To be familiar with a narrative can sometimes evoke the desire for a fresh perspective. Yet even as one anticipates the events of a classic literary text such as Great Expectations, another member of the audience might be encountering it for the first time. Therefore, ideally, the adaptation must stay true to the original whilstContinue reading “Great Expectations at Theatr Clwyd”
Category Archives: Welsh Arts Scene
Crazy For You – Venue Cymru
Amidst the freezing temperatures and howling wind of North Wales this week, an electrifying performance is taking place in the warmth and comfort of Venue Cymru. The Watermill Theatre have brought their hit production of Crazy For You to our cold climes. And it is worth bearing the snow and ice in order to catchContinue reading “Crazy For You – Venue Cymru”
Jekyll & Hyde – Venue Cymru
There is an audible gasp from the audience as a man enters through a door wearing a blood-soaked shirt. Tearing it off, he throws it at the woman who has been awaiting his return. In no uncertain terms, he tells her to get rid of it. Meanwhile, he pulls a clean white substitute out fromContinue reading “Jekyll & Hyde – Venue Cymru”
The Weir – Mercury Theatre @ Theatr Clwyd
Whilst on holiday in Ireland a couple of years ago, a visit to the low-lying valley of Glendalough found us walking through the stone ruins of a monastery. On this particular day, the mist had come down. There was rain in the air. For a popular tourist destination, there were few people around. It wasContinue reading “The Weir – Mercury Theatre @ Theatr Clwyd”
Heroine – Theatr Clwyd
“What an extraordinary piece of theatre Heroine is.” I just had to write this as my immediate response on Twitter after seeing Nessah Muthy’s one-act play. It has many of the ingredients that create a top-class production: powerful, emotive, provocative, and controversial. It centres on Grace, a former soldier looking for friendship and meaning inContinue reading “Heroine – Theatr Clwyd”
From the House of the Dead – Venue Cymru
As part of WNO’s Russian Revolution season, From the House of the Dead is a revival of David Poutney’s original production from some 30 years ago. Based on the writings of Dostoyevsky, it originally came into being as an opera through the work of Leos Janacek. It retains much of the observational style of Dostoyevsky’sContinue reading “From the House of the Dead – Venue Cymru”
The Mountaintop – Pontio
There is something incredibly sad about the fact that The Mountaintop is one of a rare number of plays in Wales featuring an all-black cast. Its director, Abdul Shayek, laments as much: “it is 2017 and the fact that this hasn’t happened more often makes me frustrated and sad”. There should be no reason whyContinue reading “The Mountaintop – Pontio”
Uncle Vanya – Theatr Clwyd
Prepare yourself for an immersive experience in the Emlyn Williams Theatre as Uncle Vanya kicks off Theatr Clwyd’s Autumn season. Having experienced the wonderful space known as the Roundabout Theatre earlier in the summer, it was a pleasant surprise to walk into something very similar here. However, whereas the Roundabout relied simply on the castContinue reading “Uncle Vanya – Theatr Clwyd”
Yerma – National Theatre Live
Yerma is an exceptional piece of theatre. This contemporary retelling of Federico Garcia Lorca’s work is a powerful performance piece. Director Simon Stone has produced a gripping 90 minutes of absorbing and highly dramatic storytelling. Broadcast from the Young Vic as part of National Theatre Live, its emotional intensity pulses through the screen. It feelsContinue reading “Yerma – National Theatre Live”
Our House – Venue Cymru
There is more to Our House than first meets the eye. For a start, it is hard to believe that this award-winning musical is now 15 years old. It feels extraordinarily fresh. Billed as “the Madness musical”, its youthful appearance remains, in part, because it is not the biopic that one might expect. Unlike SunnyContinue reading “Our House – Venue Cymru”
