WALES today could easily be satirised as a procession of supermarkets, foreign holidays, new cars, business incentives and trivia from the Assembly.
But it wasn't always this way. As one of the cradles of the industrial revolution the country hides a bitter, magnificent struggle of working people to lead decent lives.
At times the struggle became international. In 1957 the black American singer and actor Paul Robeson was denied his passport when he wanted to visit the miners' Eisteddfod to sing for his Welsh friends.
His campaigning for better working conditions had been deemed un-American and communist.
So the enterprising Welsh miners made use of a new telephone cable and 5,000 sang to him from a concert hall in Porthcawl. Mr Robeson sang back.
This is the fertile ground which London Irish writer Greg Cullen has drawn on for a cracking play which will come to Newport's Riverfront Theatre on December 4.
Four actors play out the story of a Valleys mum, Sandra, and her son Gethyn. He believes his father to have been killed heroically in the war, but nobody wants to talk about it.
The only detail he can cling to is that his father knew Paul Robeson.
The drama is accentuated by the arrival of black engineer, George, from British Guyana. Gethyn thinks he's Paul Robeson and despite the misunderstanding both he and his mum strike up a dangerous friendship with the newcomer.
It's gripping stuff which plays brilliantly on a personal and political level. Don't miss it.
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