Dylan Thomas Centre events brochure

21643-09 Dylan Programme E:Layout 1

22/4/09

10:05

Page 1

21643-09 Dylan Programme E:Layout 1

22/4/09

10:05

Page 2

Dylan Thomas Centre Programme May – August 2009 Welcome to our packed Summer programme.

We have all the regular slots, plus the return of lunchtime theatre, a new series of Friday ‘Artlunches’, ‘Sound & Fury ‘ events featuring words & music, and lots of exciting one-off events. See you there!

If you wish to receive our email updates and reminders please email jo.furber@swansea.gov.uk Please note also that from time to time events take place that are not in our printed programme.

The best ways to be kept informed of these are by being on our email list, and visiting our website – www.dylanthomas.com Friday 1 May 7.30pm

A Reading by Dr. Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih One of India’s leading poets, Kynpham appeared in Swansea in 1995 on a tour of poets from the Khasi region organised by Nigel Jenkins for the UK Year of Literature. Nigel, whose travel book Khasia in Gwalia won the 1996 Welsh Book of the Year, will introduce Kynpham, who is a poet, story writer and translator, writes in both Khasi and English and whose work has been widely published and translated.

Dr. Kynpham

Tickets: Full Price £3-00 Concessions £2-10 Swansea PTL £1-20

Saturday 2 May 1pm

Saturday Lunchtime Theatre Brief Encounter by Noel Coward A rare opportunity to see a stage adaptation by Adrian Metcalfe of Coward’s piece, made famous of course by the film version starring Leslie Howard and Celia Johnson. A Tour de Force production in association with Theatre of the Dales, this production reprises the much lauded pairing of Adrian and Sonia Beck, fresh from their Lord & Lady Macbeth in Fluellen’s recent production! Directed by David Robertson, and featuring the music of Rachmaninoff performed by Rob Marshall, who also appeared with Adrian in the recent production of Warmley, based on the life of Daniel Jones.

Tickets: Full Price £5 Concessions £4

2

May - August 2009

21643-09 Dylan Programme E:Layout 1

22/4/09

10:05

Page 3

Thursday 7 May 7.00pm

Booklaunch Gower in History : Myth, People, Landscape by Paul Ferris People and episodes illuminate the past in Paul Ferris’s new book ‘Gower in History : Myth, People, Landscape,’ which ranges from the Red Lady and the Hanged Man to a germ-warfare experiment on the sands. Appropriately for the biographer of both Dylan and Caitlin Thomas, it even has a bit about Dylan.

Tickets: FREE ENTRY and wine.

Friday 8 May 1pm

Art for Lunch The first of a new monthly series of short talks on a wide range of arts topics which you can squeeze into your lunch-hour, beginning with: THE ARTS OF HAITIAN VODOU by Phil Cope. Writer, photographer and cultural crusader, Phil is also the chairperson of The Haiti Fund. Come and see, handle and hear about the uses of vodou dolls, pre-Collombian piet tonneres (thunder stones), religious sculptures, beaded flags, poems and stories in vodou ceremonies.

Tickets: ONLY £5-00 INCLUDING soup & sandwich from our Bookshop/Café!

Friday 8 May 7.30pm

A Celebration in poetry and music of the life of Letitia Anne Rhys Swansea poet and writer (1937-2008). Speakers and readers will include many of Letitia’s friends and colleagues including Stuart Jones, Ceri Thomas and translator Annest Wiliam.

Tickets: FREE ENTRY, a glass of wine and nibbles

Letitia Anne Rhys

Wednesday 13 May 7.30pm

On the Edge - presented by Michael Kelligan - Look Who’s Talking Now! New & existing work from the playwrights of Wales continues with A Pair of Cardiff Pants! A new double bill from acclaimed Merthyr painter, composer and playwright Alan Osborne.

Tickets: £3-00 Alan Osborne

Literature Programme

3

21643-09 Dylan Programme E:Layout 1

22/4/09

10:05

Page 4

Thursday 14 May 7pm

Booklaunch - Chimera Anthology of MA Student writing from Trinity College Carmarthen Chimera - a two headed monster or a fire breathing serpent?

Genetic splicing or an unrealisable dream? A word that is tangible or ethereal? Chimera - a word that means one thing or everything?

Chimera takes the reader on a journey through time, space, fantasy and reality on an exploration which incorporates every aspect of chimera, both imagined and real, in the minds of its authors.

A collection of pieces by writers of all ages, many nationalities, but only one gender, Chimera draws upon and illustrates the wide and varying experiences of its women authors and creates new perspectives of a fascinating subject.

Tickets: FREE ENTRY and wine.

Friday 15 May 7pm

Sound & Fury! a new occasional series of events combining words with music and other artforms: Stuff Happens! Presented by Graham Isaac Poetry, music and video-art from across Swansea and beyond. A rapid-fire night featuring the best of poetry from all corners – from the ivory tower to street-level, readers known from ‘the Crunch’, Junkbox, the Dylan Thomas Centre, Framework Social, Swansea University and many other places. Featuring sound-bite performances from Graham Isaac, Peter Read, Simone Mansell Broome, John Goodby, Adel Guemar, David Woolley, Alan Kellermann and others. Bringing all Swansea’s poets and poetries together, with bookstalls, music and video Supported by the Dylan Thomas Centre and The South Bank Centre’s Poetry Library Global Poetry System project.

Tickets: FREE ENTRY & all Brains bottled beer £2.00!!

Wednesday 20 May 7.30pm

Sound & Fury! a new occasional series of events combining words with music and other artforms: Sea Holly - A Sense of Place Sea Holly (Seren Books), a novel by Robert Minhinnick, was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize, 2008.

Tonight we present a multimedia treatment of Sea Holly, with film, image, live music, reading and chorus. If you enjoy funfairs, sand dunes, gambling, booze, and above all, mystery, this is for you.

A Seren Books, Sustainable Wales and Welsh Books Council collaboration, in association with the Dylan Thomas Centre.

Tickets: £4-00 Concessions £2-80 Swansea PTL £1-60

4

Robert Minhinnick

May - August 2009

21643-09 Dylan Programme E:Layout 1

22/4/09

10:05

Page 5

Thursday 21 May 7.30pm

Poets in the Bookshop – with Martin Daws ‘New wave beat poetry with a musicality that rolls out a rhythmical ribbon of resonant rhetoric’ (Edinburgh Fringe review 2008). North Wales–based Martin Daws was inspired to poetry by the New York slam poetry scene in the 1990s, and was runner up to Swansea’s Peter Read in 2008’s John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry. Plus usual open mic session.

Tickets: Full Price £4-00 Concessions £2-80 Swansea PTL £1-60

Martin Daws

Friday 22 May 7.30pm

I Like that Stuff! – A Celebration event for Adrian Mitchell An evening of poetry and music to celebrate the life of one of Britain’s finest and most inspirational poetry performers and a great friend of Swansea, poet and playwright Adrian Mitchell who sadly died earlier this year. Taking part will be a host of his Swansea friends including Nigel Jenkins and David Woolley and hopefully Adrian’s widow Celia. With music from Brian Breeze and friends.

Adrian Mitchell

Tickets: FREE ENTRY and a glass of wine.

Saturday 23 May 1pm

Saturday Lunchtime Theatre John Tripp’s Tragic Cabaret written and performed by Peter Read Renowned for his portrayals of Dylan Thomas, Swansea’s Peter Read now tackles another of Wales’ infamous poets. Part of a new, combative generation of Welsh poets writing in English in the 1960s, John Tripp was, like Dylan, something of a tragi-comic figure, with a great propensity for getting into scrapes. This one-man show was commissioned by Academi, and premiered in Cardiff earlier this year.

Tickets: Full Price £5 Concessions £4 Wednesday 27 May 7.30pm

Science Café Low Impact Development: High Impact Responses to Climate Change and Sustainability, with Dr. Larch Maxey Tickets: FREE ENTRY 1 – 6 June

Swansea Bay Film Festival Swansea’s annual feast of films long and short from all over the world. For full details see www.swanseafilmfestival.com

Literature Programme

5

21643-09 Dylan Programme E:Layout 1

22/4/09

10:06

Page 6

Tuesday 9 June 7.30pm

The Dylan Thomas Prize Winners Rachel Trezise and Nam Le After two successful £60,000 awards in 2006 and 2008 we welcome the two winners – both short story writers – Rhondda’s Rachel Trezise who won with Rachel Trezise Nam Le Fresh Apples, and Vietnamese-born Nam Le whose The Boat won last year. Both have gone from strength to strength since winning, with Rachel about to publish her new book with Harper Collins.

Tickets: Full Price £4-00 Concessions £2-80 Swansea PTL £1-60 Mark Ryan

Wednesday 10 June 7.30pm

On the Edge - presented by Michael Kelligan - Look Who’s Talking Now! New & existing work from the playwrights of Wales continues with The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll & Mr.Hyde as told to Carl Jung by an inmate of the Broadmoor Asylum by Mark Ryan.

Tickets: £3-00

Thursday 11 June 7.30pm

Chris Kinsey

Poems of Sight and Flight – Chris Kinsey In association with Greyhound Rescue Wales and Gower Bird Hospital, BBC Wildlife Poet of the Year 2008, Chris Kinsey, presents a collection of ‘hound and bird poems’from her collections Kung Fu Lullabies and Houndlove. All proceeds go to GRW & the Bird Hospital.

Tickets: Full Price £5-00 Concessions £4-00 Friday 12 June 1pm

Art for Lunch - Some Welsh Narrative Artists – Keith Bayliss An informal, illustrated talk by Swansea artist Keith Bayliss, exploring the work of Wales based artists whose work displays a personal poetic narrative, including Tony Goble, William Brown and Clive HicksJenkins.

Tickets: ONLY £5-00 INCLUDING soup & sandwich from our Bookshop/Café!

6

May - August 2009

21643-09 Dylan Programme E:Layout 1

22/4/09

10:06

Page 7

Friday 12 June 7.30pm

Sound & Fury! Holy Wells: Wales, On the Road with Phil Cope and Ffynnon Writer and photographer Phil Cope gives an illustrated talk and reading of poems that accompany his book of stunning images of Welsh Holy Wells. He will be “Ffynnon has a haunting way of updating accompanied by the critically the traditional songs ... the old songs maintain their dignity.” acclaimed Welsh band The New York Times, 2003 Ffynnon, who will also perform “Spine-tinglingly exquisite jazz-soaked a full music set in the second Celtic folk music, combining the half of the evening. traditional and the innovative.”

BBC Radio 2.

Tickets: Full Price £9-00, Concessions £7-00 Tuesday 16 June 7.30pm

Rough Diamonds 09 #1 Want to change your appearance? Your lifestyle? Your entire world view? Come along to Rough Diamonds 09, the showcase for new drama from Swansea University’s emerging playwrights! This two-night programme features plays looking at life from the viewpoint of a pair of ambitious Swansea Jacks who want to open an art-and-wine bar, a young doctor who gets lost and finds herself in Fiji, and a jaded football terrace steward who just wants to get home without being thumped This is the third year that Swansea University’s Creative and Media programme has joined forces with the Dylan Thomas Centre in the presentation of extracts from the works of graduating MA students. The last two showing have been acclaimed by enthusiastic audiences and some of the works shown have gone on to have full-length professional productions. The works are performed script-in-hand by members of Swansea's Fluellen Theatre Company, and directed by playwright D J Britton, lecturer in dramatic writing at Swansea University.

This year’s writers include Jude Brazier, Rebecca Carrington, Sarah Elliot, Catrin Howell, Louise Hinchen, Angela Hughes, Glynis Judge, Vanessa Macdonald, Andrew Miles, Matt Williams, Rachel Williams, and Casey Westlake, plus some surprise guests.

Tickets: £3 (Student Concession £2) Friday 19 June 7.00pm

A Seventh Quarry Poetry Reading With August Bover from Catalonia and Kristine Doll from USA. The latest in an occasional series of readings presented by The Seventh Quarry magazine, in association with Cross-Cultural Communications, New York, by its editor Swansea poet Peter Thabit Jones. With music from singer-songwriter Terry Clarke.

August Bover

Kristine Doll

Tickets: FREE ENTRY

Literature Programme

7

21643-09 Dylan Programme E:Layout 1

22/4/09

10:06

Page 8

Saturday 20 June 1pm

Saturday Lunchtime Theatre - The Vice by Luigi Pirandello Pirandello`s first play. A fascinating piece in which a man confronts his wife when he discovers her affair with his lawyer.

Tickets: Full Price £5 Concessions £4 Tuesday 23 June 7.30pm

Launch of Nu: Fiction and Stuff The new Parthian venture, Nu: Fiction and Stuff, has a double objective. Firstly, Nu seeks to give a platform for young writers of a new generation to showcase their talent in a quality publication, with the aim of reaching as wide an audience as possible. Secondly, Nu aims to inspire and motivate aspiring writers to pursue their ideas and ambition. A new generation of writers will bring about a generation of new writing, and it is hoped that Nu will provide an important stimulus to that process of generation. Contributors include Swansea writers Alan Kellermann, Susie Wild and Rebecca John as well as a photo essay by Jonathan Morris, whose exhibition Castle Square is currently in the Dylan Thomas Centre’s Corridor Gallery.

Tickets: FREE ENTRY and wine Thursday 25 June 7.30pm

Poets in the Bookshop – with Ivy Alvarez Guest poet Ivy Alvarez was born in the Philippines, grew up in Tasmania and now lives in Cardiff. Her work has been widely published and performed, and she has held several residencies and won a variety of awards. Her latest full collection is Mortal (Red Morning Press). Plus usual open mic session.

Tickets: Full Price £4-00 Concessions £2-80 Swansea PTL £1-60

Ivy Alvarez

Saturday 27 June 1pm

Saturday Lunchtime Theatre - The Duck Variations by David Mamet A superb, gentle comedy from American writer David Mamet in which two elderly men discuss ducks, law, friendship and death Tickets: Full Price £5 Concessions £4 Tuesday 30 June 7.30pm

Rough Diamonds 09 #1 See page 7 for details Tickets: £3 (Student Concession £2)

8

May - August 2009

21643-09 Dylan Programme E:Layout 1

22/4/09

10:06

Page 9

Thursday 2 July 7.30pm

Sound & Fury!

A feast of poetry and music with Welsh poets Samantha Wynne Rhydderch – (most recent collection Not in These Shoes (Picador) ; Damian Walford Davies – (Suit of Lights appeared from Seren in 2009), and Tiffany Atkinson – her latest collection is Kink and Particle (Seren). With music from Dylan Fowler – Dylan is an acclaimed guitarist and composer, who has collaborated with both Richard and Danny Thompson, as well as musicians from Turkey, Finland and eastern Europe – “music with heart and soul …a determination to ignore recognised boundaries” (BBC) A co-production with Cegin Productions

Samantha Wynne Rhyderch

Damian Walford Davies

Tiffany Atkinson

Dylan Fowler

Tickets: Full Price £5-00 Concessions £3-50 Swansea PTL £2-00 Friday 10 July 1pm

Art for Lunch - Directing Shakespeare by Peter Richards Peter Richards, Artistic Director of Fluellen Theatre Company, has been a Theatre Director for thirty seven years, during which time he has gained a considerable practical knowledge of Shakespeare`s life and plays in directing productions throughout Europe. He discusses the challenges of translating Shakespearean text to the stage and how our attitudes to his plays have changed through the years.

Tickets: ONLY £5-00 INCLUDING soup & sandwich from our Bookshop/Café!

Thursday 16 July 7.30pm

Poets in the Bookshop – Cynthia Kraman Guest poet this month is New York poet Cynthia Kraman – a medievalist with a doctorate from University of London and former punk rocker with Seattle band Chinas Comidas! Her latest volume of poetry is The Touch from Bowery Books – “a superb, extraordinary, shocking, unflinching, charming, hilarious, perfect gem-cut book” (Bob Holman). Plus usual open mic session.

Tickets: Full Price £4-00, Concessions £2-80, Swansea PTL £1-60

Literature Programme

9

21643-09 Dylan Programme E:Layout 1

22/4/09

10:06

Page 10

Saturday 18 July 1pm

Saturday Lunchtime Theatre - Warmley with Adrian Metcalfe and Rob Marshall Another chance to see Adrian’s warm and moving portrayal of Dylan Thomas’ great boyhood friend, Swansea composer Daniel Jones. Jones reminisces in later life over early days, the setting up of the ‘Warmley Broadcasting Corporation’, Dylan’s success, and the ultimate sadness of his early death. With original work by Jones played by Swansea pianist Rob. Tickets: Full Price £5 Concessions £4 Saturday 25 July 1pm

Saturday Lunchtime Theatre - John Tripp’s Tragic Cabaret written and performed by Peter Read For details see page 5.

Tickets: Full Price £5 Concessions £4 Saturday 1 & Saturday 8 August 1pm

Saturday Lunchtime Theatre - A Beast, an Angel and a Madman presented by Fluellen Theatre Company The return of Fluellen`s popular whistle-stop tour of the life and work of Dylan Thomas, incorporating the words of Dylan and those who knew him with live music by harpist Delyth Jenkins.

Tickets: Full Price £5 Concessions £4 Saturday 15 & Saturday 29 August 1pm

Saturday Lunchtime Theatre - Dylan Thomas in America starring Peter Read After more than 100 performances, Peter Read returns with his extraordinary, hilarious and moving portrayal of Dylan’s slow demise through a series of trips to the USA. Adapted by Gwynne Edwards from Dylan’s own wonderful words, this show has received 5 star reviews at the Edinburgh Festival, and played in London and New York.

Peter Read

Tickets: Full Price £5 Concessions £4 Saturday 22 August 1pm

One State of Happiness: Dylan Thomas and Laugharne presented by Fluellen Theatre Company 2009 marks the sixtieth anniversary of Dylan Thomas`s move to the Boathouse at Laugharne. One State Of Happiness is a journey through the last years of his life at Laugharne in the words of Dylan, his friends and his family. Its title is taken from a letter Dylan wrote to his benefactress and owner of the Boathouse, Margaret Taylor, in which he describes Laugharne as “the pubbed and churched, shopped, gulled, and estuaried one state of happiness”.

Tickets: Full Price £5 Concessions £4

10

May - August 2009

21643-09 Dylan Programme E:Layout 1

22/4/09

10:06

Page 11

Other Events, Courses, Workshops etc...

There are regular events throughout May & June at Pontardawe Arts Centre, including monthly guest poet/open mic sessions on 2nd Thursdays, and a Literature Day on 31 May featuring Robert Minhinnick , Lynne Barrett-Lee & others. For Full details contact Pontardawe Arts Centre 01792 863722 or t.evans2@neath-porttalbot.gov.uk There is a full season of Monday evening events from May to September at the Dylan Thomas Boathouse in Laugharne to celebrate 60 years since Dylan & Caitlin Thomas moved into the Boathouse. These include Aeronwy Thomas, Dame Joan Bakewell, Dic Jones, Gillian Clarke and Catrin Dafydd. For full details contact 01994 232726 or boathouse@carmarthenshire.gov.uk or see www.dylanthomasboathouse.com

Cardigan Events – Word Up! At the Castle Café in Cardigan every first Thursday, with guest poet & open mic. Email simone@simonemb.com or 01559 370517.

Also workshops and courses at The Ceridwen Centre – see www.ceridwencentre.co.uk Friday May 8 6.30pm - Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea

University of North Carolina Wilmington USA presents Dylan Thomas Exchange students from the University present a performance of poems, short stories, love letters and drama extracts of Dylan’s work that has inspired them during their time in Swansea. Their performance will concentrate on the sheer musicality of Dylan’s writing.

Tickets: FREE ENTRY Saturday May 9 10am – 4pm – Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea

Performer’s Day – for poets, singers, actors and teachers.

Rona Campbell offers a day to ‘breathe life into your performance’ with breathing and projection excercises, and covering health, posture, presentation and teaching without pain!

Tickets: £30 – To book or for more details contact Rona on 01978 312790, 07758 617660 or ronacampbell@talktalk.net 28 – 30 May - Oriel Gallery of Contemporary Art, Salem Chapel, Bell Bank, Hay on Wye

Hay Poetry Jamboree!

Fitting around the main Festival, an alternative feast of ‘experimental’ poetry, featuring John James, Wendy Mulford, Peter Finch, Zoe Skoulding, John Goodby, David Greenslade and others. For full details goodbard@yahoo.co.uk Saturday/Sunday 6 & 7 June – Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea

Writing Poetry for Page & Stage with Peter Read and Rona Campbell Peter has won the John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry, has had seven plays performed professionally and published two collections of poetry. Arvon prize-winning poet Rona’s work has been praised by Ted Hughes and performed by Placido Domingo. She is a professional opera singer and runs classes on the use of the voice.

Tickets: £60 – To book or for more details contact Peter on 07931 614180

Literature Programme

11

21643-09 Dylan Programme E:Layout 1

22/4/09

10:07

Page 12

ST

Corridor Exhibitions at the Dylan Thomas Centre...

6 May – 7 June

Communion Mixed media drawings on paper by Penny Hallas

OP

PR

We Card dnesday igan po 3 June FREE ENTR her et Simo 7pm D Y & new c ne Ma ylan T REFR olle n ESHM ction sell Brohomas C ENTS Juic ome entre www e of th launch .sim e Le es onem mon b.co . m

ESS

!

9 June – 5 July

Castle Square Photographs by Jonathan Morris Featured in Parthian’s Nu - anthology of new writing from Wales launched at Dylan Thomas Centre on 23 June.

Jonathan says: “Not only have I photographed the youths in Swansea Castle Square, but I’ve also shot more intimate, more considered pictures while visiting their homes. It has also been one of my goals to show that other,more intimate, side of the youths who use Castle Square to the public, since there is always a negative slant to what youths do in the city centre. My overall aim is to be critical but positive in representing them”.

7 July – 2 August

The Holy Wells of Cornwall A photographic journey by Phil Cope.

4 August – 6 September

John Uzzell Edwards – New Paintings This one-man show is an exhibition of the latest paintings in John Uzzell Edwards’s ‘Welsh Quilt Series’. Paintings from this series have been widely exhibited.

‘So why am I now fascinated by Welsh quilts and blankets? As a boy growing up in the Rhymney Valley, I was brought up using them, but only lately I’ve become amazed by their structure, the variety of materials and the choice of colours. Quilts have been made in Wales since the late 18th century, they are part of the artistic expression of our forbearers, and therefore a very important part of our Welsh culture’.

01792 463980 www.dylanthomas.com dylanthomas.lit@swansea.gov.uk

www.dylan-thomas-books.com

Whilst all effort is made to ensure that the details of this programme are accurate, the City and County of Swansea reserve the right to alter any part of the programme without notice.

Photographs: Ivy Alvarez – Rachel Duncan (Australia); 15 May – Zara Bird Wood; Adian Mitchell – David Sillitoe; Rachel Trezise – Huw John; Nam Le – Dylan Thomas Prize Ltd.

12

May - August 2009

21643-09 Designprint

The Dylan Thomas Centre, Somerset Place, Swansea SA1 1RR