Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru |
| Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru- Estron , Eisteddfod , April 22, 2018 |
Jafar Iqbal was at “Estron” for Wales Arts ReviewIn excerpt: “...Estron follows Alun, a young man trying to recover from the untimely loss of his mother. With only his sister offering moral support, Alun retreats deeper into himself with a film script he can’t write and a mysterious Quality Street box. “While Y Tad was lauded for its unflinching tone, it’s the levity that stands out in Hefin Robinson’s one-act play. In between commiserating about their Mam, Alun and sister Han discuss where to buy bread and the joys of IKEA furniture. It’s the mundanity of human life that we all shelter ourselves in at difficult times, something Robinson smartly taps into. The play takes an inevitably darker turn in the final third, but it’s the science fiction element of the story that is most surprising. “It’s all very believable, however, and that is in large part due to Gareth Elis’ lead performance. He’s an instantly likeable presence on stage, his boyish charm and dry humour hiding a pathos that slowly unravels. The best scenes are those he shares with Ceri Elen. She matches, if not surpasses, Elis when it comes to the comedy sequences, but it’s a monologue to the audience towards the end of the play where she truly shines. It’s one of a few instances where the fourth wall is broken, but the only time that it really works. Audience interaction earlier in the play feels forced and unnecessary, as though shoe-horned in to fill time. “...Estron is a clear departure from Theatr Genedlaethol’s recent larger-scale pieces, and its wonderful to see more new Welsh-language voices. Robinson demonstrates his ability to create convincing characters, but not every decision hits the mark. That this young writer can write such an accomplished script yet still be finding his feet is a very exciting prospect for the future of Wales, and it’ll be interesting to see where he goes from here. While it may not be perfect, Estron is certainly an engaging and emotional piece of Welsh theatre. Excerpts, with thanks, from the full review to be read at: https://www.walesartsreview.org/theatre-estron-theatre-genedlaethol/ |
Reviewed by: Adam Somerset |
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