On
Back to
their roots
What’s The Wales Graduate Theatre Company held
a lunch event at the Taliesin Arts Centre on
September 10. The event saw a number of
Welsh actors return to perform for the fi rst
time since they have graduated from specialist
training colleges across Britain.
The day included a reception for VIPs including
Welsh playwrights, directors and producers
and a performance on the main stage called
Out of the Goldfi sh Bowl directed by Vivienne
Buckley, co-artistic director and founder of
the company. The piece is a collection of
The Wales Graduate Theatre
writing from acclaimed Welsh playwright
Edward Thomas.
Old pals reunited in Warmley
DANIEL JONES AND DYLAN
true Renaissance man,” says actor Adrian performs with Adrian under the name Tour
THOMAS WERE THE BEST OF
Metcalfe one half of the inspiration behind de Force, has written the music for Warmley.
Warmley. Rob comes from a musical family and is a
FRIENDS. ROB MARSHALL graduate of the Welsh College of Music and
AND ADRIAN METCALFE HAVE
It was a conversation between Adrian and
Drama (RWCMD) where he studied with a line
musician/composer Rob Marshall that led
COLLABORATED ON WARMLEY,
of distinguished pianists. In 1994, he became
them to explore the friendship between
the fi rst piano student to win the RWCMD
A CHAMBER PIECE THAT
Dylan and Dan. They were commissioned to
Concerto competition. Currently in constant
CHARTS THAT FRIENDSHIP. BY
write Warmley by David Woolley of the Dylan
demand as a soloist, he has played with
Thomas Centre, and knew there was a story
DAI BLATCHFORD
many of Wales’s most prominent orchestra.
to tell. A day spent among Dan’s papers in
He has also given concerto performances of
the National Library of Wales convinced them
Daniel Jones and Dylan Thomas were, of
the music of the great composers including,
that they were right.
course, two of the talented group variously
Grieg, Listz, Beethoven and Prokofi ev.
referred to as the Kardomah boys, the
Adrian read classics at Cambridge and
Rob has played his and other people’s music
Kardomah Gang and the Kardomah Set. It
appeared in Under Milk Wood under the
all over the world, including in Denmark
was a loose-knit group rather than a defi ned
direction of Anthony Hopkins. He was
where Dan’s son Dylan now lives. And it
artistic movement, but it included some of
hooked, and it was while still a student that
seems fi tting that Warmley the story of two
Swansea’s fi nest creative artists. More has
the great man suggested Adrian do a one
great Swansea friends should be regularly
probably been written about Dylan than any
man show. In 1992/93 that idea grew into
performed by their modern equivalents who
other inhabitant of his home town; he has a
Reminiscences of Childhood a show that won
may well be taking the piece further afi eld.
reputation that continues to grow more than
an award at the Edinburgh Festival.
America has always shown a great interest in
50 years since his death in New York.
Dylan Thomas and continues to do so.
An uncle suggested that Adrian should
Dan Jones, who in Dylan’s words, “was
contact Dan for some ideas. He did and
Tour de Force is currently negotiating to
going to compose the most prodigious
it was Dan that suggested that the show
take Warmley to the Celtic Colloquium in
symphony” is much less known, even among
should deal with the childhood of Dylan.
California and the Dylan Thomas Festival in
the inhabitants of Swansea, but he enjoyed
He was very helpful and proved to be, “a
Chicago and to Alabama. The main target is
a long and creative life as a composer and
fascinating man,” says Adrian. “He was
California in March but the trip will depend
musician. His fourth symphony, completed in
interested in everything. He never threw
on the availability of funding. Even so it is
1954 a year after his friend’s death, was an
anything out, on the basis that as long as
encouraging that American interest in the
elegy for the poet. He composed another 11
he stuck to that he would never have to
Kardomah Boys remains strong, and fi tting
symphonies, music for Under Milk Wood as
look through the bins for it. He remembered
that Warmley celebrates a great creative
well as orchestral and choral work.
his time with Dylan and the Warmley
collaboration of the past with one of the
Broadcasting Corporation with real affection.
In addition to his musical accomplishments,
present.
He also held strong opinions, once opining
Dan was a polyglot with seven languages at
‘Swansea is a strange place, stranger even Warmley will be
his disposal as well as a couple of doctorates
than Tibet.’” Sadly, it was about three months performed at the
in English literature. His was the sort of
after that meeting that Dan died. Dylan Thomas Centre,
mind that found a natural home among the
Swansea on Saturday
code breakers of Bletchley Park. “He was a
Rob Marshall, a solo musician who also now
November 7.
If you have an event you would like featured in these
pages email the editor:
wyn.jenkins@swansealife.co.uk
52 swansealife October 2009
WhatsOn_Oct.indd 52 21/09/2009 17:45:30
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