'Mad(e) in Hades' starts this week!

Back in 2012, I graduated from the MPhil Playwriting Studies course at the University of Birmingham. This is where I properly learned my craft and established strong relationships with local playwrights and directors with whom I still regularly work. Since graduating, I've been lucky enough to still be involved with the programme to varying degrees. During this time, some very talented playwrights have passed through the University's doors to study on the course and, since graduating, have gone on to write professionally and be part of playwriting programmes at UK and Ireland theatres, including The Royal Court.

Around about June each year, the so-called Playwrights' Workshop provides the opportunity for an extract of each playwright's thesis play to be showcased to the public, staff and students of the university and industry professionals. In recent years, another chance to see the students' work has been created by course convener Fraser Grace, supported by the University's Arts and Science Festival and directed by FRED Theatre artistic director, Robert F. Ball. Last year, this performance included ten short pieces based on the theme 'My Journey'; a great success which drew wide attention to the course.This year, the three playwrights, Neasa O'Callaghan, Joshua Elliot and Hannah Roe present Mad(e) in Hades. Comprising three new plays which "present a startlingly modern take on an ancient story", this production will no doubt challenge, intrigue and, of course, entertain; an excellent opportunity to see three talented playwrights at the start of their careers.

Performances:

Wednesday 19th March. 8-9:30pm. Lecture Room 120, Hills Building, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, B15 2EE. Tickets available on door or in advance from drama@contacts.bham.ac.uk. (Pay what you can)

Wednesday 26th March. 8-9:30pm. The Old Joint Stock Theatre, 42 Temple Row, B2 5NY. To book call the OJS hotline on 0121 200 0946. (All tickets are £5)

   

All things Welsh!

The rugby shirt is on, Tom Jones is on the stereo and I may make myself a Welsh Rarebit! HAPPY ST. DAVID'S DAY EVERYONE!! As always, Google celebrate with a Doodle, but this year's is by far the best one they've done. It's a very charming little picture which I feel captures the heart of Wales (well, until you venture onto the streets of Cardiff on a Friday night; that paints a totally different and disappointing picture). But just keep thinking that the Google Doodle is actually what Wales is like and we can all live in blissful ignorance.

As we're on the subject of Wales, I thought I'd mention (if you haven't heard already) the centenary of the one and only Dylan Thomas. He may have been an alcoholic and a serial adulterer but we can't help but love him. As you can imagine, Under Milk Wood is being shown everywhere within the next few months (because Under Milk Wood was of course the only thing he wrote) so there are plenty of opportunities to get your DT fix. If you're not one for the theatre, pick up a book or watch the up-coming BBC drama with the excellent Tom Hollander as the man himself, or watch The Edge of Love (a commendable performance from Welsh actor Matthew Rhys, a more than commendable performance and a pretty damn good Welsh accent from Keira Knightley, Cillian Murphey is superb as always and Sienna Miller is...well...she's OK but she'll always just be, disappointingly, Sienna Miller).

You can also listen to Richard Burton read from Under Milk Wood. Who better to listen to on St David's Day? What a voice!

In final celebration of both DT and St. David's Day, I will leave you with a fitting tune from the other voice of Wales...tra!