Wales Theatre Awards – the winners
Best Dance Production. Ballet Cymru wins for Little Red Riding Hood and the The Three Little Pigs
Dennis O’Neill received the Special Achievement award.
Young critic presenter Nia Callaghan with Ballet Cymru’s Darius James and presenter Gareth Lloyd Roberts
Volcano Youth Theatre
Kommilitonen! WNO Youth Opera
Awards Director Mike Smith
Peter Doran, Belonging/ Perthyn
The winners of the Wales Theatre Awards 2017 have been announced at an awards evening at the Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea University.
The Special Achievement award was presented to opera tenor Dennis O’Neill CBE who was born in nearby Pontarddulais. While his international career has spanned the continents yet Dennis has always kept Wales as his home and where the newly formed University of Wales Trinity Saint David invited him to establish a Wales International Academy of Voice to provide a highly specialised and unique environment for a small number of exceptional singers at the early-professional stage, selected and recruited globally, to develop and polish their talent to the highest professional standards.
The 2017 Awards contained two firsts.
Swansea-actress Sophie Melville won the Best Female Performance (English Language) for the second consecutive year, this year for her performance in Blackbird from Those Two Imposters at Cardiff’s pub theatre The Other Room. Last year she won the Award for Iphigenia in Splott which has toured extensively and has subsequently been nominated for several awards.
Actor Llion Williams won the Best Male Performance (English Language) for his role in the bilingual play Belonging/Perthyn from Re:Live in association with Chapter and Torch Theatre. Uniquely in the history of the awards, he was also named winner of the Best Male Performance (Welsh Language) for Chwalfa from Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, in association with Pontio and Frân Wen. Chwalfa won the Best Production in the Welsh Language.
Best Male Performance in the Welsh Language, Llion Williams, Chwalfa
Perfformiad Gorau yn yr Iaith Gymraeg – Gwryw, Llion Williams, Chwalfa
Then the Best Director Award was presented to Peter Doran, Artistic Director of Torch Theatre, Milford Haven, for his directing of Belonging/Perthyn from Re:Live, which deals with the very human issue of dementia and as a bilingual work explored how language changes in a person with this condition. In this case the actor slowly lost the ability to speak English and returned to his native first language Welsh.
The audience watched videos from the Royal Opera House, where Bryn Terfel presented an award to Gwyn Hughes Jones, the Meet Fred ensemble from their tour, Phil Williams from India and Sophie Melville from the Orange Tree Orchard, Richmond.
Wales Theatre Awards director Mike Smith said, “These three awards demonstrate the growth in bilingual theatre in Wales, reflecting the very special relationship between the two languages in the nation. More and more shows are bilingual and there is also much imaginative work being carried out in the Welsh language theatre to make work accessible for English only speakers.”
Best Opera Production, Kommilitonen! WNO youth Opera, Polly Graham
Cynhyrchiad Opera Gorau, Kommilitonen! Opera Ieuenctid OCC, Polly Graham
The three opera awards were won by WNO Youth Opera for Kommilitonen!, Gwyn Hughes Jones for Cavalleria rusticana & Pagliacci with Welsh National Opera and Claire Booth for La Voix Humaine, Wales Millennium Centre and Welsh National Opera as part of the inaugural Festival of Voice 2016.
Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys won the Best Sound Award for his composition The Insatiable, Inflatable Candylion which was staged as a glorious family entertainment with National Theatre Wales.
Ballet Cymru repeated its success in the 2014 Awards winning best Dance Production with its hugely entertaining Little Red Riding Hood & The Three Little Pigs adapted from Welsh writer Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes. National Dance Company Wales artistic director Caroline Finn won Best Female Dance Artist for her work Folk and Phil Williams won Best Male Dance Artist for Cascade Dance Theatre, Wales new contemporary dance company that is taking high quality dance to venues throughout the nation.
Darius James, Amy Doughty and children, Little Red Riding Hood and the The Three Little Pigs, Ballet Cymru
Darius James, Amy Doughty a’u plant, Little Red Riding Hood and the The Three Little Pigs, Ballet Cymru
These awards recognise excellence in theatre, dance and opera created and presented in Wales. The nominations were made by 40 critics throughout Wales, working in English and in Welsh and for print, broadcast and online platforms. Between them they have made 830 nominations. These nominations were for 281 separate artists, 157 shows from 89 companies.
Mike Smith told the audience at the Taliesin, “The Awards are made possible thanks to the work of the judges who painstakingly assess all of the nominations to choose the shortlists and then overall winners, and the generous sponsorship from arts organisations, venues and individuals. This sponsorship also enables the Wales Critics Fund to give financial support to freelance and young critics to attend performances across the nation. In its first two years, the Fund has supported more than 500 reviews across Wales.”
The audience was entertained with songs from WNO Youth Opera’s award winning Kommilitonen!, rousing performances from Swansea’s Volcano Youth Theatre and a hilarious scene from Leeway Productions innovative 10 Minute Musicals which supports new musical theatre created in Wales.
Mae enillwyr Gwobrau Theatr Cymru 2017 wedi eu cyhoeddi mewn noson wobrwyo yng Nghanolfan y Celfyddydau Taliesin, Prifysgol Abertawe.
Cyflwynwyd y wobr am Gyfraniad Arbennig i’r tenor opera Dennis O’Neill CBE a aned ym Mhontarddulais gerllaw. Er ei fod wedi dilyn gyrfa ryngwladol lwyddiannus, Cymru yw cartref Dennis, ac mae Prifysgol Cymru y Drindod Dewi Sant wedi ei wahodd i sefydlu Academi Ryngwladol y Llais Cymru, er mwyn darparu amgylchedd arbenigol ac unigryw i nifer fechan o gantorion addawol o bedwar ban byd ar ddechrau eu gyrfa, gan roi cyfle iddynt ddatblygu a mireinio eu talent i’r safon broffesiynol uchaf posib.
Dylid tynnu sylw at ddau beth neilltuol a ddigwyddodd yng Ngwobrau 2017 am y tro cyntaf erioed.
Enillodd yr actores o Abertawe, Sophie Melville, y Wobr am y Perfformiad Gorau gan Fenyw (Iaith Saesneg) am yr ail flwyddyn yn olynol. Eleni fe’i gwobrwywyd ar gyfer ei pherfformiad yn Blackbird gan Those Two Imposters yn theatr dafarn Caerdydd, The Other Room, a llynedd enillodd y Wobr am Iphigenia in Splott, sydd wedi teithio’n helaeth ac wedi ei enwebu am nifer o wobrau.
Enillodd yr actor Llion Williams y Wobr am y Perfformiad Gorau gan Wryw (Iaith Saesneg) am ei ran yn y ddrama ddwyieithog Belonging/Perthyn gan Re:Live, mewn cysylltiad â Chapter a Theatr y Torch. Ac am y tro cyntaf yn hanes y gwobrau, ef enillodd y Wobr am y Perfformiad Gorau gan Wryw (Iaith Gymraeg) hefyd am Chwalfa gan Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru. Chwalfa enillodd y Wobr am y Cynhyrchiad Gorau yn yr Iaith Gymraeg.
Yna, cyflwynwyd y Wobr am y Cyfarwyddwr Gorau i Peter Doran, Cyfarwyddwr Artistig Theatr y Torch, Aberdaugleddau am gyfarwyddo Belonging/Perthyn i Re:Live, drama sy’n ymdrin â dementia, ac fel darn o waith dwyieithog, archwiliwyd sut mae iaith yn newid i berson sy’n byw â’r cyflwr. Yn yr achos hwn bu i’r actor yn araf bach golli’r gallu i siarad Saesneg gan ddychwelyd at ei famiaith.
Gwyliodd y gynulleidfa fideos o’r Tŷ Opera Brenhinol, ble cyflwynodd Bryn Terfel wobr i Gwyn Hughes Jones, cip o daith ensemble Meet Fred, Phil Williams o India a Sophie Melville o’r Orange Tree Orchard, Richmond.
Meddai Mike Smith, Cyfarwyddwr y Gwobrau Theatr; “Mae’r tair gwobr yma’n dangos datblygiad y theatr ddwyieithog yng Nghymru, gan adlewyrchu’r berthynas arbennig sy’n bodoli rhwng y ddwy iaith a siaredir yma. Mae mwy a mwy o sioeau’n ddwyieithog erbyn hyn, ac mae gwaith creadigol iawn yn cael ei gynhyrchu yn y theatr Gymraeg er mwyn sicrhau hygyrchedd i siaradwyr Saesneg.”
Enillwyd y tair gwobr opera gan Opera Ieuenctid OCC am Kommilitonen!, Gwyn Hughes Jones ar gyfer Cavalleria rusticana & Pagliacci gydag Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru, a Claire Booth ar gyfer La Voix Humaine, Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru ac Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru, fel rhan o Ŵyl y Llais 2016.
Prif leisydd y Super Furry Animals, Gruff Rhys, enillodd y Wobr am y Sain Gorau am The Insatiable, Inflatable Candylion a lwyfannwyd fel sioe deuluol hwyliog dros ben gan National Theatre Wales.
Bu i Ballet Cymru, a ddaeth i’r brig yn 2014, ennill y Wobr am Cynhyrchiad Dawns Gorau am eu sioe hudolus Little Red Riding Hood & The Three Little Pigs, a addaswyd o Revolting Rhymes, gwaith yr awdur o Gymru, Roald Dahl. Enillodd cyfarwyddwr Artistig Cwmni Dawns Cenedlaethol Cymru, Caroline Finn, wobr am yr Artist Dawns Gorau (Menyw), ar gyfer ei gwaith, Folk, a Phil Williams enillodd y Wobr am yr Artist Dawns Gorau (Gwryw), ar gyfer Cascade Dance Theatre, cwmni dawns cyfoes newydd Cymru, sy’n mynd â dawns o safon uchel i leoliadau ledled y wlad.
Mae’r gwobrau’n adnabod rhagoriaeth y gwaith sy’n cael ei greu a’i gyflwyno yng Nghymru ym myd theatr, dawns ac opera. Derbyniwyd enwebiadau gan 40 o feirniaid Cymraeg a Saesneg ledled Cymru, ac a gyflwynodd adolygiadau mewn print, ar y cyfryngau torfol neu ar-lein. Cafwyd 830 o enwebiadau ar gyfer 281 o artistiaid unigol, 157 sioe, gan 89 o gwmnïau.
Wrth annerch y gynulleidfa yn Taliesin, dywedodd Mike Smith; “Ni fyddai’r Gwobrau hyn yn bosib heb waith manwl a gofalus y beirniaid sy’n asesu’r holl enwebiadau er mwyn dewis y rhestrau byr a’r enillwyr, na heb nawdd hael sefydliadau celfyddydol, lleoliadau ac unigolion. Mae’r nawdd yma hefyd yn galluogi Cronfa Beirniaid Cymru i gynnig cefnogaeth ariannol i adolygwyr ifanc a llawrydd i fynychu perfformiadau ledled y wlad. Yn ystod y ddwy flynedd gyntaf, mae’r Gronfa wedi cefnogi mwy na 500 o adolygiadau ar draws Cymru gyfan.
Cafodd y gynulleidfa ei diddanu gan ganeuon allan o Kommilitonen!, cynhyrchiad llwyddiannus Opera Ieuenctid OCC, perfformiadau cyffrous Theatr Ieuenctid Volcano, Abertawe, a golygfa ddoniol iawn allan o 10 Minute Musicals gan Cynyrchiadau Leeway, sy’n cefnogi theatr gerdd a gynhyrchir yng Nghymr
WALES THEATRE AWARDS 2017 WINNERS
BEST SHOW FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Y SIOE ORAU AR GYFER PLANT A PHOBOL IFANC
Cysgu’n Brysur
Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch
Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch, Jeremy Turner
BEST SOUND
SAIN GORAU
Gruff Rhys
The Insatiable, Inflatable Candylion
National Theatre Wales
BEST LIGHTING
GOLEUO GORAU
Colin Grenfell
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Theatr Clwyd
Colin Grenfell, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Theatr Clwyd
BEST DESIGN AND/OR COSTUME
DYLUNIO A/NEU GWISGOEDD GORAU
Amy Jane Cook
Constellation Street
The Other Room
BEST OPERA PRODUCTION
CYNHYRCHIAD OPERA GORAU
Kommilitonen!
WNO Youth Opera
Opera Ieuenctid WNO
Kommilitonen! WNO Youth Opera / Opera Ieuenctid WNO
BEST MALE IN AN OPERA PRODUCTION
PERFFORMIAD GORAU MEWN CYNHYRCHIAD OPERA – GWRYW
Gwyn Hughes Jones
Cavalleria rusticana & Pagliacci
Welsh National Opera
Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru
Best Male in an Opera Production/ Perfformiad Gorau Gorau Mewn Cynhyrchiad Opera – Gwyrw, Gwyn Hughes Jones.
BEST FEMALE IN AN OPERA PRODUCTION
PERFFORMIAD GORAU MEWN CYNHYRCHIAD OPERA – MENYW
Claire Booth
La Voix Humaine
Wales Millennium Centre and Welsh National Opera
Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru ac Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru
BEST ENSEMBLE
ENSEMBLE GORAU
Meet Fred
Hijinx
Meet Fred, Hijinx
BEST PLAYWRIGHT IN THE WELSH LANGUAGE
DRAMODYDD GORAU YN YR IAITH GYMRAEG
Angharad Price
Nansi
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
BEST PLAYWRIGHT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
DRAMODYDD GORAU YN YR IAITH SAESNEG
Matthew Bulgo
Constellation Street
The Other Room
Matthew Bulgo, Constellation Street, The Other Room
BEST DANCE PRODUCTION
CYNHYRCHIAD DAWNS GORAU
Little Red Riding Hood & The Three Little Pigs
Ballet Cymru
Caroline Finn, NDCWales
BEST FEMALE DANCE ARTIST (PERFORMER AND/OR
CHOREOGRAPHER)
ARTIST DAWNS GORAU – MENYW (PERFFORMIWR A/NEU
GOREOGRAFFYDD)
Caroline Finn
Folk
National Dance Company Wales
Cwmni Dawns Cenedlaethol Cymru
BEST MALE DANCE ARTIST (PERFORMER AND/OR
CHOREOGRAPHER)
ARTIST DAWNS GORAU – GWRYW (PERFFORMIWR A/NEU
GOREOGRAFFYDD)
Phil Williams
Theatr Dawns Cascade Dance Theatre
BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PERFFORMIAD GORAU YN YR IAITH SAESNEG – MENYW
Sophie Melville
Blackbird
Those Two Impostors at The Other Room
BEST MALE PERFORMANCE IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PERFFORMIAD GORAU YN YR IAITH SAESNEG – GWRYW
Llion Williams
Belonging/Perthyn
Re-Live
Belonging/Perthyn
BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN THE WELSH LANGUAGE
PERFFORMIAD GORAU YN YR IAITH GYMRAEG – MENYW
Siw Hughes
Mrs Reynolds a’r Cena Bach
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Siw Hughes
BEST MALE PERFORMANCE IN THE WELSH LANGUAGE
PERFFORMIAD GORAU YN YR IAITH GYMRAEG – GWRYW
Llion Williams
Chwalfa
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
BEST PRODUCTION IN THE WELSH LANGUAGE
CYNHYRCHIAD GORAU YN YR IAITH GYMRAEG
Chwalfa
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Chwalfa
BEST PRODUCTION IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
CYNHYRCHIAD GORAU YN YR IAITH SAESNEG
Constellation Street
The Other Room
Constellation Street, The Other Room a Caroline Finn, NDCWales
BEST DIRECTOR
CYFARWYDDWR GORAU
Peter Doran
Belonging/Perthyn
Re-Live
Karin Diamond, Belonging
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT / LLWYDDIANT ARBENNIG
International tenor and Director of Wales Academy of the Voice
Dennis O’Neill
Dennis O’Neill, Special Achievement Award / Llwyddiant Arbennig
Dennis O’Neill & Suzanne Murphy
All Photography Robert Melen
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