This autumn, Company of Sirens and Tanio bring HUT 9, a hard-hitting new play by Welsh playwright Tim Rhys, to stages across South Wales.Part historical drama, part chilling vision of the future, HUT 9 begins with a remarkable true story from Bridgend’s past and takes it somewhere deeply unsettling. On the night of 10 March 1945, 70 German prisoners of war escaped from Island Farm, tunnelling beneath the camp and disappearing into the darkness of the surrounding countryside. Their escape began at Hut 9. More than 80 years later, Hut 9 has become something else. In an imagined near-future, Island Farm has been rebuilt as a grim detention centre. Civil liberties have been stripped away. Dissent is dangerous. Freedom is no longer a right, it’s a memory. And people are being held there because they dared to disagree. As the stories of the 1945 escape and this terrifying future unfold alongside each other, the distance between past and present begins to collapse. What starts as a story of prisoners escaping captivity becomes a much darker examination of power, extremism, political repression and what happens when ordinary people allow their freedoms to be taken from them. HUT 9 asks uncomfortable questions. How quickly can freedom disappear? What happens when resistance becomes a crime? How far would you go to survive? And when the consequences are catastrophic, is it already too late to act? Drawing on verbatim testimonies from local people and the extraordinary history of Island Farm, HUT 9 takes a story deeply embedded in Bridgend’s heritage and turns it into a warning about the future. This is not comfortable nostalgia. It is a warning. Because the darkest part of HUT 9 is not that its future is unimaginable. The production brings together an exciting mix of established Welsh talent and emerging performers. Acclaimed actor Siwan Morris (Skins, RSC, The Light in the Hall) returns to Company of Sirens following her mesmerising performance in Water Wars, which toured Wales last year. Welsh favourite Russell Gomer (Stella, Being Human, Tree on a Hill) joins the cast, bringing his distinctive energy and mercurial style to the production. They are joined by talented young Welsh performers Samuel Morgan-Davies (Doctor Who, Hidden) and newcomer Gwern Phillips. The production team itself provides opportunities for the next generation of Welsh creative talent. New graduate Lydia Durnall takes on the design, with lighting by Ceri James who brings a wealth of experience to the production. An original live score by Welsh musician Stacey Blythe will create an atmospheric and immersive soundscape, adding another layer to the unsettling journey between past and future. HUT 9 is rooted firmly in South Wales, its history, its people and its places, whilst tackling questions that reach far beyond Bridgend. For Company of Sirens, whose work is renowned for combining powerful storytelling with social and political themes, the production continues a commitment to creating ambitious theatre across Wales and building meaningful partnerships with local communities. https://linktr.ee/companyofsirens For Tanio, whose dedication is to deliver high-quality arts experiences and activities to communities across South Wales, particularly to people living in disadvantaged areas of Bridgend County, their invaluable partnership in bringing HUT 9 to audiences across Wales is central to their purpose and ethos. See HUT 9 live PORTERS, CARDIFF Thursday 12th and Friday 13th November – 7 p.m. Tickets: TicketSource MAESTEG TOWN HALL Wednesday 18th, Thursday 19th and Friday 20th November – 8 p.m. Thursday 19th November – additional 11:30 a.m. performance Tickets: Awen Box Office — Maesteg Town Hall THEATR SOAR, MERTHYR TYDFIL Saturday 21st November – 7.30 p.m. Tickets: Theatre Soar Hut 9 is supported by the Arts Council of Wales and the Awen Cultural Trust Suitable for audiences 14+ years Contains scenes of violence and oppression |
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Friday, October 2, 2026 |
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