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Theatre

REVIEW: BETWEEN ETERNITY AND TIME at RWCMD by Gareth Ford-Elliott

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out of 5 stars (3 / 5)

Please note this review contains references to sexual violence and discusses the production’s plot in detail.

Between Eternity and Time by Jacob Hodgkinson follows a 14-year-old girl, Maya, who is sent as a drug-runner from Liverpool to Bangor by Dabs. As the play develops, it becomes increasingly evident that she wasn’t meant for a life in the city, but instead something freer. Between Eternity and Time is about environment, coming of age and finding your place in the world.

The writing by Jacob Hodgkinson is generally OK. The plot is straight-forward and the dialogue is realistic. There’s rarely a boring moment as the play moves at a good pace, mostly with purpose and with a good amount of humour.

However, characters are very stereotypical, underdeveloped and in one case, Kitty, completely unnecessary. Other characters have no redeeming qualities, especially Dabs, the main drug-dealer, who just seems to be bad with no justification, even to himself. Maya similarly, has no negative quality. She doesn’t seem vulnerable, as a fourteen-year-old in the drug-scene would be, despite being taken advantage of, and never does anything wrong. This makes her feel passive and hard to connect to through no-fault of Kate Jones who performs well.

There are also a few moments of expositional speech that really drag, ruining the rhythm of the piece. In particular when Maya explains her half-brother, Tom’s, personal history and interest in Warhammer to Mush. This goes on far too long and is too expositional to be interesting. It’s also irrelevant to the rest of the play. It could be cut and we wouldn’t miss a thing. We understand exactly who Tom was through William Kirk’s great performance.

A minor issue is that it’s not realistic for a drug-runner to be forced to put drugs up their bottom to transport on a train from Liverpool to Bangor. That’s something only really used to smuggle across international borders through airports. Not really from Liverpool to Bangor. Not impossible that it’d happen, but it doesn’t help with the suspension of disbelief and seems to exist solely to make Dabs look evil when he forces Maya to do this.

The play is gritty realism that leans into surrealism at times as actors don stag masks and speak about Maya’s backstory through metaphor that compares Maya’s animalistic nature to that of a young fawn. For most of the play this feels odd, until the end where it finally pays off. The juxtaposition of the surreal, animalistic and rural nature to the societal, urban, reality fits what the play attempts to talk about. But perhaps would be stronger were it explored more in the direction before the end of the play.

Otherwise, the direction from Hannah Noone is strong. From script to stage, the play improves and Noone certainly contributes to the play’s strengths whilst balancing out its weaknesses. The scenes are short-and-snappy for the most part, but are directed well, with close attention paid to pace and tone, so this isn’t an issue.

Some of the music choices are bordering on offensive. It’s clear that some working-class, Liverpudlian, drug-dealers listen to rap music. But we don’t need that shoved in our faces, especially as it’s not personal to the characters. It feels a little like Noone and sound designer, Charlie Foran, have thought, “what music is ‘street’ and reflects drug-dealing?” And then instantly picked the most instantly recognisably ‘black’ music genre, hip-hop, which is bordering on racist stereotyping. It just doesn’t sit well. It also does nothing to increase that feeling of ‘Liverpool’, so some local music would be a better fit.

The music generally feels like a missed opportunity to draw a real distinction between Liverpool and Bangor and between the urban and the rural. This is explored at times, but really not enough, which is a shame given the overriding theme of the play.

The set from Harrison Lee is minimal which works well, allowing the writing and acting to be the main focus which is the point of RWCMD’s ‘NEW’ season. This, however, means that the lighting is very important. Luckily, Leonora Nicholson’s lighting design is exceptional and compliments the production well, enhancing almost every scene.

Despite the stereotypical and often weak characters, all performances are brilliant – for what they were given.

Ed Piercy makes Blowback feel like a victim of circumstance, which makes him feel like a young-man from Liverpool, caught up in the drug-scene with no way out. His performance is realistic and makes his character very relatable.

Grace Quigley gives a strong performance as Nicole, acting with conviction. Saran Morgan as Kitty was great, even if her character was basically unnecessary. I felt sorry for her, playing a character who doesn’t really have any substance or meaning – but she does a good job regardless. Alex Leak as Dabs is also strong, although his accent seemed to switch at times. William Kirk’s nervous demeaner is really powerful in a play full of confident individuals. Ruby Hartley as Crystal is also great, as is Kate Jones as Maya – both however felt incomplete as characters and that meant the performances are somewhat over-done.

Aron Cynan’s subtlety and creepy vibe as Mush is the standout. He’ll have your skin crawling even before he does anything wrong. Something is just ‘off’ with him from the start and it’s really powerful when he eventually turns.

Unrelated to the quality of the production, but no less important, is the lack of trigger warnings provided by the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. In the programme and website there are no trigger warnings for sexual violence or flashing lights in this production. So, you can imagine my shock when Mush and Maya are involved in a scene of strong sexual content, this urgently needs addressing. The theatre has a responsibility to challenge its audience’s minds, but care for their bodies. This production succeeds at challenging its audience, but due to the lack of trigger warnings, puts its audience at risk.

Between Eternity and Time is an intriguing exploration of environment and finding one’s place in the world that achieves its aims, but not without its issues.

Between Eternity and Time performed at The Richard Burton Theatre, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
19 – 21 March 2019 in Cardiff
Transferring to The Gate Theatre, London, 2 – 5 April
Written by Jacob Hodgkinson
Directed by Hannah Noone
In Collaboration with Sherman Theatre
As part of RWCMD’s ‘NEW’ Season
Starring:
Kate Jones as Maya
William Kirk as Tom
Aron Cynan as Mush
Alex Leak as Dabs
Grace Quigley as Nicole
Ruby Hartley as Crystal
Ed Piercy as Blowback
Saran Morgan as Kitty
Production Team:
Set & Costume Design: Harrison Lee
Lighting Designer: Leonora Nicholson
Sound Designer: Charlie Foran
Assistant Production Manager: Alexandra Drescher-Elphick
Stage Manager: Gemma Smith
Deputy Stage Manager: Melanie Allen
Assistant Stage Manager: Grace Bilsborough
Design Assistants: Cleo Andriola and Bence Baksa
Technicians: Ella Cunnison, Kitty Dunning, Jamie Holden and Paul Kaiba
Venue Technician: Kieran Gough
Supervisors: Kristy Bowers, Rob Clarke and Laura Martin

Theatre

Cathryn McShane on BSL supported Theatrical performances in the Welsh Language

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“I feel providing
access to Deaf audiences to Welsh language productions is significant because
Deaf people in Wales have traditionally been excluded from this aspect of their
culture and heritage.

From my experience, I
am aware that Deaf children in schools are often exempted from the National
Curriculum Welsh language requirements and historically even Welsh-speaking
parents have been actively discouraged from using their mother tongue with
their deaf children.  This has resulted
in the Welsh Deaf community missing out on the rich and vibrant offerings that
the Welsh language art scene provides.

Recently I have been involved in interpreting several plays that were once Eisteddfod pieces (Estron, Anweledig, Nos Sadwrn o Hyd and Merched Caerdydd).

The Eisteddfod to me is the epitome and hub when it comes to the best of contemporary Welsh writing and performing, so being able to facilitate access to these pieces to a Welsh audience who previously have not had access to Welsh culture in this form is a real privilege.

getthechance.wales/2018/04/27/an-interview-with-cathryn-haulwen-mcshane/

After agreeing to do one show two years ago, I have been inundated with enquires, and Deaf audience numbers have steadily increased (including individuals who had never been to the theatre before) so I’m really pleased with how these initiatives are developing. More recently companies are taking an interest in integrating BSL in their productions, so I can see scope for some really exciting work in the future.”

Festivals, Theatre

Review Post, Xavier de Sousa, Battersea Arts Centre by Tanica Psalmist

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

Post is a solo, immersive play written and performed by Xavier de Sousa. Xavier’s play is an intimate and vocal production that creates a traditionally Portuguese and friendly atmosphere. There’s nothing more accommodating then attending a show that has tasty smells fuming in to your nostrils and discovering different methods of cooking and learning about new ethnic dishes, whilst getting served.

Post is all about joining Xavier at a grand table for some delicious portuguese food and merrily discussing hot topics around the dinner table whilst you eat. Xavier chose four people to voluntarily accompany him at the dining table on set which had a variety of sweet smelling foods such as homemade bread, soup, Green wine and Cachaca, which is a strong Portuguese spirit he served for shots. 

https://vimeo.com/190589379

Once the beautifully infused scents, tastes and imagery of the set began to feel like a warm heavenly paradise, Xavier was ready to present his questions. After he’d selectively chosen who to be seated around the table to discuss national matters, it got a lot more interesting and compelling. The primal talk was on challenges the nation faces, especially as we are heading towards Brexit.

The semi-focus revolved around factors in political and geographical landscapes. It was great to see Xavier invite down different ethnic groups to the table as this made the show even more crucial to watch. The conversations were far from demoralising to hear as they were all uniquely angled. Answered with the intention to help openly express, relate it individually or encourage significant family memories.  

Post is a play that exploits different topics in a safe, non-judgmental environment exploring what it means to be and feel a migrant in this day and age. As well as conforming to a culture to gain acceptance, followed by the exposure of non-friendly and ignorant people, who feel more confident to be openly racist and discriminative towards opposing ethnic minorities during this moment in history.

Xavier did a great job in keeping the humour alive and not excluding the audience by offering and serving food whilst conversations commenced! Xavier defiantly made a great host! Overall Post was fun and engaging to experience as whether you were involved in the conversation or not, the topics were self-identifying to all.

Music, Theatre

Review High Rise Estate of Mind, Homegrown Festival, BAC by Tanica Psalmist

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out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

High Rise Estate of Mind is an energetic, reflective, daring, compelling and convicting production; igniting all to come and feel at home in a place you can’t technically call home cause you don’t own the property. Themes explored are the concepts revolving around working twice as hard to ensure you have a roof over your head whilst keeping up with rent costs to prevent eviction and trolling from your landlord.

The city heights is circulated around modern metropolitan living where residency is fluctuating and thoughts are unravelling on demands for expansions on suitable housing. Meanwhile families are left to struggle in their tightly compact apartments, stuck on the waiting list for comfortability, struck with mis-informed implementations in their local area. This production touches on fundamental concepts that depicts the real life living conditions in the UK.

A creative narrative that reflects the modern day reality of the inflicting pain of the housing issue, figuratively told through various elements of rap, spoken word, beatbox and looping. Credibility to the casts; Conrad Murray – Co artistic director, Paul Cree- Co Artistic director, David Bonnick Jr-Associate Artist and Lakeisha Lynch Stevans, they all played on their individual strengths.  

This production is an autobiography of the casts personal lives as they enact the challenges and determination of the days they’ve dreamt about leaving the estate. The impersonations in this play truly foretold the relationship between programmed landlords and submissive tenants. Paul Cree had effectively embodied the characteristics of a robot by remaining monotone, dry humoured, insensitive, transparent and unresponsive.

The chemical imbalance of the landlords disfiguration prevented him from emphasising with his tenant when facing potential eviction. Due to the landlords insensitivity you noticed the tenants feelings climaxed to feeling extremely frantic, hurt and punished.  This production is a well perceived reality of UK citizens feeling cursed in a dysfunctional system. High Rise Estate tackles angles of life for the majority of people living in estates dealing with unkept communal areas, negligence of maintenance issues and the overall mindset derived from the living conditions in fabricated England.    

The Mis-en-scene and set was very simplistic. The casts were dressed identically in all black wearing a hoodie, cap, tracksuit bottoms and shirt, which was great in preventing distractions. Each cast member stood with a mic stand in front of them, this play featured live looping and acoustic playing which made this play even more impactful. Their voices blessing the mic majestically set the mood, tone and effectiveness for the entire show.

This production is so figuratively rich with different music genres and content. The casts evidently wanted to be neutral on stage remaining themselves, which they successfully achieved. This piece also addresses the concerns of many middle aged men and women still living with their parents based on the struggle of affording to move out. High Rise Estate of Mind consists of extremely moving performances, raising awareness by uniquely retelling dimensions of various truths.  

High Rise eState of Mind will be showing at Battersea Arts Centre from the 20th – 30th March as part of the Occupy Festival.

Theatre

Review Macbeth, National Theatre, Wales Millennium Centre by Kevin Johnson

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⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve always liked the anticipation of seeing a Shakespeare play, especially the tragedies, but what always fills me with foreboding is when they are ‘modernised’. This, to me, often means taking liberties with text and staging, and to a large extent this was true at the Millennium Centre. In a way, the story was downsized, which is a shame given such a large stage. I always try to keep an open mind, which is not easy given some of the versions I’ve seen (Romeo & Juliet where the Montagues and Capulets were humans and aliens) and some work really well, such as Andrew Scott’s Hamlet set in a Sky News, Denmark. Here the witches appeared, covered in what looked like see-through rain ponchos, talked with electronic enhancement, and then climbed poles like a Cirque du Soleil show. I was impressed by the climbing, not so much by the sound effects obscuring their words. Then there’s the weapons problem: set it in modern times and give them guns is fine, set it in historical times and give them swords and axes, fine too, but here the weapons were short machetes and what looked like switchblades, which tends to ‘shrink’ the fighting, especially when, in the hands of the burly Michael Nardone, they look like toys. Macbeth is about power,  it’s seductive and destructive nature, and the violence is often the physical embodiment of such power, so when you diminish the threat, you diminish the effect.

There’s a question that always bothers me when seeing this play: why doesn’t the whole cast have Scottish accents? I’ve never seen a version that does, outside Scotland obviously, which puzzles me. Productions always hedge their bets by having some (here I counted four) but not all. Why? I found that the mix of accents unbalances things, this is 11th century Scotland after all, not 21st century Soho, and yet here we have Scots, Geordie, RP, Yorkshire, etc. When you throw in the gender swapping of some characters, the flip-flopping personalities of others, changes in the lines and a cast which has mixed success dealing with iambic pentameter, it all adds up to a jarring distraction.

On the plus side Nardone is a good Macbeth, gruff, tender and loving, especially in the scene where he cradles his dead wife, although his intent to kill the king seems to have come more from her calling him a wimp than his own will. The conflict within him seen in the line “I dare do all that may become a man;Who dares do more is none”, yet still Kirsty Besterman’s Lady Macbeth wins him over, with a fierce charm. Patrick Robinson as Banquo provides a sweet sadness to their friendship, Lisa Zahra (Lady MacDuff) speaks with great pathos for women everywhere when she says “why then, alas, do I put up that womanly defence, to say I have done no harm?” while facing her death. As her husband, Ross Walton brings a righteousness and guilt to the role, and Deke Walmsley’s Porter adds comedy to lighten the mood. 

Many in the theatre obviously enjoyed the show, I was more ambivalent. The boundaries in Shakespeare must always be pushed, and Rufus Norris the director deserves respect for trying to make it relevant to today’s generation, but not at the expense of losing the things that make it great. This is not a bad production then, more of a worthy failure.        

Theatre

Review: Camp Be Yourself at The Other Room by Gareth Ford-Elliott

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

As we enter the space at The Other Room, we are greeted by Betty Walsh (as Betsey) and Emilia Stawicki (Emily). They remind you that your alcohol is apple juice and, as the play starts, that you, the audience, are a group of ten-year-old girls, arriving at Camp Be Yourself. Also, to stay inside the red-markers because there isn’t (but might be) the threat of bears.

What follows is an organised and hilarious mess where two characters, Betsey and Emily, are exploring what it is to be an adult, whilst they’re supposed to be running a camp.

Delusions of grandeur, suppressed insecurities and the absence of a mother drive Betsey’s character. Whilst Emily is nervous, repressing emotion, unsure of herself and eager to impress.

The performances of both characters are hilarious and relatable. Both Walsh and Stawicki are great comedic performers, exploiting the use of facial expressions and mannerisms expertly. They both perform with conviction and full knowledge of their characters who are instantly recognisable, but leave room for growth.

Whilst a lot of that growth and conflict is subtle, it’s
presented clearly and naturally throughout. Everyone leaves the theatre sure of
who these women are, what issues they have whilst having a good laugh along the
way.

The writing is more sophisticated than you might expect. It’s well-structured, the characters have real depth and there’s natural conflict which builds very convincingly.

The writing and performances from Stawicki and Walsh deserve huge credit for achieving this.

The fact that there is a non-binary character (Billie) referred to throughout the play may go unnoticed by some but definitely deserves a mention. It’s nice to have a non-binary character where their gender doesn’t affect the plot, they’re just a normal person and that’s okay.

The pop-culture references provide a fair amount of comedy throughout. The few references to Tiffany Trump, in particular, are great. The use of music too is really funny. Michael Sambello’s ‘Maniac’ used for a dance-break reminded me of American Pie, when they use the same song for a dance-off. That made me chuckle, along with the use of PTAF’s ‘Boss A** B*tch’, which I recognised from the first drum-beat.

It certainly helps that the references and comedy generally fit my personal sense of humour. Betty Walsh’s character in particular I liked. It reminded me of Ja’mie King from Summer Heights High or a female David Brent. My worry is that perhaps this won’t appeal to an older audience. But a lot of the comedy does come from tried-and-tested means, is fairly intellectual and very self-aware (even if the characters aren’t).

The play touches on various themes, such as; adulthood, sisterhood (in a friendship sense), motherhood, childhood (in particular, how that affects us later in life), responsibility and insecurity. What is really nice about this play is that it doesn’t try to answer any questions, it merely explores the characters and themes in a comedic way and leaves room for you to think further. Both characters have a lot of depth and we explore that through comedy rather than a dramatic exfoliation of their personal history. This works really well and is really satisfying and refreshing to see.

Camp Be
Yourself is a must-see, hilarious hour-long exploration of two very
different women and their ideas of adulthood.

Camp Be Yourself is part of The Other Room’s ‘Spring
Fringe’ curated spring season. One of eight shows coming to Cardiff’s only pub
theatre over eight weeks. Tickets can be found for this and other upcoming
Spring Fringe shows HERE, with an ever-growing discount for the more shows you book.

Camp be Yourself at The Other Room, Cardiff
20 – 23 March 2019
Presented by Box. Theatre Company
Created by Emilia Stawicki and Betty Jane Walsh
Starring:
Betty Jane Walsh as Betsey
Emilia Stawicki as Emily

Theatre

Review MACBETH, National Theatre at Wales Millennium Centre by Barbara Michaels

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Play by William Shakespeare

Director: Rufus Norris

Reviewer: Barbara Michaels

out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

Reviled by many as one of Shakespeare’s more unpleasant
plays, and referred to by thespians as ‘The Scottish Play’ because of its
reputation for bringing bad luck to performances, Macbeth is open to a huge range of interpretations on account of
its deep psychological reference.  Rufus
Norris’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s work balances this with an urban
modern setting that screams disruption and corruption in high places from start
to finish.

For those unfamiliar with the play, Macbeth is a soldier
whose wife’s aspirations of greatness proof to be his downfall.  Returning after a successful battle, he meets
a coven of witches who predict his speedy promotion and ultimate Kingship.  On arriving home, Macbeth tells his wife, who
informs him that Duncan, the present King of Scotland, will be visiting and
staying the night – giving an ideal opportunity for the skulduggery which is necessary
i.e. the King’s murder. One killing leads to another as both the Macbeths become
victims of a bloodlust that lead inevitably to their downfall.

Played out against a forbidding darkly lit set which hardly
changes throughout, this production focuses on making Shakespeare’s work
compatible with contemporary times, with the obvious intent of the original text
becoming more accessible to present day youth. 
In this, the National Theatre’s most recent version of Macbeth, it succeeds brilliantly. The parallel
with the knife crime so prevalent in today’s society is evident. The fights
are, at times, almost too realistic Costume designer Moritz Junge dresses the
soldiers including the main protagonists Macbeth and his rival Macduff in
combat uniform, while Lady Macbeth is seen in jeans and T-shirt. Set designer
Rae Smith uses a steeply sloping ramp for much of the main action in a stark
setting.  Even the banquet in Macbeth’s
castle is an austere affair.

. BUT – there is a caveat. Some of the poetry and fluency of
the memorable speeches is lost, or drowned out by overloud music which adds to
a cacophony of sound in some scenes.   And
did the three witches really have to climb poles? Having said that, the pluses
in this production by the prestigious National Theatre are many. Overall this
is good theatre, due in no small part to the acting of Michael Nardone, who
projects as a Macbeth in emotional torment yet unable to resist the possibility
of ennoblement and its accompanying riches and the blandishments of his evil
(soon to become deranged) wife, with disastrous consequences. Kirsty Besterman
plays Lady Macbeth as a malevolent sex kitten who has no scruples in using her bedroom
wiles to persuade her husband to embark on a wicked course that will lead to
his destruction. Norris tackles the wickedness head-on – literally. (Forgive
the pun – beheading is part of the on-stage action).

As for light relief:  there
is not much of that around, but what there is gets its full due in the hands of
Deka Walmsley whose spot-on timing and comedic touch provide a most welcome
moment of lightness in this searingly dark tragedy, giving rise to appreciative
chuckles on the night reviewed. A welcome moment of respite from the relentless
discords of a brutish production that demonstrates that, while we may stop
short of beheading in today’s society and guns have replaced swords, in some
respects – you have only to consider the fighting in Afghanistan and Syria, for
instance – the similarities with our own times are all too apparent.

Runs until Saturday March 23rd.

Theatre

Review: Merched Caerdydd/ Nos Sadwrn o Hyd, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru (Using the Sibrwd App)

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

Take four actors, three chairs, three sets of neon lights,
and one stage, and what do you get? Two new plays conceived for the 2018
National Eisteddfod now touring the country with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
(TGC). Both Merched Caerdydd and Nos Sadwrn o Hyd are making their way
from North to South, beginning in Mold and ending where they are set – in Cardiff.
And thanks to TGC’s Sibrwd app, it could be said that these are the most
accessible Welsh-language plays yet.

The Sibrwd app is a simple concept, designed to guide
non-Welsh speakers and Welsh learners through the performance. Until now, it
has provided audio synopses during plays, to help those not fluent in the
language understand the gist of the narrative being played out on stage. When I
arrive for this tour however, the app has undergone a significant change. For
the first time, TGC, and the app’s operator Chris Harris, are providing
audiences with a full translation of the dialogue. Think surtitles at the opera
but on your phone. Ingenious you might think. And to some extent it works. But
I’m not entirely convinced.

The main problem that I encountered was being drawn away
from the action on stage in order to understand some of the dialogue being
spoken. As a Welsh learner whose proficiency level floats somewhere between
Intermediate and Advanced, this wasn’t as much of a problem as it could have
been. I was able to grasp a general understanding of the narrative and the
characters’ stories without needing to refer to the app too much. However, if I
wanted to understand a particular word or phrase, it became difficult not to
disengage from the play in order to seek out the translation amongst the bulk
of text being shown on my screen. In one sense, I can see how this would suit a
non-Welsh speaker or beginner better – they could easily follow along and not
miss a trick. The transitions between each piece of dialogue on the app flowed
seamlessly. The problem is that they would then be likely to miss out on one of
the primary thrills of theatre: live performance. It is as much about the
action on stage as it is about the dialogue being spoken. What both Merched Caerdydd and Nos Sadwrn o Hyd have are strong,
powerful and engaging performances by a hugely talented cast. They bring such
immersive and intimate details to their characters through their physicality
and movement as well as their emotion and vocals. But this could be missed if
one is concentrating too much on reading in English what is being said ‘yn
Gymraeg’.

  • Gwenllian Higginson
  • Hanna Jarman
  • Emmy Stonelake

This balance between the aural and the visual is a tricky
one to maintain when one of those requires translation. The more translation
needed, the harder it becomes to maintain a kind of equilibrium. Without prior
experience of the app in its audio descriptive form, I cannot say with any
confidence which style is better to enable non-speaking and/or learning audiences
to engage most fully in Welsh-language theatre. I suspect that from my own
position, an audio option would be preferable (particularly if it offers a
synopsis, rather than the whole script). I could then maintain my focus on the
stage rather than being drawn down to look at my screen. The main benefit to
this, in my opinion, would be that you remain engaged in the production as a
whole. To be so engrossed in the stories being told by writers Catrin Dafydd (Merched Caerdydd) and Roger Williams (Nos Sadwrn o Hyd) respectively is to be
made more open to being challenged and moved by their messages; more vulnerable
to empathy and emotion.

Both Merched Caerdydd and Nos Sadwrn o Hyd are fascinating pieces of theatre. Whilst the former focuses on three women and the significant choices that they have to make at an important juncture in their lives, the latter concentrates its attention on Lee, a gay man whose blossoming relationship is disturbed by an act of violence that threatens his life. Performed as a series of monologues (interweaving in the case of Merched Caerdydd), the simple set and subtle use of lighting and sound help plunge the audience into the increasingly messy and fraught situations of the characters’ lives. We cannot help but become entangled in their relational quandaries and bodily vulnerabilities. The sharp focus of Merched Caerdydd on sex, love and relationships feels very relevant, particularly with its themes of control and power. Meanwhile, the mixture of humour and heartbreak, sweetness and violence found in Nos Sadwrn o Hyd, portrayed so eloquently by Sion Ifans, makes for a fraught and funny hour. It cannot be underestimated how important, how needed – these stories are.

Sion Ifan

Despite them being unrelated, both Dafydd’ and Williams’ plays
seem to complement one another well. They are but a small snapshot of the
strength and depth of talent coming through in Welsh-language playwriting. I
find it interesting that both feel somehow connected to their own language and
place – the feeling that these would not have come out of, or would at least have
been conceived differently in, an Anglicised context. To give non-Welsh
speakers and learners the opportunity to access and engage with these worlds
through the Sibrwd app then feels important. In its current form, Sibrwd enables that to an extent. What
is exciting about the app is that it remains in the relatively early stages of
its development. Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru should be commended for testing and
experimenting with live audiences and being genuinely open to their feedback. Give
it time, and give it chance, and I think that this app will become a
significant tool, not least in opening up Welsh-language plays to a wider and
broader audience. That can only be a good thing for plays like Merched Caerdydd and Nos Sadwrn o Hyd. For these are stories
that need to be told, and experienced by as many people as possible.

For more info and tickets, click here.

gareth

Art, Film & TV, Literature, Museums & heritage, Music, Musical, Theatre

Review ‘The Return/Y Dychweliad’ Re-Live by Kiera Sikora

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out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

Re- Live’s new theatre show ‘The Return/Y Dychweliad’ is a moving, courageous composition of sadness, truth, celebration and sacrifice.

It begins at St Fagan’s Museum entrance where we are taken on a welcoming walk to Oakdale Workmen’s Institute, listening to various accounts of the thoughts and memories of the people connected to Oakdale. They tell us of the beauty of ‘devouring books’ from the library which was a rarity then, the joy of choc-ice treats and how Oakdale invited a ‘thirst for knowledge’ in the Institute.

We then reach the Oakdale’s Workmen’s Institute where (after a lovely cuppa tea) we are thrown into a World War I Victory Ball in 1919. The bunting is up, the tea is flowing, the Bara Brith is out and we are entertained with song, story and striking truths of what it was to be a soldier, a friend, a woman and a mother during The First World War. We are shown the thrill of the beginning of war, and the heartache it created during a time when so much was unknown medically about the after affects of battle and sacrifice.

The piece moves through dialogue, solo performance, touching physical imagery and choral singing with a nod for the audience to join in on a few wartime tunes. And there’s the beauty of Re-Live right there. Yes, it’s a show, a performance, but it’s a cwtch too. A really important, poignant, ‘so glad to be home’ kind of cwtch. The cast open their arms to you, smile at you, pour their hearts out to you and allow you to feel something about how they feel and have felt. Re- Live’s mission is to work with communities and to tell stories and truths from their lives and ‘Y Dychweliad’ is a beautiful shower of these things. These stories, this history, the effect war has on people around us and still has to this day are subjects that we must talk about. If we don’t talk about these things, if we don’t remember the history of our times,  and the affects it has on us still- will they be lost? Will we learn? Will future generations know these wonderful, war time songs, even?

Karin Diamond and the team have created a gorgeous concoction of story, song, music and poetry and a beautiful memory for all that see the show. The production ends as fuelled as it begins, with a personal poem ‘Mother Wales’ written by one of the cast- which makes your heart beam. The thankful, heartfelt, emotional response at the post show discussion is unforgettable. Talks from the cast about their own experiences, and how much support we must continue to provide for our Veterans is integral.

One of the cast said ‘ Once you leave for war, and go over there, coming back is.. alien. You’re petrified. You come home. But you’re never the same.’ Reading through the Oakdale information book, one Veteran writes (of working with Re-Live) ‘The project has saved me because it’s given me something to look forward to, it’s given me a purpose again. It helps me control my anxiety too. This is the one place I can come where I know I won’t be judged.’

And that’s Re-Live. Sharing words and feelings from people, to people and for people. With the utmost care, gratitude and heart. ‘Keep the Homes Fires Burning’, indeed. 

‘The Return/Y Dychweliad’ runs from 14-16 March/Mawrth, 

Oakdale Workmen’s Institute, St Fagan’s National Museum of History/ Sefydliad Y Gweithwyr Oakdale, Sain Ffagan Amgueddfa Werin Cymru

Festivals, Theatre

Review The Church of the Sturdy Virgin, Dank Parish, Vault Festival By Hannah Goslin

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

In the deep underbelly of the vaults, we are lead into a almost parisian but definite tomb that sways with the changing of times. 

There are corners with dark and erie images of dirt and skulls, a glimpse of the universe in a coffin, shrines and so on. We are gently lead through these in the damp, and dusty wannabe catacombs. 

The Church of the Sturdy Virgin is an immersive experience of the dead but also of humility. We are prompted to take it all very seriously but there are times of poking fun at the dead and the way different people grieve, celebrating death, and sometimes we are even poked at. But we are engaged and told to take this seriously and so, we are dutiful. 

Split into ‘families’ we are taken on journeys to experience the different elements of burial, death, the afterlife from a comedy duo who show you how to embalm a member of the audience, to selecting a eulogy for our dearly departed that can be satirical, heartfelt or just societal. 

The performers are always on point – they encompass their characters into their entire entity, enjoying the freedom of ad lib and engagement with the audience right from meeting us in the queue to the end when we leave, asking us to ‘Stay Sturdy’. At one moment there seems to be a confrontation from the ‘religious’ of the church and the more ‘spiritual’ yet this isn’t explored much more than a slight outburst and a mention of differences. I felt that this would have been great to explore some more – to show more of a darker, deeper and controversial side behind The Church of the Sturdy Virgin. 

Over all I had a great time – I went in feeling apprehensive, as the wimp in me who shys away from horror films and shudders at the thought of ghosts, thought that I would find myself immersed in something my nerves just wouldn’t cope with. However, while subtle elements of this, The Church of the Sturdy Virgin was also fun, hilarious and did well to not only immerse us in their world, but break us out of our British shells and interact more.