The Arty Party

Today I finished a two day stint working on a project called the "Arty Party". The AP was organised by the Community Arts department of Neath/Port Talbot Libraries and was a great Success.
The idea was to get as many kids to try and get involved in as many arts as possible, to which end they had a varied group of artists and performers including myself in a number of rooms at Pontardawe arts centre. Each performer held workshop sessions for Junior aged Kids showing off such diverse skills as Mask Making to storytelling. All in all I did ten 55 minute sessions running over two days which was absolutely exhausting. The kids were all fab really getting into the stories I told and seemingly having a wonderful time. The whole thing was held at the superb facility at Pontardawe arts centre and really was a credit to the borough. I only wish that my tired old body could keep going after such a punishing and demanding Gig. I am absolutely shattered but well enthused and really hoping to get involved in similar projects in the future.
Wow anyway all other projects have been on hold for the last couple of weeks as I have been tied up with preparation for this and the five days I have been on Pobol YCwm in the last few weeks. All together June has probably been the most successful month I have yet had as a performer as the volume of work seems to always be increasing. I only hope the rest of the year will be as manic as the first half.
If not quite as stressful.........

Empty Chairs and Empty Tables

Did the last theatre Stop for Gethin at Ystradgynlais Welfare Hall last Saturday, It was a bit of a red letter day to be honest, taking Gethin back to where the story was born, Performing the Myth only a stone's throw from John Gethin's birthplace at Waunngurlais farm. I was really excited if not a little nervous, How would people react? Were there people who would object to my take on the myth? Would it be well received? . Anyway the last few weeks has been manic so it was with great trepidation that I rolled into Ystrad, only to find that before-hand five tickets had been sold.......
My heart sunk to a new low when I then realised that those five tickets had been prebooked by a cast member. In other words not a single ticket had moved independently.
Amazing.
Trying my best to ignore the despair I got on with rehearsing and preparing the show and by the time the curtain went up we did have an audience of thirty, which all things considering was quite good.
As for the show, it went really well, it was amazing watching a piece that I had written being beautifully acted by a lovely cast and its now that I must thank, Billy Lyons Eleanor Flaherty Kath Weare , and Rachel Howells for bringing these characters so wonderfully to life. It made me a very proud and privileged man, I think the show was far slicker and faster than before and as everyone just slotted into things so well it went superbly,and for that great thanks must go to our wonderful stage Manager Luke Willaims who was superb as ever.
Anyway the sadness of many empty seats has only renewed my drive to try and make these Myths more popular and to try and make the audience fall in love with them once again.

Will I succeed. Time will tell............