Richard Burton Company: NEW ’21 in Pictures

This has been an academic year unlike any other. However, our Drama students have been able to continue creating work throughout, thanks to our professional training status in Wales and a range of special Covid safety adaptions.

The Richard Burton Company, RWCMD’s in-house repertory company which brings together final year Acting, Stage Management, and Design for Performance students, has had its performances filmed for the first time, enabling them to share them with a wider audience.

Since September, their productions, which include the College’s very first Short Film Festival and the launch of the In Camera seasons, have been seen online by over 1600 households across the globe including the US, Canada, Japan and Australia.

NEW ’21 – Online for the very first time

Our annual new writing festival will also be online and available to watch from 21 May-20 June.

Performed at the College earlier this term, NEW ’21 brings together some of the most exciting four writers and directors in the UK, to work with final year students to present four brand-new plays.

Since its launch eight years ago NEW has been creating dynamic, challenging and provocative plays and this year’s season is no exception. RWCMD Writer in Residence Chinonyerem Odimba has written her first work for RWCMD for this season, The Toll, directed by Jesse Jones.

This year the College has collaborated with Paines Plough and Sherman Theatre.

Felt so good to be back @rwcmd today to watch an actual dress rehearsal & see what the students and the brilliant @JesseJones_TWE have made of my latest play. I will tell you now that THEY HAVE DONE BITS!!!! pic.twitter.com/Fz08qzQ6Jy

— Chinonyerem Odimba (@Chino100percent) March 23, 2021

The Toll

By Chinonyerem Odimba
Director Jesse Jones

The Toll looks at the new borders that Brexit has created physically and metaphorically. It digs into the dangerous impact of shouting into the void.

Terroir

By Jennifer Lunn
Director Sara Lloyd

This award-winning writer tells the story of family, place, and legacy in Terroir.

The Electric

By Vickie Donoghue
Director Anthony Simpson-Pike

Set in an Essex night club, The Electric is a contemporary re-telling of Electra by Sophocles.

The Ache

By Rob Evans
Director Stef O’Driscoll

Written by Welsh playwright Rob Evans, The Ache asks the question – what is technology’s role in our society and how does our humanity fit into this?

These shows will be available to watch online from 21 May-20 June 2021. Tickets can be bought at www.rwcmd.ac.uk/whatson

Find out more about studying Acting, Stage Management and Design for Performance at the College.

Photography by Kirsten McTernan.

The Toll
By Chinonyerem Odimba
Director Jesse Jones
Set & Costume Designer Bea Vina Millar
Lighting Designer Jamie Holden
Sound Designer Lauren Moir
Stage Manager Emily Howard

The Ache
By Rob Evans
Director Stef O’Driscoll
Set & Costume Designer Ellen Collings
Lighting Designer Jamie Holden
Sound Designer Lauren Moir
Stage Manager Ray Young

The Electric
By Vickie Donoghue
Director Anthony Simpson-Pike
Set Designer Dan Southwell
Costume Designer Tierney Dore
Lighting Designer Paul Kaiba
Sound Designer Lewis Murray
Stage Manager Zoe Wale
RWCMD in association with Paines Plough

Terroir
By Jennifer Lunn
Director Sara Lloyd
Set & Costume Designer Dan Southwell
Lighting Designer Paul Kaiba
Sound Designer Lewis Murray
Stage Manager Helena Gonzalez Alonso
RWCMD in collaboration with Sherman Theatre