National Theatre Wales’ Network – Further details announced about the digital season / Newyddion pellach wedi rhyddhau newyddion am y tymor digidol.

  • National Theatre Wales and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru announce the theatre artists behind the first round of Network New Digital Commissions
  • First of Network Play Reading to be streamed this weekend

Following the launch of their Network programme earlier this month, National Theatre Wales (NTW), who have joined forces with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru and Sherman Theatre have today released further news about the digital season.

Working alongside Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru to produce Network New Digital Commissions, and producing house Sherman Theatre, to develop Network Play Readings, NTW’s new digital programme aims to  create opportunities for theatre makers while helping audiences, communities and artists to come together whilst we are all kept apart.

After a hugely encouraging response to the original callout for submissions NTW and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru are pleased to announce the first three Network New Digital Commissions. Theatre makers from across Wales were invited to put forward innovative, exciting and human responses for live digital theatre during the ongoing lockdown. Artists Emily Laurens, Justin Teddy Cliffe and Eddie Ladd, have been chosen to lead Network’s opening season for new commissioned digital performances.

Lorne Campbell, Artistic Director at National Theatre Wales said “After an overwhelming response of quality, originality and ambition we are delighted to be announcing our first round of digital commissions. It is a credit to the diversity and depth of the Welsh theatre community that this was such a difficult decision. In this first round we have gone with three applications that have approached the idea of liveness in a digital space and explored the possibility of form with real innovation. I can’t wait for this work to meet audiences over the coming weeks.”

Alongside Network New Digital Commissions, the first of the Network Play Readings, in collaboration with Sherman Theatre, will be streamed this weekend. Network Play Readings will showcase the talent of companies and creatives across Wales. The first confirmed play, Ripples, by Tracy Harris,directed by Matthew Holmquist and performed by students of Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, will be streamed on Saturday 2 May at 7.00pm. 

Lorne Campbell went on to say “We are also very excited to be premiering the first of our digital play readings this Saturday with Tracy Harris’ Ripples, I’ve seen some of the dress rehearsals and it is going to be a real treat.”

Opening the season for New Digital Commissions are:

Emily Laurens – Dream a little Dream for me

Emily is a multidisciplinary artist who will turn people’s dreams during the lockdown period into puppetry performances accompanied by live, improvised music

Justin Teddy CliffeLife Coach

Justin is a theatre maker who works across multiple disciplines and is one half of Tin Shed Theatre Co. Life Coach is a multi-platform exploration and satirisation of  self improvement gurus and online wellness trends.

Eddie Ladd – Ynys Las 

Eddie has been a physical theatre performer for over 30 years. Eddie will create a deep map of her family farm in rural West Wales where she currently finds herself, isolating with her mother. She’ll explore the history of Maesglas, stories, interviews, fantasy elements, geological notes and everything that shapes this miniature world. 

NTW are working with Welsh based streaming platform AM to deliver their work to audiences https://www.amam.cymru/ 

Network Play Readings to be streamed:

Ripples, by Tracy Harris and directed by Matthew Holmquist  was originally commissioned for Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama’s new writing festival, NEW: 2020, in collaboration with Sherman Theatre and will be the first play presented in partnership with Sherman Theatre as part of Network Play Readings. For a while it looked like the play wouldn’t be seen by audiences as the run at RWCMD was cancelled the day before opening as a result of the closures due to COVID-19 pandemic. Having been revised and adjusted for an online format, this Saturday will see the original cast of final year RWCMD acting students performing a virtual version of the play which follows eight strangers who join an online rehab group to revisit and replay the traumas of their past.

NTW and Sherman Theatre will deliver play readings by Welsh theatre companies – The Other Room, Powder House and Dirty Protest over the coming weeks. Broadcast dates will be announced soon.

Network was born from National Theatre Wales in response to the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown. It was designed to provide vital job opportunities for the performance industry while connecting,  engaging and sharing moments with audiences and communities through live, online theatre during this period of social isolation.

Network is delivered in partnership with BBC Arts, BBC Cymru Wales, Sherman Theatre and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru. 

The call out for the second round of commissions for Network’s New Digital Commissions is underway.  Artists are invited to submit their ideas which can work as a piece of live theatre online. The next deadline for submissions is Wednesday 6 May 2020 at 4.00pm.

  • National Theatre Wales a Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru yn cyhoeddi’r artistiaid  theatr y tu ôl i rownd gyntaf Comisiynau Digidol Newydd Network
  • Y cyntaf o’r Darlleniadau Drama Network i’w darlledu y penwythnos hwn

Yn dilyn lansiad eu rhaglen Network fis diwethaf , mae National Theatre Wales (NTW), ar y cyd â Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru a Theatr y Sherman wedi rhyddhau newyddion pellach heddiw am y tymor digidol.

Gan gydweithio â Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru i gynhyrchu Comisiynau Digidol Newydd  Network, a’r tŷ cynhyrchu Theatr y Sherman  i ddatblygu Darlleniadau Drama  Network, nod rhaglen ddigidol newydd NTW yw creu cyfleoedd i wneuthurwyr theatr tra’n helpu cynulleidfaoedd, cymunedau ac artistiaid i ddod at ei gilydd tra byddwn ni i gyd yn cael ein cadw ar wahân.

Ar ôl ymateb hynod galonogol i’r alwad wreiddiol am gyflwyniadau, mae NTW a Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru yn falch o gyhoeddi’r tri Chomisiwn Digidol Newydd Network cyntaf. Gwahoddwyd gwneuthurwyr theatr o bob cwr o Gymru i gyflwyno ymatebion arloesol, cyffrous a dynol ar gyfer theatr ddigidol fyw yn ystod y cyfnod hwn o gyfyngiad ar symudiad. Mae’r artistiaid Emily Laurens, Justin Teddy Cliffe ac Eddie Ladd wedi eu dewis i arwain tymor agoriadol Network ar gyfer perfformiadau digidol newydd a gomisiynwyd.

Dywedodd Lorne Campbell, Cyfarwyddwr Artistig National Theatre Wales, “Yn dilyn ymateb ysgubol o ran ansawdd, gwreiddioldeb ac uchelgais rydym yn falch iawn o gyhoeddi ein rownd gyntaf o gomisiynau digidol. Mae’n glod i amrywiaeth a dyfnder y gymuned theatr yng Nghymru fod hwn yn benderfyniad mor anodd. Yn y cylch cyntaf hwn rydym wedi dewis tri chais sydd wedi mynd i’r afael â’r syniad o waith byw mewn gofod digidol ac wedi ystyried posibilrwydd ffurf gydag arloesedd go iawn. Rwy’n edrych ymlaen yn fawr i weld y gwaith hwn yn cyrraedd cynulleidfaoedd dros yr wythnosau nesaf.”

Ynghyd â Chomisiynau Digidol Newydd Network, bydd y cyntaf o’r Darlleniadau Drama Network mewn cydweithreidiad â  Theatr y Sherman, yn cael ei ddarlledu y penwythnos hwn. Bydd Darlleniadau Drama Network yn arddangos talent cwmnïau a gweithwyr creadigol ledled Cymru. Caiff y ddrama gyntaf i’w cadarnhau, sef Ripples gan Tracy Harris, wedi’i chyfarwyddo gan Matthew Holmquist a’i pherfformio gan fyfyrwyr Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru, ei darlledu ddydd Sadwrn 2 Mai am 7.00pm. 

Aeth Lorne Campbell ymlaen i ddweud, “Rydym hefyd yn edrych ymlaen yn fawr at ddangos y cyntaf o’n darlleniadau drama digidol ddydd Sadwrn, gyda Ripples gan Tracy Harris. Rwyf wedi gweld rhai o’r ymarferion gwisg ac mae’n argoeli i fod yn ardderchog.”

Yn agor y tymor ar gyfer Comisiynau Digidol Newydd mae:

Emily Laurens – Dreams a little Dream for me

Mae Emily yn artist amlddisgyblaeth a fydd yn troi breuddwydion pobl yn ystod y cyfnod o gyfyngiad ar symudiad yn berfformiadau pypedwaith ynghyd â cherddoriaeth fyw a byrfyfyr. 

Justin Teddy CliffeLife Coach

Mae Justin yn wneuthurwr theatr sy’n gweithio ar draws sawl disgyblaeth ac ef yw un hanner y cwmni Tin Shed Theatre Co. Mae Life Coach yn archwiliad dychanol aml-blatfform o gurus hunanwella a thueddiadau llesiant ar-lein.

Eddie Ladd – Ynys Las 

Mae Eddie wedi bod yn berfformiwr theatr gorfforol ers dros 30 mlynedd. Bydd Eddie yn creu map dwfn o’i fferm deuluol yng nghefn gwlad gorllewin Cymru lle mae’n canfod ei hun ar hyn o bryd, yn ynysu gyda’i mam. Bydd yn archwilio hanes Maesglas, straeon, cyfweliadau, elfennau ffantasi, nodiadau daearegol a phopeth sy’n llunio’r byd bychan hwn. 

Mae NTW yn gweithio gyda’r llwyfan ffrydio Gymreig AM i gyflwyno eu gwaith i gynulleidfaoedd https://www.amam.cymru/ 

Darlleniadau Drama Network i’w darlledu:

Cafodd Ripples, gan Tracy Harris ac wedi’i chyfarwyddo gan Matthew Holmquist, ei chomisiynu’n wreiddiol fel rhan o NEW:2020, Gŵyl Ysgrifennu Newydd Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru, a dyma fydd y ddrama gyntaf i’w chyflwyno mewn cydweithrediad â Theatr y Sherman fel rhan o’r Darlleniadau Drama Network. Am gyfnod, roedd yn edrych yn debyg na fyddai’r ddrama’n cael ei gweld gan gynulleidfaoedd wrth i’r perfformiadau yn CBCDC gael eu canslo y diwrnod cyn iddynt agor o ganlyniad i gau oherwydd pandemig COVID-19. Ar ôl cael ei diwygio a’i haddasu ar gyfer fformat ar-lein, ddydd Sadwrn bydd cast gwreiddiol y myfyrwyr actio blwyddyn olaf CBCDC yn perfformio fersiwn rhithwir o’r ddrama sy’n dilyn wyth o ddieithriaid sy’n ymuno â grŵp adsefydlu ar-lein i ailedrych ar drawma eu gorffennol a’i ail-fyw. 

Bydd NTW a Theatr y Sherman yn cyflwyno darlleniadau o ddramâu gan y cwmnïau theatr Cymreig  The Other Room, Powder House a Dirty Protest dros yr wythnosau nesaf. Cyhoeddir y dyddiadau darlledu yn fuan.

Deilliodd Network o National Theatre Wales o ymateb i effaith y cyfyngiad ar symudiad oherwydd Covid-19. Fe’i cynlluniwyd i ddarparu cyfleoedd gwaith hanfodol i’r diwydiant perfformio tra’n cysylltu, ymgysylltu a rhannu enydau gyda chynulleidfaoedd a chymunedau drwy theatr fyw ar-lein yn ystod y cyfnod hwn o ynysu cymdeithasol.

Cyflwynir Network mewn partneriaeth â  BBC Arts, BBC Cymru, Theatr y Sherman a Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru. 

Mae’r alwad ar gyfer ail rownd y comisiynau ar gyfer Comisiynau Digidol Newydd Network ar waith.  Gwahoddir artistiaid i gyflwyno eu syniadau a all weithio fel darn o theatr fyw ar-lein. Y dyddiad cau nesaf ar gyfer cyflwyniadau yw dydd Mercher 6 Mai 2020 am 4.00pm.

I gael rhagor o wybodaeth am Network a’r cyfleoedd sydd ar gael ewch i www.nationaltheatrewales.org