IPHIGENIA YN SBLOT – a furious analysis of our society, Branwen Cennard’s new adaptation of Gary Owen’s Iphigenia in Splott, will tour 11 venues across Wales in August and September this year. The Welsh language adaptation will then premiere at the National Eisteddfod in Pontypridd followed by a run of performances at Sherman Theatre before heading here to the Torch Theatre on 18 September.

Seren Hamilton will take the title role in her first major performance while completing her final year in Acting at Rose Bruford College of Performing Arts. Alice Eklund will direct this new production nearly a decade after it first became an international smash-hit.

The one-woman play Iphigenia yn Sblot is a furious analysis of our society and the hard-bitten lives it bears. Since its premiere at Sherman Theatre in 2015, it has won the James Tait Black Prize for Drama 2016 and the Best New Play Award at the UK Theatre Awards 2015, with the original production touring to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, across Wales and the UK and as far as New York and Berlin. In 2022, the play was re-staged by Lyric Hammersmith to great acclaim. It has been translated into and performed in several languages the world over.

Director, Alice Eklund is excited to be part of this one-woman show.
She said: “I’m so excited to direct this production. Iphigenia in Splott played a huge part in my introduction to new writing and I can’t wait to see Effie’s story come to life in Welsh. Doing this play in this way feels so timely, so relevant and so needed right now.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to do such an iconic play in Sherman’s Studio and across Wales. Gary’s writing with Branwen’s translation is a perfect match and hearing it out loud gave me the same energised, fiery feeling that I got upon the first read all those years ago. I’m so ready to get started with the team on this new production of a play that is at the forefront of new writing in Wales. Building a new world around Effie, taking us on the journey with her, here and now.”

This production contains strong language, sexual references, sensitive themes including grief and neonatal loss as well as scenes which some audience members may find upsetting.

Iphigenia yn Sblot will be performed at the Torch Theatre on Wednesday 18 September at 7.30pm. Ticket prices: Adult: £16. Concession: £14. Under 26: £10. To book your tickets or for further information, contact the Box Office on 01646 695267 or visit torchtheatre.co.uk.

TWR Y FELIN art hotel in St Davids is offering an exciting evening of Latin American music on Saturday, 29th June.

Go along between 7pm and 9pm and enjoy the Cuban rhythms and vibrant sounds of Raul Speek’s Latin Kings Band. They will also perform a selection of original jazz compositions in the intimate setting surrounded by specially commissioned artwork.

Born in Guantanamo, Cuba, Raul came to the UK in 1991 and now lives and works in Wales. As well as a talented musician, he is also an accomplished artist with a local gallery in Solva.

Tickets, priced at £14 per person, can be booked online at www.twryfelinhotel.com or call 01437 725 555 for more details. Information about Rual Speek can be found on www.raulspeek.co.uk.

£2M PLANS for wheelchair accessible holiday lodges at the site of a Pembrokeshire deer park attraction, which has animals from the Queen’s estate, would make the county a more disability-friendly location, its applicants say.

In an application submitted to Pembrokeshire County Council, Mr and Mrs Evans seek permission for 15 lodges at Great Wedlock, Gumfreston, near Tenby, the site of a 176-acre deer farm attraction, opened last year, and a recently-granted market traders’ barn.

In a supporting statement, the applicants say: “Over the last 48 years, my wife and I have developed Holiday Parks firstly in Pembrokeshire and then throughout the UK. We decided to return to Pembrokeshire where it all started for us in 1976, to develop the deer park and are now looking to develop the wheelchair accessible lodge development, to support our business and for the benefit of Pembrokeshire and its economy.

“In 2020 we bought Great Wedlock Farm and set about applying for planning permission to open the farm to the public to provide a new tourism destination and allow visitors to re-connect with the countryside and natural beauty Pembrokeshire has to offer. The deer were purchased from Woburn Abbey and some from the late Queen’s estate (to ensure the highest quality of deer breeding stock). We opened the deer park in May 2023 with a great emphasis on catering for disabled persons and the elderly.”

They say the deer park has disability-friendly facilities, along with a specially adapted MPV allowing disabled visitors to the deer park to go on ‘Safari,’ viewing the deer, as well as electric buggies and trailers for wheelchair users.

“There is an ever-increasing demand for the type of development that we are now looking to undertake. We are now applying for 15 wheelchair accessible lodges that will be made available for those with accessible needs, specially designed and manufactured by Quality Pods Wales (located in Pembroke Dock). Using local suppliers underpins our business model to support the wider Pembrokeshire economy. Current build costs to complete the development are circa £2m which will add considerable income to local suppliers, contractors and the lodge manufacturer. This will bring our total investment across the site to some £10m, funded wholly by our own funds.”

The applicants add: “The development of these units will provide an inclusive and accessible environment for guests, in addition to the work we have undertaken at the main park already,” adding it would “also take pressure off the local housing stock especially as second homes are noted as an issue surrounding local affordability and availability of accommodation for permanent residents residing in Pembrokeshire”.

“Our initial research has noted that disability organisations often have issues seeking accessible accommodation in Pembrokeshire. Demand is considered to be high, with access organisations already wishing to book accommodation all-year round for their members. This development could support year-round holidays, which would be of great benefit to the local economy.”

They hope the scheme, if granted, would create five full-time jobs.

They finish: “I realise it is against the current LDP policy however this is a very special development for those of us with accessibility problems and I really do feel that an exception could be made in this case, without setting a precedent for future planning applications.”

The application will be considered by planners at a later date.