on When Darkness Falls

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Get the Chance Community Critic Barbara Hughes-Moore speaks with actor Rhys Jennings, who is part of the touring cast for the When Darkness Falls. This spooky stage thriller is written by James Milton and Paul Morrissey, and is based around the legend of ‘Guernsey’s Ghosts’. The show is playing at the New Theatre Cardiff from 11 – 15 October (you can find out more about the production and book tickets here). Rhys chats about understudying the two lead roles, how the cast keeps it fun behind the scenes, and why you might just walk away from the show believing in ghosts yourself…

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Thank you for taking the time to sit down and speak with me today, Rhys.

Thanks, Barbara!

Tell us a little bit about When Darkness Falls.

When Darkness Falls is a two-hander ghost story set in the modern day but which brings up lots of stories of the past and hauntings and ghosts. It’s set on the island of Guernsey, so it takes all this local mythology and weaves it into a two act play over the course of one night. It aims to provoke debate about what ghosts are and what the paranormal is, but also with a few scares. It’s good fun!

So what is your role in the play and how did you get involved?

So I have a very interesting role. As I said, it’s a two hander and I am the solo understudy in this show. So it’s your classic two hander where you get an older and a younger actor so they needed someone halfway between through the two! It’s a very odd experience, actually: I’ve done a lot of understudying before, but this is basically an entire play, and you’re always on edge in case someone gets ill or is off, and up you go with not much rehearsal.

It’s really interesting, and it’s lovely to be part of such a small company as well, this is a very tight-knit group of people. We’re only a few weeks into the tour at the moment and everyone’s very close, and it’s a really fun company to be part of.

Peter Duncan and Daniel Rainford in When Darkness Falls

How do you manage to keep it fun behind the scenes when you’re in such a scary show?

I think the guys have really managed to just enjoy the text of it, because there’s lots of storytelling which could easily become very drab and dreary. It’s about two people interacting with one another, and how a story can trigger more memories. It’s been really fun to be part of that process and to be able to offer some input as well to the guys as they work.

Do you have a favourite role out of the two?

It’s tricky! Peter Duncan, who is famous for many things but many have a soft spot for his Blue Peter days, is playing the older part, and there’s an incredible young actor in his 20s called Daniel Rainford. So I think perhaps you’d put me in the younger part but I’m looking forward to one day playing the sort of roles Peter Duncan does. I do overall prefer the older role that is a storyteller and who has a bit of a mental breakdown throughout the course of the night. That’s more interesting to me, I think.

Have you performed at the New Theatre before?

I’ve performed in Cardiff before but never at the New Theatre! I’m really looking forward to coming to Cardiff, because I trained at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. It’s really nice to make a return visit because I haven’t done anything that’s come back to Wales for a good few years. I’m really excited to show the guys in the company around Cardiff.

Daniel Rainford and Peter Duncan in When Darkness Falls

What do you think Welsh audiences will take from the show?

While it’s set in Guernsey, it has a similar bucolic, rural feel and a lot of similar folklore and ghost stories. I think Welsh audiences will enjoy it for that. It’s quite a universal debate the characters are having over the course of the evening about what a ghost is: sometimes it’s repressed trauma and guilt, so a lot of that is very universal. It’s an interesting thing to watch.

Without spoiling anything, is there a particular moment you would want audiences to look out for?

That’s a really good question, because it’s one of those plays where audiences might think they know what’s going on – but if they pay attention they’ll be able to see the ending. It’s a bit like an Agatha Christie mystery: if you’re canny enough, by the end you get that real satisfaction of figuring out the ending. So listen and see if you can pick out a few of those themes that are repeated. Do a bit of detective work as an audience!

That’s a great challenge to give audiences! What do you think the secret is to make a good thriller in the theatre?

It is tricky! I think it’s all about suspense and rhythm, and also having two little stories going on: one where the audience might know a little more than the characters at certain moments and vice versa. It’s about who has the information, and you can gift that to an audience, make them feel that they know something that even the characters don’t. That can be really exciting for a thriller. Or you can have an object that has been in the background the whole play, and eventually pays off – in fact, we might have one of those in ours!

Peter Duncan and Daniel Rainford in When Darkness Falls

The last ‘spooky’ show I saw at the New Theatre was Ghost Stories, which was also made into a film – I didn’t sleep for a month!

I was involved in the film! I had a very last minute call from my agent asking me to fill in for an actor on the day of the cast readthrough. I’m still fairly early in my career, and I’m not in the finished film, but I was reading lines with Martin Freeman and all these amazing actors. I don’t know how I managed to get a ticket into that room, but that was a great experience.

So you were like a ghost: an unseen presence that kept the whole thing going?

Yes! I like the acting profession for all these strange little moments you have – it’s never boring. I straddle a bit of writing, a bit of acting and voiceover, and I like constantly dipping my toe into different things. You get all these strange, wonderful little anecdotes.

Does being involved in such different mediums – film, voiceover, theatre – give you different shades of ‘acting’?

Yes, and the things you learn from one thing help you in another. I got very into puppetry for a while and toured the world doing it, and it’s only much later when you’re doing something more text-based, that you suddenly realise the connections. Through the course of your career start putting things together in unexpected ways. It’s really fun. We’ll be performing in Guernsey a couple of weeks after Cardiff, and it’ll be interesting to see what different audiences react to. Different places have a different sense of humour. I’m really excited to see how Cardiff audiences will respond to it!

Daniel Rainford in When Darkness Falls

Is there something that really surprised you about being part of this show?

In the early part, I thought it was going to be very lonely as there’s not many people backstage. And while it can be lonely at times, I’m surprised by how much warmth and humour there is; a real camaraderie to the show and I feel very included in that. Theatre can sometimes be quite hierarchical: my first job was understudying in a show that had enormous stars all the way down to new graduates fresh out of Drama School, and there was quite a lot of hierarchy to that. Here, though there’s a difference in age between all of us, it feels like we’re working on this together. Especially after everything we’ve been through the last few years, it’s nice to be part of a family again.

What’s it like working with a household name like Peter Duncan?

I’m not quite in the generation that grew up with Peter, but in my generation of Blue Peter presenters they would talk about his adventures, like him scaling Big Ben. There are lots of stories and ancedotes that Peter is just brilliant at: listening to him, you get the sense that Peter would go over to someone and say ‘I’ll give you a Blue Peter badge if you help my friend’. It feels like a skill we could all do with!

What’s coming up for you after this tour?

I’ve spent a long time writing a musical called The Wicker Husband, which opened at the Watermill Theatre earlier this year, and hopefully it will have a future life as it’s a beautiful thing. Do keep an eye out for it: it’s about an old basket maker deep in the swamp who weaves creatures out of wicker who come to life, and he weaves a beautiful husband for a girl who everyone thinks is ugly, so much so that she thinks herself that she’s ugly. Throughout the course of this beautiful musical, she learns that there’s no such thing as ugly; that ugliness isn’t something you can see.

Three words that sum up When Darkness Falls for you.

Surprising, suspenseful, curious.

Do you believe in ghosts?

Do you?

Yes.

Do you really? That line actually pops up in the play.

Do you think that audiences will believe in ghosts after this show?

I think those that are skeptical will be more open to the idea that ghosts can mean. ‘What are ghosts?’ is an interesting question to go in with.

Thank you, Rhys – we can’t wait for the show!

Theatre

The Urdd continues to lead, nurture and influence across the arts

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Branwen Davies appointed to lead the re-established Urdd Youth Theatre Company.

Today (6 October) Urdd Gobaith Cymru announce Branwen Davies as the Urdd Youth Theatre Coordinator. Branwen will lead the organisation’s re-established Youth Theatre Company, which is credited for creating opportunities and introducing young people to the arts as they discover the world of the theatre.

As the Urdd enters the final act of its centenary year, Wales’ largest youth organisation is looking forward to the future by re-launching the Urdd Youth Theatre Company. Thanks to a £1 million* investment by the Welsh Government, the Urdd Youth Theatre Company will offer new opportunities to young people aged 16-25 across Wales who have an interest in any aspect of the arts.

Today, under the experienced and creative guidance of Branwen Davies, the Urdd invites young people aged between 16-25 to register their interest to join the Company.

Branwen Davies, Urdd Gobaith Cymru Youth Theatre Company Coordinator said:

“Over the years many have benefited from and enjoyed being part of the Urdd’s Youth Theatre productions, gaining life-long experiences that have helped shaped their careers.

As part of the Urdd Youth Theatre Company, I’m looking forward to offering exciting and invaluable experiences to young people who are interested or curious about all aspects of theatre – performing, designing, stage management – there’s something for everyone. I want to give young people who have an interest but no previous experience in the arts an opportunity to explore and gain new skills. Collaborating with experts and specialists from across the arts will be both fun and challenging as we work with young people from across Wales to stretch horizons, build confidence and gain news skills.”

The Urdd Youth Theatre Company was first established in the 1970s and has been credited for nurturing and influencing talent across the arts. Over the years the Company has created a strong portfolio of original stage productions, offering young people the chance to perform and tour across Wales whilst developing their skills

Sian Eirian, Urdd Eisteddfod and Arts Director said:

“It is a great privilege to announce the appointment of Branwen Davies as the Urdd Youth Theatre Company Coordinator. The centenary has been an exciting year for the Urdd as we celebrate our history and roots, but it’s also an opportunity to grab new and future opportunities for our young people in the Welsh language.

Over the years Urdd Youth Theatre Company has influenced and provided a strong foundation for thousands of young people, with many names carving a successful career in the theatre. On behalf of the Urdd, I am proud to re-launch the Urdd Youth Theatre Company and look forward to seeing the Company grow under Branwen’s leadership.

Branwen brings a wealth of experience to the Youth Theatre Company. Branwen’s name and talent is recognised across the arts; she has extensive experience working with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, the National Dance Company of Wales, and most recently as Literary Manager at the Sherman Theatre. Branwen has also been a Theatre and Performance lecturer at universities across Wales. I know that Branwen will create amazing opportunities for members of the Urdd Youth Theatre Company and I would encourage anyone between the age of 16-25 to register their interest and join the team.

I would also like to thank the Welsh Government for their financial support of £1 million over five years which has enabled us to realise the dream of re-establishing Urdd Youth Theatre Company.”