Theatre
Hail Cremation! (2024 - cancelled)
'The crème de la crem of musicals'
'Dr William Price (1800-1893) was Welsh surgeon, radical, visionary, feminist, vegetarian and eccentric who became known as, 'the father of cremation'. Hail Cremation! is a punk electronica musical odyssey through the life of this complex and extraordinary man. It is a paean to the role of the eccentric in society and the boundary between genius and madness, as well as a celebration of this irascible legend.'
This was going to go on in the summer of 2024, but Arts Council of Wales (ACW) cut the £1.6m grant to National Theatre Wales. NTW appealed to an independent jury and won the case. However, the ACW dismissed the appeal.
John McGrath, the first Artistic Director (AD) of NTW developed the show in 2015. Kully Thiarai, the 2nd AD commissioned the show in 2018. The 3rd AD, Lorne Campbell, had to shut the show down during the first Covid lockdown. Lorne was going to produce this show with music from James Minas. It would have been a great 'rave' show, about the ups and the downs of a surreal mythical Wales.
Nine years. No show.
'Dr William Price (1800-1893) was Welsh surgeon, radical, visionary, feminist, vegetarian and eccentric who became known as, 'the father of cremation'. Hail Cremation! is a punk electronica musical odyssey through the life of this complex and extraordinary man. It is a paean to the role of the eccentric in society and the boundary between genius and madness, as well as a celebration of this irascible legend.'
This was going to go on in the summer of 2024, but Arts Council of Wales (ACW) cut the £1.6m grant to National Theatre Wales. NTW appealed to an independent jury and won the case. However, the ACW dismissed the appeal.
John McGrath, the first Artistic Director (AD) of NTW developed the show in 2015. Kully Thiarai, the 2nd AD commissioned the show in 2018. The 3rd AD, Lorne Campbell, had to shut the show down during the first Covid lockdown. Lorne was going to produce this show with music from James Minas. It would have been a great 'rave' show, about the ups and the downs of a surreal mythical Wales.
Nine years. No show.
Hail Cremation! (2020 - postponed)
Hail Cremation!' was a 'psychedelic musical odyssey' theatre production about Dr William Price for National Theatre Wales. It was in its tech run in Newbridge (near Caerphilly) in March 2020, but was cancelled due to the first Covid Lockdown.
Hopefully, as Dr Price and the goats sang, 'We will rise again.'
Hopefully, as Dr Price and the goats sang, 'We will rise again.'
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Creative Team
Jon Tregenna - Writer
Adele Thomas - Director
Emma Woods - Choreographer
Jac Ifan Moore - Associate Director
Rhiannon Matthews - Set and Costume Designer
Richard Melkonian - Musical Director
Nic Finch - Video Designer
Joe Fletcher - Lighting Designer
Brighde Penn - Costume Supervisor
Oskar Howells - Design Assistant
Blaze - Costume Maker
Catherine Embleton - Costume Maker
Tancred Ingram - Set Construction
Antonia Collins - Stage Manager
Cast
Lee Mengo
Seren Vickers
Matthew Bulgo
Gruffudd Glyn
Dance Company
Elan Elidir
Iestyn Arwel
Ella Biddimore
Kyle Flaherty
Band
Steve Black - Guitar/Synth/Wind
Paul Jones - Keys/Synth
Aiden Thorne - Bass/Synth
Tom Cottle - Drums
PRESS
Buzz Magazine article here (page 13)
Wales Online article here
GetTheChance interview here
Wales Online article here
Broadway World article here
What's On Stage article here
Jon Tregenna - Writer
Adele Thomas - Director
Emma Woods - Choreographer
Jac Ifan Moore - Associate Director
Rhiannon Matthews - Set and Costume Designer
Richard Melkonian - Musical Director
Nic Finch - Video Designer
Joe Fletcher - Lighting Designer
Brighde Penn - Costume Supervisor
Oskar Howells - Design Assistant
Blaze - Costume Maker
Catherine Embleton - Costume Maker
Tancred Ingram - Set Construction
Antonia Collins - Stage Manager
Cast
Lee Mengo
Seren Vickers
Matthew Bulgo
Gruffudd Glyn
Dance Company
Elan Elidir
Iestyn Arwel
Ella Biddimore
Kyle Flaherty
Band
Steve Black - Guitar/Synth/Wind
Paul Jones - Keys/Synth
Aiden Thorne - Bass/Synth
Tom Cottle - Drums
PRESS
Buzz Magazine article here (page 13)
Wales Online article here
GetTheChance interview here
Wales Online article here
Broadway World article here
What's On Stage article here
