theatre

Clare Bayley
Friday 03 February 1995 00:02 GMT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

"Caradog Prichard's Full Moon offers an amazing insight into the Welsh culture, which seems familiar to us and yet proves to be a revelation. It's also a discovery for English audiences of what is already a Welsh classic." So says Helena Kaut-Hows on, the Polish-born director who during the last three years as artistic director of Theatr Clwyd, took up the torch for the Welsh nation. Under her inspired leadership, Theatr Clwyd rose from being just another provincial theatre to arguably the closest thingthere is to a Welsh national theatre. She attracted the stars (Anthony Hopkins, Imogen Stubbs, Maria Aitkin, David Yelland) but she also pioneered experimental and specifically Welsh works, of which Full Moon was the jewel in the crown.

Written in Welsh by the thrice-crowned Bardic poet Caradog Prichard, Full Moon (above) is a semi-autobiographical story of his slate-mining community at the time of the First World War. The novel was made into a Welsh-language film On a Moonlight Night, and combines gritty observation of life with flights of mystic lyricism.

Given her passion for Welsh culture, it is ironic that Full Moon was her last production for Clwyd. Bureaucratic pettyfogging and a reshuffle of regional funding have denied her a job, and she is fearful for the future of a theatre which she left in sucha thriving condition. Kaut-Howson is now pursuing a freelance career but it's hard to believe a woman of her vision will lie low for long. If she did so much for a national theatre of Wales, what could she do for a National theatre in Britain?

`Full Moon', Young Vic, from Tuesday (071-928 6363)

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in