With the world première of Emily White’s Pavilion running at the theatre, and the company’s large-scale promenade show Mold Riots about to take to the streets, Artistic Director of Theatr Clwyd Tamara Harvey and Executive Director Liam Evans-Ford today announces the company’s new season, which centres on two world premières by Seiriol Davies and Alan Harris.
The season opens with Milky Peaks – a fiercely hilarious new musical written and composed by Seiriol Davies, which opens at Theatr Clwyd on 30 March, with previews from 20 March, runs until 11 April, and then embarks on a tour across Wales; followed by a brand new comedy from award-winning Welsh playwright Alan Harris, For The Grace of You Go I, which opens on 30 April, with previews from 27 April, and runs until 9 May.
Tamara Harvey said today, “We’re properly proud of the extraordinary talent here in Wales, and delighted to share their unique voices with audiences across the nation. Following Emily White’s brilliant debut with Pavilion and the forthcoming Mold Riots by Bethan Marlow we stage Seiriol Davies’ new musical Milky Peaks - lyrically nimble and musically exhilarating, his songs and stories are rich, nuanced and intensely funny. We then welcome Alan Harris, one of the best comedic playwrights of his generation, with his new play For The Grace Of You Go I, exploring humanity in its most personal and intimate moments while still finding light, and laughter, in darkness.”
Highlights of the visiting season include the stage adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, Kate Wasserberg’s production of Richard Cameron’s The Glee Club, The Croft with Gwen Taylor, and Alan Bennett’s The Habit of Art with Matthew Kelly; as well as dance from Rambert and National Dance Company Wales, and the hit new musical SIX.
THEATR EMLYN WILLIAMS
Theatr Clwyd, Áine Flanagan Productions and Seiriol Davies present the world première of
MILKY PEAKS
Written and composed by Seiriol Davies
Devised by Seiriol Davies, Matthew Blake and Dylan Townley
Directed by Alex Swift; Additional composition by Dylan Townley
20 March - 11 April
Press night: 30 March
An edgy and extremely funny musical comedy. Nestled in the heart of Snowdonia, the small town of Milky Peaks is nominated for ‘Britain’s Best Town’. The award brings with it a dark right-wing agenda, threatening the heart and soul of the town. Can the community club together to save the identity of their beloved Milky Peaks?
Milky Peaks reunites Davies with collaborators Matthew Blake, Alex Swift, Dylan Townley and Áine Flanagan Productions.
Seiriol Davies trained at LISPA. He is the writer, composer and star of queer musical How to Win Against History, which was the critical and audience smash of the 2016 and 2017 Edinburgh Fringe, and toured England and Wales extensively before a run at London's Young Vic, which was extended due to popular demand. He previously worked with companies and artists including Punchdrunk, Caroline Horton, Verity Standen, Underbling & Vow, Christopher Green and Gideon Reeling. He has written work for The Old Vic, Gate Theatre, National Theatre Wales and English National Opera. Upcoming work includes the musical Betty! - co-written with Maxine Peake - for the Manchester Royal Exchange.
Alex Swift is the Artistic Director at Permanent Red and Associate Artist at Daedalus Theatre Company. Directing for theatre includes All of Me(Summerhall, Edinburgh and The Yard, London), How to Win Against History (Young Vic and tour), An Injury (Ovalhouse), Heads Up (Summerhall, Edinburgh and tour), Luca Rutherford’s Political Party (ARC Stockton and tour), Instructions For Border Crossing (Summerhall and tour), Me & Mr C (Ovalhouse, Alphabetti Theatre and tour), Fat Man(Vault Festival and tour), Error 404 (Polka Theatre and tour), Mess (Traverse theatre and tour), I Told You This Would Happen (ARC Stockton and tour) and Puffball (BAC and Yard Theatre).
Milky Peaks has been supported by the National Theatre New Work Department, Theatr Clwyd, Arts Council England and Cyngor Celfyddydau Cymru.
THEATR EMLYN WILLIAMS
Theatr Clwyd presents the world première of
FOR THE GRACE OF YOU GO I
By Alan Harris
Director: James Grieve
27 April – 9 May
Press night: 30 April
Jimmy's writing messages. In pepperoni. On top of pizzas. Adding meats to “handmade” artisan pizzas, Jim’s life is going nowhere. But after watching the film I Hired A Contract Killer, he’s found a solution – he puts out a hit on himself. A darkly funny, quick witted, fastmoving new comedy by acclaimed writer Alan Harris.
Alan Harris’ plays include Sugar Baby (Edinburgh Fringe 2017, Soho Theatre 2018), How My Light is Spent (winner of the Judges’ Award at the 2015 Bruntwood Prize, produced by the Royal Exchange, Manchester, Sherman Theatre and Theatre By The Lake), Love, Lies and Taxidermy (Paines Plough, Theatr Clwyd and Sherman Theatre), The Opportunity of Efficiency (New National Theatre Tokyo / National Theatre Wales), A Good Night Out in The Valleys (the inaugural production of the newly formed National Theatre Wales), The Future For Beginners (liveartshow / Wales Millennium Centre), The Magic Toyshop (Invisible Ink / Theatr Iolo), Cardboard Dad (Sherman Cymru), Miss Brown To You (Hijinx Theatre), and Orange (Sgript Cymru).
James Grieve returns to Theatr Clwyd to direct – he previously directed The Assassination of Katie Hopkins. He was joint Artistic Director of Paines Plough - the UK’s national theatre of new plays – where his credits for the company included Out Of Love, Black Mountain and How To Be A Kid (Roundabout, Theatr Clwyd and Orange Tree), Angry Brigade and Jumpers For Goalposts (Bush Theatre), Hopelessly Devoted (Tricycle Theatre, UK Tour), Wasted (Latitude Festival), Tiny Volcanoes (Liverpool Everyman) You Cannot Go Forward From Where You Are Right Now (Traverse Theatre). Other credits include the forthcoming God’s Dice (Soho Theatre), the award-winning Translations (Sheffield Theatres), The Whisky Taster, Psychogeography (Bush Theatre) and The List (Arcola Theatre).
Theatr Clwyd
Raikes Lane, Mold CH7 1YA
Box Office: 01352 701521
www.theatrclwyd.com/en/
SEASON AT A GLANCE
PAVILION
Anthony Hopkins Theatre
Until 12 October
MOLD RIOTS
21 - 26 October
Press night: 23 October
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
Anthony Hopkins Theatre
22 November – 18 January 2020
Press night: 27 November
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Emlyn Williams Theatre
13 December – 5 January
Press night: 18 December
Y TROL WNAETH DDWYN Y ‘DOLIG
Clwyd Room
27 December – 5 January 2020
Press night: 27 December
MILKY PEAKS
Emlyn Williams Theatre
20 March - 11 April
Press night: 30 March
FOR THE GRACE OF YOU GO I
Emlyn Williams Theatre
27 April – 9 May
Press night: 30 April
