Theatr na n'Og |
| Theatr na n'Og- The Princess and the Hunter , Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon, and on tour , February 25, 2005 |
| This review first appeared in the Western mail It couldn’t be better timed: an anti-hunting musical. It’s not quite a polemic against the men in red and yapping hounds, but there’s no doubt where Thear na n’Og’s sympathies lie – with the hunted, as in the original tale from the Mabinogion. Melangell, the heroione (and the title of the Welsh-language version of the show that takes over from the English for the middle part of the extensive tour), is a human who finds herself shipwrecked and given shelter by the animals of the forest; Brochwel is the hunter, albeit one who feels he has to do it because it’s part of the job of being a Prince, and the fact that he’s a young fair-haired chap much influenced by dodgy companions may or may not be relevant. Because this isn’t really remotely a political social commentary but rather a thoroughly enjoyable family show that succeeds because of the mix of professionalism and accessibility. And while it is touring to Wales’s main theatres it comes from a company that is usually seen more in schools. The politics here is not about hunting but about theatre in Wales: what director Geinor Jones is saying (and showing) is that the skills of those working in theatre-in-education and young people’s theatre don’t have to be confined to small-scale projects determined by the school curriculum. The Princess and the Hunter certainly makes the point effectively, with an on-stage five-piece rock band, comedy routines that are distinctly pantomimic, some superb singing (notably Elin Llwyd as Melangell) and a fantastic set that combines Angahard Roberts’s beautiful drapes with Ceri James’s lighting to create a quite magical world. Dyfan Jones’s music and the Welsh language Children’s Poet, Tudur Dylan Jones, provides the lyrics, with musical direction by Greg Palmer. What makes it special is that the professionalism evident in the production and performances is allied to the skills that companies like this have developed – in Na n’Og’s case, from the days when they were Theatre West Glamorgan under the inventive direction of Tim Baker (now resident at theatre Clwyd). These ensure that the audience have a good night out, that they feel engaged, that they are not sold short – an ethos embraced by all Wales’s young people’s theatre companies. What we have here, for example, is a storyline and set of characters not simply scripted by a playwright (no writer is credited) but devised by the original performers – the show is based on the National Eisteddfod hit of a couple of years ago – in a process that may result in a lack of content but which makes it a million miles from many other so-called family musicals. Maybe The Princess and the Hunter is determinedly entertaining – as if the company’s main aim is to show it can do a largish-scale musical that’s as slick and as enjoyable as a mainstream company – at the expense of any real substance, but na N’Og’s argument is convincing. This is theatre for young people of a high standard, with fine performances from all the cast – Dyfrig Evans Rhodri Evan, Carys Gwilym, Phylip Harries, Daniel Lloyd, Elin Llwd, Jennifer Vaughan and Neil Williams. |
Reviewed by: David Adams |
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