The wizard, the goat and the man who won the war. Theatre

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Fri 3 March

I first saw this fabulous solo performance two years ago on the closing day of the Dylan Thomas Festival, then in its infancy it was a fantastic play but still under development. Now on tour, the play has evolved from an informed, solid piece: a stronger, funnier and more lyrical performance.

It is a one man oratory on Lloyd George: a fictional telling of the great man’s life based on a framework of well researched facts and comparisons to the first rendition are not necessary as I fell under the spellbinding lyricism of Richard Elfyn’s voice.  “What went on in Lloyd George’s heart and mind, is of course, open to theatrical speculation” the programme explains, yet for a man faced with disapproval and scorn from his Welsh heritage and his standing in British politics and a known womanizer it might be easy to guess some of what pathways his thoughts took. 

The first performance included a significant amount about his relationship with daughter Mair, his perfect image of the future and the belief’s they both hold about the other great British figure, King Arthur. The evolved performance has had the content on Mair reduced and introduced more about his Political and British life, weaving his grief for her into the wider WWI picture. Yet this does not detract from the passion, power and energy displayed, far from it in fact, it is simply that the narrative has changed tack slightly and Lloyd George’s love for the child is still strongly evident. He talks about events and people in his life; Mair, who died at 17, Frances his mistress and growing up as a child in Criccieth, fatherless. It soon becomes evident that his life is one large juggling act: between his wife and mistress; his Welsh identity and British image and his role as the people’s protector with his ever increasing wealth.


Richard Elfyn as Lloyd George, photo's James Davies

The cloth makers of Provence are the makers of his Union towel, commemorating his winning of WWI, but “Oh for a Ddraig Goch” he cries: what do the French know of a Ddraig Goch exactly? To Richard Elfyn’s Lloyd George, it is not he who has abandoned Wales, but Wales who has abandoned him, which to the real man may have been the truth.

The play is a mix of three languages with the English speech broken up by flashes of Welsh and French and whilst many in the audience may not understand the French or Welsh it adds to the atmosphere and the depth of the character before us.

Lloyd George would be at home in today’s political arena: a Liberal-Conservative coalition, political scandal, social reform and of course the press: an institution as prevalent to the politicians then as now, and it included The News of the World, a paper that has never changed its skins. Lloyd George’s actions alos exposed a corrupt system of peerages, something we are familiar with even now, having given newspaper proprietor’s Max Aitkin and George Rydell Lordships for a price. There are several political jokes, he notes Chamberlain leap frogged his elder brother to the top job, quipping “who in the world of politics would ever do that” a cheeky aside to the Milliband brothers.

What Elfyn undertakes for the show is a feat, for a one man show the energy hardly pauses and is kept at a high level throughout and the passion flows right though his oratory – keeping the audience entranced from the outset. With only a walking stick, towel and bench as prop’s he does extremely well to keep going – the stick a particularly useful tool, morphing from its traditional use to become woman in an his embrace as he dances, a golf club as he discusses the golf clubs and pointing at all sorts. He addresses the audience as the sea, his stage vantage point being the beach at Lloyd George’s favourite resort of Antibes, yet through that abstract viewpoint Elfyn involves the audience: making one woman blush and as if on cue the audience join in his rendition of Myfanwy. The singing a throwback to the knowledge Lloyd George gathered his cabinet around the piano and showed off his Welsh heritage.

Review of Utah Bride

Chapter Arts, Cardiff.
Sat 17th December

Where is home? Somewhere you feel you belong? Or under the love of a parent who will forever disagree with you but with the best of intentions?

Rebecca and Alice: a mother and daughter divided by a generation, religion and men. In the dead of night Alice returns to the maternal home and Rebecca wakes, only for light to be shone on the darkest corners and for truths and revelations to come out. 

It takes Alice the entire length of the play to answer Rebecca’s simple repeated question ‘Why are you here?’, continually changing the subject and disagreeing over the way things had been. Rebecca never seeing Alice’s pain or loneliness growing up in a valley where nothing changed or moved and being concerned with the way things are supposed to be – ‘What would the neighbours think’ and the Welsh Methodist mindset. Alice never seeing her mother’s joy at her little girl and giving her everything she could. Yet their lives following such similar paths as it is both husbands resort to violence, though one through drink and the other through God. The Grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

A small thing struck me, although it never slowed the plays pace or strong impact, the combination of American dream images and those of the ‘Mormon’ church are polar opposites. As the Church of Latter Day Saints believes in a simple life, banning much of everyday modern life whereas the American dream is big houses, cars and easy ready money. Or is it simply showing Rebecca’s limited understanding of the wide world outside her small Welsh valley? We are after all no different – there are striking similarities between the beliefs of both churches. Except of course the familiar ‘more tea’ and the very Welsh way of tea and talk solving every problem under the sun; something that always brings a smile. Routed firmly in Welsh Valley mentality and custom, the play used those conventions skilfully and without cliché or stereotype. 

Utah Bride is the first full length play by 1.618 Theatre Company, written by Carmen Medway-Stephens and as a play in development was shown script in hand. The director, actors and writer were given a week to explore the text for the two nights of performance in Chapter and even with everything stripped back and a simple a set, it was about more than just the words in the play as some script in hander’s can be but the play itself. With alternative endings on each night, the Saturday ending fitted perfectly, leaving the audience with the emotions of a turbulent night in front of them yet completely satisfied.

Utah Bride was a piece of theatre to feed the soul and make you think. I wish the writer and team all the best in taking it to a full performance and on tour, particularly as it is now going to be translated into Welsh.

Picture is play's promotional material/poster

Owen Sheer's Resistance - Film Review

3 Stars

It’s 1944 and the Nazi occupation of Britain has begun and the Resistance have scattered, abandoning their family and friends.

This is where Resistance opens, with farmer’s wife Sarah Lewis (Andrea Riseborough) waking alone in her bed as four men climb the hills away from the valley and a troop of Nazi soldiers entering the valley. Under the guise of occupation, their Captain undertakes the real task – searching for a lost artefact that will allow the Nazi occupiers to provide a certain justification for the war.

Traditional conventions in suspense are abandoned in favour of more menacing undertones of fear and violence. Shots are fired and their end result is clear but each shot pushes the emotional aspect rather than that of the gory, front-line convention of war. Yet in the truest sense of audience suspense we witness the shooting of four men and ambiguity is built as to whether it is the missing husbands only to find out along with Maggie that her husband is very likely dead.

The minimalistic dialogue and stretches of silence throughout the 90 minutes certainly adds substance to the ever present violent undertones and bleak desolation of the valley. Whilst dialogue is not necessarily needed to convey the emotional bridges being traversed by the characters – especially with the language barrier, the lack of dialogue creates frustration for the audience, wanting interaction beyond suggestive body language. In several scenes at the start the women’s silence towards Albrecht (Tom Wlaschiha) the only English speaker in the troupe, is conveyed as a protest towards the Olchan Valley occupation. 

The short sections of film detailing the ‘secret mission’ are exactly that: short - mixing the
mission to find the artefact into the plot feels like an added extra to give Sarah and Albrecht more chance to bond, rather than a greater purpose for soldiers at war. It left me wanting either more made of the secret mission sub-plot, or none at all. Sheen’s part is a cameo, bringing in the resistance element into the film with George (Iwan Rheon), a young boy entrusted with the task of observing and possibly intervening against collaborators. Although Sheen is ceremoniously killed by the German’s once discovered.

Wearied by war, Albrecht sets his men to help the women on their farms as the depths of winter set in and trap them all in the valley: there is a surreal normality set up as the men don civilian clothing, as if life carries on with or without war.

The bond formed between Sarah and Albrecht is endearing and although she still misses her husband Tom, writing to him almost every day in a journal she needs Albrecht’s presence and kindness. Her mind is at war between her memories of her husband and her growing feelings for him.

The end sequence of scenes is the most heart-breaking: it is George’s actions against Maggie’s seen ‘collaboration’ with the soldier in the country fair that brings about the characters final actions. With Maggie’s discovery her husband likely dead and her horse shot dead beside her she goes into shock, followed by the panic of one soldier who runs off with the radio to inform his superior’s. Sarah and Albrecht make to run to the hills yet it is Sarah’s loyalty to Tom that destroys him. She sets fire to the artefact in act of love and betrayal, love for her country and for him yet if German superiors found Albrecht and the destroyed artefact they would kill him as a traitor outright. Sarah wanders off into the hills to find Tom, leaving Albrecht to discover her abandonment as he runs back to the house in fear.

I must admit, one curious part of my evening was my discussion after with a particularly picky historian and it was his opinion that the film’s premise of “Imagine if D-Day had failed...” was historically inaccurate, fictionalized and counter-factual or not, the German occupation of Britain would never have occurred after D-Day or even that late in the war if D-Day hadn’t been planned: in 1941 maybe, not 1944. Although he did admit, that aside, it was a very good film.

For all its slights Resistance is a powerful emotional film with vats of atmosphere and fantastic casting, the use of the landscape is dominating and commands the audience appreciation of its beauty and volatility.

Review of Dirty Protest' Office Christmas Party

1^st December

Various locations on City Road, Cardiff.

 Writers:

Duncan Macmillan
Beth Granville
Alan Harris
Aled Roberts
Marged Parry

It’s the 1^st December, so Christmas has come again, at least it was for Dirty Protest’s curious menagerie of plays last week. Presented with a Christmas card, sweets and tinsel the party atmosphere descends unapologetically and invites you to sit, drink and be merry.  Billed as five new plays exploring the world of the Office Christmas Party, Dirty Protest’s talented writers took the audience around an Office Party Time zone, from the before and after to slap bang in the middle and the outside looking in.

First up was A Cold Coming by Aled Roberts, having settled in warmth of the Park Conservative Club with drink in hand, a body is carried through the crowd accompanied by take-away pizza and the cast. Brought together by the request of a dying man for his last rights, the short piece focused on the feelings brought out by the significance of Christmas – Carrie and her failed relationship with her mother and the slightly predictable religious banter between rival parish priests. It was an engrossing piece that could be explored and taken beyond its short life.

Next up was Foiled: introduced to Sabrina, a stereotypical hairdresser and her staff; we follow the antics disastrous events as they finish up shop before the Christmas party. The strongest performer was Francois Pandolfo playing Richie. The piece did appeal to the audience with spectacularly funny moments although there was a reliance on stereotypes to carry it forward.

Duncan Macmillan’s Mistakes have Been Made brought in the theme of recession much more than the others with a one man show about a shady, smooth talking Manager whose rambling party speech told the story of an ailing company struggling with corruption throughout its ranks. Filled with office anecdotes of desk sabotage and mockery of other offices, the audience played the part of his employee’s, raising glasses and allowing him to interact, creating a far more solid office party experience. It ended with real sabotage as ‘audience members’ bundled him into a back room for a ‘beating’: certainly the strongest of the five pieces.  

The cosy Yurt at Milgi’s was up next for Before I go.  A small slice of the world outside the Christmas Party was represented by this one man monologue: a victim of recession cuts, John laments over his job as Santa for Christmas to Janet a co-worker who never took notice of his feelings.  Ditched, he is slipping away molecule by molecule.  Given the 15 minute slot the piece gave enough to enjoy it with a rather engrossing narrative – pity it couldn’t have been that little bit longer.

Lastly was The Demise of Photocopy Boy: Mary, played by Hanna Jarman, awaited a bus home after the office party and the audience were witness to her curious ramblings and opinions of office colleagues, life and the Christmas party. Initially seeming as a digression, her wonderings about serial killers develops into a plan to kill Photocopy Boy: an innocent whose feelings have seemingly now landed him in hot water. Slightly off kilter against the others the play certainly stood out, a well written script gave it credence. Certainly stood in a bus-stop squeezed in with 20 other people listening was a different experience.

The Dirty Protest team certainly lived up to their promise and re-claimed the Christmas party, if not dirty it was most certainly daring and attention drawing: it wholly depends on where you take ‘Dirty’. An almost flawless night, any small delay between was negligible as the atmosphere buzzed and everyone got stuck in.  I certainly enjoyed being a Dirty Elf!

Incubator 2011 at Wales Millenium Centre

Wales Millennium Centre presented their very successful Incubator project Thursday last week. The project aims to assist Welsh artists and companies cultivate new work, providing an empty creative space to try things out.

The audience play a key part in the project, as the work in progress is presented to them over a single night and any feedback the audience feel they would like to give after is conveyed through the informal meet up after or posted on boards outside the Weston Studio. Each piece is roughly no more than 30/40 minutes.

Notional Theatre were first up with their piece Awkward Turtle Flips the bird. Unconventionally, the audience was asked to move onto the stage area, surrounded by a projection screen and smaller TV’s. Slang language, notably gestural slang is the hot topic here and as a slag lexicographer, Notional’s Artistic Director is in familiar territory with his ideas. Gestural slang can speak for itself and almost fully devoid of cast dialogue the piece accentuated that. The dialogue came from a voice over reading dictionary definitions for slang and related terminology. Using gestural slang as their performance language was very effective, particularly with the choreographed expressive movement although splitting concentration and attention between the voice over and the cast did at times become difficult as you interacted with the movements. Over all Awkward Turtle flips the Bird is an innovative piece that should do well as it progresses.

Seeing 3D Theatre Company again was a nice surprise, they performed a short piece at the NRTF conference in July, at Incubator they were armed with a slightly different arsenal. Wyneb Dros Dro (or Temporary Road Surface) is a Welsh language play exploring family tensions at Christmas and the disasters that can ensue. Marian has a surprise for the family, not only is there a new man in her life Dyl and Rhian discover he is much younger than her. Following the Welsh language was difficult at times as my Welsh language skills are far from comprehensive, yet the sign of a good piece is that the gist of the content came through with the cast’s performance. Done script in hand the cast were at times reliant on the papers in front of them and I recognise as a developmental piece script in hand can be useful dependant on the stage of creativity.

Moving into a new space at the WMC, Crashmat Theatre Collective sat the audience around restaurant tables. The collective investigated experimental live performance and original concepts, the piece Super Pseudo uses circus and theatre conventions in a bid to create something original and present an exploration of the private and public faces of a workforce. Circus equipment was strategically placed for the brilliantly choreographed cast to use in performance. As each act performed they were seamlessly paralleled with the voice over narrative i.e. that character’s personal thoughts. The interaction between cast and audience blurred the traditional relationship, bringing it much closer. The company’s investigation is to continue, developing the piece into a full dining experience.

Lastly, Jessie Brett’s piece Woolgatherer took the audience down into a seating area in WMC’s front hall. Gathered in a circle Jessie was not immediately discernable to the audience: blending in quite perfectly before she broke into movement and graduating to dance routines using a range of music. Created as a solo piece, it would be perfect in festivals or busy areas like London’s Covent Garden or Edinburgh during the Fringe. Jessie brought the audience into the moment, even giving the idea that there was a narrative behind her presence.

This year’s incubator was varied and extraordinarily creative and I do hope the audience gave the excellent feedback the companies deserve, in order to take their performances forward in the development process. Good luck to all four and long may this test bed of creativity in Welsh arts be successful!

The Village Social - NTW's Year 2 Opener!

The Village Social at Neath Little Theatre.  26th October 2011

(Photo's by me)

You remember them don’t you? Those fundraisers, 18^th birthdays, cake sales and Christmas concerts, all played out in those unassuming Village Halls, Community Centres and Workman’s Halls. National Theatre Wales does well to build on a concept familiar to all, yet now rarely encountered in reality. The Village Social is its name and it brings us Cae Bach: a place where the darkest corners of life descend on unsuspecting folk in a bizarre mix of music blood and laughter.

The production is a clever mix of part theatre, part social experiment: bringing convention crashing down in fabulous NTW fashion, where moments of total seriousness walk hand in hand with complete absurdity. The woodcraft folk are a group of teenagers led by an apparently normal, quiet boy and are there to do things other than “...drink white lightening and getting Asbo’s” , they proceed to sing a song full of innocence and the language of the deepest of dark winters. Then there are the five legends of Cae Bach...... from Cernuous the horned god of Celtic legend to a little girl who danced to death in the 19^th Century and the lovers Arthur and Anwen Mair.

Having bought refreshments and raffle tickets the audience settle down and are introduced to the five community council members presenting the show, who bluster and bicker as the Clairvoyant (the night’s main entertainment) fails to arrive on time. It is here where the “after unfortunate events” hints are dropped, in the flustered bursts of 27 cat’s dead and 3^rd oldest Yew tree in Britain burnt to the ground. The five legends are told in relative detail, each cast member acting them out, almost if the legends are their own.  

Upon arrive Madame Isis fits the bill of an old, phoney clairvoyant that twists and steals words as they tumble out. With subtle innuendoes of “can anyone do a Roger?” and “I can do a Roger” to inciting full blown fear that sends poor Jean (the Health and Safety officer) scuttling out for dear life with a spear fashioned from the legend of the Silurian tribe.

Madame Isis’ mysterious vanishing act turns the tide as Jean returns on her motorised scooter bedecked in blood and a dog’s head, frightening poor Yvonne and Dave. One by one the madness descends as irrational impulses take over and each character turns into the legend they represented.

As the tale progressed the hilarity and absurdity is in stark contrast to Dion’s story, the little boy who lost his mother ten years earlier, to her own darkness. The balance between both narrative strands often wobbled precariously: the laughter ensuing from the depravity took over against the heart-breaking despair of grief and loss. I wanted more of the emotional catharsis.

Yet Dafydd James own description of Village Social as “[an investigation into the visceral relationships between the human and the animal and a return to animalistic behaviour]” is utterly spot on. Beneath the quietest or most respectable exterior will lurk the most curious of impulses and that sometimes it is necessary to let them loose. Just maybe not in public.......

For its slight imperfections The Village Social was still the wickedly funny return to the primitive that I expected it to be this autumn. It is great to see NTW returning to local Welsh venues as it did in Year 1.

Runs: 20^th October - 12^th November.

Volcano Theatre production of A Clockwork Orange

Volcano: A Clockwork Orange Taliesin Arts Centre
22^nd October 2011

Tucked away on Swansea High Street, Volcano Theatre’s cast are rehearsing for their approaching UK tour of A Clockwork Orange. Volcano have made their home in an intriguing empty space – initially for their 1977 original production Volcano are now resident there long term. The space is misleading as its small front room with scattered sofas and chairs opens on to a bigger, industrial space where artists and actors are able to take over, to rehearse and develop new pieces.

Between preparations two Young Critics catch them for a quick chat.  

The cast are a varied group, coming from a range of nationalities; ranging from a Scot in Mairi Phillips and a strong American accent in Billy Rayner. There also seems to be quite an age gap, between the innocent, fresh faces of Alex Moran and Kyle Edward-Hubbard to the more experienced world-wise cockney Paul Coldrick.

Our Chat with the Cast: 

First things first, what five words would you use to describe the show?

After much debate between themselves and some questionable hyphens, five words just couldn’t quite cover all the ideas covered in the show. The resulting eight words the cast decided upon were: Energetic, Full-on, Weird, Challenging, Beautiful, Funny and Spooky.

With the recent riots in London A Clockwork Orange appears to have more validity in today’s society, unlike the 50’s when Burgess’ believed that the Soviet Union would take over Britain and everything in between. Do you think the story holds even more relevance for today’s audience?

Of course and riots are mentioned but work actually started on the show well before the London riots so we don’t want the focus to be on that but the fact that this is a great adaptation of the book. The story is all about pushing boundaries, youth aggression, adult fear and the lack of police so there are definite parallels there. Anthony Burgess was certainly ahead of his time, he predicted that footballers would be paid ridiculous amounts and we would all use TVs, so there is definitely something to be taken from the text in today’s society.

Burgess invented a new language, Nadsat, that the teens in A Clockwork Orange speak. As it is a mix of English, Russian, Gypsy, Cockney rhyming slang and all sorts of other languages do you worry that the audience won’t understand you?

No, not at all, the Nadsat words carry a lot of weight and emotion so even though the exact meanings may not be understood, they still make sense in context. It’s quite similar to watching Shakespeare, at first the language can be difficult but you soon pick bits and pieces up and everything makes sense in its own way.

The role of Alex is split between each of you; please explain how that has worked?

Alex is the narrator of the story and so we have all become narrators. We are all different and have our own interpretation of the character so by sharing the role we can each bring something different to the stage. Alex is a complex mind and hopefully you get that through the way we have chosen to stage it. Also this suits Volcano’s ethic better, there is no hierarchy, no lead role, everyone is equal and everyone’s contribution counts.

Mairi; being the only woman in a play centred on ultraviolent, male behaviour do you think you had more of a challenge than the men?
It hasn’t really been an issue, most of the time gender isn’t even an issue, I’m just playing Alex. The only time I play a woman is as Alex’s mother, I’m not there to be a rape victim. I think it has been really challenging for all of us.

In the book, music is a very big part of Alex’s life, how has music influenced the production?

Actually the music is only just starting to come in. We wanted the scenes to have their own weight first, without having to rely on dramatic music. It’s there to add another dimension rather than overpower the scene.

Lastly, we asked Volcano what the inspiration was behind the picture of a young boy as the promotional material:

It shows a balance between innocence and aggression, both are looming at you from the picture. Although he is a young angelic looking boy there is a lot of action going on behind him. It’s open to a lot of different interpretations, perhaps it could be Alex as a young boy or maybe even Alex’s future child.

As a Theatre company Volcano are very much up for pushing boundaries and not holding back, for 25 years they have made extraordinary theatre, provoking and stimulating with strong yet unpredictable performances. With this in mind, A Clockwork Orange ought to be done justice as a performance. Keep reading to find out how these ideas translated onto the stage and what we thought of the performance.....

“What’s it going to be then, eh?”

Most would associate A Clockwork Orange as one of the most notorious narratives of the 20^th Century; yet few remember its life began as a novel by Anthony Burgess and not the Stanley Kubrick film of the 70’s. In the hands of theatre company Volcano, Burgess’ narrative is brought back to life and laid bare.

Alex, the dystopia’s main character is a misjudged, neglected 15 year old boy: “a creature incapable of moral choice”. He is the leader of a gang of ‘droogs’, as the Nadsat language calls them. Focusing on the book Volcano give Alex centre stage letting him narrate the story and giving voice to friends and victims alike. Each cast member plays Alex in turn and as a group, lending their multitude of accents to an instantly changeable fast paced piece. These differences allow Alex’s innocence and aggression to be displayed simultaneously, highlighting the confusion suffered by hormonal, misrepresented teenagers. Having such a varied cast brings out the diverse aggression projected onto Alex by the people in his life, even though their intentions are good. It intensifies the debate and moral message of whether it is better to choose to be evil than forced to be good. An argument brought to the surface by the cast in the stark difference between British and American attitudes towards criminals.

It is difficult to move away or play down the ultra-violence that Alex and cronies commit but expressive tap dance, umbrella’s and use of Barbie dolls in the rape scene the violence are far from shocking and responsibly represented. The use of repetition and sped up, expansive movements in the final act of violence adds a darkly comic moment to the absurdity of his drug fuelled adventures.

The set builds on the duality of Alex’s position. All black and square edges, it fades away when an array of television sets burst into colour, highlighting their content. Small, almost insignificant flashes of white appear heightened, a flicker of hope in a sea of evil. The cast, in their monochrome costumes climb over and gather around banks of stereo’s and black bookcase, their white shirts in stark contrast, adding to the duality. Another is during Alex’s experience of the Ludoviko effect: a projection screen replaces the TV’s – ultra violent images projected onto a pure white sheet.

Alex’s vulnerability is emphasized as the production nears its close – in his state of puppeteered goodness Alex gives up his clothes in the rain to help a girl and lands on his parents door fully naked and they reject him for who he was not who he could now become. It is in this state of puppetry that Alex attempts suicide – the Ludoviko effect forces him to associate the beauty, passion and musical clarity Beethoven with ultra-violence. What is life without Beethoven re reasons and jumps, only he is cured of the treatment given and now tiring, voluntarily turns away from his old life.

The last scene is left out of many American editions of the book and was left out of the 1970’s film, yet it is central to the moral and political message intended by Burgess, a man clearly ahead of his time.  Volcano have stayed true to the message and produced a clever, haunted and unforgettable performance.

“Am I to be nothing but a clockwork Orange?”

Pictures kindly provided by Volcano Theatre