PERFFORMIO YN NGHYMRU PERFORM

ANCE IN WALES

AMDANOM NI / ABOUT US EIN PARTNERIAID / OUR PARTNERS

CYSYLLTIADAU DEFNYDDIOL / USEFUL LINKS

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www.wai.org.uk

Dyma ychydig ddolenni, digwyddiadau a sefydliadau y gallwch gyfeirio atynt os hoffech gael gwybod mwy am y sîn berfformio yng Nghymru neu os ydych am ymgysylltu â hi.

Here are a few links, events and organisations you can refer to if you’d like to find out more about or engage with the Welsh performance scene.

Agor Drysau / Open DoorsGwyl ryngwladol flynyddol i theatr blant a gynhelir gan y cwmni theatr Cymraeg, Arad Goch, sydd â’i gartref yn Aberystwyth, gorllewin Cymru.

An annual international children’s theatre festival produced by Welsh language theatre company Arad Goch, based in Aberystwyth, west Waleswww.agordrysau-openingdoors.org

Creu Cymru Yr asiantaeth ddatblygu i theatrau a chanolfannau celfyddydau yng Nghymru. Wedi’i sefydlu yn 2001 trwy fenter y sector, mae Creu Cymru’n meithrin ac yn cefnogi rhwydwaith ffyniannus o ganolfannau ar draws Cymru.

The development agency for theatres and arts centres in Wales. Established in 2001 through the initiative of the sector, Creu Cymru nurtures and supports a flourishing network of venues across Wales. www.creucymru.co.uk

Dirty Protest Cydweithfa dan arweiniad artistiaid sy’n arddangos ac yn cynhyrchu dramâu newydd gan awduron yng Nghymru dan arweiniad yr awdur Tim Price.

An artist led collective showcasing and producing new plays by writers in Wales, led by writer Tim Price. www.dirtyprotesttheatre.co.uk

Dolenni â’r sefydliadau/artistiaid a restrir.

Links to artists/organsations listed.

André Stittwww.andrestitt.com

Anthony Howellwww.anthonyhowell.org

Antic Corporationwww.antictheatre.co.uk

Anushiye Yarnellwww.anushiyeyarnell.com

Arad Goch www.aradgoch.org

Bara Cawswww.theatrbaracaws.com

Cai Tomoswww.caitomos.com

Centre for Performance Researchwww.thecpr.org.uk

Canolfan Gelfyddydau Chapter / Chapter Arts Centrewww.chapter.org

Clwyd Theatre Cymruwww.clwyd-theatr-cymru.co.uk

Cwmni Frân Wenwww.franwen.com

Davida Hewlettwww.davidahewlett.com

Dirty Protestwww.dirtyprotesttheatre.co.uk

Eddie Laddwww.eddieladd.com

Gary Owenwww.gary-owen.co.uk

Gai-jin San Theatrewww.mrforeigner.com

ExperimenticaGwyl gelf fyw a chelf sy’n seiliedig ar amser a gynhelir yn flynyddol gan Ganolfan Gelfyddydau Chapter gydag artistiaid o Gymru a phob cwr o’r byd.

An annual live and time-based art festival produced by Chapter Arts Centre with artists from Wales and across the globe. www.chapter.org

National Theatre Wales Community Gwefan gymunedol sy’n rhannu barn, adolygiadau a newyddion gan ei aelodau ynglyn ag actorion, awduron a phobl greadigol o Gymru a thu hwnt.

A community website that shares views, reviews and news from its members of actors, writers and creatives in, from, and beyond Wales.www.community. nationaltheatrewales.org

Theatre WalesAr y wefan hon, gallwch gael hyd i newyddion a thrafodaeth am y theatr yng Nghymru gyda fforwm trafod, manylion llawn am gwmnïau, proffiliau’r prif chwaraewyr ac archif sy’n cynnwys erthyglau beirniadol.

On this website, you can find news and debate on Welsh theatre, with discussion forum, full details on companies, profiles of key players and archive of critical articles.www.theatre-wales.co.uk

What’s Welsh for Performance?Prosiect archif sy’n olrhain hanes celf berfformio yng Nghymru ers y 1960au.

An archive project tracing the history of performance art in Wales since the 1960s. www.performance-wales.org

Gerald Tylerwww.yearofthebear.co.uk

good cop bad copwww.culturecolony.com/profile/ good-cop-bad-cop

Greg Cullenwww.gregcullen.com

Hijinxwww.hijinx.org.uk

Kathryn Ashill www.kathrynashill.blogspot.com

Katie O’Reillywww.kaiteoreilly.com Magdalena Projectwww.themagdalenaproject.org

Marc Reeswww.r-i-p-e.co.uk

Matt Cookwww.sciencefidelity.co.uk

Mr & Mrs Clarkwww.mrandmrsclark.co.uk

National Theatre Waleswww.nationaltheatrewales.org

Nofit Statewww.nofitstate.org

Paul Granjonwww.zprod.org

Pearson/Brookes www.mikebrookes.com

Random Peoplewww.random-people.net

Samuel Haslerwww.samuelhasler.co.uk

Sherman Cymruwww.shermancymru.co.uk

Shock n Awewww.shocknawe.org.uk

Simon Whiteheadwww.untitledstates.org

Sioned Huws www.wai.org.uk

Spectacle Theatrewww.spectacletheatre.co.uk

Theatr Cynefinwww.cynefin.org

Theatr Genedlethol Cymruwww.theatr.com

Theatr Gerdd Cymru / Music Theatre Waleswww.musictheatrewales.org.uk

Theatr Iolowww.theatriolo.com

Tracewww.tracegallery.org

Volcanowww.volcanotheatre.co.uk

Celfyddydau Rhyngwladol CymruMae Celfyddydau Rhyngwladol Cymru’n cefnogi hyrwyddo a datblygu gwaith proffesiynol cyfoes ar draws yr holl ffurfiau ar gelfyddyd, drwy annog deialog ryngwladol drwy gydweithredu a gweithio mewn partneriaeth. Mae rhan o’n rhaglen yn canolbwyntio ar ddatblygu llwybrau newydd at farchnadoedd a buddsoddi ym mhresenoldeb Cymru yn y prif sioeau arddangos megis Sioe Arddangos Caeredin y British Council. Cangen ryngwladol Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru yw Celfyddydau Rhyngwladol Cymru sy’n gweithio mewn partneriaeth â’r British Council.

Mae Celfyddydau Rhyngwladol Cymru yn rhedeg cronfa cyfleoedd rhyngwladol lle gall ymarferwyr a sefydliadau celfyddydol yng Nghymru dderbyn cefnogaeth uniongyrchol i ymchwilio a gwireddu prosiectau gyda phartneriaid o wledydd tramor.

Wales Arts InternationalWales Arts International supports the promotion and development of contemporary professional practice across all art-forms, by encouraging international dialogue through collaboration and partnership working. Part of our programme focuses on developing new routes to markets and invest in Welsh presence in major international showcases such as the British Council Edinburgh Showcase. Wales Arts International is the international arm of the Arts Council of Wales working in partnership with the British Council.

Wales Arts International runs an International Opportunities Fund for Wales based art practitioners and organisations who can be directly supported to research and realise projects with overseas partners.

Celfyddydau Rhyngwladol Cymru / Wales Arts International Plas Bute / Bute Place Caerdydd / Cardiff CF10 5AL

T +44 (0)29 2044 1320info@wai.org.uk www.wai.org.uk

Y British CouncilLlwyfan eilflwydd ar gyfer perfformio cyfoes yn y DU yw Sioe Arddangos Caeredin y British Council, sy’n cynnwys rhai o’r cynyrchiadau teithiol bach a chanolig mwyaf arbennig sydd wedi’u creu yn y DU a’u dewis gan y British Council o Wyl yr Ymylon, Caeredin. Mae’r British Council wedi cydweithio’n agos â grwp llywio o hoelion wyth byd y ddrama a’r ddawns yn y DU a oedd yn cynnwys James Tyson, John McGrath a Fern Smith o Gymru. Mae’r British Council yn gwahodd dros 200 o gynrychiolwyr i fynychu’r Sioe Arddangos, wedi’u tynnu o’r sector celfyddydau perfformio rhyngwladol gan gynnwys rhaglenwyr, cynhyrchwyr ac asiantwyr allweddol. Prif amcan Sioe Arddangos Caeredin 2011 yw datblygu marchnadoedd newydd a broceru cydweithrediadau newydd rhwng rhwydwaith byd-eang y British Council ac ymarferwyr y DU.

Sefydliad rhyngwladol y DU ar gyfer cysylltiadau diwylliannol yw’r British Council.

British CouncilThe British Council’s Edinburgh Showcase is a biennial platform of contemporary UK performance featuring some of the most outstanding small and middle-scale touring productions made in the UK and selected by the British Council from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. British Council has worked closely with a steering group of leading figures from drama and dance in the UK which included James Tyson, John McGrath and Fern Smith from Wales. The British Council invites over 200 delegates to attend the Showcase, drawn from the international performing arts sector and include key programmers, producers and agents. The primary objective of Edinburgh Showcase 2011 is to develop new markets and broker new collaborations between the British Council’s global network and UK practitioners.

British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations.

British Council 10 Spring Gardens London SW1A 2BN

T +44 (0)20 7389 3194www.britishcouncil.org

www.edinburghshowcase.britishcouncil.org

Cyngor Celfyddydau CymruAsiantaeth ariannu a datblygu’r celfyddydau yw Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru. Drwy wahanol gynlluniau ariannu mae Cyngor y Celfyddydau’n cynnig cyfleoedd i sefydliadau celfyddydau ac unigolion yng Nghymru i hyfforddi, ymchwilio, datblygu a chynhyrchu gwaith newydd ac i deithio’n genedlaethol. Mae Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru hefyd yn rhedeg cynllun Teithio yn y Gymuned: Noson Allan – www.nightout.org.uk

Arts Council of WalesArts Council of Wales is the funding and development agency for the arts. Through various funding schemes the Arts Council offers opportunities for arts organisations and individuals in Wales to train, research, develop and produce new work and tour nationally. Arts Council of Wales runs a Community Touring scheme too: Night Out – www.nightout.org.uk

Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru / Arts Council of Wales Plas Bute / Bute Place Caerdydd / Cardiff CF10 5AL

T +44 (0)845 8734 900gwyb@celfcymru.org.uk info@artswales.org.uk

www.celfcymru.org.uk www.artswales.org.uk

1 TABU, © NoFit State

2 The Passion, © National Theatre Wales & Dan Green

3 Cai tomos, En Residencia, © Marc Rees & Warren Orchard

4 Ras goffa Bobby Sands / The Bobby Sands memorial race © Eddie Ladd

5 In Memory of ballon girl, © Kathryn Ashill

6 Adain Avion, © Marc Rees

7 End to Isolation, © Davida Hewlett

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RADICALIAETHA BWRIAD:PERFFORMIOYNG NGHYMRUJames Tyson yw’r Rhaglennydd Theatr yng Nghanolfan Gelfyddydau Chapter yng Nghaerdydd, un o ganolfannau mwyaf Ewrop ar gyfer datblygu a chyflwyno celfyddydau cyfoes. Mae hefyd yn wneuthurydd theatr ac yn gyfansoddwr sy’n cyflwyno gwaith yn Chapter ac yn rhyngwladol.

Please be curious It was in the 1990s when it felt to me that in contrast to a British theatre fixated with narrative, writers, Shakespeare, acting and directing methods that existed within a far too narrow paradigm, the performance scene in Wales shone like a bright jewel. With a bold sense of social feeling, in Wales could be seen performances that connected to a social fabric, embraced formal innovation and were informed through the developments of an international avant-garde.

In Wales I could see the plays of writer/director Ed Thomas; the performer and theatre-maker Eddie Ladd; the site-specific performances of Brith Gof; choreographer and dancer Sioned Huws; movement artist Simon Whitehead; Volcano Theatre Company; experimental operas by Music Theatre Wales; a performance art scene with regular festivals led by artist Anthony Howell at Cardiff School of Art & Design; an impressive programme of international performance at Chapter Arts Centre; the Magdalena Project, a network of women theatre artists based in Wales that had branched out across the world; and good cop bad cop, whose determinedly obscure performances I only heard about or saw remnants of in bits of archive, on video, an odd photo, an anecdote.

Surely this was a performance scene that was rare to find! Artists that had built a history of making works that continually seemed to position themselves and be recognized for moving beyond existing parameters, both formally and in the exchanges and international dialogue they forged. The Centre for Performance Research (which had evolved from Cardiff Laboratory Theatre in the 1980s) was publishing journals, organising conferences and festivals; Moving Being (director Geoff Moore), since the 1970s had brought forward a generation of theatre makers in Wales with their pioneering multi-media performances. And through all of this was, and is, the Welsh language – y Gymraeg, with touring theatre groups such as Bara Caws (translated as Cheese Bread), Cwmni Frân Wen, Dalier Sylw, Sera Moore Williams’ Y Gymraes and several of the above artists who would work bilingually across both Welsh and English.

Can you see the potential of all this? Whether small nations, rural nations, post-industrial nations, bi-lingual nations, peoples wanting to establish themselves within or aside from larger states, the issues and questions that were being addressed in the newly formed theatrical landscape of Wales were able to engage with many of the issues being lived out across Europe and further afield in the post-1989 political landscape.

Yn 2000, roedd yr artist perfformio André Stitt wedi’i benodi’n gyfarwyddwr yr adran gelf seiliedig ar amser yng Ngholeg Celf a Dylunio Caerdydd ac fe sefydlodd Trace, gofod celf gosodwaith yn ei gartref ei hun a oedd yn gwahodd artistiaid perfformio i greu gwaith lle y byddai’r gosodwaith dilynol yn cynnwys olion o berfformiad. Creodd Trace aml i brosiect cyfnewid, cydweithredol, preswyl a theithiol ag artistiaid a digwyddiadau’n rhyngwladol. Mae Marc Rees, sydd, yn ystod y deng mlynedd diwethaf, wedi gwneud peth o’r gwaith perfformio amlgyfrwng mwyaf trawiadol yng Nghymru gyda gwaith megis The House Project, Shed*Light, En Residencia, yn parhau i gynhyrchu prosiectau cydweithredol o bwys, gan hybu proffil artistiaid yng Nghymru a thramor; bob blwyddyn bydd gwyl Experimentica Canolfan Chapter yn cynnig amrediad trawiadol o waith perfformio newydd yng Nghymru gydag artistiaid rhyngwladol gwadd. Mae artistiaid megis Paul Granjon, Davida Hewlett, Anushiye Yarnell, Mr a Mrs Clark a Gerald Tyler yn ailddyfeisio cyd-destunau a fformatiau newydd ar gyfer perfformio arbrofol yng Nghymru ochr yn ochr â chenhedlaeth newydd o artistiaid megis Matt Cook, Samuel Hasler, Kathryn Ashill a Cai Tomos.

Yn 2011, ar wahân i’r Gwanwyn Arabaidd, mae’n ddeuddeng mlynedd ers sefydlu Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru. Mae’r Undeb Ewropeaidd wedi ehangu i gynnwys ei holl aelod-wladwriaethau newydd. Bellach mae trafod annibyniaeth yn parhau i fod yn fater llawer iawn ehangach yng nghyd-destun byd-eang y neo-ryddfrydiaeth y mae ymgysylltiadau bythol-leoledig y theatr yn cael eu herio i fynd i’r afael ag ef.

Felly beth sy’n digwydd yng Nghymru?Mae Clwyd Theatr Cymru, o dan gyfarwyddiaeth artistig Terry Hands, yn parhau i gynhyrchu ac i gomisiynu dramâu newydd a chlasuron cyfoes, theatr i bobl ifainc, cwmnïau megis Theatr Hijinx, Theatr Iolo, Theatr Spectacle; mae Arad Goch yn parhau i wneud gwaith sy’n fywiog, yn apelgar ac sydd yn aml yn arloesol i wneud y theatr yn hygyrch i ystod ddemograffig sydd mor eang ag sy’n bosibl, gan ddwyn i’r amlwg hefyd awduron megis Greg Cullen y mae ei berfformiad Shock ‘n Awe (eleni yng Ngwyl yr Ymylon Caeredin gyda gwaith ensemble Muscle) yn rhan o don newydd o grwpiau theatr yng Nghymru gan gynnwys Antic Corporation, Waking Exploits, Gaijin San, Dirty Protest a Random People. Mae Prosiect Theatr Cynefin, dan arweiniad Iwan Brioc, yn llwyfan theatr i weithrediaeth gymunedol sydd wedi gweithio â thimau o artistiaid yn rhyngwladol i ddatblygu ei brosiectau Theatr Labyrinth i’r Synhwyrau ar draws y byd. Dadeni syrcas gyfoes yn y DU yw NoFit State sy’n cynnal cynyrchiadau teithiol mawr a mân ac amrywiaeth eang o brosiectau cymunedol, hyfforddi ac addysg i bobl o bob oed.

Ar bob cyfrif, byddwch yn chwilfrydig Y 1990au oedd hi pan deimlwn fod y sîn berfformio yng Nghymru’n serennu fel rhyw em fawr ddisglair o’i chymharu â theatr Brydeinig a oedd yn obsesiynol ynglyn â naratif, awduron, Shakespeare, dulliau actio a chyfarwyddo a hynny mewn fframwaith a oedd yn rhy gul o lawer. Â’i hymdeimlad cymdeithasol dewr, gellid gweld perfformiadau yng Nghymru a oedd yn gysylltiedig â gwead cymdeithas, a oedd yn cofleidio arloesedd ffurfiol gyda datblygiadau avant-garde rhyngwladol yn dylanwadu arnynt.

Yng Nghymru, gallwn i weld dramâu’r awdur/cyfarwyddwr Ed Thomas, y berfformwraig a gwneuthurydd theatr, Eddie Ladd, perfformiadau saflebenodol Brith Gof, y coreograffydd a’r ddawnswraig Sioned Huws, yr artist symudiad Simon Whitehead, Cwmni Theatr Volcano, operâu arbrofol gan Theatr Gerdd Cymru, sin celf berfformio gyda gwyliau rheolaidd dan arweiniad yr artist Anthony Howell yn Ysgol Gelf a Dylunio Caerdydd, rhaglen drawiadol o berfformio rhyngwladol yng Nghanolfan Gelfyddydau Chapter, Prosiect Magdalena, rhwydwaith o artistiaid theatr benywaidd â’i gartref yng Nghymru, a oedd wedi ymestyn ei ganghennau ar draws y byd a good cop bad cop na chlywais am eu perfformiadau cyfan gwbl astrus na gweld ond gweddillion ohonynt mewn archif, ar fideo ac ambell ffotograff neu stori.

Amheuthun o sîn berfformio yn ddi-os! Artistiaid a oedd wedi meithrin hanes o greu darnau gwaith a oedd o hyd yn eu gosod eu hunain yn eu lle ac yn cael eu cydnabod am symud y tu hwnt i’r ffiniau a fodolai ar y pryd, yn ffurfiol a hefyd yn y prosiectau cyfnewid a’r ddeialog ryngwladol roeddent wedi’u creu. Roedd y Ganolfan Ymchwil Perfformio (a oedd wedi esblygu o Laboratory Theatre Caerdydd yn y 1980au) yn cyhoeddi cylchgronau, yn trefnu cynadleddau a gwyliau. Ers y 1970au roedd Moving Being (cyfarwyddwr Geoff Moore) wedi dod â chenhedlaeth o wneuthurwyr theatr i’r amlwg yng Nghymru gyda’u perfformiadau amlgyfrwng arloesol. A thrwy hyn i gyd, roedd – ac mae o hyd – yr iaith Gymraeg, gyda’i grwpiau theatr teithiol fel Bara Caws, Cwmni’r Frân Wen, Dalier Sylw, Y Gymraes Sera Moore Williams a sawl un o’r artistiaid uchod a weithiai’n ddwyieithog ar draws y Gymraeg a’r Saesneg.

A allwch weld yr holl botensial? Boed yn genhedloedd bach, yn genhedloedd gwledig, yn genhedloedd ôl-ddiwydiannol, yn genhedloedd dwyieithog, yn bobloedd yn aros i ymsefydlu oddi mewn neu ar wahân i wladwriaethau mwy, roedd y materion a’r cwestiynau yr aed i’r afael â nhw yn nhirwedd newydd y theatr yng Nghymru, yn gallu ymgysylltu â llawer o’r materion roedd pobl yn byw drwyddynt yn Ewrop a thu hwnt yn yr hinsawdd wleidyddol a fodolai ar ôl 1989.

In 2000, performance artist André Stitt had been appointed director of the time-based art department at Cardiff School of Art & Design and established Trace, an install-action artspace in his own house that invited performance artists to make works in which the subsequent installations contained the traces left from a performance. Trace forged many international exchanges, collaborations, residency and touring projects with artists and events internationally. Visual and performing artist Marc Rees, who during the past ten years has made some of the most impressive multi-dimensional performance work in Wales with works such as The House Project, Shed*Light, En Residencia, continues to produce major collaborative projects profiling artists in Wales and abroad; Chapter’s Experimentica festival each year mounts an impressive array of performance works emerging from Wales with international guest artists; artists such as Paul Granjon, Davida Hewlett, Anushiye Yarnell, Mr & Mrs Clark, Gerald Tyler are continually re-inventing new contexts and formats for experimental performance in Wales alongside a new generation of artists such as Matt Cook, Samuel Hasler, Kathryn Ashill, Cai Tomos.

In 2011, aside from the Arab Spring, Wales is twelve years past the establishing of its National Assembly government. The European Union has expanded to include its many new member states. Now the negotiation of autonomy continues to be a much wider issue in the global context of neoliberalism which the ever localised engagements of theatre are challenged to address.

So what is happening in Wales?Clwyd Theatr Cymru under the artistic directorship of Terry Hands continues to produce and commission new plays and contemporary classics; theatre for young people companies such as Hijinx Theatre, Theatr Iolo, Spectacle Theatre, Arad Goch continue to make lively, engaging and often pioneering work to make theatre accessible to as wide a demographic as possible, also bringing to the fore writers such as Greg Cullen, whose Shock ‘n’ Awe Performance (this year at the Edinburgh Fringe with the ensemble work Muscle) is part of a new wave of theatre groups in Wales including Antic Corporation, Waking Exploits, Gaijin San, Dirty Protest, Random People. The Theatr Cynefin project, led by Iwan Brioc is a theatre platform for community activism which has worked with teams of artists internationally to develop its Sensory Labyrinth Theatre projects across the world. NoFit State are leading a renaissance of contemporary circus in the UK, producing touring productions at all scales and a wide range of community, training and educational projects for people of all ages.

Sefydlwyd Sherman Cymru o’r newydd yn ystod y 2000au yn sgil uno Theatr Sherman a Script Cymru ac erbyn hyn dyma’r prif gwmni ysgrifennu (yn y Gymraeg a’r Saesneg) yng Nghymru. Yn dyˆ theatr sy’n seiliedig ar adeilad ac sy’n ‘dderbyn’ ac yn ‘cynhyrchu’ ac sydd o hyd yn cynhyrchu theatr arobryn ac sy’n ennyn clod y beirniaid yn y Gymraeg a’r Saesneg, maent yn cydweithredu â Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru ar y cynhyrchiad Cymraeg Llwyth yn Sioe Arddangos Caeredin 2011. Gyda’i gyfarwyddwr artistig newydd, Arwel Gruffydd, bellach wrth y llyw, y prif gwmni teithiol cenedlaethol Cymraeg yw Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru a sefydlwyd yn 2003 i greu gwaith hygyrch o safon uchel sy’n cyfoethogi diwylliant theatrig Cymru, gan bortreadu lle’r genedl yn y byd yn ogystal â lle’r byd yng Nghymru.

Yn 2010, lansiodd National Theatre Wales, sefydliad comisiynu nad yw’r seiliedig ar adeilad, brosiect i fapio tirwedd y theatr ledled Cymru. Roedd hyn yn cynnwys prosiectau ag artistiaid yn eu plith Mike Pearson (a oedd, ar ddiwedd y 1990au ar ôl arwain Brith Gof, wedi ymsefydlu ar y cyd â’r cynllunydd theatr Mike Brookes fel Pearson/Brookes), trwy lwyfannu cyfieithiad Kaite O’Reilly sy’n byw ac yn gweithio yng Nghymru, o’r Persiaid gan Aeschylus yn un o wersylloedd hyfforddi’r fyddin; awdur Gary Owen y cyflwynwyd ei Love Steals Us from Loneliness mewn clwb nos ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr; Outdoors sy’n para blwyddyn ar ei hyd gyda Rimini Protokoll; a’r Passion a barodd dridiau dan arweiniad yr actor llwyfan a ffilm o Gymru, Michael Sheen, gyda phobl Port Talbot – tre febyd Sheen yn ogystal â Richard Burton. Mae National Theatre Wales yn rhan o dirwedd y theatr ôl-ddatganoli yng Nghymru. Mae ei gweithgareddau cyfannol yn seiliedig ar ymgysylltu â chymunedau, ymgynnull i siarad a thrafod, ac i gydweithio ag unigolion a chwmnïau cynhyrchu eraill sy’n fwy.

Mae’r her i ailddyfeisio, i gael hyd i iaith briodol ar gyfer theatr yn yr unfed ganrif ar hugain, yn parhau.

Sherman Cymru was newly established during the 2000s as a merger between the Sherman Theatre and Script Cymru to become the leading new writing company (in both Welsh and English language) in Wales. As a building-based ‘receiving and producing house’ that consistently produces critically acclaimed and award-winning theatre in both Welsh and English, they are collaborating with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru on the Welsh language production Llwyth (Tribe) at the Edinburgh Showcase 2011. Now with its new Artistic Director, Arwel Gruffydd, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru is Wales’ national Welsh language touring company which was set up in 2003 to create high quality, accessible work that enriches Welsh theatrical culture – portraying both the nation’s position in the world and the world’s position in Wales.

In 2010, the National Theatre Wales, a non-building based commissioning organisation launched their first year-long season of performances, a project to map the theatre landscape of Wales. This included projects with artists including Mike Pearson (who in the late 1990s after leaving Brith Gof had set up with theatre designer Mike Brookes as Pearson/Brookes), with his staging of Wales-based playwright Kaite O’Reilly’s translation of Aeschylus’ The Persians at an army training camp; writer Gary Owen, whose Love Steals Us from Loneliness was presented at a nightclub in Bridgend; the year long Outdoors with Rimini Protokoll; and the three day Passion led and directed by Welsh stage and film actor Michael Sheen, with the people of his (and Richard Burton’s) industrial home town of Port Talbot. National Theatre Wales is part of a post-devolution theatre landscape in Wales. Its integral activities are based around the engaging of communities, gathering assemblies to talk and debate, and to work in collaboration with other larger producing companies and individuals.

The challenge to reinvent, to find an appropriate language for a theatre in the 21st century continues.

RADICALISM AND INTENT:PERFORMANCE IN WALESJames Tyson is Theatre Programmer at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff, one of Europe’s largest centres for the development and presentation of contemporary arts. He is also a theatre-maker and composer presenting works at Chapter and internationally.