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Strike 25- a fresh snapshot on a time that has defined modern Britain!
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It is 25 years since the 1984 Miners Strike which both united and divided communities across Britain however it remains fresh in the minds of those that played a pivotal part. Ammanford and the Amman Valley were once strong mining communities but until recently local young people had little connection with this past or the sacrifices local people made in the name of their future. However professional theatre company Mess Up The Mess have teamed up with Carmarthenshire Theatres and Ammanford Youth Council to change all that. With funding from Arts Council Wales, Cronfa Sera, University Wales and Heritage Lottery young people have worked alongside professional artists to rediscover their local coal mining heritage and stage an original play revealing all they have learnt.
It was during the projects development that Mess Up The Mess became committed to showcasing the unsung heroes of the Strike-local women. The young writers interviewed local women and were surprised to discover the immense role women played in this complicated history. The resulting production see's the strike through the eyes of women from distributing food parcels to those most in need to picketing and marching, women were in the thick of the action standing up for their values and the community.
The show which opens at Ammanford Miners Theatre at 7.30pm on the 19th and 20th of February promises to be a vibrant and dynamic performance of conflict and allegiance, pinpointing the highs and lows of this controversial time. The production commemorates the struggle of the strike for all those involved but also seeks to bring the sacrifices of that time to life for a younger audience.
Sarah Jones Artistic Director is keen to point out 'that although the strike was a very serious event and a time that people remember as a difficult one it was also a time of unity and camaraderie. We have made sure our show features the sense of togetherness that pervaded the strike as well as the humour that people needed to keep themselves fighting!'
After a sell out panto season at Ammanford Miner's Mess Up The Mess are sure to create another unique community event that will engage a wide ranging audience aged 10-110! The local performances also feature a female community choir singing everything from 80's medleys to protest songs!
During the process the young company have been mentored in writing, performance, design and technical theatre and will following the launch at AMT by taking these skills on tour with the production to Theatr Elli, Lyric Theatre, Theatr Mwldan - Small World Theatre and Ystradgynlais Welfare Hall. For more information please contact producer Peri on 07966 294 188. |
Mess Up the Mess
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010 |
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