There is a sadness and deep sense of injustice behind the humour and surrealism of For the Grace of You Go I. Due to begin just before the pandemic hit, Alan Harris’ play may be long overdue but its delay has proved timely. Beneath the strange veneer of a storyline in which a man putsContinue reading “For the Grace of You Go I – Theatr Clwyd”
Category Archives: Welsh Arts Scene
An Interview with Country singer-songwriter Rae Sam
In this latest interview*, I chat to Welsh Country singer-songwriter Rae Sam. The chat takes place in the form of a podcast, the first in a trial series, in conversation with Welsh creatives*. Rae talks about her debut album, The Great Escape, as well as songwriting, mental health, Welsh identity, and faith. Click here toContinue reading “An Interview with Country singer-songwriter Rae Sam”
The Pact – BBC
There is a moment during the final episode of BBC1 drama The Pact when its writer, Pete McTighe, attempts to deconstruct the truth. Julie Hesmondhalgh’s character Nancy, one of the four women caught up at the centre of a murder investigation, begins a Shakespearean dialogue with her priest (Mark Lewis-Jones), telling him that we allContinue reading “The Pact – BBC”
The Merthyr Stigmatist – Sherman Theatre
The beauty of The Merthyr Stigmatist lies in its contemporary gospel message. “Why shouldn’t God send a miracle to Merthyr Tydfil?” is the strapline. One would be hard-pressed to come up with an answer at this play’s ending. Writer Lisa Parry carries something into her production which feels like its been formed in the fireContinue reading “The Merthyr Stigmatist – Sherman Theatre”
Keeping Faith – BBC/S4C
There is a moment in the final series of Keeping Faith when Eve Myles becomes Celia Imrie. The transformation is extraordinary. There is no CGI or special effects; rather, just Eve Myles doing what Eve Myles does best. It’s why we’ll miss her as Faith, the gutsy, emotional, steely and vulnerable lawyer who has beenContinue reading “Keeping Faith – BBC/S4C”
Bregus – S4C
Hannah Daniel gives an impressive performance in S4C’s latest drama series, Bregus. She is almost unrecognisable from her best known role to date, playing straight-faced, sharp-tongued lawyer Cerys in Keeping Faith. Instead, she takes on the character of high-flying surgeon Ellie, whose vulnerability and fragile mental state begin to unravel following the sudden death ofContinue reading “Bregus – S4C”
Fflam – S4C
The recent S4C series Fflam was a slow-burner. I came to it with much intrigue and anticipation given the concept and acting talent. The idea of a woman, Noni, seeing her dead husband, Tim, again, after years believing he had died in a fire, sounded like the perfect spark from which to ignite a grippingContinue reading “Fflam – S4C”
An Interview with Eleri B. Jones
In this interview, I chat to actor and director Eleri B. Jones. Eleri is a graduate of the University of Manchester and Drama Centre London. She is currently undertaking a traineeship with Theatr Clwyd as an Assistant Director. Here, she talks to us about the traineeship; her involvement in Clwyd’s latest production, The Picture ofContinue reading “An Interview with Eleri B. Jones”
Eleri Angharad – Delete It
Eleri Angharad is becoming quite the accomplished songwriter. Her latest single ‘Delete It’ feels, in many ways, like the perfect companion piece to Twinnie’s ’Social Babies’. Whilst both reflect on the negative aspects of social media however, what makes ‘Delete It’ so different is how immersive it is. Centred on the sending of a WhatsAppContinue reading “Eleri Angharad – Delete It”
Rae Sam – The Great Escape
There is something incredibly uplifting about Rae Sam’s debut album The Great Escape. The Welsh singer-songwriter has found a winning combination of positive lyrics, upbeat sounds and pleasant vocals. All contribute to a feel-good sound that makes you want to get up and dance for the most part, with only a couple of tracks windingContinue reading “Rae Sam – The Great Escape”