Monday 16 November 2009

A Lame excuse

Well here we have it, I sit at home with a broken leg and finally get a chance to update this blog. Well its been awhile and there is loads to talk about so where shall I begin. Firstly a big thanks to all of you that came to the Owain Glyndwr festival at Ynyswen back in September, a fab time was had by all myself included . Since then I have managed to get a small role on the BBC 1 series "Being Human" which I filmed back in Ocotber. Sadly on the last day of filming I managed to break my Fibula by banging it into a metal pole. It was very painful at the time but I left it and only went to the doctors last week and discovered it was broken.
A big thanks also to all those who came along to the Tawe Tales , Llanguig and Pontardawe Grave tidings performances. Despite my leg I feel they all went very well and I hope you all enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed performing. Good news is that Tawe Tales will now run for a second year following its final first year performance in January. This is a source of great pride to myself as it has been a real success and I have really enjoyed it.
In other news I have a tentative offer to return to the Edinburgh fringe next year so watch this space, and work has now continued apace on the long planned book of short stories entitled "Tales from the New Inn"- this will feature many of the stories that I have written for the Tawe Tales. I will keep you posted. In the meantime think of me stuck at home, and take care of yourselves.
Owen
x

Thursday 9 July 2009

Stories stories and stories

Hello All.

A million apologies for the lack of updates once more and thanks for sticking with me. What a year its been , the Tawe Tales project has been Fantastic with over 1000 people attending the two dates performed so far. The atmoshere in the theatres has been fantastic and I have really enjoyed performing them. The next show in October promises to be the best yet so please contact the Sleeping Giant foundation and get your tickets in quick,.
Also preparations are well underway for my Halloween show at Pontardawe this year so Please get your tickets in early as it could well be a sell out again this year.
Some of you may know but I have also made a short film about the Lady of Lyn Y fan fach. It can be viewed on Youtube and I hope to have it up on the site very shortly. Please please check it out and let me know what you think as I soon hope to release a whole DVD of stories that will be available to buy.
Sadly I will no longer be doing the Storytelling circle in pontardawe from September so now is the time for me to say thanks to all of you who attended over the last year and for all your fantastic feedback and support. I am hoping that soon we will have another group off the ground so please keep an eye on this site.

If any of you are here because of my work with the D6 generation I say thanks for dropping by and welcome to you all.

The site is due a big update in the next day or two so please keep posted .

See you soon

Owen

Sunday 18 January 2009

Turning of the seasons

Hello and happy new Year to you all. Sorry for the lack of updates lately but things have as usual been crazy busy. A big thanks to all of you who came to see Macbeth I hope you enjoyed it as much as I loved being in it, it was a blast.
Anyway on to the new. I am in the middle of sorting out a series of four shows entitled "Tawe Tales"  that I am going to perform in the old theatre in Abercraf over the next year. Each show will be themed on a different part of the year and will feature stories from all over Wales. I am really looking forward to this as the Theatre there is awesome and it has not been used as a performance space for years so it should be great.
Menter Brecheiniog have also comissioned me to produce a short film about the Lady of Llyn Y Fan Fach. Those who saw Vortigerns kingdom will remember the tale and it is very dear to my heart so I am looking forward to this one. For those who are still waiting for the novel of Gethin, Fear not, it has now morphed into a series of short Stories called "Tales from the New Inn " and extracts will be posted here very shortly. 
I also continue running the Swansea Valley storytelling Circle and will shortly also be working on the storydays project which  also looks to be exciting.  ll in all things are very very busy, what with Pobol y Cwm stil ongoing and a load of storytelling dates also booked it seems as if 09 will be my busiest yet. Anyway I hope you are all well and I promise to update very shortly....

Owen  x

Monday 17 November 2008

Fillet of a Fenny Snake

Just finished my run at the Grand Theatre with Macbeth for Fluellen theatre. Great cast , Great play and Great times, big thanks to Peter Richards the Director of Fluellen for giving me the chance to play with such a Fab Ensamble, loved it.
We have one more date to go at the De Valence theatre in Tenby on Thursday the 20th of Novemeber so If you fancy seeing this lovely piece of theatre please pop on down and check us out as it will be your last chance.
Always feel kind of strange at these times as everything is sort of in a state of Flux, both Grave Tidings and Macbeth are gone , the Gethin Book needs and injection of enthusiasm and I am in dire need of a good long rest. Next week I have some nice dates with The Libraries in Neath and Port Talbot which should be fun but after that the slate is strangly clean. What shall I do , where shall I go and who shall I meet, many questions but as yet few answers........
Knowing me as I do (quite well I hope) I think there could be some exciting times ahead, keep reading Guys you never know what may come our way............

Wednesday 5 November 2008

Something Wicked this Way comes

Want to start this one with a big thanks to all the staff at Pontardawe arts centre for all their help with Grave Tidings last week. What a wonderful feeling it was to walk out on to the stage and see the place packed to the rafters for Ghost stories. It seems only a short time ago that I was writing here with some despondency about the low turn out when we performed Gethin at Ystradgynlais, what a difference a few months can make...
Grave Tidings wen really well and the audience seemed to enjoy it, it was strange being on stage so long on my own but I think it was a really good and worthwhile experience and one which I already wish to repeat as I have pencilled in a date at the arts centre for next Halloween, where I hope to put on something bigger and even better.
Am currently in the middle of rehearsals for Macbeth with Fluellen theatre, It's a massive challenge as we are putting on the play in three weeks and we open next Tuesday. I play a number of roles but the main character I am doing is Banquo.
I have had some difficulty with the lines but I feel that all of a sudden it is starting to stick with me and I hope that I will not let the side down come opening night at the Swansea Grand theatre on Tue.
It runs there 11th,12th and 13th of Nov so if anybody reading wants to come along and see what is going to be I feel a really good production please please pop along and meet up for a drink in the bar afterwards.
Busy busy times , but good times, the reason that I love doing what I do the most, I hope that by the time I next come to write this blog Macbeth will be another success in what has a very successful performing year so far......
Be bloody Bold and Resolute...............

Owen

Sunday 12 October 2008

Cold Nights and colder Hearts

Back in June I spent a very cold drunken and uncomfortable night sleeping on a beach in Ventnor (don't ask, wait for the autobiography) . That's not the point here is the point........

On Tuesday the 14th of October at 7.30 at Pontardawe arts centre you will see the beginning of the Swansea Valley Storytelling circle. A place for storytellers and Bards to gather and tell of their exploits, a place to exchange stories and ideas in a comfortable and friendly setting. Its something that I have thought about for many years but now because of the vision of one Tracy Evans it is about to become a reality. If you have any ideas or wish to contribute to our Oral history then please do not hesitate to come along where and hopefully we can make it a big success.
The nights grow colder and in just over a scant two weeks I will be debuting my new show "Grave tidings" its as I have said before a solo piece so please wish me luck I feel I might need it.
Peter Richards of Fluellen theatre has very kindly asked me to play Banquo in his latest touring production of Macbeth which begins rehearsals on the 20th of this month and runs in the Grand theatre in Swansea and other dates across the country during November please check out Fluellen's website for more details should you require them, I hope its going to be good.
I have not forgotten about the Gethin book which also continues at pace, watch this space for I will ask the Blue Princess to post some extracts as soon as I get a chance to speak to her. As most of you know Technology and I are uneasy bedfellows so I leave all things E in her capable hands.

Until next time.........

Owen

Tuesday 19 August 2008

Wet days and Dark nights

Memphis was fab great weather, great place and a little time to write, awesome Loved it.
Although its been a little while since I last blogged here quite a few things have happened. Firstly last weekend I performed as the Festival Storyteller for the Pontardawe Music Festival , although this was wet and I ended up performing almost knee deep in mud to an audience that included Pick nickers and more than the Odd Dog. It was a great experience and It brought home to me exactly what it must have been like for the storytellers of old as they performed from village to village. A big thanks must go to Paul at NPT Libraries for organising it.
Work on the Gethin book continues at Pace and although the first chapter will be later than expected I hope to have it up here for you all to read pretty soon.
I have now chosen the three Ghost Stories that I will use as the content of my Halloween show Grave Tidings at the Pontardawe arts centre on the 31st of Oct . I hope it will be good.
Anyway I must go I'm still hoping the summer is going to show up but at lease when its dark and dreary outside I seem to be at my most creative.
Well I hope so anyway time is moving on and projects must be finished.........