Very excited to be working on Simon Reade’s adaptation of David Copperfield with songs by Chris Larner, returning to RWCMD once again in December 2025.
Tickets already available here
Where the corn is green /
Image by Johan Persson
How did we get here?
Our production of The Corn is Green by Emlyn Williams is about half way through the run at the National Theatre, and my god it’s been eventful.
Making theatre in the current environment is a huge undertaking, and thankfully we have a joyful, supportive, generous company to get us there.
I keep thinking that the job is nearing finished, and we keep getting curve balls, but this company is valiant in it’s resilience. Diolch i’r nefoedd.
Image by Johan Persson
Image by Johan Persson
Image by Cameron Slater
Image by Cameron Slater
Image by Cameron Slater
Enter Antigone /
Had the privilege of working on my first professional Greek tragedy, albeit in strange circumstances. PowderHouse present Antigone, commissioned by National Theatre Wales, Sherman Theatre & BBC Arts with the best Welsh cast you’ve ever come across.
What makes a nation's theatre /
These lads (+Beth!).
Feeling strange after returning from a monumental 2 weeks at the National Theatre directors course.
What a privilege to be in the room with such talented artists. To feel excited and challenged every day.
Food for though and fire in bellies.
No pasaran.
FOIC in Edinburgh /
We did it!
For All I Care has just completed the Edinburgh marathon. I’m so proud of our show and eternal respect to Hannah Daniel for going the distance.
Thank you to our wonderful team and thanks to National Theatre Wales for deciding to send us up there.
We had some laughs.
We had some bums on seats.
We had some nice write ups.
We had many wee Mary’s.
September is for sleeping.
Shooting Rabbits / SAETHU CWNINGOD /
PowderHouse present our debut production as company in residence at the Sherman, Cardiff.
Amazing photographs courtesy of Jorge Lizalde.
CAST
Gwenllian Higginson
Sam Humphreys
Neal McWilliams
Alejandra Bacelar Pereira
Animals rounded up /
Meic Povey’s Fel Anifail is coming to the end of the run at the Sherman.
I’m so pleased to have been involved with this production, this wonderful team, cast and play.
Every show making Meic’s work accessible to a new audience, surtitled in English.
Here is a round up of some of the very kind reviews & images from the show.
Reviews from Nawr yr Arwr / Now The Hero /
Reviews from For All I Care /
Nice reviews from **** The Stage, ***** Get The Chance, Art Scene in Wales, Wales Arts Review, South Wales Argus & great stills courtesy of Dan Green
For All I Care /
Research has sent me down a Sunday night Nye Bevan youtube hole.
Looking forward to presenting Alan Harris' For All I Care for National Theatre Wales later this year.
PowderHouse /
We've got a new logo for PowderHouse by Nic Finch of Chameleonic Design.
We're quite pleased with it.
An embarrassment of riches /
I've been awful at updating this, but now it's 2018 and I can't put it off anymore!
Great developments with PowderHouse, we are now the Sherman Theatre's new Company in Residence. So grateful for the continued support from that exciting building. Saethu Cwningod / Shooting Rabbits has had two great R&Ds and will get more development this year.
To The Waters and the Wild with Running Dog will hopefully see a wider audience this year following some more development.
And shortly I'll be headed into rehearsal with Dirty Protest on their latest piece for families telling some remarkable true events; Lightspeed to Pembroke Dock.
BUSY AND GREAT AND FRIGHTENING
The Robots are P.A.R.A.D.E-ing! /
Over the last few weeks I've been working with National Dance Company Wales and Marc Rees to develop their latest offering; P.A.R.A.D.E, which opens next week.
Presented as part of the Russia '17 Festival, it's an amazing mash up of dance, physical theatre, cinematography and immersion that will stay long in the mind.
To The Waters & The Wild /
I've had the privilege of working with Running Dog Theatre on their latest piece, To The Waters and The Wild. Following an extended development period we'll be showing a work-in-progress showing in Camden People's Theatre on 7-8 November. Tickets available here.
I'm really proud of the work that we've made so far, and looking forward to seeing what audiences make if it. Keep an eye out for the piece which will open proper in Summer '18.
The company is fundraising for technical equipment for our showing in Nov, and any donations are hugely welcome and appreciated. You can donate here.
Gig-Theatre with old friends /
Such a joy to be working with Running Dog Theatre last week on Week 1 of To The Waters and The Wild. Telling stories, playing music and making theatre with talented friends - how lucky to be doing this as a job.
I'm so excited to see where this project leads next, when we head down to The Boatshed for more time with Goose, Bath person & the Diver of Winchester Cathedral!
...and now he's got no legs.
Shooting Rabbits down Caroline Street /
A glorious first week of R&D on Saethu Cwningod / Shooting Rabbits, the first production with Powderhouse kindly supported by Theatr Genedlaethol & Sherman Theatre.
Powderhouse is my new collaboration with Chelsey Gillard, and I'm really excited about what we can produce. You can follow us @powder_house for all the updates as we progress with this exciting piece.
Shout out to Chippy Lane Productions for having me in to work on their Scratch night, first at London Welsh Centre and next at Chapter. Really pleased to be working with Neil Bebber on Tiny Mad Animals. Tickets still available from Chapter.
More Brilliant Mothers /
Another brilliant week with the crew for Stories My Mother Told Me with Complicité. A joy to work with, and much more to come!
Performer Devisors Wanted /
New Welsh company, Powder House are looking for 4 x devisor-performers to take part in a week-long R&D of their first project.
Saethu Cwningod / Shooting Rabbits.
Wedi ei ddatblygu mewn cydgynhyrchiad gyda Theatr Genedlaethol a Sherman Theatre.
Developed in coproduction with Theatr Genedlaethol and Sherman Theatre.
Saethu Cwningod / Shooting Rabbits bydd y prosiect cyntaf gan gwmni newydd Cymraeg, Powder House. Trwy lygaid rhyw 200 o wirfyddolwyr Cymraeg aeth i ymladd fel rhan o’r Brigadau Rhyngwladol yn ystod y Rhyfel Cartref yn Sbaen 1936-1939, mi fydd y prosiect yn ymchwilio’r cynnydd mewn cydymdeimlad tuag at wleidyddiaeth asgell dde, ymynysol yn lleol ac ar draws Ewrop, trwy adroddiadau hanesyddol a chyfoes. Mae’r prosiect yn annelu i gwestiynnu perthynas Cymru gyda’r gymuned Ewropeaidd a sut mae gweithredau rhyngwladol yn effeithio’r wlad a’r bobol adref.
Saethu Cwningod / Shooting Rabbits will be the first project by new Welsh company, Powder House. Through the eyes of the 200 or so Welsh volunteers who fought in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939, the project will investigate the rise of right-wing, isolationist sentiment at home and across Europe, in historical and contemporary accounts. The project aims to question Wales’ relationship with the European community and how international actions shape the country and people at home.
Mi gyflwynwyd y darn drwy storïo corfforol a gweledol, gyda arddull amlieithog gan gynnwys y Gymraeg, Saesneg, Sbaeneg, Basgeg a Chatalaneg.
The piece will employ physical, visual storytelling, with a multilingual approach to text in Welsh, English, Spanish, Basque and Catalan.
Necessary skills:
- Experience of devising performance through physical work.
- Ability to play generously.
Desired skills:
- Ability to speak languages listed above.
- Musical ability, instrumental and voice.
This is a paid role offering MRSL grade 2 rate: £455 a week. Please note that we are unable to contribute additional support towards travel and accommodation.
Workshop-auditions to take place 23 March in Cardiff.
Work to take place 17 - 21 April in Cardiff.
To apply, please send a statement of interest along with CV to: powderhousetheatre@gmail.com
About the company:
Mae Powder House yn gwmni theatr o Gaerdydd sydd yn anelu i greu gwaith cyfoes rhyngwladol gyda llais unigryw Gymreig. Powder House yw Chelsey Gillard & Jac Ifan Moore.
Powder House is a Cardiff-based theatre company aiming to create contemporary international theatre with a distinctly Welsh voice. Powder House is Chelsey Gillard & Jac Ifan Moore.
@powder_house
Looking ahead. /
As I look on to 2017, I'm excited by all of the wonderful projects ahead.
I'll be heading up to Glasgow to work with Òran Mór, directing a new piece by Lesley Hart.
After that it's back to London for our second R&D on Stories My Mother Told Me.
Then back to Cardiff to start work on brand new show Shooting Rabbits with Chelsey Gillard.
I'm bloody lucky to do what I do.
Stories My Mother Told Me /
Over the last few weeks I've been lucky enough to spend some time with some wonderful people from all over the world, as well as a few familiar faces.
Stories My Mother Told Me, developed in association with Complicité has begun. Week 1 of R&D was inspiring, can't wait until we get together again in March.
Gorge Bajens!