29/09/2013
When I left Wales in 2007,
with thirteen years of Welsh TV production experience under my belt, and having
set up my own successful youth theatre group when I was thirteen, I was faced,
for the first time in my life with this detrimental condemnation of Wales as
being a ‘parochial, amateur, kitsch and quaint’ nation, who were a bit dim, and
not of the Oxbridge caliber. The fact that I had dared to venture down from the
mountains of North Wales, made my quest even more questionable, and having
written to well over 200 companies – received only a handful of human replies –
including the highly respected Josie Rourke, who was then at the Bush. Once I
entered via the ‘intern / experience’ door, the ‘industry’ were shocked that a)
I knew so much, b) I had common sense and c) I could do actually do the ‘job’
to the extent of my employers being scared that I was after their own jobs!
The same naïve knowledge of Wales, was alive and well at Youth Music Theatre, when I joined them in 2008. ‘We can’t seem to get the Welsh kids
in’, they cried, and it was clear to me, from day one, that the approach
was totally wrong.
Eisteddfod yr Urdd |
In Wales, from the age of five, or even earlier in some
cases, we are almost forced to sing, dance or act in schools in preparation for
the annual youth, International and National Eisteddfodau. These are the
cultural highlights of the year, held either in North, Mid or South Wales
respectively, in order for different areas to benefit both
culturally and financially. Newly commissioned musical theatre is created for
the festivals, with companies of up to four hundred young people, from local
schools, performing at a local venue or on the main festival stage. Taught and rehearsed by aunties and uncles, teachers and preachers,
past winners and competitors, all born into ‘our musical nation’, to quote
Dylan Thomas! Past winners include Daniel Evans, Rhys Ifans, Cerys Matthews, Ioan Gruffudd, Matthew Rhys, Duffy, Siân Phillips and Bryn Terfel, to name but a few! So, this FREE tradition is there,
in the blood, the passion, the determination and also the talent. The last thing these proud Welsh people
wanted was an ignorant Englishman calling them, asking for over a £1,000 for a two week course on how to sing and dance! Most of them wanted
to run away from it!
Double Olivier Award Winner Daniel Evans |
Guidance and experience was the training they needed, to cross the so
called ‘golden bridge’ from Wales, to the West End, and beyond. To recognize
and build on their talents, rather than showing them how to do it. Using their natural skills in a different way, to enable a different sound and thought.
The same applies, in a way, to the writing. Every year, in
the Eisteddfodau, we have high profile literature competitions, for prose and
poetry, drama, music and even for Welsh learners. Having won the short drama
writing award (30/40mins), three years in succession between 1995 and 1997,
(the only person ever to do this in succession!), it always angered me when
people criticized Wales for not having ‘new writers!’ In September 1999, I
wrote a very passionate answer in the Welsh publication ‘Barn’, in support of
Welsh playwrights stating that we were alive and well, the numbers competing at
the eisteddfodau proving it – 24 short plays in 1999, 10 in 1998, 11 in 1997, 17 in 1996 and 8
in 1995. But who was responsible for nurturing these ‘new writers’ and what
happened to the ‘new works’, after the eisteddfod week? As a past winner, I
knew that you instantly became the ‘flavour of the month’ and everybody wanted
you to write, even if you didn’t have anything to write about!
Daily Post 1996 |
You
were expected to churn out hit after hit. I was even asked by one well known
director, who will remain nameless (for now!), if I’d be willing to ‘forget
everything you know about writing and start again?!’ What utter nonsense! To be
FORCED to write large scale, semi-educational, ensemble led collaborations,
just in order for him to be called the auteur of the piece!
Another
fringe company, who’d obtained a grant for me to spend a few months, writing a
new piece for them, also treated me appallingly. I was being ‘mentored’ by a soured actor come pop star who declared that my first idea was ‘a child’s
fascination with death’ and asked me to write a play about a current issue.
Having submitted the second idea, weeks later, I was told it was ‘too issue
based’! I lost complete trust and respect for them, and later completed my
first idea, which won me my third, and final award at the eisteddfod that year!
One successful play, does not make a playwright!
That’s a
big painful, lesson that we writers need to learn. The same goes for a
director. You can study from books till the cows come home, but the best
education is seeing theatre, morning, noon and night. From a single chair in a
Porto cabin to a £20 million pound revolving stage! From Shakespeare to
Sondheim, Pinter to Neilson, Kane to Rattigan, we learn from everything we see.
What works, what doesn’t work, what moves and bores us, what dazzles and disheartens.
The same is true for a writer – all you need is a pen, characters, an
interesting location and a question that needs an answer! The stronger the story,
character and dialogue, the more appealing the play.
To date, I’ve probably seen over 500 productions, and I’m
STILL learning! That’s what drives me. The ideas, the vision, the simplicity
and complexity of theatre. How to structure a story, how to live the life of
the character, how to feel and how to say what you want, and need to say? What
drives your passion, anger, frustration or happiness?
Due
to the lack of financial funds, (and maybe more worryingly) the lack of artistic
vision and support to promote and encourage and build on individual strengths,
many a Welsh playwright in the late 1990’s, turned their stories into novels,
which were later published, and in some cases, adapted back for stage and
screen!
After being in London for a few years, I then looked back on Wales, in a completely different way.
I am extremely proud of my Nation and language, and want to see it survive. Wanting to return, one day, with the knowledge and experience to educate and introduce a different way of creating theatre. Yes, I was amazed at some of the decisions that were made, the people appointed to the wrong jobs, the petrified fear of being connected or even seen talking or agreeing publicly with any outspoken individual (such as myself) who dared question them, and raise a storm. I could understand the fear – everyone needed to pay their mortgages and rent, everyone needed to work within Wales; people were related or had been coached by so-and-so, so it was a case of ‘shut up and put up’, fanning a small flame rather than fuelling a burning bonfire.
The bilingual nature of Wales has also caused much debate with the first language Welsh citizens and creatives being understandably
over protective and in many ways, paranoid, about ‘our culture’ and ‘our
theatre’ with a very strong theme of ‘this is how we’ve done it over the years,
which has been fine and therefore, this is how we’ll continue’. It was very
much a culture of ‘jobs for the boys’, and in some cases, seeds were planted in
order for certain leading figures to grow and become established, keeping out the
more radical and experienced voices.
Then came the ‘it all takes time’ argument, ‘its only been
four years, we are still in the early days’ which I now know the truth to be ‘we
didn’t know what the f*&k we were trying to do!’. ‘We have to be so careful, ‘ I was warned, ‘or
we’ll lose everything we’ve worked hard for’, with the threat of a combined
bilingual National Theatre. ‘If that happens, then we’ll all have to share the
blame, even you as a critic’, I was threatened! The idea and essence of
collaboration scaring the living daylights out of everyone, needing to protect
their own wages and companies.
Pethe' Brau - Theatr Cymru - 1972 |
Sadly, the reality was, and in some ways still is, the lack
of experienced individuals who knew or know, what they were doing, and what
needs/ed to be done. We are a waiting room Nation, looking out for our creative
Glyndŵr, to come and save the day! Too scared and proud to ask for
International assistance, in case the truth be known, and the castles on the
clouds, falls. Too ashamed or even proud
to collaborate with English companies, fighting the oppression and detrimental beliefs
of the ‘alright boyo?’ Taffy culture. There
is also a common belief amongst the older, more protective generation, that
‘we’ve done all this in the past, we don’t need to do it again’.
Y Gelli Geirios - Cwmni Theatr Gwynedd - 1991 |
Back in the late 1980’s and 1990’s the Welsh theatre scene
was alive and well. Companies and creatives were popping up everywhere; actors
came together to form companies from agitprop to alternative, from festivals to
farces which planted in me, not only the
passion for live theatre, but also the electricity of our theatrical tradition.
Although the closest relation we ever had to the current Theatr Genedlaethol,
(founded 2003) called Theatr Cymru back in the 1960’s to 1980’s had retired by
the time I was old enough to care, the newly opened theatr at Bangor, in North
Wales, gave birth to Cwmni Theatr Gwynedd (circa 1986).
Wilbert Lloyd Roberts (1926-1996) meeting Ionesco |
Under the leadership of Wilbert Lloyd Roberts and later
Graham Laker, this company staged Welsh and International Classics, from Molière to Saunders Lewis, and their stunning production values and unique
theatrical vision, excited me greatly. I was so proud to accept the invitation
to be the youngest member of their artistic board, after my graduation, up
until the company and theatre were forced to close, due to the lack of funding
circa 2008. In both South and Mid-Wales, other fringe companies were producing
physical and educational theatre in farmyards, old industrial units and
swimming pools, way before Punchdrunk or NTS! Many a fringe company was founded
in a rebellious fight against the ‘classical hierarchy’ of Cwmni Theatr Gwynedd,
which added greatly to the variety on offer.
Graham Laker ( - 2001) |
Even during my visit to Port Talbot to experience the once-in-a-lifetime
Sheen spectacle ‘The Passion’ by NTW, I was confronted with this attitude of ‘why
the fuss?, we were doing this kind of thing in Welsh, with Brith Gof, years
ago’. So why stop? The stubborn, protective
Welshness, that needs to embrace the world, not fear it.
So where are we these days?
New ‘companies’ set up by actors (mainly) to ‘promote’ and
‘produce’ new writing. Whilst welcoming them, with one hand, I worry about the
self appointed ‘leaders / directors’ of these groups. Dirty Protest seems to be
churning out new ‘writers’ in Cardiff, on a monthly basis, which worries me
slightly. We are now in a culture of – ‘I’m an out-of-work actor so I’ll start
writing or directing, and then create work for my out-of-work friends!’. This
has resulted in a mass of monologues and a sea of soliloquies, that some would
argue is the easiest form of writing. I disagree. To create a truly brilliant
monologue is more of a challenge than sticking two characters in an interesting
location, and letting them talk! It’s a
tough one to find the right balance, and the danger of going down this route is
that we’ll create a nation of ‘writers’ all aiming high, but having their hopes
crushed not only from the competition, but also from the limited companies and resources.
I would urge these new companies to be
creatively careful and to think up a strong support strategy, maybe a traffic
light system, rather than the current ‘jobs for the boys’ attitude and
approach. If not, I do believe it could
have a disastrous affect on Welsh culture and identity.
I'm with the Band - Traverse / WMC - 2013 |
I was furious when I saw Tim J Price’s latest
offering at the Edinburgh Fringe this year – ‘I’m with the Band’. To think this
was meant to be a co-production between Scotland and Wales, to clearly promote
Scottish Independence, we as a Nation came out of it as "the cowed” according
to the Independent’s (unbelievable) 5* review! To portray the Welsh as babies,
being pushed in the flight box pram, unable to speak our minds or stand up for
ourselves, angered me greatly, never mind the half naked rolling on the floor
under the oppression of the English, towards the end, whilst Scotland enters,
over the monitor mountains, to save the day.
I'm with the Band - Traverse / WMC - 2013 |
If this is the Wales that Price is
‘proud’ of and wants to pass on to his first-born son, as noted in the programme,
then he should hang his head in shame. The distinct lack of Welsh roots and
cultural identity were painfully obvious. The sad truth is that the music
industry appears to be one of the few stages we, the Welsh, HAVE actually
conquered between the Manics, Stereophonics, Tom and Shirley, Duffy, Catatonia,
Siân James, Anrhefn, Ryland Teifi, to name but a few! So the musical band
analogy made the whole plot even more of a sore and very bad, sad joke.
Land of Our Fathers - Theatre 503 - 2013 |
This lack of Welsh identity was painfully obvious in
another recent London ‘hit’ – for some – ‘Land of Our Fathers’ at the 503.
Despite the brilliance of writing in parts, and the pit of artistic license
clawed through in the darkness, the Welsh identity was non-existent. Between
the swearing, the singing of musical theatre songs and the sun chair, all below
ground, in the face of death and pit disaster – the horror of which would be routed
deep in their family history, made the whole scenario a complete joke. I, being
a child of the 1970’s hadn’t even heard of musical theatre in Wales, never mind
knowing the words to ‘The Sound of Music’ and dreams of escaping to London! It
was like Butlins, after five days of facing death, with limited
food, water and the stench. Not one mention of an Eisteddfod, Chapel, Male Voice
Choir, Band of Hope, and the most detrimental treatment of Welsh women, I have
ever heard!
These newly created companies / collaborations
between actors that came about whilst waiting for the Theatr Genedlaethol, and
later National Theatre of Wales, to try and find its feet. I was often told,
quite matter-of-factly, that the Theatr Genedlaethol’s role was NOT to promote
new writing, but its brief was to ‘stage three full scale, mainstream
productions a year’! My heart sighed. No wonder these smaller companies staged
readings with their friends, hyped along by the well wishes of their families,
in desperation, not only for work, but for ‘new exciting edgy theatre’.
3D, again based in Cardiff, will celebrate its tenth
anniversary this year. Whilst again
welcoming these projects, having witnessed a recent presentation of new work –
three pieces, developed over a few years at Sherman Cymru, I was saddened at the same faults
being amplified in all them. The first scene being a voiceover or sequence of
images, or a ‘leader’ / ‘minister’ addressing their people / audience, in order
to set the context of the play, rather than allowing the context, plot, story
to arise naturally from the dialogue and characters.
Llwyth - Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru - 2010 |
I’ve also been horrified at the ‘years of development’ that
some of the Cardiff based recent projects have been subjected too. Passed from
writer to director, from company to company, and with each passing and person,
the initial idea of the writer has been killed, culled or potted into something
that the director or company wanted to produce, rather than the initial idea the
writer wanted to share! We are left with a ghost, an empty shell of something
that could have been truly magical. When the shit hits the fan, the delight of
delegation and the ‘nothing-to-do-with-me’ comes conveniently into play. On the
rare occasion of success, such as with Dafydd James’ play ‘Llwyth’ a very
personal journey of gay sexual exploration, which premiered in Wales, and then
went on tour visiting Edinburgh and Taiwan, many will relish in its praise,
which sadly affects the confidence and rawness of the production.
‘I’m out of work, so therefore I’ll write’ - complete and utter nonsense.
Failed
actors’ egos seeking a news stage, rather than being led by their pain body or
baggage, anger or distress to tell the world how they feel. That voice needs to
be controlled nurtured and comforted.
I started working on an idea for a film about twelve years
ago! It was taken from festival to festival, from workshop to workshop, from
company to company. Commissioners, Producers and fellow writers all had their
say, and slowly but surely, my idea drifted away from me. I was carried by an
empty balloon, blinded by the story and ‘international appeal’ without actually
having somebody simply ask me, what was I trying to say? A simple question, one
that many of us are still unsure about the answer – such is life! But when you
are finally made to face that answer, the results can be truly fantastic.
That’s what makes a writer, not the necessity to tick a box, find work for a
friend or fulfill a funding application. That process needs the right people to
ask the right questions, to listen, to assist, to suggest, to support and also
to have the courage to say, ‘listen mate – you’re not ready to write this yet,
because you’re not sure what you’re trying to say’ or simply ‘you have nothing
to say, its just a story’.
For me, I had to try and commit suicide, determined to end
my life, before being made to realize, that I was suffering from severe depression,
lost in loneliness. That’s what makes me want to write, to share, to warn, to
educate to help me come to terms with who I am.
Only now, almost thirteen years later, do I truly understand what MY
film was about, and what I’m now ready to turn into a stage play. Being a
writer, like life itself, is a journey, not a destination.
Aled Jones Williams |
Another recent important and influential Welsh voice is ex
Church of Wales Reverend Aled Jones Williams who’s been battling with
alcoholism and troubled by the emptiness of his Faith, for years. His
theatrical vision and writing has been truly exciting. Kane meets Beckett meets
Pinter. A raw, honest, sadomasochistic and often troubled look at what it means
to be a survivor in the twentieth century.
When you read his plays, you truly
see the vision, derived from years of experiencing theatre and films, from
Edinburgh to Stratford East. A vision, sadly, far beyond the ability of any
director to date, who (I fear) tends to opt for the easier, cheaper version rather
than trying to match or even recreate what is written. Many a time I have
shuddered with embarrassment, as an actor/director too scared (or ignorant of
the power of nudity on stage), exits in a pair of Donald Duck boxer shorts,
completely ruining the intended theatrical moment. Other examples are key props
being conveniently found on stage, rather than dropped from a great height, as
the vision requests, or the body of a female Jesus hiding in a tip of a world,
rather than being dumped from the trunk of truck, as requested.
Iesu - Aled Jones Williams - Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru - 2008 |
Having accidently met him recently, during a matinee of the
new McPherson play at the Donmar, he confided in me that he hadn’t been writing
in the last few years, as he simply had ‘nothing to say’. He also agreed with me that he was still
waiting to work with a director who actually challenged his vision, and even
delivered what he’d written on stage! A comment which I’d quoted in a recent article in Y Cymro, and was attacked by one fringe company member – who cheekily
asked me if I had seen their previous productions! Yes, I answered, I had seen
their attempts to convey his FULL vision on stage, but failed due to the lack
of funds, or maybe even experience.
Dirty Protest - Almeida Theatre 2013 |
Filling the stage at the Royal Court or the Almeida Festival
with half travelled half imagined creations about ‘cat & partner killing, blow up doll abusing, fishy
smelling gits’ (as I apologetically tweeted after the Dirty Protest showcase in
London, assuring everyone that this was not a reflection of the Welsh people!)
- will get us nowhere. The heart shaped Welsh cakes handed out at the end of
the Sunday matinee at the Almeida, sweet as it meant to be, saddened me.
Imagine being handed a thistle shaped haggis at the end of an NTS London show?!
So the whole PR package seems lost and without control. Twitter Facebooking
images of dressing room names at the Court and group t-shirt shots on Sloane
Square, drowns the pride of achievement under an embarrassing eiderdown of
childish passion.
Care is needed; both in the writing, planning, control and
staging. By all means head to Edinburgh, experiment, join the thousands that
share the passion and dreams, but come back having seen, listened and learned what
truly makes quality theatre. A theatre that we can, and should be, proud of. Stage the best, not the rest.
Salt, Root and Roe - Donmar - 2011 |
Yes, there are many names in the Welsh writing ether at the
moment – but we need to be careful. I’m slightly worried about Tim Price who
seems to be turning any recent news story into plays – from Bradley Manning to Scottish
Independence, to his upcoming monologue at the NT about the ‘Occupy London’
movement. They are all a far cry from the quiet beauty of his inaugural, lyrical
‘Salt, Root and Roe’ which I adored during the Donmar season a few years ago.
Rushing after any recent newsworthy plots may be a warning of a lost voice, not
knowing what he truly wants to say, sacrificed by the PR machine of success,
bullied by stronger co-producers, as was embarrassing clear to me, after ‘I’m
with the Band’.
Blodeuwedd - Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru - 2013 |
As far as NTW and ThGen goes, I think its been a great
influence and inspiration on current theatre goers. The only worry I have is
the current tendency to keep away from the main playing houses, which are
desperately dormant, especially in North and Mid Wales. The Theatr Genedlaethol
have now, (finally, but alas, so late in the day) started to follow suit with
site-specific productions. This style of performance is now influencing the
writers too, so we are less likely to see more classic three-act structures
coming to the stage. The dreaded television influence is also very apparent, in
a sea of short scenes, rather than fuller, bolder, braver scenes, we can get
our teeth into. The danger / worry again is that the little true talent there
actually is, will be spread so far and wide, it will lose its flavour and
power. Sadly, this happened with the wonderful Hugh Hughes residency on Anglesey via NTW this year. Having fallen in love with his Welsh wit and warm character in
Edinburgh over the years, his ‘show’ on Anglesey was a complete flop, owing to
the essence and quirky props being scattered too thinly over the island thus
weakening the final product.
In my fortieth year, twenty seven years since I wrote and
staged my first short play, sixteen years since I won my last award, I am
finally finding my voice, having experienced life at its most cruel. The plays
(note, not monologues!) I read by young people aged between 16 and 26 for the
drama writing competition at the eisteddfodau in 2000 and 2010, all entered
anonymously, were far more inspirational and unique, than anything I’ve seen to
date by Dirty Protest.
We need to be honest with ourselves, and think about what we
are trying to do, rather than rush in all directions, with half-baked, tasteless
Welsh produce. We are not a cowed nation.
We have the talent to dazzle and debate, to shock, question and to mock, without having to make complete fools of ourselves. I’m sorry
to state the blooming obvious, but any failed or out of work actor, is not a
potential, or even worse – a self proclaimed – writer or director. The same current
argument about audience members being experienced critics. Yes, we can all have
a go, have our say, a chance to express our thoughts, but unless we have
respected and experienced, educated leadership, to question, suggest or share with
us a new possible way of looking at things, then we are destined to fail, to
scare away and to lose support. Hobson’s support of Pinter, and Pinter’s
support of Kane, leaps alarmingly to mind.
Sarah Kane (1971-1999) |
Too much weak and badly created theatre can have a much
worse affect than the lack of quality material. Audiences will get bored, money
will be saved, and theatres empty. Collaboration, patience, and respect is the
key, not a loose creative cannon shooting shit in all directions!
I was very disappointed to learn recently that Arts Council
Wales refuses to fund and financially support Welsh writers without a base in
Wales! What good comes from that? Surely it’s the voice and ideas of these
brave, souls, who have managed to make a success of it, outside this protected,
unhealthy web of Welsh who’s who, that should be given a chance to suggest,
explain and promote Wales, with an unbiased, unconnected opinion?
No comments:
Post a Comment