Cult hit stage show the Harri-Parris - the all-singing, all-dancing, not remotely functional Pembrokeshire farming family created by Mai oh Mai theatre company - will appear in their second comedy drama, with all-new, original songs, in Spring 2015.
The Harri-Parris: The Big Day will be the company’s second production, and the second to follow the ups and downs of the Harri-Parris. The first, The Leaving Do, was performed at venues across Wales and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013.
Anni Harri-Parri, the family’s only daughter and the sanest of them all (just) arrives home from Manchester with big news, and a very unexpected guest. What will the Harri-Parris think of Anni’s man? What on Earth will he make of his new west Walian in-laws? Dust off your posh hats and join the Harri-Parris for an evening of outrageous songs, belly laughs and plenty of cake, in a new show that explores the clash of two very different cultures.
Writer and performer Llinos Mai, founder of theatre company Mai oh Mai was brought up on a farm in Pembrokeshire and has since been using this as comic inspiration for her comedy shows, including the Harri-Parris. Llinos is currently writing a new radio sitcom based on The Harri-Parris shows for BBC Radio Wales, which will be aired later in the year. She has also written one episode of Cara Fi, a comedy drama for Touchpaper and S4C. As an actor, as well as playing Anni Harri-Parri in The Harri-Parris shows, Llinos' theatre credits include: Green Man/Red Woman (National Theatre Wales), Fun Palaces (Agent 160), Here Be Monsters (Theatr Iolo), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Torch Theatre, Mappa Mundi), The Devoted Friend (Sherman Cymru), The Happy Prince, Danny the Champion of the World (Sherman Theatre), Gardd Gerdd Hudol Iori (Wales Millenium Centre), The Music Box Maker (Gwent Theatre) and The Big Bad Wolf (Theatr na n'Og).

Director Owen Lewis has previously directed The Man Who by Peter Brook, Summerfolk by Maxim Gorky, DNA by Denis Kelly and most recently Brecht’s The Respectable Wedding for the Guildhall School. His show Eric and Little Ern, about Morecambe and Wise, was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Entertainment. Other recent projects include: This Is Ceilidh (Assembly Spiegeltent, Edinburgh); Grumpy Old Women – 50 Shades of Beige (national tour); The Only Way Is Downton (Trafalgar Studios, London, Edinburgh & national tour) and Suggs: My Life Story (Garrick Theatre, London & national tour). Owen has also been a recipient of the RSC Buzz Goodbody Director’s Award.
Cast member Rhian Morgan’s stage credits include: Dyled Eileen, Tir Sir Gâr and Cariad Mr Bustl (Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru), The Harri-Parris: The Big Day (Chapter Arts Centre), Corilan/us (National Theatre Wales), Deep Cut (Tricycle & Traverse Theatres and tour), The Importance of Being Earnest (Mappa Mundi), Amazing Grace (Wales Theatre Company), Noye’s Fludde (Hermiola Young Musicians), Siwan and Punishment Without Revenge (Theatr Gwynedd), August (Clwyd Theatre Cymru) and Hamlet (Theatrig Theatre Company). Television credits include: Gwaith/ Cartref , Sioe Caryl Parry Jones and A Small Country (S4C), Stella (Sky), Tir (Joio TV), Ar Y Tracs (Tidy Productions), Eros Unleashed (ITV Wales), Jennie Y Daith Anorfod/The Jennie Project (Cambrensis), A470 (ITV Wales/S4C), Mine All Mine (Red Productions/ITV), Llafur Cariend (Taliesen Films), Electra (Dubrovnic Theatre Festival), A Mind To Kill (Lluniau Lliw), O’r Grand (Daffodil Television), Rhian Xmas Show (Ffilmiau Elidir) and Pobol Y Cwm (BBC Television). Film credits include: The Black Dog and August.
Cast member Dan Rochford’s recent stage credits include Dean in two episodes of the award-winning Hinterland/Y Gwyll, Guy in Iris Prize-winner Tim Marshall’s film Followers and has recently appeared in Gwaith/Cartref and Pobol Y Cwm. Dan is an accomplished drummer and has recorded and played with many bands and theatre productions over the years.
For the past four years, cast member Rhys ap Trefor has been playing the role of Simon on Gwaith/Cartref (S4C). He will also be appearing in the next series of Hinterland (S4C) later this year. Rhys has worked on many theatre productions with the writer/director Sera Moore Williams at Arad Goch Theatre, and also with Hijinx Theatre, Cardiff. His other television credits include: Istanbwl and Talcen Caled (S4C), Pobol y Cwm (BBC Cymru) and Belonging (BBC Wales), More recently, he has played Prys ar Frys, the clumsy detective on the madcap children's series Llan-ar-goll-en (S4C). When he's not working, Rhys is building new worlds, killing zombies and eating cake on Minecraft with his son Twm.
Cast member Oliver Wood trained as an actor at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. His stage credits include: Adventures in the Skin Trade (Theatr Iolo), The Future for Beginners (Live Arts Show), A High Street Odyssey (Inspector Sands), My Life In CIA and Rude (Give It A Name), The Bloody Ballad and Apparitions of Spirits (Gagglebabble), The Village Social and A Good Night Out in the Valleys (National Theatre Wales), Cinderella and Dick Whittington (Torch Theatre), Sleeping Beauty (New Wolsey Theatre), Fiddler on the Roof (Aberystwyth Arts Centre), The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night and Cymbeline (The Wales Theatre Company), Shadow Of A Boy and Waves In The Chatroom (Sherman Theatre), Electricity (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Owl Service (Theatre Royal Plymouth) and Romeo and Juliet (English Touring Theatre). His television credits include: Tati's Hotel (ITV), Crash, Green Green Grass, High Hopes and Belonging (BBC).
THE HARRI-PARRIS: THE BIG DAY
Presented by Mai oh Mai in partnership with The Torch, Chapter and Little Wander and supported by The Arts Council of Wales and Bristol Ferment
Written and composed by Llinos Mai
Directed by Owen Lewis
Musical Director: Dan Lawrence
Designed by Jenny Lee
Produced by Henry Widdicombe & Llinos Mai
Lighting Designer: Jane Laljee
Sound Designer: Matt Jones
Choreographer: Kylie Ann Smith
Additional material/Script editor: Chris Buxton
Creative Associate: Dafydd James
Cast includes Llinos Mai, Rhian Morgan, Dan Rochford, Rhys ap Trefor & Oliver Wood.
Dates: 26th February-4th April 2015
Full tour dates as follows:
Thurs 26th-Sat 28th Feb, 7.45pm
Torch Theatre, Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire
Box office: 01646 695 267 / www.torchtheatre.co.uk
Tues 3rd March, 7.30pm
Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan, Ceredigion
Box office: 01239 62 1200 / www.mwldan.co.uk
Thurs 5th-Fri 6th March, 7.30pm
The Ffwrnes, Llanelli, Carms
Box office: 0845 226 3510 / ffwrnes.ticketsolve.com
Sat 7th March, 7.30pm
* Victoria Hall, Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys
Box office: 01591 610487
Sat 14th March, 7.30pm
Neuadd Dwyfor, Pwllheli, Gwynedd
Box office: 01758 704088
Tues 17th March, 7.30pm
The Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taff
Box Office: 08000 147 111 / www.rct-arts.co.uk
Wed 18th March, 7.45pm
The Riverfront, Newport
Box office: 01633 656757 / www.newport.gov.uk/theriverfront
Thurs 19th March, 7.30pm
Pontardawe Arts Centre, Neath Port Talbot
Box office: 01792 863722 / www.pontardaweartscentre.com
Fri 20th March, 7.30pm
Theatr Felinfach, Dyffryn Aeron, Ceredigion
Box office: 01570 470697 / www.theatrfelinfach.com
Sat 21st March, 7.30pm
Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Ceredigion
Box office: 01970 62 32 32 / www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk
Sun 22nd March, 7.30pm
* Neuadd Dyfi, Aberdyfi, Gwynedd
Box office: 01654 767251/ www.neuadddyfi.org
Tues 24th March, 7.30pm
* Theatr John Ambrose, Ruthin, Denbighshire
Box office: 01824 702575
Wed 25th March, 7.30pm
Pontio @ Neuadd Ogwen, Bethesda, Gwynedd
Box office: 01248 382828 / pontio.co.uk / neuaddogwen.com
Fri 27th March, 7.30pm
Borough Theatre, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire
Box office: 01873 850805 / www.boroughtheatreabergavenny.co.uk
Sat 28th March, 7.45pm
The Hafren, Newtown, Powys
Box office: 01686 614555 / www.thehafren.co.uk
Tues 31st March-Sat 4th April, 8pm
Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff
Box office: 029 2030 4400 / www.chapter.org
* These three are Night Out venues
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