Swansea Drama Lecture: Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru: A Theatre Between Two Worlds?
This year Swansea Drama is celebrating its centenary, and to mark the occasion it is setting up a new public lecture in drama in partnership with Swansea University - the Drama Lecture.
Swansea Welsh Drama Association was founded in 1919, and has been very active in producing plays and providing opportunities for theatre actors and practitioners in the city and county to develop their talent. Famous names that have been part of the Society include the late Islwyn Morris and Huw Ceredig, Victoria Plucknett and Steffan Rhodri. In recent years, as activity has declined, the society has become a major sponsor of drama activity, primarily through its scholarship scheme. Another step in this direction is to set up this public lecture - The Drama Lecture. The aim is to hold it every two years in partnership with Swansea University. One of the university's Welsh Department's staff is to deliver the first lecture, Dr. Hannah Sams, at the Taliesin Theatre Studio at 5.30pm, Tuesday 10th December.
The title of the lecture is 'Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru: Theatre Between Two Worlds?' The lecture will draw on Dr. Sams' recent research. She has looked at the work of two playwrights, the Welsh playwright Aled Jones Williams and the Catalan playwright Sergi Belbel, and in the lecture will consider what lessons our national theatres can learn from two leading playwrights who write between different worlds - between England and Wales in the case of Aled Jones Williams and Catalonia and Spain in the case of Sergi Belbel.
According to Tudur Hallam, Professor of Welsh at Swansea University, 'By looking at what is happening internationally, Dr. Sams certainly has something to say about the state of our theatre in Wales. She is an astute theatre critic and it is great that Drama Swansea is giving her this opportunity to reflect on the state of our theatre and challenge us, no doubt, to broaden our horizons. '
The lecture will be held on Tuesday 10th December at 5.30pm in the Taliesin Theatre studio, Swansea University (Singleton Park Campus).
Geraint Davies, the Swansea Drama Society's Administrator said: 'With the Society celebrating its centenary this year, one eye is on a bright past, but the other is firmly on the future, with the new partnership with Swansea University being a clear example of that. This inaugural lecture brings us together to discuss the state of theatre in Wales and internationally, and Dr. Sams has set the right tone, by putting the emphasis on the present and the future. As an Association, we welcome the opportunity to sponsor this type of activity and are pleased to be able to give exciting critical voices the opportunity to have their say. We look forward to seeing our new relationship with the university go from strength to strength. '
