Llandovery is set to host a diverse array of brand new theatre productions, created by prominent Welsh writers and theatre makers specifically for unexpected locations within the town centre on Saturday, 28 September 2024.
Each production will last 15 minutes and will be held in unique non-theatrical venues throughout Llandovery including a car showroom, a pub beer garden, a fish and chip shop and the castle ruins.
Luke Bailey and Ella Peel have created the concept and are organising the event. Both are actors themselves and live locally in the rural town of Carmarthenshire. Luke Bailey said, “The Festival has been designed to engage seasoned theatre-goers and theatre first timers alike. The unusual venues will play host to performances designed solely for them. There will be five brand-new, one-act, plays commissioned specifically for the Festival.”
Ella Peel added, “Our aim of the Theatre Festival is to showcase the stunning tourist destination of Llandovery, my hometown, to visitors in fresh and inventive ways. We hope the event will also challenge locals to engage with the community, their home, their nation and the arts in powerful new ways.”
All the artists and creatives involved will be selected from the extraordinary Welsh and Wales-based professionals, with at least 30% coming from within 30 miles of Llandovery. They will range from emerging talent to established professionals.
The productions will explore diverse issues that affect the local region in an engaging and relatable way. They will also tackle issues facing the local community today.
During the Festival there will also be free adult masterclasses, children’s workshops, post show discussions, street performers and stalls. There will also be an opportunity of a paid shadow scheme for a resident of the town interested in pursuing a career in the arts to assist one of the directors in their rehearsal period, to gain an insight and experience into a professional theatre production.
The project is funded by UK Government and supported by Carmarthenshire County Council. Full details of where each production will be held will be available on the Festival’s social media pages nearer the event. Follow: Heart of Wales Fringe Festival – Gŵyl Ymylol on facebook or how_fringe_theatre_fest on Instagram.
