Naturally I have been sifting through it to see if anything of a Welsh flavour was going on... and there were. Seeing as currently my camera and the computer don't seem to be on speaking terms, I will have to do the best I can to convey the news.
Well, first of all, there's going to be a "bilingual adaptation" of the Mabinogion .... here's what the website has to say ...
The Folklore of Dramaturgy: The Mabinogion @ Edfringe 2015
The Mabinogion is a collection of Welsh legends and folklore; compiled from texts found in two late-medieval manuscripts – the Red Book of Hergest and the White Book of Rhydderch – they were initially translated by famed antiquarians William Pughe and Lady Charlotte Guest in the early nineteenth century.
Suitable for families, BEDS’s The Mabinogion follows the story of a powerful, cunning magician, a beautiful princess sold into marriage and the quest of a daring Prince to follow his heart.
Following the success and sold out run of their previous adaptation, Don Quixote, BEDS returns to the Fringe for the fifth time this summer, with a new bilingual adaptation of the classic Welsh legends.
The Mabinogion 17 – 22 Aug 18:35 (50min)
Tickets: Adult £5, Concessions £3, Family £2.50 each
theSpace @ Surgeons Hall (V53)
I'm Osian Garmon,
The Fringe
What inspired this production: did you begin with an idea or a script or an object?
Osian Garmon, director:I'd wanted to adapt the Mabinogion for the stage since seeing a fantastic production by the National Youth Theatre of Wales back in 2008. They're fantastic pieces of literature, so the idea was to try and get them to translate effectively onto the stage with a small ensemble cast.
Why bring your work to Edinburgh?The Fringe is always a great opportunity to showcase young writing, directing and acting talents, as well as being a fantastic experience. I wanted to bring BEDS to Edinburgh with a piece of Welsh culture too, since that seems to be a rare thing at the Fringe.
What can the audience expect to see and feel - or even think - of your production?
Hopefully, they'll go away having enjoyed themselves, as well as having had a glimpse into Welsh history and culture from a Welsh perspective, something which is sometimes hard to get in theatre. I hope people will enjoy our adaptation of these tales while also taking us for what we are - a student drama society putting on 'our version of events' as it were, our version of these classic, fantastical tales.
The Dramaturgy Questions
How would you explain the relevance - or otherwise - of dramaturgy within your work?
Well, we use a variety of techniques - it's a bit of a mix, really! We make use of an open, storytelling technique which is Brechtian, but without the political undertones. We use elements of physical theatre which help our actors engage with their characters and their quirks, and even encourage a little method acting!
What particular traditions and influences would you acknowledge on your work - have any particular artists, or genres inspired you and do you see yourself within their tradition?
My script is a stage adaptation of stories that already existed, but Saunders Lewis has been a great influence on me. I love his formal, intricate use of language and the way he brings classic Welsh stories to life, such as his dramatisation of the tales of Blodeuwedd, Pwyll and his famous play on the life of Joan (or Siwan), the wife of Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Wales. I'd hesitate to compare myself to the man who is known as the Welsh Shakespeare, but I've certainly been inspired by his work.
Do you have a particular process of making that you could describe - where it begins, how you develop it, and whether there is any collaboration in the process?
The script has been tailored to the cast's needs, it's a very organic, collaborative process that we've been through. I started with a fairly straight adaptation - it was clunky and rough, but it got the job done. By now we have a more organic, refined version thanks to the cast's contributions. Rosie, my co-director has also been very helpful! All in all, I feel that the more opinions I get on my work, the more it develops. I tend to take those contributions on board, before scuttling off to my room for a few days to write some more scenes!
4. What do you feel the role of the audience is, in terms of making the meaning of your work?
Our production strives to engage with the audience as much as possible, so that anyone watching the show will have an immersive experience grounded in good old-fashioned storytelling. We introduce ourselves at the beginning of the play as being bards of the medieval Welsh court - their purpose was to make their audiences believe in their stories, to get them to lose themselves in the adventures of Pwyll or Branwen. Hopefully we can achieve the same!
In the children's section there's going to be some Puppetry by "award-winning Puppet Soup" called Land of the Dragon - Gwlad y Ddraig
Land of the Dragon – ‘Gwlad y Ddraig’ A visually and emotionally arresting piece of 5* theatre suitable for young and old alike.These are puppets – but not as you know them.
**** 5 STARS from The Stage “this enthralling epic reaches wonderful denouement.” – http://www.thestage.co.uk/edinburgh-reviews/72554/land-of-the-dragon-gwlad-y-ddraig/Lose yourself on an enchanting puppetry adventure through time, landscapes and legends into the world of the Welsh Dragon!
Encounter magical creatures, mythical stories and spellbinding tales from Wales in this exciting new piece of puppet theatre inspired by folklore, legends and ancient stories from the Welsh book of fairy tales, The Mabinogion.Award winning PuppetSoup take you to the edge of your seat and the brink of your imagination, where wise men are grown from witch’s cauldrons and dragons really do exist.For children, families and kids of all ages!( Suggested 5yrs+ – Suitable for all languages) We look forward to seeing you on tour in 2015!Our advisor, Dr Gwilm Morus, has produced a lovely website, www.welshmythology.com, which goes into much detail about the many wonderful Welsh tales, legends and myths. He also offers online courses which delve much deeper into the fascinating details of these beautiful stories.
Our story is a mixture of a number of stories from the Welsh book of fairy tales, the Mabinogion. Technically a collection, it is comprised of eleven stories some of which date from the Iron Age. Originally related verbally, later it was written down and then finally translated from its original Welsh to English by Lady Charlotte Guest around 160 years ago. The name is actually not a correct translation, but was where Lady Guest mistakenly thought Mabinogion was the plural of Mabinogi.
Here are some of the words, places and people you’ll get a flavour of in the show:
Dragons! – Dreigiau!
There are at least two stories about the red and white dragon in Welsh culture. In one story the red and white dragon are fighting, and in the other story they are trapped in a mountain and make a King’s castle fall down!
Cauldrons! – Crochanau!
Ceridwen’s cauldron of “Awen”, which means poetic inspiration, is used to perform her magic.
Wise men in Wales! – Dynion Doeth yng Nghymru!
There are many wise men in Welsh tales including Merlin from the King Arthur stories, Saint David the patron Saint of Wales, and Taliesin the first Story Teller or Bard.
Witches! – Gwrachod!
Ceridwen in Welsh legends was an enchantress or witch. She sent away to sea a magical child. This baby was rescued on the shores of Wales and grew to become Taliesin the Bard.
Dogs! – Cŵn!
The sad story of Gelert is one of the most famous Welsh tales. A man leaves his faithful dog guarding his baby. While he is gone, a wolf attacks and the brave dog defends the child. When the man returns, he sees the wolf blood on the dog and mistakenly thinks the dog has hurt the baby. He slays the dog with his sword, only to later find out that the baby was safe and well.
We're back to me now...
It doesn't seem to state anywhere that this a bilingual production ... I'm assuming it is in English.
That's all I could find .... though I haven't checked every page, just the most likely ones... and I haven't got any info about the non-fringe events. Yet, anyway.
Well, now is the time for music after the heavy chapters involving quantum mechanics ( as they say round my neck of the woods) .... so here's one of Datblygu's seemingly happiest duets, chosen because I need a bit of cheering up .... Santa a Barbara ...