| "Welsh Artists Severely Lacking" |
At National Theatre Wales |
| National Theatre of Wales- Tide Whisperer , Tenby , September 21, 2018 |
The company for this production numbered 49 people. It performed three times. A short whole afterwards the Torch, a mainstay of theatre in Pembrokeshire, was informed that its budget for education was to be reduced by £10,000. This visit to Pembrokeshire came a month after the annual fireworks of the Fringe. The critic Lyn Gardner and I crossed tracks early one morning in Edinburgh, with a must-rush-to-show conersation, quintessentially of the Fringe. Her enthusiasm and energy were undimmed and we swapped views about “On the Exhale” versus “Gloria”, another US drama on the same theme. Later, on a Saturday evening at the Paines Plough Roundabout I was two seats away from the CEO of London's top PR firm. Words were also exchanged. These two are professionals at the peak of their game, and to be admired as such. Their influence on the culture of Wales is modest, but their influence on the boardrooms of the national company, and its funder, is immense. The Guardian in particular has been crucial in reinforcing the company's image as a plucky little fringe player. A London critic has no interest in the responsibilities of a national company. The phrase coined on this site five years back was “tourist criticism.” The ignoring of any feedback from within Wales was set as a key company value many years ago. The difference with the situation in Scotland, as reported last month, is a chasm. Scotland's National Theatre is of, by and for its people. * * * * Faithful to national company policy Pembrokeshire is a county bereft of directors or writers, and hardly any actors, able to represent it. Once again the call has to go to friends of Contact Theatre to put right Wales' deficiency of theatre professionals. But Wales Arts Review, admirably true to its name, was there. A good critic pulls out the different elements, makes judgements and looks to wider purpose and intent. So Jafar Iqbal in microcosm: great lighting from Ceri James, great music from John Hardy, slack direction, an inert presentation, a poor use of a fabulous locale, capped by “the true horror of the situation is held back in favour of an uplifting and remarkably whitewashed climax.” In extract: "The timing could not have been more perfect. On the same day that Arts Council Wales announces its Corporate Strategy for the next five years, National Theatre Wales is preparing for press night. "Bold statements come from ACW headquarters, with Chief Executive Nick Capaldi declaring that breaking down cultural, social and economic barriers “will be one of our defining priorities over the duration of this plan”. "A hundred miles away, in overcast but picturesque Tenby, Tide Whisperer is offering the entire world a nation’s artistic response to the global refugee crisis. Only: it really isn’t doing that at all. "Look at it in a vacuum and you’ll find a lot to appreciate about Tide Whisperer. Top of that list is its design, which is almost flawless. A darkening Tenby is lit beautifully by Ceri James, yellows and oranges shimmering along the sea and bouncing off the rocks. John Hardy’s ambient score of strings and piano is haunting, bringing an urgency to the piece that is sometimes lacking in Kully Thiarai’s direction. "Thiarai is able to get some strong performances from her cast, but it’s the immersive aspect that she doesn’t quite get right. Rather than mimic the chaos of the refugee experience, the ‘action’ is made up mostly of lengthy monologues, the audience standing still until each one ends. "When you consider that a good portion of the beach was at their disposal, it’s a badly missed opportunity. However, there’s no denying the complexities of tackling such an epic piece, and Thiarai deserves kudos for getting all the pieces to fit neatly together. "We can’t look at Tide Whisperer in a vacuum though; to do so would be damaging. Creative decisions have been made that, in the past, would have been attributed to Wales’ stunted growth, or even naivety. In 2018, these decisions seem misjudged and ignorant; worse still, they seem deliberate. The play wants to give the audience a glimpse into the refugee crisis but the true horror of the situation is held back in favour of an uplifting and remarkably whitewashed climax. "...Interestingly, only two of the eight actors in Tide Whisperer have any connection to Wales – should our country’s national theatre not be doing everything in their power to cast from within? Or are we to deduce that there isn’t enough quality Welsh talent? "I certainly don’t think that’s the case. If the argument is that the characters were all played by actors from those same communities then, quality of performance aside, London-born Susan Aderin should never have been cast as Cardiff resident Pearl. "Writer Louise Wallwein could also fall under that umbrella. While she certainly has the experience and the ability to pull off such a project, why wasn’t this golden opportunity given to a writer from this country? Again, doesn’t this suggest a lack of faith in Welsh writers? "Tide Whisperer is NTW’s biggest show of the year by a long way but, outside of the company’s own staff, the number of Welsh artists involved is severely lacking. Granted, other NTW shows this year have had more of a Welsh presence, but they also haven’t had the scale or the publicity that this piece has. "...This very important question needs to be answered as soon as possible: if a national theatre isn’t championing its own artists when it really matters, is it really a national theatre?" Abridged from the review in full, indispensable reading. At: http://www.walesartsreview.org/theatre-tide-whisperer-ntw/ |
Reviewed by: Adam Somerset |
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