Tafwyl / Tate Modern

Every year, Cardiff hosts a festival called Tafwyl, which is a celebration of Welsh-language culture. I paid my first visit this year, but as someone with only a smattering of Cymraeg, made it easy on myself by restricting myself to the Saturday night concert. Thus, I caught some melodic indie-rock from Yr Eira, a bit of smooth electro-pop from H.M.S. Morris (whom I saw a few years ago, supporting Songhoy Blues), and most of the enjoyably anthemic set by Candelas, a band with which I was previously unfamiliar, but who obviously have a large, enthusiastic following.

Candelas at Tafwyl

The next day, I paid one of my irregular visits to London, this time to experience the inspirational Tate Modern Museum as a birthday treat. As always, the exposure to a universe of ideas expressed with love, intelligence and commitment was humbling and overwhelming. This time round, Cildo Meireles’ “Babel”, a tower made of old-fashioned radios, made a big impression; as did Yinka Shonibares’ room-sized installation “The British Library”, comprising a display of hundreds of lavishly bound books, celebrating the contribution of immigrants to this nation. The “Magic Realism” exhibition of work from Weimar Germany was also striking. The whole experience is like taking a holiday in other people’s minds. The gift-shops are also good.

London skyline seen from Tate Modern

My Eisteddfod Diary

I managed to pay my first ever visits to a National Eisteddfod this week – being held in Cardiff for the first time since 2008. Unprecedentedly, since this celebration of Welsh language and culture has been taking place at Mermaid Quay in the Bay, there’s no charge to get onto the site itself, and take in the stands, stalls and tents (some cultural, some commercial); although the big events, of course (gigs, contests, plays etc), charge admission.

One of these was Hwn yw fy Mrawd (“This is my Brother”) – a tribute to the legendary African-American singer Paul Robeson, at the Wales Millennium Centre, from the almost as legendary Sir Bryn Terfel, which I had the chance to review. A history lesson/musical, outlining Robeson’s personal and political struggles and his links with Wales (including an appearance at the Eisteddfod in Ebbw Vale exactly 60 years ago), there was probably not enough of either Terfel or Robeson on offer for it to be entirely satisfying, but there were many other talented people involved.

Later in the week, I went back to check out some visual art. Firstly there was the display by the Contemporary Arts Society of Wales, in the Pierhead Building, of some historic works by the likes of Ceri Richards and Siani Rhys James. Then I braved the lengthy security queue at the Senedd (the Welsh Assembly Building) to experience the exhibition of new pieces selected for the Eisteddfod; some beautiful stuff, with some striking sculpture, photography and video, but I felt most drawn to the paintings – hazy portraits by Casper White, and James Moore’s work, redolent of surreal film stills.

"The Cherry Orchard" / "Little Wolf" / "Of Mice And Men" / "P.A.R.A.D.E."

It’s been a busy couple of weeks, theatre-going-wise; headlined by three notable adaptations of extant pieces.

Simon Harris and his Lucid Theatre Company presented “Little Wolf” at Chapter, his take on Ibsen’s “Little Eyolf” – as stylish as a tale of parental loss can be. Also there was August 012’s minimalist version of Steinbeck’s “Of Mice And Men” – typically oddball and adventurous from director Mathilde Lopez.

"Of Mice And Men" (photo: Jorge Lizalde)

"Little Wolf" (photo: Jorge Lizalde)

The highlight, though has to be Gary Owen’s updating of Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard”, set in Pembrokeshire on the brink of the Thatcher “revolution”. Playing in the main auditorium at the Sherman Theatre, and having extended its run even before it opened, it’s slickly done, and both funny and moving.

"The Cherry Orchard" (photo: Mark Douet)

And then there was “My Name Is Rachel Corrie”, from Graphic at The Other Room – a very well acted revival of Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner’s love letter to a martyred student activist.

"My Name Is Rachel Corrie" (photo: Kieran Cudlip)

Not to mention the most high-profile and large scale event of all – “P.A.R.A.D.E.” from the National Dance Company of Wales at the Wales Millennium Centre – conformity-themed dance pieces by Caroline Finn and Marcos Morau preceded by a spectacular revolution-oriented outdoor event featuring a robot walking down the side of the building. Impressive, if ultimately unclear in its intentions.

"P.A.R.A.D.E." (photo: Mark Douet)

There was also the local Made In Roath festival, where, as well as seeing a rehearsed reading of “Little N”, a tender tale of aunt-hood from Kelly Jones, I presented something of my own – a video installation comprising my film “In Limbo”, the aria I wrote with Carlijn Metselaar, and a new film of Edwin Markham’s poem “Brotherhood”.

I also had a couple of short plays performed last week. Firstly, I took part in the Scriptdawg event at the University of South Wales’ Atrium, where I wrote a short relationship comedy over a couple of days to be presented and appraised. Then, most recently, a piece I’d submitted to a “Seen” event at The Other Room was read, along with work by Catherine Lucie and Annie Thomas. This was “The Actress”, part of a mini-trilogy I’ve been working on, which was performed by Caroline Berry. There was enough positive audience reaction to give me confidence in a female-centred script which contains both comic and potentially difficult elements; and some pleasing post-show feedback.

"Escape The Scaffold" / Gillian Ayres

My most recent theatre reviewing assignment was Titas Halder’s “Escape The Scaffold”, at Cardiff’s The Other Room, fresh from a run at co-producing venue Theatre 503 in London. A slick three-hander set in a vaguely spooky house, it plays like a West End-style middle-class love triangle drama/thriller, but with clear political undertones, and is darkly entertaining.

"Escape The Scaffold" (pic: Aenne Pallasca)

Currently showing at the National Museum of Wales is an exhibition of work by Gillian Ayres, one of Britain’s most renowned abstract painters, and based around some of the work she did whilst resident in Wales in the 1980s. The large-scale canvasses are very striking, with refreshingly bold use of colour; some of the smaller drawings, however, do look off-puttingly childlike. I also took in the gallery full of Chinese bird and flower paintings dating from between the 16^th and 20^th centuries; fascinating to see how whilst working within a very standardised form, artists still manage to display stylistic quirks and express their individual obsessions.

"Cumuli" by Gillian Ayres

"Blackbird" / Artes Mundi 7

David Harrower’s Olivier Award-winning play “Blackbird”, from Those Two Impostors, is the latest piece being hosted by The Other Room Theatre, and my most recent reviewing assignment. The tale of a young woman confronting the middle-aged man with whom she had a sexual relationship when she was 12, it is very well acted, but I found it a tad troubling in its apparent even-handedness.

"Blackbird" (photo: Kirsten McTernan)

Also opening in the past week has been Artes Mundi – the 7^th edition of the biennial, international art prize, exhibiting in Cardiff. I went to see those elements of it which are at the National Museum, and while there was plenty of interesting stuff on offer – I experienced only a few minutes of John Akomfrah’s migration-themed installation films, and Amy Franceschini’s ambitious “Future Farmers” project looked interesting - the most immediately arresting piece was Bedwyr Williams large-scale “slow” video “Tyrrau Mawr”, imagining a futuristic city in North Wales, with accompanying narration. I fully intend to go again and watch the whole 20 minutes.

Tyrrau Mawr (Artes Mundi)

And another biennial visual arts event, Cardiff Contemporary is also on, and currently livening up the city centre.

Laura Ford's redecoration of Cardiff Castle's Animal Wall for Cardiff Contemporary

Earlier in the week, I was one of a group of filmmakers who met with the latest intake of students of the University of South Wales’ Masters in Film Production, as part of a promising initiative from B.F.I. Wales – aiming to match our proposals with the students’ final projects and the B.F.I.’s know-how in terms of funding. All the others who were pitching were vastly more experienced than me, but it was, at the very least a valuable learning experience.

"The Hunting Of The Snark" / "Star Trek Beyond"

Sherman Cymru’s family offering for the summer holidays is an adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s nonsense mini-epic “The Hunting Of The Snark”, with a lively cast of six, including on-stage musician. Great fun, with lots of topical references, although the fact that it focuses on the relationship between the Banker and his son (a character invented by writer Annabel Wigoder) means that any grander themes with which Carroll may have been toying seem to get lost.

"The Hunting Of The Snark" (photo: Mark Douet)

The weekend saw a visit to the National Museum of Wales, and the exhibition focussing on the Battle of Mametz Wood during World War 1, at which many Welsh soldiers fell. There is much memorabilia, poetry and art, most strikingly the painting “The Charge of the Welsh at Mametz Wood, 1916”, by Christopher Williams. Also showing is an exhibition of the work of legendary children’s book illustrator Quentin Blake which, seemed barely less dark, given his long association with the morally complex work of Roald Dahl; his illustrations for Michael Rosen’s “Sad Book” are particularly stark. Also somewhat downbeat, although inspirational in intent, is Shimon Attie’s vivid video-photographic tribute to the people of contemporary Aberfan, which was famously struck by tragedy in 1966.

“The Charge of the Welsh at Mametz Wood, 1916”, by Christopher Williams

 “Star Trek Beyond”, even though its release is tinged with tragedy following the awful death of Anton Yelchin (“Chekov”), is every bit as heartening as its immediate predecessors, despite the replacement of director J.J. Abrams by Justin “Fast And Furious” Lin. Relationships are foregrounded, as the U.S.S. Enterprise, having been lured to a distant planet, is attacked and the crew separated. Idris Elba plays the villain whose motivation (somewhat topically) is to subvert the Federation’s ethos of peaceful co-operation. The visuals are predictably spectacular, but it is the warmth between the crew-members which leaves the most lasting impression.

"Reasons To Be Thankful"

Reasons To Be Thankful from OTHNIEL SMITH on Vimeo.

I took advantage of the Vimeo Weekend Challenge entitled "Thankful List" to make this minute-long tribute to... good things, generally.

Artes Mundi 2014

I paid my regular (i.e. every two years) visit to the 2014 Artes Mundi exhibit – or, at least, those elements of it which are currently housed at Cardiff’s excellent National Museum of Wales. As usual, it’s a disorienting experience.

On entering the space, one’s first experience is of Theaster Gates’ multimedia display, comprising a big-screen amateur gospel video and various iconic objects – notably a stuffed goat on a railroad track; it appears to be a celebration of marginalised aspects of African-American culture. Carlos Bunga’s piece consists largely of a set of large columns, defining a space throughout which other elements are dotted – most interestingly a hypnotic video showing a light-bulb being smashed and inexpertly reassembled. Renzo Marten’s room is dominated by confrontational self-portrait sculptures of Congolese plantation workers, rendered in chocolate (I overheard an attendant remarking on their propensity to melt). I hesitated to enter Renata Lucas’ exhibit, since it looked as though it was still under construction; what it is, though, is a room full of hinged wooden pallets, which one is free to walk through and rearrange – thus defining one’s own experience of the gallery space, I guess. And I’ve seen Omer Fast’s military-themed video-work before, at the Tate Modern – his piece here is a slick, surreal film about parents mourning their soldier son; from the fraction of the 40-minute piece which I caught it seemed to be full of striking moments.

Fascinating, as ever, and far more imposing and thought-provoking than any verbal description can convey. As is another current exhibition there, of worrisome official prints from World War One.

Meanwhile, this piece of video flash-fiction is entirely irrelevant to all that, other than in the obvious fact that experiencing stimulating art-works does inspire one to create.

Ideal - a short story from OTHNIEL SMITH on Vimeo.

"Guardians Of The Galaxy" / O4W

I went to see “Guardians Of The Galaxy” largely out of curiosity. On first release the trailer looked unpromising, and I’m not entirely up to date on the Marvel Comics universe and those films inspired by it. But, it has been a huge success, so, I reasoned, there must be something in it.

And so there is. James Gunn’s direction is more coherent than it might have been, given the CGI-intensive sci-fi-action goings-on, and aided by a witty script, he maintains a tone which is irreverent without veering into charmlessness. The nostalgic pop soundtrack is also a clever touch.

Chris Pratt maybe lacks charisma as the central protagonist, but then his is the everyman character, and he’s likeable enough. The cast surrounding him is extremely strong – Zoe Saldhana as the love interest, Karen Gillan as her evil sister, Bradley Cooper (voice only) as a genetically engineered space-racoon, Michael Rooker playing it dark; as well as such luminaries as Glenn Close, John C. Reilly and Benicio Del Toro, not to mention familiar British character actors such as Peter Serafinowicz and Christoper Fairbanks.

The plot remains a mystery to me. Something about an orb, and bounty hunters, and the end of the universe. The importance of friendship is a key theme, and the character of Groot (Vin Diesel) seems to pay homage to the power of nature. The whole thing is slickly done, and an enjoyable enough ride, even if it doesn’t really leave a lasting impression.

The post-credits “joke”, however, really isn’t worth hanging around for.

(Marilyn Monroe in a still from "Inside The Poetry Storehouse")

Meanwhile, my film of pieces from The Poetry Storehouse is currently showing as part of Screening #1 of Outcasting’s contribution to the Cardiff Contemporary festival of moving image art; firstly at Porters’ Bar, then, next week, at the Panopticon, the event’s main city-centre venue, close to the bus-station. Exciting.

Colony 14 / O4W / YOCA

I was delighted to learn that my short film, “The Want Of Intimacy” is being included in a proper, grown-up art exhibition, as part of Colony 14, in Cardigan, West Wales in late August.

Meanwhile, more details of Outcasting’s Fourth Wall (O4W) exhibition of artists’ films, which will include some of my Poetry Storehouse videos, have been announced: they will be showing at various venues in Cardiff starting late in September.

Added to this, I recently learned that a script of mine, entitled “Rump”, reached the final stage (the top 1%) in the most recent BBC Writersroom call-out, Script Room 5. Which means absolutely nothing in terms of it ever getting produced, but it a little validation is always welcome.

Meanwhile, I’ve just started training as a participatory arts facilitator, with Youth Of Creative Arts (last week I attended a sobering but entertaining workshop on child protection issues in TV, film and theatre), and will be helping with Project Fio, assisting a group of young people in creating a new piece of work for public performance. One hopes it will only be moderately traumatic for all concerned.

Tate Modern / Video Art etc

As usual, when I pay my biennial visits to the Tate Modern, works leap out which hadn't made an impression before. This time round, on my birthday outing, I was struck by the unearthly beauty of Meredith Frampton's 1928 portrait of professional model Marguerite Kelsey:

The colorful geometric imagery of Ellsworth Kelly, and the Pop Art portraiture of Alex Katz also made an impression; as did what I caught of Omer Fast's Middle-Eastern war-themed video installation "The Casting". Always a profoundly inspiring day out.


Re my own work, I was delighted to hear last week that my submission to Outcasting's "Fourth Wall" artists' moving image festival has been successful, and that some of my poetry films will be showcased in Cardiff later in the year.

The Poetry Storehouse continues to provide stimulating material to work with, and it was nice to see the poet Kathleen Kirk reference my video of her poem "Daughter Of Midas" on her blog:


"Daughter of Midas" - a poem by Kathleen Kirk from OTHNIEL SMITH on Vimeo.

Some of my work has also been included in a piece discussing filmmakers' varying approaches to the same text in a Connotation Press article by Erica Goss.

Tiny steps...

"Untitled No. 76"

A few months ago, performance art duo Good Cop Bad Cop, in their guise as producers/presenters of the arts-themed show “Pitch” on Radio Cardiff, put out a call for proposals for projects to be broadcast as part of their programme. Called “Pitch To The Power Of Three”, it would consist of twelve three-minute pieces, either plays, monologues, or poetry readings. I put in a proposal for a three-character drama with an “art” theme and happily, it was accepted.

Thus, this week, my play “Untitled No. 76” was broadcast, and is now archived on the Culture Colony website (about 21 minutes into the podcast). Set in a painter’s studio in New York in around 1951, it was inspired by the news story which emerged some years ago that at the beginning of the Cold War, the C.I.A. attempted to enlist abstract expressionism in the propaganda war against the Soviet Union.

Produced and directed by the Pitch team, it features Holly Davies, Steven Elliot and Richard Mitchley. And since it was supported with funding from Arts Council Wales, everyone got paid, which was nice. 

"Ethics Of The Mothers"

"Ethics Of The Mothers" by Rachel Barenblat from OTHNIEL SMITH on Vimeo.

My latest short mash-up film - this one based on a poem by contemporary American poet (and rabbi) Rachel Barenblat, made available by The Poetry Storehouse. Features a guest appearance from Betty Boop.

"Pitch" on Radio Cardiff / Haiku

I was delighted to learn this week that I’m one of about a dozen writers/writing teams whose proposal to come up with a three-minute piece for the excellent “Pitch” slot on Radio Cardiff (run by performing duo Good Cop Bad Cop) has been successful. The projects, some poetry, some prose, some plays, will be broadcast early in 2014. Mine will be a drama on the subject of “art”. I’m working on it right now.

Recently, I took part in my first Vimeo Weekend Challenge, attempting to create a 17-second haiku film. A useful exercise.

Heart (Haiku) from OTHNIEL SMITH on Vimeo.

"Say It" / Moving Poems

"Say It", the short film I wrote for the It's My Shout scheme, kicked off the Made In Wales series this week on BBC2 Wales, and is currently available to view on the iPlayer. I rather enjoyed it - excellent work from all involved.

I've also got some work featured on Dave Bonta's fascinating Moving Poems website. Which is also lovely.

Lou Reed / Roathbud 2013

It’s always odd when one is affected by the death of someone one has never met, or indeed, never even particularly wanted to. But the passing of Lou Reed, news of which emerged gradually on Sunday, affected me strangely. I suppose it’s because his work has impinged on me at several key points in my life: being bemused and entranced on hearing “Walk On The Wild Side” on Radio 1’s Top 20 show at an impressionable age; finding a vinyl copy of the Velvet Underground’s “Live 1969” double album in Lewis’s department store  in Hanley (surely ordered in error), having read about their influence on the then-burgeoning Punk Rock movement, and playing it over and over again on my rudimentary record-player; later buying “Loaded” on cassette, and discovering it to be full of pop gems and remarkably intense vocal performances; his various TV appearances, whether as a curmudgeonly interviewee, or a performer, e.g. the film of his “Songs For Drella” collaboration with John Cale, which languishes in my recorded-off-the-telly VHS pile, or his startling “Later" performance, accompanied by a pre-fame Antony Hegarty, and a bloke doing Tai Chi…

Perhaps it need simply be said that without Lou Reed, most of the music I’ve enjoyed over the past forty years simply wouldn’t exist.

As part of Made In Roath 2013, there was a special screening of short films, Roathbud Film Discoveries, at the G39 art workshop, introduced by Tom Betts of Chapter Moviemaker. A full house, and a mixed bag, as might be expected – some of the films weren’t quite short enough – but it was good to see some familiar faces onscreen. Offerings included the slickly intriguing La Morta E Bella and Punk’s Not Dad’s star-studded pop video “Monkey Boots”.

"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

Dirty Protest vs Artes Mundi

Having previously blogged about visiting the Artes Mundi Prize exhibition, I seized the opportunity to watch a preview performance of a selection of short Dirty Protest plays allied to it, presented at the National Museum. This was a lunchtime show, prior to the full extravaganza (consisting of seven pieces) taking place later that evening at Porter's Bar, a new venue elsewhere in central Cardiff. It was certainly a clever idea to have the three playlets performed in the rooms in which the artworks which inspired them were situated, and it made for a delightful experience. Miriam Bäckström’s gorgeous crystalline tapestry was a suitably epic backdrop for Katherine Chandler's amusingly sexy anti-rom-com; Tom Wentworth's poignant take on hoarding sat equally well within Sheela Gowda's industrial oil-drum-oriented installation; Teresa Margolles’ prize-winning exhibit, inspired by her experience of the Mexican drug wars provided an effectively clammy context for Lotty Talbutt's chilling tale of hired killers.

There are presumably numerous factors, mostly related to the safety of the items on display, which would render the Museum’s habitual use as a venue for site-specific theatre impractical. I'm sure, though, that most writers would leap at the chance to create work based on and performed in the proximity of pieces from its impressive permanent collection.

Artes Mundi 2012

I paid a visit to the National Museum of Wales, Cardiff, to check out the contenders for the  2012 Artes Mundi Prize – or at least those whose work is actually exhibited there (Tania Bruguera’s “Immigrant Respect Campaign” consists of a number of non-gallery events; and Apolonija Šušteršič’s “Politics ‘In Space’/ Tiger Bay Project”, an examination of the Cardiff  Bay Redevelopment, is represented only by a big-screen documentary and a newspaper).

The first piece to be encountered is Miriam Bäckström’s “Smile As If We Have Already Won” a huge, iridescent tapestry, striking in its beauty. Darius Mikšys’ “The Code” is a kind of artistic self-examination taking the form of a mini-museum compiled from objects in the host institution’s collection. Sheela Gowdi’s  “Kagabangara” is an installation consisting of artfully arranged steel drums and sheets of tarpaulin (clever, but it left me cold); this is being shown alongside her “Heartland” -  an affecting, politically-slanted painting derived from an altered news photograph. Phil Collins’ “Free Fotolab” is a strangely hypnotic slideshow featuring snapshots taken from strangers’ rolls of film. Most subtly impressive, in my view, is Teresa Margolles’ exhibit, consisting of a number of subtle meditations on death – a sound recording from an autopsy; part of a floor on which a friend died; hot metal plates on which drip water from a morgue.  

As always, an inspirational, low-key show which gives even the casual, inexpert viewer much to think about.