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MESS UP THE MESS TO CELEBRATE QUEER LIFE IN A QUEER CHRISTMAS ON SWANSEA’S HISTORIC HIGH STREET. |
This December, Swansea will host a Christmas show with a twist. In fact, it’s slightly queer. Mess Up The Mess’ A Queer Christmas is both a celebration of queer life in Swansea, and a reflection of the city’s queer past. It’s a show that promises song, dance and many surprises for the audience as they pass through locations on Swansea High Street. Swansea, South Wales’ second biggest city, is known as an especially hospitable area, and is known for the Gower and surrounding beaches. It is not known for its queer scene; however, it has had a thriving history. One of the first queer nightspots was opened there, and there is still an active presence on the High Street today. A Queer Christmas is the result of weeks of workshops with the local queer community, with ages ranging from 16 to 74. There is also collaboration with local artists, writers and performers, led by Creative Director Bethan Marlow. These workshops have led to the creation of a piece that is fully immersive and gives audiences a unique journey through the LGBT world inhabited by the characters. Welsh writer Bethan explains: “Over the last year or so I've been developing this process because I truly believe that it creates real, dynamic and important theatre. I place the local community at the heart of it so that whilst they are learning new skills within their weekly workshops they are also given a platform for their voices to be heard - either in words, dance, art or drama. My job is to then listen to those voices and make sure it's at the heart of the production. It's extremely important that even when the professional actors step in to join the team that the community still feel a sense of ownership of the piece. Also, on a simpler level, it brings a community together of all ages and backgrounds and that is a rare thing these days.” A Queer Christmas is the result of interviews that have been held with Swansea’s LGBT community, and also new writing from the writing workshops, crafted by Bethan into a narrative that aims to express what it is like to be queer in the South Wales city - an accurate representation of LGBT life, and a celebration of it. The cast is a mixture of professional actors and local actors, dancers and performers, and includes Aled Pedrick (who recently directed Finborough Theatre’s acclaimed Saer Doliau), Meilir Rhys Williams and Peri Thomas. Mess Up The Mess Present A Queer Christmas 6th-8th December, 7pm Starts at Kings Arms Pub, High Street, Swansea. A Queer Christmas is a promenade performance, and all parts of the show are fully wheelchair accessible. Sections of the show are performed outside, so please wear appropriate clothing and footwear. www.queerchristmas.co.uk Box Office: www.taliesinartscentre.co.uk or 01792 602060 Tickets: £10, Concessions £5 Ages 14+ |
| A Queer Christmas web site: www.queerchristmas.co.uk |
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Sunday, November 10, 2013 |
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