Award-winning playwright Gary Owen will take on an exciting theatre challenge next month aimed at bringing theatre to the MySpace generation – by giving it to them for free and in a yurt.
The Cardiff playwright will be given two weeks to write a new play - no more than 10 minutes, no less than three - to be performed as part of Dirty Protest Presents….
He will be joined by five other writers, one of them a complete novice who has never written for the public before.
The next Dirty Protest will take place on Thursday, December 6 at Milgi, Cardiff featuring new work from Mared Swain, Stuart Allen, Tom Cullen, Matthew David Scott and novice Dr Ian Lewis in the Pop Your Cherry slot.
Aimed as an antidote to Welsh theatre’s current obsession with revivals and safe productions aimed at the middle-class theatre-goer, Dirty Protest plans to harness burgeoning talent and give established writers an inspiring challenge.
Tim Price, from Dirty Protest said, "After the success of the first one we felt compelled to carry on in our humble efforts to kickstart a Welsh theatre scene, and to perhaps even foster an audience. We are an artists' co-operative, a non-profit organisation and our ambitions are solely to do with providing a focus for new writing and a platform for artists to get together, perform and get to know each other."
As a playwright himself, 27-year-old Price and his fellow Dirty Protest organisers Claire Hill and Catrin Rees, are excited to have discovered a new theatre audience in Wales.
Tim said, "We have always thought that if theatre tickets were £2 and plays were advertised on (networking websites) MySpace and Facebook, or through flyers in bars then my peers would be sitting next to me. And now they are."
The first Dirty Protest was a much-talked about affair in August.
Award-winning writer Ed Thomas made his return to the public arena, four years since his last play, Stone City Blue. Theatres across Wales had hounded him for a play for years but failed to pin him down. However, inspired by the DIY nature of the event, three people and a yurt persuaded him to write a new play, for free.
He was featured alongside Gareth Potter, Kit Lambert, Alan Harris and Branwen Davies and debut writer Rhiannon Boyle.
Catrin said, "We have one the most well-connected audiences in Cardiff, already one short play is been turned into a short film for the Cardiff Film Festival. From one reading in a yurt that is something we're all really proud of, and proud of Kit Lambert the writer."
Split into two sections the night featured rehearsed readings from Skins’
actress Siwan Morris, Caerdydd actress Alys Thomas and former Mappa Mundi actor Lee Mengo.
The actors for the next Dirty Protest are yet to be announced, but expect some exciting names on the line-up.
*The next Dirty Protest Presents... is at Milgi, City Road, Cardiff on Thursday, December 6 at 7.30pm and 9pm. Free
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Who is behind it?
Tim Price, playwright and scriptwriter. Credentials include current S4C series Y Pris, forthcoming ITV drama Sold and Royal Court Theatre’s writer to watch. Claire Hill, arts journalist who has five years experience interviewing and spotting the new cultural stars, across Wales and the UK. Catrin Rees, Dirty Protest’s director was once an actress. Having met Johnny Depp while working on Finding Neverland she felt her life was complete. After retiring from acting Catrin now spends her time in the dark arts of production. She is currently producing for Fiction Factory Films and story editing the popular drama series 'Caerdydd'.
What is it?
Six writers in a yurt. One novice. One topic. Two weeks to write it. Welcome to Dirty Protest, a night of new writing in the heart of Cardiff. An evening of theatre, techno and frottage.
Who loves it?
The first event saw two packed out performances with more than 120 cramming themselves into the yurt to see the plays. We even had to turn people away. Who says people, especially the young, don’t come to the theatre?
Results?
Kit Lambet’s Dirty Protest play is now being turned into a short film. So it must have been good.
Who has been involved?
Previous Dirty Protests have featured new work from Ed Thomas, Kit Lambert, Gareth Potter, Branwen Davies, Alan Harris and Rhiannon Boyle.
What’s the Pop Your Cherry Slot?
We want Dirty Protest to inspire brand new writers, as well as the great and good. So this is a unique opportunity for budding playwrights from any walk of life to write a play, watch it performed by professional actors and share equal billing with the established writers. If you would like to be considered for January's Pop Your Cherry Slot - please get in touch. The only criterion for the slot is that you have never had anything performed before.
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