In Lockdown With...

In this episode, Ciaran chats to Peri Thomas. Peri is an actor, originally from Pembrokeshire. After studying at Aberystwyth University she formed Mess up the Mess Theatre Company, with Sarah Jones, originally in Slough, then moving to Brynamman in Carmarthenshire. Peri worked with Mess up the Mess as an actor on several productions, but also youth arts manager, before moving on to run workshops w...

In this episode, Ciaran chats to actor Yasmin Williams. Since graduating from the University of Wales Trinity St David, Yas has worked as a trainee producer at the Other Room Theatre in Cardiff. She has also been involved in the development of 'Small Fry' by Hannah Lloyd, in which she performed. She is currently studying an MA at the University of South Wales in Cardiff. Here she chats a...

Ciaran chats to musician Lloyd Evans about the affect the Coronavirus is having on the live music industry. Lloyd is a member of Cardiff band the Catacombs and in addition has recently joined 'The Rivers.' Lloyd chats about the difficulties surrounding the coronavirus for musician, but also the difficulties for emerging bands in general, also opening up on his own creative process.

Ciaran chats to artistic director of Cwmni'r Fran Wen, Gethin Evans. After studying at the University of South Wales, Gethin formed Cwmni Pluen with Elgan Rhys. Pluen have subsequently been company in residence at the Sherman, where they produced 'Mags' and 'Woof!' Written by Elgan Rhys. Gethin has worked extensively with young people, with both Mess up the Mess on 'U...

Ciaran chats to director and writer Nerida Bradley. After starting out on the young writers groups at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, Nerida studied at the University of South Wales. She has since worked extensively with The Other Room in Cardiff. Nerida is also the co-artistic director of Run-Amok Theatre Company, as well as having written for the Young Artists Festival at the Other Room. Here...

In this episode, Ciaran chats to writer Roger Williams, who has worked extensively for theatre and television. His plays include 'Nos Sadwrn o Hyd' (Saturday Night Forever) and 'Surfing Carmarthen Bay.' He has also written for television, including 2 series of 'Bang' for S4C, which was filmed in Port Talbot. Here Roger chats to Ciaran about the differences in process...

Ciaran chats to writer Branwen Davies about her career in the arts. Branwen has written for such companies as Dirty Protest and The Sherman Theatre in Cardiff. Branwen also has a key role in developing the next generation of new writing talent through her work with Sgript i Lwyfan for Fran Wen, and new project 'Play on Words' with Mess up the Mess. She also developed 'A Night in the...

Ciaran chats to actor, writer and director Elgan Rhys. After studying at the University of South Wales, Elgan formed Cwmni Pluen with Gethin Evans, with whom he created 'Mags' at the Sherman in 2018. Following this, Elgan wrote 'Woof' in collaboration with the Sherman which opened in 2019. In Spring 2020, Elgan directed the adaptation of 'Llyfr Glas Nebo' by Cwmni&apo...

Ciaran chats to actor, writer and director Paul Jenkins. Paul has worked extensively in theatre after graduating from Webber Douglas Academy and Goldsmiths College, as an actor, a writer and a director. Paul has experience of working in the theatre industry in Hungary and has added that to his practice. Recently, Paul has worked as a dramaturg developing projects with Mess up the Mess Theatre Comp...

Ciaran chats to bi-lingual playwright Hefin Robinson, after studying at Aberystwyth University, and working for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Hefin worked as a playwright, writing 'Estron' for Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in 2017, which toured Wales. Hefin has also written for Hijinx Theatre, working on their community Christmas show. Hefin also won the Medal Ddrama at the Eisteddfod Gened...

In this episode, Ciaran chats to Angharad Lee, artistic director of Leeway Productions, a company producing original musical theatre in Wales. Angharad was the driving force behind bringing musical 'The Last Five Years' to Wales. She has vast amounts of experience in directing straight theatre, musical theatre, opera and film. She is also behind Leeway's '10 Minute Musicals&apo...

Ciaran chats to Sam Nicholson in this episode of 'In Lockdown With!' Sam is a trained dancer who has performed on the West End. After studying at Aberystwyth University, Sam became a teacher, teaching French and Drama at secondary level. Since leaving teaching, Sam has founded CanDo Hub, a day provision for adults with additional needs, focusing on the create arts, as well as developing...

Ciaran chats to emerging writer and producer Laura Dobre. Originally hailing from Romania, Laura studied Scriptwriting at the University of South Wales in Cardiff, graduating in 2019. Laura has experience working as a script supervisor with It's My Shout! in 2019. Laura has also has an internship with YelloBrick in Spring 2019. She is also the founder of Good Donut Writing, a script editing c...

In this episode, Ciaran chats to Sarah Jones, the artistic director of Mess up the Mess theatre company. Mess up the Mess make work with, by and for young people in the Carmarthenshire area, but also throughout South Wales. Here Sarah talks about her career and how Mess up the Mess has developed as a company in the last twelve years.

Ciaran chats to Elise Davison, the artistic director of Taking Flight Theatre Company. Elise started out as a touring actor after graduating university. Since forming Taking Flight Theatre Company, she has worked with many deaf and disabled actors in touring productions across Wales. Taking Flight have recently formed a youth theatre for deaf and hearing impaired children and young people, hoping...

The subject of today's podcast is Pembrokeshire based actor Huw Rowlands. Huw is an emerging actor who started out as a member of Saundersfoot Footlights, appearing in many of their productions. He went on to be part of the Young Actors Studio at RWCMD, before studying a BA in Theatre and Drama at the University of South Wales. In 2018 along with some university friends, Huw took his piece &a...

Ciaran chats to emerging actor and writer Hannah Lloyd. After gaining many theatrical experiences with Sparc Valleys Kids as a young person, Hannah studied at Trinity St David's in Carmarthen, before gaining a Masters at USW. She is a founder member of Hoovering Flour Theatre Company, with whom she performed 'A Single Tree' at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. As a writer she's pe...

Ciaran chats to actor Michelle McTernan. Michelle is an Olivier award nominated actor who has appeared in the Revlon Girl, both on the West End and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. On television she has appeared in The Crown for Netflix. Michelle is also the artistic director of Rising Stars Theatre Company, a company for adults with learning disabilities based in Swansea. Here she chats to Ciara...

In Episode 4, Ciaran chats to actor, writer and former stand up comedian Dick Johns about his career. Since studying English and Psychology at Birmingham University, Dick has been an actor, a teacher, a workshop facilitator. As a writer, he has written short stories, poetry and plays, including his one man show 'Let's Talk About Death Baby! He taught at the Young Actors Studio, and also...

Ciaran chats to Geinor Styles, the artistic director of Theatr Na Nog in Neath since 1998. A graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music and drama she has written and directed several successful productions over the last twenty two year. Geinor is the writer and director of Eye of the Storm, a Welsh musical which has had two successful tours of the UK. She is currently working on 'Operation...

In the second episode of the podcast, Ciaran chats to Clary Saddler, the artistic director of Forget-Me-Not Productions. Clary has worked in the arts as an actor, musician, singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, film maker, teacher and workshop facilitator. A lot of her work is with people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Here she speaks openly about her multi-faceted career.

In the first episode of the series, Ciaran interviews emerging director Siobhan Lynn Brennan, since studying at the University of Warwick, Siobhan has worked with the Sherman Theatre as part of the JMK Directors scheme, and as an assistant on Alice in Wonderland in 2019. She also worked with Common Wealth in association with National Theatre Wales on 'We're Still Here!' in Port Talb...