"Free Folk", Made In Roath, etc

I had the chance, as a British Theatre Guide reviewing assignment, to see a full production of Gary Owen’s “Free Folk” at Sherman Cymru late last week, in a touring production by Forest Forge; almost two years after its Welsh premiere, a rehearsed reading by Welsh Fargo. With a rural setting, it’s a tightly plotted, alternately noirish and comic, emotionally satisfying take on the concept of the quest for a place called home.

The start of the local, artist-led Made In Roath 2013 Festival coincided with Cardiff’s high-profile Swn Music Festival, so I took the opportunity to indulge in a little more cultural activity over the weekend. On Saturday night at the relaunched Milkwood Gallery there was a presentation of a short, one-woman play by Rowena Moreno for Leftfield Theatre Company; entitled “Modern Living”. With a “diary of a mad housewife” theme, there were some rough edges, but it was lifted by an intense performance. And on Sunday afternoon I managed to dodge the raindrops to check out the very welcome (I don’t get the whole “buy a wristband and spend the evening running around hoping to get in somewhere” thing) Swn Free Stage in the middle of town and caught some of the acoustic sets by Rhodri Brooks and Aled Rheon. 

Dragon by Phlegm

Part of the Empty Walls Project

For Made In Roath 2013