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Literature

“I believe if people can imagine stories where Wales has a greener future, then it can become a reality” An interview with Bethan James.

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credit: Donna Ford

In our latest Writer interview Director of Get The Chance, Guy O’Donnell chats to Bethan James. They discuss her development as a writer, her career to date, being shortlisted for the Rhys Davies Short Story Award and a future free workshop ‘Storytelling for Beginners: Retelling Welsh Myths for a Greener Future’

Hi Bethan, you and I have known each other for some time as you were one of the original Young Critics supported by Get The Chance, since then you creative career has blossomed, can you give our readers some background information on yourself please?

 I grew up in South Wales, and getting involved in The Young Critics scheme nearly a decade ago ignited my creative industries career journey. This enabled me to see world-class productions like Belarus Free Theatre at the Sherman for free, and get my work published in stellar places like Wales Arts Review. That experience launched me into freelance work at National Theatre Wales, then a Marketing & PR role at Oxford Playhouse theatre.

My love of writing led to a comms job at a Welsh publisher, then a career as a Senior Book Publicity Manager in London, but the written word has always been my calling. This month, I was shortlisted for the Rhys Davies Trust Short Story Award. I moved back to Wales recently, and I’ve just submitted my debut historical mystery novel to my literary agent. Fingers crossed for a tidy book deal!

Fast forward to October 2022, and I’m halfway through an Arts Council Wales ‘Create’ grant for a storytelling project. My project includes time to write, mentoring with amazing storyteller of over 25 years Fiona Collins, and training at Ty Newydd Writers’ Centre.

Fiona Collins

A dream come true. It culminates in delivering accessible and free virtual storytelling workshops on theme of climate change and Welsh myths. More on this later in the Q&A, and I hope your readers can join us for a free workshop on the 1st November.

So, what got you interested in the arts?

I remember when I was about 7 years old, the National Museum of Wales did a competition for children to choose a painting in their collection and write a piece of art criticism about it. Larkspurs by Henri Fantin-Latour drew me to it – a still life with a vase of flowers.

My review was basic. A few lines about pretty pastel colours and how it made me happy. But it got published in the competition booklet. That made me feel listened to, and I realised that I had a voice in the artworld despite being a child.

I’m also lucky that my parents read me bedtime stories and took me to the library every week. That seeded my love of storytelling for life. I was about 18 years old before I visited a bookshop for the first time and bought a book, which people in the publishing industry find odd!

The other gamechanger was a scheme called ‘A Night Less Ordinary’ when I was a university student at Southampton University, a world away from the little Welsh village I grew up in. That enabled me to see a play every week for free. My passion for theatre was cemented. Prior to that, I’d only really been exposed to panto (which I love by the way, but I appreciated my eyes being opened to new and classic works).

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

Great question.  One of the best – and strangest – tips I’ve ever had for getting ideas when you’re stuck is to find water, because water makes you feel inspired. Wash dishes, brush teeth, have a shower, or walk by a river, and ideas will probably flow!

On a more practical level, I recommend the book The Artists’ Way by Julia Cameron to everyone. It takes you on a 10 week journey of creative discovery and inspiration. Some aspects are a bit spiritual for me, but her advice such as doing a few minutes freewriting to start your day – a subconscious brain dump where you don’t edit yourself – is invaluable.

The way stories often appear to me is as lines of dialogue popping into my head at random moments. I start writing to try and work who’s saying those lines? Where are they? What happening? It’s like getting a line of script, and then you’re a director and the TV episode or film starts taking shape. Eventually, I can sit back and the scene plays out in my mind’s eye.

I just have to type quickly enough to catch everything I can see before me, and what’s being said.

Always carry a notebook with you to jot down the quirky things you overhear, or sights that catch your eye, or strange encounters. Keep it by your bedside too for scrawling down your dreams after you wake. You’ll never remember afterwards otherwise!

Things like ‘story cubes’ dice with pictures can help writer’s block, or using Tarot cards as visual prompts.

The other top tip is to read a lot in the genre you’re writing in. You’d be surprised how many writers I know say they’re too busy writing to read, but how can you fill up that well of ideas otherwise? For example, writing my Victorian crime novel, I binged on Sherlock Holmes stories to immerse myself in the atmosphere, voice, details of the era.

 I love this quote from Sylvia Plath: ‘everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.’

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

I’m definitely not a ‘get up at 6am with the sunrise’ writer! Because of my thyroid disorders, I get brain fog first thing. On a day I’ve carved out for writing, I take my time to get going. I’ll clear my email inbox, check social media, and have a some porridge, do a little walk outside, and try to be at my desk by 9.30am. Earl Grey tea fuels me.

Throughout the day, I write in 25-minute sprints followed by 5 minute breaks (known as the Pomodoro method). The game-changer for me was discovering a free productivity app called Forest. For every stint of focused work, you can plant a beautiful virtual tree. Once you’ve planted enough, the app plants a real-life tree for you to help the environment. Rewarding myself for sitting down at that blank page works for me.

Unusually, I have a “no wordcount” rule on my writing days. I never track or count words on a project – only time. But the reason is, writer’s often get demoralised by not hitting a wordcount target, whereas maybe that 8-hour wordless day was the most important one all month, because they sat back, stared out the window, and solved a huge plot hole. Mindset over wordcount any day: one you carry across projects, the other ends when the story does.

I’ll have another little walk at lunchtime, then work intensively until late. I’m a night owl so my best time to write is evening from 8pm to midnight. I enter the state between wake and sleep and the ideas flow.

I end the day filling in my bullet journal – a tip from author VE Schwab. You think of things you want to do that month: maybe yoga, novel writing, and cutting down on caffeine. Then you colour in a journal square for each day you achieved it. Whether you did 1 hour of writing or 10, you colour it in and feel a sense of achievement.

VE Schawb

 Why and where do you write?

 The simple answer is I write because I can’t not write. Creative expression is up there with food, water, and oxygen as an essential.

 There’s a brilliant Seamus Heaney quote on poetry: ‘I rhyme / To see myself, to set the darkness echoing.’ I suppose writing short stories and novels is the same for me: an act self-reflection and understanding myself better.

It also helps me make sense of others and the world around me. Writing can be an act of empathy and connection, or a form of escapism and freedom. Sometimes my underlying health issues makes me tired, but when I’m in the flow of writing, I enter the realm of imagination and can forget all about that.

As for where I write, I find it hard to focus in noisy cafes or on a train. My ideal setting is a desk in my bedroom surrounded by snacks, with peace and quiet for hours, and a window with a view of nature. How often I achieve that is another matter!

Bethan’s ideal writing space

It was harder when I lived in a house share in London and worked exhausting 12 hour days in a busy book PR job. It’s easier now I’m back in Wales and working on my Arts Council Wales storytelling project.

You’re currently working with storyteller Fiona Collins, on a project called ‘Storytelling for Beginners: Retelling Welsh Myths for a Greener Future.’  The natural world is a strong theme in the tradition of Welsh Myths how does your new project re-interpret these for contemporary society?

 Yes, Welsh myths are rich with nature imagery and themes. My initial approach to re-interpreting these was to work with my mentor Fiona, and explore different tales that resonated with the climate crisis and ecological issues. Then we’d pick one to make the focus our Zoom workshop.

For example, in the Third Branch of the Mabinogion, magic lays waste the kingdom of Dyfed and all agriculture, domesticated animals, and humans vanish. The only four people left behind must find ways to survive and restore the land.

But the story that most resonated with me is The Tale of Taliesin, because it features the powerful woman and sorceress Ceridwen. She uses ingredients from nature like herbs in a spell to help her son gain knowledge and become accepted by others. In the story, he’s described as deformed and crippled, so it’s also a gateway to address current issues like eco-ableism.

The narrative has an incredible chase scene when Ceridwen transforms into different animals like a hare, otter and bird of prey. It brings nature to life and creates a strong connection with the environment and local species in listeners. This was important to me, as according to a Welsh Government July 2021 report, only 15% of the population believe climate change affects them. But issues such as extinction and habitat destruction are happening right under our noses in Wales.

Our workshop begins with a short present day re-telling of Ceridwen’s tale, where she’s a scientist instead of a sorceress. She mixes medicines in her lab instead of potions in her cauldron. Then participants can plant their own stories by taking part in creative activities with a green twist, to help them grow as a storyteller.

I believe if people can imagine stories where Wales has a greener future, then it can become a reality. Myths speak to us with powerful truths, and can be tools for planting the seeds of change, and for challenging narratives. The Welsh Government’s net zero goal by 2050 won’t succeed if people don’t believe in hopeful possibilities and get behind it.

A great resource about eco-lit and rewilding stories is https://dragonfly.eco/

The workshops are offered with access support including, “live captions and bilingual Welsh/ English workshop slides. You also state If you require sign language interpretation, or other access requirements, please let us know in advance. We will do our best to accommodate.”  Is access provision important to your delivery as a creative writer?

I live with chronic illnesses, and seek to support new writers and aspiring storytellers who are disabled / chronically ill/ neurodiverse/ or D(d)eaf. I understand first-hand how many barriers are out there. Now Covid lockdowns are over, it’s frustrating to see creative workshops and events becoming 100% in person only again, with no virtual offering or hybrid models.

Disabled people are underrepresented in publishing. The U.K.’s Publishers Association’s 2021 diversity survey found that 13% of respondents identified as having a disability. Few stories are told by disabled voices. I’m keen make sure my workshop is as accessible as possible to this community, so everyone feels welcome and can participate.

This also links to the ecological theme of the session. Disabled people are among the groups most affected by climate injustice. According to a World Health Organisation 2021 report, climate change is “the biggest health threat facing humanity”.

Likewise, I’m keen to make sure Welsh speakers have bilingual workshop slides and can access the activities in their preferred language. Although the workshop is in English, Fiona who co-delivers it, is a Welsh speaker who will do a reading in Welsh during the session. Afterwards, participants also receive a bilingual storytelling and climate change PDF resource pack.

How do we take part in the workshops and is there a cost?

 The workshop is totally free thanks to funding from Arts Council Wales and National Lottery Good Causes. We’d love you to join us on Tuesday 1st November via Zoom from 6.30-8.30pm!

It will be a 2-hour breath of creative fresh air, and we welcome anybody who wants to have a go at telling a story and exploring Welsh myths.

Just email storytellingwales@gmail.com to secure your free place and receive a Zoom link.

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? Do you think its possible to sustain a career as a writer in Wales and if not what would help?

I’ve recently moved back to Wales after five years away in London, so I’m still trying to find my feet with exactly what support is out there for Welsh writers!

I’d struggle to support myself as a writer right now if not for my Arts Council Wales Create grant, which I’m extremely grateful for. They have a host of funding opportunities. I also recommend writers check out the Literature Wales website resources section.

As for storytelling in Wales, Beyond the Border organisation are doing great work, and their Mycelium Hub opens up opportunities for freelancers across the country.

That said, with risings bills and living costs, it can feel like a pipedream for many writers to sustain a career. The Society of Authors’ calculated that the average full-time professional author only has an income of around £10,500 a year. Most have to do a part-time job, or things like teaching or freelance editing/copywriting, to make ends meet.

I believe a key step to transform the lives of writers in Wales is introducing a Universal Basic Income for artists, like the trial scheme that just launched in Ireland. A total of 2,000 musicians, painters and writers in Ireland are set to receive a weekly basic income of €325 ($330) per week under a new 3-year pilot by Ireland’s government. Imagine how much more incredible work writers in Wales could produce if they weren’t exhausted from juggling two or three jobs to make ends meet?

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

Obviously I’m biased and would love to see storytellers, creative writers, and the literary world fully funded and thriving! But I see the arts as a bit like an ecosystem, or a garden. When the plants, trees, flowers, soil and so on are all nurtured, it blooms. If you only focus on one flower bed, the garden won’t flourish. That’s partly why I feel the above creative industries’ pilot scheme in Ireland is so exciting – imagine how much collaboration and support between disciplines will grow there now? Not to mention how much the health and wealth of the nation as a whole will bloom when you invest in the arts.

 What excites you about the arts in Wales?

I’m particularly fascinated by the work going on in the Welsh cultural sector to tackle the climate crisis. For example, Arts Council Wales have funded a series of fellowships for artists, and are commissioning a ‘Strategy for Climate Justice and the Arts’ with Natural Resources Wales. I’m part of the Wales Climate & Culture Working Group, which has opened my eyes to the many incredible freelancers and organisations pushing tirelessly to make an impact in this area. It fills me with optimism for the future.

I also find the increase in social prescribing and utilising arts projects for well-being in the community a marvel. I was speaking to a Welsh storyteller the other day, who told me about her care home workshops and events with people living with Alzheimers. A promising development in the arts, and it opens up even more opportunities for freelancers.

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

Yesterday, I attended the book launch for The Rhys Davies Short Story Award anthology published by Parthian Books. It was a buzzy night of Q&As and readings. I’m always intrigued to hear what inspires and moves writers. I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy. It was wonderful to be shortlisted for this, and Laura Morris is a worthy winner – her story Cree, inspired by her job as a school teacher, is astounding. Grab a copy if you can.

Thanks for your time Bethan

 The free online workshop ‘Storytelling for Beginners: Retelling Welsh Myths for a Greener Future’ takes place on Tuesday 1st November at 6.30-8.30pm UK time. Email storytellingwales@gmail.com to secure your free place and receive a Zoom link.

Theatre

Review My Mix(ed up) Tape Katie Payne, Dirty Protest review by Anna Arrieta

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out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

So it’s 20th October 2022, and I’m in my hometown of Porthcawl, walking up to the Grand Pavilion, a place I have frequented often over the past 23 years of my life. The lights from inside reflect and shine on the seaside town, but this time, we’re going downstairs. We’re going to watch a production by Dirty Protest called My Mix(ed up) Tape. I’m not sure what to expect but I’m excited, I’m ready to go in with an open mind. We head downstairs. It’s an encouraging number of people in the audience, and quite a different target to those who usually attend the performances in our small town. I’m pleased. The stage is set up with projections, and subtitles, and the room is set up with small round tables. What am I in for? I’m hit with music. DJ Glade Marie is vibing on the stage with her DJ set up, and suddenly I’m vibing too. I order a beer at the bar, sit down, and take in the atmosphere.

DJ Glade Marie

Then there she is, Katie Payne. A burst of energy, and we are thrown in straight away. Immersed in her story telling. I love her voice, she has a great Welsh accent that just makes me feel at home. She’s come back home to Pontypridd after living in London for a while. She’s here for her cousins wedding. She’s just been chucked out by the bouncer. She’s causing a bit of havoc, something we realise may not be an uncommon occurrence for Katie. She may be the only one who’s speaking on stage but she is not alone. She knows the town and the people like the back of her hand. She physicalises them well, and she manages to bring them to life. It’s comedic, it’s fun, then suddenly, it’s dark.

Katie Payne

Katie’s story is beautifully matched with a wide range of music that makes up her mix tape. The music is the second performer in this play. It makes me feel something- comfort, excitement, bliss. It elevates the moments and provides the perfect soundtrack for Payne’s story. I was really enjoying the different styles, some well-known classics, but also a few more obscure and underground tracks which I really appreciated. Music is clearly nostalgia and expression for Katie, and it’s the same for me. I felt connected to her. Like when a song you really love comes on and you find out your mate likes it too. Then all that’s left to do is dance.

Katie and Glade Marie had many subtle and unique interactions throughout the play. The little moments they shared felt sometimes like we were intruding on them as an audience. I was curious about their relationship, but it worked, and it left me wanting more.

Paynes’ performance was phenomenal and I was pretty speechless by the end of the production. The way she made use of the whole space, her voice, her movement, her energy, her pacing, were all on point and totally mind-blowing. I didn’t find myself disengaging once throughout the hour and fifteen minutes. I honestly don’t know how she did it, and how she made it look so effortless.

I couldn’t fault this production and I couldn’t give it anything but 5 stars. When you are let into someone’s mind, their vulnerability, their fears, and their truth, it’s such a privilege, and not one to be taken lightly. Everyone should see this production and have the privilege of witnessing Katie Payne’s performance first hand. The messaging is strong and I feel it would resonate with many audiences. This is a remarkable play, culminating from a raw female voice straight out of the Welsh Valleys. It’s overwhelming and confusing, It’s electric, it’s dark, it’s funny, it’s real, it’s brave.

It’s Welsh.

You can find out more about the tour and book tickets here

Theatre

The Shadow Whose Prey The Hunter Becomes, BAC Review by Tanica Psalmist

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‘The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes’ projects insight into the world’s fragmented misconceptions when it comes to disability and how much of this world as a collective perceives ‘difference’ negatively.

Well performed by cast members Simon Laherty , Sarah Mainwaring, & Scott Price from Back to Back theatre company, a neurodiverse theatre company based in Australia.

Each cast members visible disability became heavily overlooked due potent humour, indirect audience rage & views on adaptation, whilst remaining themselves in character. The message elaborated in this production was incredibly touching, inspiring & reflective. The method is simple when they meet in a Town Hall as a trio, to change the way disabled people are viewed, labelled & treated.

The statements highlighted in this play were on derogatory universal language, terminologies towards those who’ve been born with a disability, the internal conflict to why Sarah strongly disliked seeing subtitles up on the screen behind her during the play & her confidence to lead in conversation!

The biggest status quo that lingered during this production was society’s notions about inferiority complex, misfortune, restrictions, exclusion, limitations, various forms of oppression & emotional barriers related to a narrow minded gate thinking, human conditioning & social justice for change.

The Internal questions for the audience explored the framework of re-learning to look beyond the surface & see people as people without critical judgments! The play explores objective thoughts on disability, repositioning power status to embody strength, charisma, leader influence within politics, non – discriminatory job opportunities; free from harassment, pain & societal neglect… I couldn’t agree more!

Most importantly, are the people who’ve labelled themselves as mentally & physically stronger unaware of the rising epidemic ‘intellectual disability’ a phenomenon which’ll dumb down emotions, ability to think & physically restrict human beings from being able to function, haven given too much of their strengths over to the powers that be without a sense of self or acknowledgement on how this phenomenon will impact our future generations wellbeing, health, mental state & cognitive ability.

From Autism, Asberger’s syndrome to other physical & learning disabilities; are we about to realise a major disadvantage due to AI? Will Artificial Intelligence treat disabilities futuristically & Intellectually disable – if so, can it be stopped in time or are we already walking daily towards a tech weapon of mass destruction?

A truly reflective, deep & well performed show to help educate, raise awareness & help create social change amongst communities! This insightful production will be touring to Brighton and Leeds until 5th Nov! Grab a ticket, you won’t regret it ;)).

Theatre

Adolygiad A Midsummer Night’s Dream : Cwmni Theatr y Sherman gan Lowri Cynan

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Cyfarwyddwr : Joe Murphy

Cyfarwyddwr Cyswllt : Jac Ifan Moore

Addasiadau Cymraeg : Mari Izzard a Nia Morais

Dyma un o glasuron Shakespeare – comedi am gariadon a’u troeon trwstan a’r cyfan yn digwydd mewn coedwig llawn tylwyth teg a hudoliaeth. Fel arfer, llwyfannir y ddrama mewn gwisg draddodiadol ac ar set soffistigedig gydag effeithiau golau a sain gymhleth.

Ond os mai dyma beth ydych yn disgwyl gweld yn y cynhyrchiad yma, gwell i chi ail feddwl. Yn hytrach, mae’r fersiwn hwn o’r ddrama Breuddwyd Nos Ŵyl Ifan yn profi bod Shakespeare yn esblygu a goroesi ac yr un mor berthnasol heddiw ag erioed.

Dyma ddehongliad ffres, egniol a hynod ddoniol o’r clasur hwn. Mae’r cyfarwyddwr wedi mentro gwneud llawer o addasiadau ac maent yn rhai dewr a dychmygus. Gwelir merched yn chwarae rolau dynion a chymeriadau yn cyfnewid llinellau. Cymhleth? Na, dim o gwbl, oherwydd mae’r themâu, y gomedi a’r gwrthdaro mor amlwg ag erioed. Mae’r cynnwrf a’r diffyg cyfathrebu rhwng y cariadon, y tensiwn rhwng y bonedd a’r trigolion cyffredin a’r triciau mae’r tylwyth teg yn chwarae yn themâu amlwg drwy gydol y cynhyrchiad.

Yr hyn sy’n taro’r gynulleidfa yn syth yw’r moderneiddiad sydd wedi digwydd ac arddull gyfoes y cyfathrebu: e.e. merch yw Lysander yn y cynhyrchiad hwn ac wedi’i ail henwi’n Lysaana sydd mewn cariad gyda Hermia – mae Oberon, Brenin y Tylwyth Teg a Titania’r Frenhines, wedi cyfnewid llinellau ac o ganlyniad mae ystyr y stori’n newid ychydig. Yn y fersiwn hon, Titania sy’n chwarae tric ar Oberon drwy rhoi’r hylif blodau ar ei lygaid sy’n achosi iddo syrthio mewn cariad â Bottom! Hi sy’n rheoli ac yn meddu ar yr holl bŵer. Girl power go iawn!

Efallai bod hyn yn swnio’n gymhleth ond, wir i chi, mae’n gweithio ac mae’r cyfan yn syrthio i’w le yn hynod o gyfforddus.

Mae portread pob un o’r actorion yn y cynhyrchiad hwn yn hyfryd – pob un wedi meistroli elfennau unigryw a ffres i`w rolau. Mae ffocws cryf ar greu elfennnau doniol i`r cymeriadu ac mae’r actorion wedi canolbwyntio ar eu symudiadau a’u hystumiau i drosglwyddo hyn yn llwyddiannus. Roedd portread Sion Ifan o Oberon/Theseus yn arbennig a hefyd Nia Roberts fel Titania/Hippolyta. Roedd y ddau yn cydweithio ac yn dangos tensiynau eu perthynas yn hynod o effeithiol. Yn ogystal, roedd y cariadon, Dena Davies fel Hermia, Lauren Morais fel Lysanna, Tom Mumford fel Demetrius a Rebecca Wilson fel Helena yn portreadu egni ieuenctid ac angst torcalon yn hyfryd.

Ond i mi elfen fwyaf llwyddiannus y sioe oedd perfformiad y gweithwyr neu’r ‘mechanicals’, ac yn enwedig Sion Pritchard fel Bottom. Dyma beth oedd gwledd – y criw hurt a boncyrs yma’n ceisio ymarfer drama I’w pherfformio o flaen y Dug . Roedd amseru’r ddeialog a’r cydweithio rhwng yr actorion yn y darnau yma’n wych, gyda Bottom yn arwain y doniolwch a`r hurtrwydd yn hynod o gelfydd.

Un o uchafbwyntiau’r cynhyrchiad oedd diwedd y rhan gyntaf pan oedd Oberon wedi deffro a syrthio mewn cariad â Bottom oedd nawr yn gwisgo penwisg asyn! Er mwyn profi’i gariad ato, mae’n dechrau canu’r glasur, “I wanna know what love is” mewn arddull hollol dros y top a camp! Roedd y gynulleidfa wrth eu bodd wrth gwrs ac yn ymuno â’r canu i ddangos eu mwynhad! Roedd hyn yn coronni sefyllfa abswrd y cymeriadau drwy arddull fodern a doniol

iawn. Cafwyd sawl achlysur tebyg o ryngweithio rhwng y gynulleidfa a’r actorion yn arbennig pan oedd Puck ar y llwyfan, ac ar adegau, roeddech chi’n teimlo eich bod mewn pantomeim Shakesperaidd!

Elfen drawiadol arall oedd penderfyniad y cwmni i greu cynhyrchiad cwbl ddwyieithog. Roedd y Gymraeg fel arfer yn cael ei ddefnyddio gan y Tylwyth Teg ac yn cael statws cyfartal â’r Saesneg. Addasodd Mari Izzard a Nia Morais iaith Shakespeare i Gymraeg fodern fywiog, gan ddefnyddio amryw o dafodiaethoedd gwahanol. Llwyddodd y trosiad hwn i greu deialog fyrlymus a pherthnasol i gynulleidfa heddiw. Roedd isdeitlau wrth gwrs yn ymddangos law yn llaw â’r Gymraeg ond ni wnaeth hyn dynnu sylw’r gwyliwr o gwbl.

Nid yn unig addasiad y sgript, y cyfarwyddo a’r actio sydd i’w ganmol, ond hefyd yr elfennau technegol. Mae’r set yn foel a modern – yn debyg i set deledu, gydag un lefel ar ffurf ‘cat walk’. Does dim offer llwyfan a dim llawer o brops chwaith. Mae’r gofod yn enfawr ac yn cael ei ddefnyddio’n helaeth, ond does dim ôl addurno fel sydd mewn cynyrchiadau arferol o’r ddrama. Mae’n gynhyrchiad moel a minimalistaidd sy’n rhoi sylw i’r actio a’r sgript.

Mae’r sain a’r gerddoriaeth fodern hefyd yn ategu’n wych at y munudau o gomedi, ac yn ychwanegu at yr awyrgylch drwyddi draw.

Mae’r cynhyrchiad hwn yn profi bod Shakespeare yn gyrchadwy i gynulleidfoedd heddiw – ac mae modd gwerthfawrogi ei waith drwy arddulliau newydd a ffres. Mae’r fersiwn hon yn glyfar a boncyrs ar yr un pryd, ac yn addas i gynulleidfa eang. Llongyfarchiadau mawr i’r holl dîm artistig.

Gallwch weld A Misummer Night’s Dream yn Theatr y Sherman, Caerdydd tan y Hydref y 29ain …….

Musical

Review The Color Purple, Wales Millenium Centre by Anna Arrieta

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out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

I remember reading ‘The Color Purple’ by Alice Walker in A-level English, analysing the language, and digging into the characters. It was a fantastic story, beautifully written, exploring many important themes. This can often be a worry when you brace yourself to watch a musical adaptation- will it manage to capture the true essence of the story and characters? I needn’t have worried. The musical adaptation by Marsha Norman reflected the story well, and really did it justice. By focusing on just one half of the tale, we engaged and immersed ourselves fully into Celie’s journey. When watching ‘The Color Purple’ at the Wales Millennium Centre, after having last explored its pages over 6 years ago, it all came flooding back to me. I remember the depth of the characters, I remember the complex relationships, the longing for escape, and the way that hope and love ties it all together. And what a story it is.

Set in 1913, in the American South, a young black girl Celie (played by Me’sha Bryan), submits to the oppression of her father as he takes away her newborn children- to where, we don’t know. As her dear sister Nettie is taken away, we follow Celie as she narrates her life through painfully honest letters to God. She questions her faith and longs to be reunited with her first love, Nettie. During this time she finds strength in other women, Shug Avery- a free spirit who encourages Celie to appreciate the beauty of the world, and Sofia- the inspiring female influence that Celie needs to drive herself out of the toxic situation she is in and make decisions for herself.

Celie’s childlike manner in the first few scenes makes it no chore for the audience to fall in love with the character. We can feel her inner hope and innocence, her ambitions for life, and her love for her sister. She is just a young girl, unaware of the horrors that she will have to overcome in the near future. The opening number draws us in immediately, vibrating the theatre with colour and song. A juxtaposition almost, to the horrible treatment that Celie is facing by pretty much all of the men in her life. She faces sexual and physical abuse from her father and her husband – Mister- who is forced upon her after being denied her little sister Nettie because she’s ‘too pure’. Celie is shamed and told she’s ugly her whole life, so much so that she completely accepts it. She rises above adversity and takes the struggles in her stride, this is shown in the climax of the story and in her electric performance of “I’m Here”- which moved me completely.

This show had no lack of strong vocalists, the strength and consistency of these voices were a highlight for me. I loved the three main chorus ladies who took us through the paces of the show with their contemporary and rhythmic vocals. Of course, not forgetting Sofia, played by the incredible Anelisa Lamola. Her voice and presence exuded power, and she delivered a spell-binding performance.

The set design was simplistic but totally effective. It took us to where we needed to be and didn’t contain distraction from the performance in any way. The transitions between scenes were smooth and minimal.The projections worked, and like the costume, gave a contemporary feel to the drama. This is one thing I loved about The Color Purple, it was very different from any other musical I have seen. Whether this was due to the writing, or the delivery, or a bit of both, but there were no cringe-worthy moments or any ounce of ‘cheesy’ dialogue, which I appreciated. I particularly loved the way the final lines of the book were included in the very last lines of the song. In your typical musical you have the big showstopper of an ending, jazz hands, and volume. In The Color Purple, they explored something different, everything was pulled down to it’s raw essence in this last song to focus on our beloved protagonist, Celie. The harmonies, dynamics and texture of the chorus’ voices in these last moments were spine-tingling.

I applaud the direction of the show by Tinuke Craig, and the amazing chorus members who multi-rolled and brought energy and light to the whole performance.

Overall, I was mesmerised by ‘The Color Purple’. It helps that it’s such a well-established story with so much depth. I would recommend it to every audience, those who are fan of the book and the film, musical theatre lovers, and new audiences of theatre. A story of life, beauty, love, hope, and triumph, with a stellar cast.

Art, Dance

Africa Fashion Week, Freemason HALL 2022 Review by Tanica Psalmist

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out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

‘Africa Fashion Week’ successfully celebrated its 12th year anniversary on the 8th & 9th October 2022 taking place in London, Freemason Hall. To ensure 2023 fashion show was another sell out 2022 had to be truly African infused & it truly was!!!

Credit Tanica Psalmist

A grand exhibition showcasing several merchants, latest garments & handmade jewellery made from various crystals, minerals and materials such as ebony and stone for starters! It’s no doubt that the Motherland was truly represented with deep infused floods of Africa’s rich culture, boutiques, diverse beauty & celebratory inspirations, influence & contentment oozing from the models onto the audience.

Credit Tanica Psalmist

I attended both days to glimpse AFW in every detail & glory from behind scenes, mental preparation to the adequate appreciation for the designers clothes, which all were worn to perfection! Many of the Fashion designers this year included; Pills, LN Watches , Sluvin Designs & Durban South Africa , Gugu Boutique, May M Designs, Massassi B, Twelve19styles, Ethnicity Clothing , Fresh by Do Turn, Slungile Mokoena Designer, Black Snow Men , Dogan Culture , Fashion Ash & many more great legends who’s brands captured, elevated & fulfilled the purpose to represent African designs on a global & grand scale.

AFW is more than just about diverse beauty, fashionistas, togetherness, celebration, unity, embracement, inspiration – it’s about elegance, royalty, Deity, learning, engagement & witnessing the beauty of freedom, culture, love, passion & acceptance.

Credit Tanica Psalmist

A typical start at AFW entails early starts booming intense makeup prep, dress & tech rehearsals & in return audience energy, infusion & model excellence! The unpredictability of unexpected authentic African dance styles is what makes poses equally exciting! certain poses entailed dance styles, such as; Ikpirikpi- Ogu (war dance), Atilogwu (Acrobatic Dance), Mmanwu (masquerades), Omuru onwa & Agbacha-ekuru-nwa, Indlamu, Adumu, Kete to name a few, hitting our eyes with eloquent spins, twirls & flirtation. The entire atmosphere took you to the African continent flight free for a truly memorable, captivating & rewarding evening.

AFW’s statement this year was to love yourself unconditionally & that your worth is not determined by the worth of high end fashion brands but by the price of realness, quality, uniqueness, happiness, tranquility, innocence, projecting your soul & to embrace the individuality of African culture, passion & depths of the motherland’s diversity.

Credit Tanica Psalmist

Nothing spoke louder then Sunday’s event where we witnessed the community within the audience come to life! oozing out positive intelligence, passion, enthusiasm, self love & a reminder to be you & live as you & be the best person of yourself, good job AFW – ROLL ON AFW 2023!!!

Theatre

Review The In-Between, National Youth Theatre of Wales by Maya Dineen

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Disclaimer: some of my thoughts of the production are quite hazy, as I saw it several weeks ago, so I apologise if any of what I say does not reflect it entirely accurately.

To begin, I thought that the premise of ‘The In-Between’ was very solid, I loved the idea of a girl who had childhood dreams and went to music college, despite those plans not being as great as she initially thought, she goes through hardship and struggles to eventually get to a place of genuine happiness. It’s a great storyline of growing up, moving on and finding your place.

It starts off really strong, with the main lead Fay being a compelling character, she is initially excited by her future but struggles with adapting to her college and trying to impress her teacher and peers.

One of the things I noticed however, is that we never really get much insight into her peers, it would have been great for Fay to open up about her problems to one of her friends, and for one of them to affirm that they too are going through something similar things to her, and that she’s not alone in her struggles. That could have been a realistic turn of events, as in the production Fay’s classmates are all seemingly portrayed as significantly better than her, people that she fights to impress and gain approval of, they don’t really seem like legitimate characters, just props to further her story arc.

On another note, the inclusion of Fay’s dead Grandmother was strange to me personally. All she really did was appear ominously on stage from time to time and from what I saw she didn’t leave a powerful impact on Fay. We never saw her have many vulnerable moments where it looked like she was really affected by her Grandmothers death, and the only scene where it seemed like the story moved along a bit was a scene near the beginning when Fay was practising and her ghost showed up and listened to her performing, but from what I recall from Fay’s reaction, we didn’t see an emotional response while being confronted with a seemingly vulnerable element of her past, but I digress.

Additionally, the scene where she saved the boy’s life when he fell from a tree left me wondering – she saved his life, he gets sent to the hospital, she gets annoyed that no-one will know that she saved a life, and it’s never brought up again afterwards. She never had another interaction with the boy, and it’s never brought to a head or anything like that. I predicted/imagined that she would have met the boy again, and they would form a strong bond, but from what we see we never see them interact or give any indication that the boy is still around! That was odd to me that they would add something so prominent into the storyline for it to not be built on afterwards.

I personally feel it would have benefited from a longer performance time, as when it was wrapping up, I thought to myself “oh, it must be half-time!” but then it ended, and that confused me initially. For me it felt too short – it just didn’t feel like it had enough time to fully explore the characters and flesh out the scenes fully. However, I’ve since learned there were time constraints, seeing the actors/actresses only meeting two, or so, weeks prior to it going to live performance. Given this, it begins to make more sense. If it had been possible, even just half an hour more to wrap it up would have been welcome because it didn’t seem like the production had a clear middle – it certainly had an introduction, a drama and then a climax. If it just had a bit more of a longer middle, then it wouldn’t seem as rushed perhaps.

I do think the production team and actors/actresses managed to do a great job of creating what they did in such a short time, something that turned out to be very watchable, yet left me hoping for more.

To end on a positive note, the performers were extremely good. Their chemistry before it even began was apparent, with all of them hyping each other up onstage and the clear dedication to their role, which I applaud.

Theatre

REVIEW A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Sherman Theatre by Barbara Hughes-Moore

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One of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream tells the tale of four young Athenians who, caught in the throes of unrequited and forbidden love, seek refuge in the forest and find instead a strange new world of magic and mayhem. Sherman Artistic Director Joe Murphy’s joyous reinvention of the play, featuring Welsh Language adaptations by Mari Izzard (HELA) and Sherman Writer in Residence Nia Morais (Crafangau / Claws), sprinkles a little Welsh magic on this production, making it utterly unique and absolutely unmissable.

The play features some of Shakespeare’s most iconic lines and images: Bottom with an ass’ head, the love potion, and the chaotic ‘play within a play’ Pyramus and Thisbe (aka the original Play That Went Wrong) – and ‘the course of true love never did run smooth’. And the Sherman’s version not only does justice to these classic moments but adds a new iconic spin to the tale that gives it an authentic Welsh flavor.
The play features some of Shakespeare’s most iconic lines and images: Bottom with an ass’ head, the love potion, and the chaotic ‘play within a play’ Pyramus and Thisbe (aka the original Play That Went Wrong) – and ‘the course of true love never did run smooth’. And the Sherman’s version not only does justice to these classic moments but adds a new iconic spin to the tale that gives it an authentic Welsh flavor.

Leah Gaffey and Sion Pritchard in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Central to this is the combination of Welsh and English dialogue used throughout (all Welsh dialogue is surtitled in English). The (patriarchal) Athenians speak English while the (matriarchal) Fair Folk speak Welsh – and the moment a character is put under a spell, they switch languages. Welsh becomes the language of magic and mischief, of freedom and control, of love and lust. As with English in the play, it doesn’t just represent one thing: and that blurring between binaries, boundaries and borders underscores the subversiveness of this production; a production which also swaps the gender of characters like Puck (Leah Gaffey) and Lysanna (Lauren Morais) and the roles of Titania (Nia Roberts) and Oberon (Sion Ifan).

It’s a choice that deepen the star-crossed love story at its core, and which brings exciting new perspectives on sexuality, gender roles, and also to the hierarchies in both realms, where the tension between the soon-to-be-married Theseus and Hippolyta mirrors the widening schism between the Fairy King and Queen. Roberts brings a feral grace to Titania and commands the stage even as the conquered Amazonian Queen. Meanwhile, Ifan relishes both the imperious Duke and the impassioned Oberon; his eulogy for his fallen disciple is genuinely moving, even if the uneven power dynamics complicate his grief.

Anyone feel the urge to Lipsync For Your Life?

The set, designed by Elin Steele, an imposing Art Deco amphitheater of emerald green, doubles as both an Athenian temple and a magical forest. Its striking central feature is a RuPaul-esque runway fit for a Queen – and yes, we are indeed treated to the sight of Titania and Oberon sashaying their way down the stage (Shantay, you both stay!) In fact, many of the magic-induced brawls between Lysanna and Demetrius (Tom Mumford), and Helena (Rebecca Wilson) and Hermia (Dena Davies, in her professional stage debut), have the knowing melodrama of a Drag Race feud.

Sion Ifan and Sion Pritchard in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

It’s tricky to pitch a Shakespearean comedy to modern day audiences, because the intricacies of the language and the shifting cultural touchstones mean that the punchlines don’t always land. But that isn’t the case with this production, which is easily the most hilarious show I’ve seen in years! Gaffey’s Puck ping pongs about the stage as an impish emcee with charisma to spare while the Mechanicals, led by Hannah McPake’s beleaguered Peter Quince and performed by members of non-professional theatre group the Sherman Player, lend a chaotic charm to their doomed dramatics. It’s brilliant to see these excellent young actors get the chance to shine in a professional production, and it will be exciting to see where Edward Lee, Cerys Morgan, Ariadne Koursarou, and Callum Davies go next.

Midsummer’s comedic lynchpin though is the marvellous Sion Pritchard as Nick Bottom, whose comic timing is a thing of beauty. (Anyone who has sampled the delights of S4C original comedy Rybish knows exactly what I’m talking about). His karaoke duet with Ifan’s lovestruck Oberon is a particular highlight – you’ll never hear ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ the same way again – and his Pyramus simply has to be seen to be believed (imagine a drunk Al Pacino doing an Elvis Presley impression, and you’re halfway there).

Sion Pritchard in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Fun, flirty and fabulous, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the perfect remedy for the past few years, with a tremendously skilled ensemble of Welsh and Wales-based actors bringing new life and fresh laughs to a familiar tale. By the time Midsummer concludes, the story might be done but the dream goes on. The endless potential for transformation – of language, of text, of self – is the true dream, and the Sherman has shown it can be our reality too.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is performing at the Sherman Theatre until 29 October (you can find out more about the production and book tickets here).

Theatre

“There’s a mad amount of talent here and I think sometimes we get forgotten about.” An interview with Writer and Actor Katie Payne

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In our latest Playwright interview Director of Get The Chance, Guy O’Donnell chats to Playwright and Actor Katie Payne. Katie discusses her career to date, her play My Mix(ed Up) Tape which tours the South Wales Valleys this October, her writing process and thoughts on opportunities for Playwrights in Wales.

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

Absolutely. My name is Katie Payne – I am a writer / actor born and bred in Pontypridd, South Wales. I moved to London at 18 to go to Rose Bruford Drama College and gained a BA in Acting. Since graduating, I have been acting in theatre, TV and film professionally for the past 15 years and I have been writing for the last 3 years. I was living in London for a long time and only moved back to Wales in the last few years, hiraeth is an actual thing.

So, what got you interested in the arts?

Debbie Reynolds! Well, more specifically Singing In The Rain. I come from a family that also encouraged me from a young age to enjoy the Arts, whether it be film, comedy, dance or music. My Dads the family comedian so I definitely got my funny bones from him, even though my mother swears the dryness is her. My friends helped too, any encouragement as a youngster – whether it be a laugh or a clap makes you feel good – this current climate it translates into likes and comments but back then I loved the feeling it gave me to make people smile or laugh. But yes, Singing in the Rain or Calamity Jane or Meet me In St Louis.

https://youtu.be/B6Ly7ng1R2k

Spending time with my Grandparents meant I got to watch a lot of old musical films and the way they transported me – made me feel magic. I always thought that’s what I want to be. I want to do THAT. That triple threat. But after getting into the National Youth Theatre of Wales, it transpired I would only dance, sing and play piano for the joy of it and acting is where I would revel. Albeit – I do have a tendency of working with music and physicality in most plays that I do… I can’t get away from it and wouldn’t have it any other way.

Can you tell us about your writing process?

I haven’t been writing long. But I am currently writing two TV scripts as well as finishing this play, my first play.
My Mix(ed up) Tape was the first thing I ever started writing (except for a little monologue in the play Little Dogs that I performed with Frantic Assembly and National Theatre Wales a few years back).

Little Dogs, Frantic Assembly and National Theatre Wales

I always knew I could write, somewhere, but it took confidence. That’s all. And Encouragement from my peers. I had to find confidence in my voice, in what I have to say, in how I want to say it. Listen, I have always been a creative – I was never one of those actors that can just turn up, do the lines, do what they have to do, get paid and leave. I always took it upon myself to get involved creatively in the process. I know that’s where my strengths lie. I love acting, but I also love creating. Collaborating. Writing on your own is safe. Writing with people is scary but it also allows you to talk through ideas, figure things out.

Where do your ideas come from?

Ideas? Writing the play is a very different idea process to when I write TV. The play is a personal project – it’s a love letter to Pontypridd, to Wales, to the Valleys. It’s rich with characters and voices and themes that I have encountered or discussed or researched, about a place in which I feel very confident to dive into. I knew I wanted to chat about anger, ADHD and being from the Valleys and what comes with that – but the way in which the ideas go from there on to the page? Well, for this project – it’s music. I find a track and I write. I know these characters or I might start with one character – a voice I know. Then I write and write. I don’t stop to think about it, I just write. Andi Osho (actress, writer) once offered me a great bit of advice when I couldn’t get through to the end, she said “Just write and don’t stop to think or judge it, do that tomorrow or after you’ve finished. The writing/ideas part of your brain cannot work when the judgey part of your brain is making comments” – my advice is JUST WRITE. It’s a lot easier when you take that pressure off and if it’s shit – move on and start again. Writing isn’t easy until you start. Catherine Paskell and Alan Harris have been the guides for My Mix(ed up) Tape, my dramaturgy Angels in helping me make this the play what it is. They are insanely talented at dramaturgy and without them I wouldn’t have been able to find my writing voice.

Catherine Paskell
Alan Harris

My TV ideas, I write with a writing partner Layo Akinlude, the process is very different – we are very different, from different backgrounds and it works! Trust me – she teaches me on a daily basis and I her, that’s what makes that writing process a proper joy! One of us has an idea – we relay it – if the other likes it – we run with it – then we chat and chat about it until the idea is solid. Then we create a page doc: a document that is a sort of synopsis – beat by beat of what the first ep might look like. We get this as tight as possible and sometimes a production company will buy that idea – just from that pitch doc – we then follow than pitch doc. Sometimes I take a scene, or she does or we write them together. I am a visual person so I have to feel and smell and see a place on the page before I can write it – that’s why describing visuals are really important to me, so I can transport the actor, audience, director right to that place. I think the best thing about writing is collaboration, but also having confidence in what you want to say and how you want to say it.

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

I am at my best writer early in the morning or really late at night. When the world is quiet and all that is left is me and my thoughts. I don’t tend to spend a whole day writing. You can bang out a tv scene in literally 10 mins if you’ve plotted it out beforehand. I’ve always got headphones in – I might have the same track on repeat for an hour while I write. I stop when the flow stops. Writing is unlike most jobs – you can’t just keep going. Some days the flow and the ideas are there, sometimes they aren’t and that’s okay. They will come.

Why and where do you write?

I have recently had a baby (well, I say recently – he is almost one) and Jesus, that’s been wild. You don’t have hours and hours to think about characters and ideas – you have small windows and you’re also knackered but I do think in a way, since having him, I am a lot more pro-active. I have a few hours in the morning or late at night and I just hit the ground running, I try not to waste too much time thinking. Where I write? I’ve bought my first house and there is a little room in it that’s snug but has a great window looking out – I either write in front of there or I turn round and write looking a big blank wall. I know that sounds a bit weird – but I find the nothingness of the wall a great place to plot things out. It gives me a sort of blank canvas to place my ideas.

I write because I truly believe not enough stuff is being written by women for women in Wales. Especially the Wales I know. I also want to create more opportunities for young people in Wales – I thought I had to get to London at 18 years old to get into the industry but

1. I was really lucky

2. I don’t want that to always be the case.

The long-term goal is yes, to make stuff that people relate to and give those voices a proper platform but it is also to connect with the next gen and inspire them to get writing, creating, making more work in Wales. There’s a mad amount of talent here and I think sometimes we get forgotten about.

Your latest play My Mix(ed Up) Tape tours the South Wales Valleys this October, I believe the script has been in development with the support of Dirty Protest for some time. Is it possible to give us some back ground on the development of the play and your hopes for the tour?

This play started out with an idea with Catherine Paskell – director of My Mix(ed up) Tape and Dirty Protest about me wanting to create a play with a Live DJ. Cath guided me through all my Arts Council applications and we got the funding to test out the ideas and script in R&D 1 back in 2019 and then the music, visuals and access in R&D 2, during Lockdown. The play has developed into a one-woman comedy/drama with a live DJ – it discusses themes around anger and ADHD and is a love letter to anyone who is a bit of a complicated person trying to navigate “this thing we call life” – bit of a Prince ref there, he features heavily in the show, well not physically the budget couldn’t quite stretch to the afterlife.

https://youtu.be/u4apCrDrGaQ

You have described your ambitions for the production to be “to make something in the Valleys, that’s relatable, fun, and accessible” What does the Valleys contribute to your creative process and is theatre accessible for people living in these areas?

The best thing about this play is the way it has connected to the audiences it is supposed to serve. There is a lot of anger right now, for a number of different reasons, which I know I don’t have to point out. It was really important for me to make this play in the valleys for the valleys – Pontypridd and RCT have been the muse for the process and I feel like I have only just started, only just scratched the surface. I have had a lot of messages off people thanking me for bringing this form of theatre into the community. It’s a working-class story that I hope is told in a different form. The play has access embedded into it which means it’s accessible to the D/Deaf community – which was very important to me. The BSL interpretation is provided by Sami Dunn.

The team in rehearsals
The team in rehearsals

It has a live DJ element – which helps drives the story along and makes it current, it’s fresh new-writing and it has physical theatre / Visual Vernacular embedded into the piece – which a lot of people in the Valleys haven’t have experienced before. I am super proud of the team and what we have managed to bring to RCT.

https://youtu.be/WUpfRoZjnlk

RCT Theatres have supported the plays development, how did they come to be involved and what’s your relationship with these venues?

Angela Gould at RCT Theatres strive to tell the stories of unheard voices from their communities. They found My Mix(ed up) Tape to be a unique take on storytelling from the prospective of a female Valley’s voice. I have known Angela since I was 13 years old, she used to teach me drama in a local drama club in the YMCA in Pontypridd and I know it made sense to connect her and Dirty Protest together to make this show.

Angela Gould

Angela was keen to tell this rollercoaster of a story that is driven with a sick soundtrack by DJ Glade Marie and how it helps underscore a tale of how heartache, tenacity and determination will always win the race. It felt like a homecoming. Our tour starts at the Parc and Dare’s new studio theatre space, Treorchy – which is honestly an incredible space. We then go on tour to a mixture of theatre and community venues around South and West Wales.

The production features a live DJ called Glade Marie, with music featuring so strongly in the play this seems a great choice how has music influenced your writing process and how did the relationship with Glade Marie develop?

I’ve already mentioned how important music was to the writing process, each scene was written to a particular track on repeat. However, the integration of Glade the Live DJ element is something that we explored and figured out during the R&D’s. The relationship in the beginning began as separate, between DJ and music but during the R&D process we developed the language for the DJ as the conscious for the main character Phoebe. The play could not be without the music. We almost had to write two plays – one for the text and then one for the music. The score in which Glade has created with collaborative effort from everyone in the team, truly makes the show shine. I am just so proud that we made it happen.

DJ Glade Marie

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?

Quite frankly, I don’t know how to answer this question as I am still quite new to the writing scene in Wales. I don’t know if these organisations and the support they offer are as well advertised as they could be. I also feel that a lot of the same content is being created and a lot of the same people are being used, that’s not a bad thing – but it definitely means things don’t quite progress as much as they could do in Wales. New voices. Money and energy being put into these new voices is how the next gen of greatness is made. I really want to use this play to connect to an audience of makers and doers and hopefully create more work with them.

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

Development of New Voices. Have I mentioned New Voices enough?? New plays, new text, new theatre, new writing, new TV ideas. New New New.

What excites you about the arts in Wales?

I am excited about the talent. The people in Wales are the greatest – I just think we need to keep trying to get these voices heard on a bigger scale. Making more stories that push boundaries, that are told through rich real characters – let’s see where we can really go with Welsh Theatre, TV and Film. Let’s take more risks and give a chance to fresh voices.

Thanks for your time Katie

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVsYYeiV108&authuser=0

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.