Annie has kindly agreed to review some Welsh language productions that have played locally in North Wales
Mae Newid yn Chênj
by William Owen (Borth-y-Gest)
Neuadd Dwyfor Pwllheli, 17th January 2015
Cwmni Drama Llanystumdwy
(Image/Photo accessed from http://www.gwyneddgreadigol.com)
This Welsh-language
comedy contains many of the expected aspects of a traditional bedroom farce: a
discontented couple, clandestine meetings of lustful intent, various bedroom
frolics and the risk of discovery. The word Newid means change in Welsh and the
word Chênj is a loan-word
from English which also means change, and this in itself is quite playful,
suggesting that it will be a change to have a change!
John Elias Thomas
and his wife Bessie are the archetypal late middle-aged married couple, locked
into a grumbling, apparently discontented relationship which nevertheless
represents a comfortable codependency of many years longstanding.
At the opening of
the play, both are attempting to arrange clandestine meetings with the objects
of their lust, concealing phone calls and arrangements in a complex web of lies
and deceit. Both treat the other with a mixture of familiarity and
contempt,John Elias grumbling and grunting his way through his dialogue and
revealing the depths of his inner discontent.
John Elias becomes
convinced that his wife will be away for the night and arranges a tryst with
the object of his lust, Hannah, who he wines, dines and intoxicates with
alcohol, returning with her to his home and attempting to charm her into bed.
Unbeknown to John Elias, his wife has also engaged in an illicit meeting, and
believing that John Elias is away for the night,brings her would-be lover
home....
The ensuing
attempts of both to conceal their would-be lovers from each other provides much
of the comedy, and ultimately both retire for the night in apparently affable
harmony: the habitual congeniality of a longstanding relationship where
familiarity is mixed with frustration and grumbling complacency in equal
measure.
A small group of
four local actors performed in this play, Gwynne Wheldon gave a strongly
characterful performance as John Elias,a grumbling grunting middle aged man
trying desperately to impress with an obsequious attempt at charm, his
vocal,facial and physical expressions were excellent. Equally characterful were
the performances of Carys Jones,Branwen Davies and Richard Parry. The audience
regularly rocked with laughter throughout the short play, which was performed
with a minimal set.It seems many in the audience could relate on some level to
the rather grumpy familiarity that exists between a husband and wife!
By Annie ( @CorieltauviArt )
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