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Spring 2019 Drama Highlights

2 January 2019

The College’s ground-breaking NEW writing festival brings some of the UK’s most exciting writers and directors to work with the College’s final year students to create challenging, provocative and ambitious contemporary theatre in collaboration with some of the most important writing companies in the UK.

The plays premiere here in Cardiff in March before transferring to London’s Gate Theatre in April.

What We Know

In February, the Richard Burton Company explores lust and murder in two tales of doomed marriages with Helen Edmundson’s adaptation of Thérèse Raquin and Sophie Treadwell’s Machinal;

We also welcome back Rhodri Miles, this time with his fascinating exploration of Shylock, and celebrate St David’s Day with Torch Theatre’s ever popular Grav. Our Musical Theatre troupe perform Stephen Sondheim’s Company at the Sherman Theatre

Machinal

Finally, a heads up that the college first opened its doors to students in 1949 and later in the year we’ll be marking our 70th anniversary with some special events featuring College graduates and Fellows and celebrating Welsh cultural figures, so look out for announcements over the coming months!

For review tickets contact press@rwcmd.ac.uk. You can view the full Spring What’s On Guide here. 

NEW: 2019
The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama’s New Writing Festival
Gŵyl Ysgrifennu Newydd Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru

4 New Plays | 4 Writers
4 Drama Newydd | 4 Ysgrifennwr

The ground-breaking festival brings some of the UK’s most exciting writers and directors to work with the College’s final year students to create challenging, provocative and ambitious contemporary theatre in collaboration with some of the
most important new writing companies in UK: Gate Theatre, Paines Plough, Royal Court Theatre and Sherman Theatre.

The College’s Richard Burton Company will premiere four new plays in Cardiff before transferring to London’s Gate Theatre.

Tues 19 March – Thurs 21 March
Royal Welsh College, Cardiff
029 2039 1391
www.rwcmd.ac.uk

Tues 2 – Fri 5 April
Gate Theatre, Notting Hill, London
020 7229 0706
www.gatetheatre.co.uk

Machinal

Tues 5 –Tues 12 February 7.30pm
Matinee Thurs 7 February 2.30pm
No performances Sunday
Captioned Performance Mon 11 Feb 7.30pm

Written by Sophie Treadwell
Directed by Sean Linnen

“I can’t go on like this, Ma – I don’t know why but I can’t. Going to work – coming home – going to work – coming home – I got to do something.”

A young woman. Trapped in a living hell. Suffocating in a loveless marriage. The only way to be free is to murder.

90 years on from its Broadway premiere, Sophie Treadwell’s dazzling expressionistic masterpiece is as raw and as relevant than ever.

Tickets: £13, £11 concessions (Under 25s £6)

Venue: Richard Burton Theatre

What We Know

Tues 5 –Tues 12 February 8pm
No performances Sunday

Written by Pamela Carter
Directed by Debbie Hannan

Lucy and Jo are cooking a meal when Jo suddenly disappears. Confused and lost with a puttanesca sauce to finish, Lucy continues with the evening, hosting dinner guests both invited and uninvited.
A humourous, heart-breaking and unconventional play about loss – and the restorative
potential of a good meal.

Tickets: £13, £11 concessions (Under 25s £6)

Venue: Caird Studio

Thérèse Raquin

Tues 5 –Tues 12 February 7.15pm
Matinee Fri 8 February 2.30pm
No performances Sunday

Written by Emile Zola
Adapted by Helen Edmundson
Directed by Patricia Logue

Helen Edmundson’s adaptation breathes new life into Zola’s 1868 controversial French tale about lust, murder and madness. A quiet young woman is consumed by desire when she meets her husband’s childhood friend Laurent.

Powerful and honest, the play’s portrayal of the dark side of human nature remains shocking to this day.

Tickets: £13 | £11 concessions (Under 25s £6)

Venue: Bute Theatre

Company

Tues 26 – Sat 30 March 7.15pm
Thurs 28 & Sat 30 March 2.15pm

Music and Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM
Book by GEORGE FURTH
Originally Produced and Directed on Broadway by Harold Prince
Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick

Rupert Hands director
Alex Beetschen musical director

Enjoy an intimate studio version of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s legendary musical comedy featuring the award winning songs Company, You Could Drive a Person Crazy, The Ladies Who Lunch, Side by Side and Being Alive. Bobby’s birthday party prompts questions from his friends about life, love and marriage.

Tickets: £13, £11 concessions (Under 25s Half Price)

Venue: Sherman Theatre
029 2064 6900
www.shermantheatre.co.uk

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