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News
Theatr Soffa’s Festive Treat: A Child’s Christmas in Wales
Communities across Pembrokeshire worked hard throughout the winter on their English and Welsh performances of Dylan Thomas’ beloved Christmas tale, ‘A Child’s Christmas in Wales’, that was live-streamed to audiences in December 2021. Rehearsals took place over video calls as part of the innovative Theatr Soffa project, with people participating from across rural Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, thus making it possible for those with underlying health conditions to take part in a community project. Span Arts, Menter Iaith Sir Benfro and Cered have collaborated to bring Welsh and English language groups together; the casts have been creative in crafting props and costumes to bring the heartwarming story to life. Dylan Thomas’s lyrical account of his childhood Christmases in a small Welsh town is a beloved story to many, featuring wolves, bears, hippos and Mrs Prothero’s cat. The play version was presented in both Welsh and English, using the beautiful translation by the late Bryan Martin Davies. It proved the perfect nostalgic winter treat for those who have fond memories to look back on, and young audiences building their own memories for the years to come. The production featured the stunning music of Deuair, comprised of the musical talents of Elsa
‘Crafting The Song of The Golden Road’: a Short Film About the Making of the Radio Ballad
https://youtu.be/X2WHcrzotqY On 26th November a celebration event was held at Llwynhirion Hall in Brynberian, North Pembrokeshire to mark the end of the Ein Cymdogaeth Werin Preseli Heartlands project which Span Arts has played an integral role in delivering over the past three years. At the celebration event a short film about the project was shown. The film documents in particular the music making sessions for the project as well as the background to the project’s inspiration and aims. In 2018 Span Arts worked with Penny Jones and Nia Lewis on the project Stitching Stories which fused textiles, digital technology and heritage to create a patchwork quilt that told stories about the Preseli area when touched. This was followed in the Spring of 2019 with the Preseli Poetry Slam which engaged poet Karen Owen to conduct a series of writing workshops in schools and people’s homes culminating in a poetry slam at Newport Memorial Hall. Finally this Summer we have worked in partnership with Rowan O’Neill and PLANED to produce the Radio Ballad The Song of the Golden Road which was launched at a listening party at Tafarn Sinc on the 6th November 2021. A radio ballad is an extended sound piece
Listen Now: Song of the Golden Road Radio Ballad
On Saturday 6th November Span Arts and Planed hosted a listening party event at Tafarn Sinc for the culmination of the heritage lottery funded project Cân y Ffordd Euraidd / The Song of the Golden Road. The project which has been running since May 2021 has created a radio ballad in response to the Preseli Heartlands, from Crymych to Cwm Gwaun. Taking inspiration from the work of Charles Parker, Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger whose radio ballads to industry and other ways of life were broadcast on the BBC in the late 50s and early 60s, the project hosted talks, walks, interviews and music workshops recording material at each event. The events took place at different locations throughout the Preselis circling the Golden Road, a name for the ancient trackway that runs across the Preseli ridge. A radio ballad, an extended sound piece weaving together oral speech, ambient sound, traditional songs and newly created music and lyrics was created from the rich and deep material recorded. The final programme is an hour in length and skilfully weaves together the lived lives and languages of the Preseli area. At Tafarn Sinc we were joined once again by musician Stacey Blythe who
