The winners have been announced!
The evening’s hosts, Gareth Lloyd Roberts and Nicola Heywood Thomas
The winners of the Wales Theatre Awards 2017 have been announced at an awards evening at the Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea University (SAT FEB 25).
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
Ballet Cymru keeps it in the family
Best Male in an Opera Production, Gwyn Hughes with Bryn Terfel from the Royal Opera
Caroline Finn, NDCWales
Chelsey Gillard, The Other Room
Best Lighting, Colin Grenfell, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Theatr Clwyd
Dennis O’Neill watched video of his performance in Pagliacci
10 Minute Musicals
WNO Youth Opera
Young critic presenter Nia Callaghan with Darius James and Gareth Lloyd Roberts
Awards Director Mike Smith
All photography Robert Melen
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
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
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
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 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
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
BEST DANCE PRODUCTION
CYNHYRCHIAD DAWNS GORAU
Little Red Riding Hood & The Three Little Pigs
Ballet Cymru
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
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
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
BEST PRODUCTION IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
CYNHYRCHIAD GORAU YN YR IAITH SAESNEG
Constellation Street
The Other Room
BEST DIRECTOR
CYFARWYDDWR GORAU
Peter Doran
Belonging/Perthyn
Re-Live
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT / LLWYDDIANT ARBENNIG
Dennis O’Neill
Wales Theatre Awards 2017 Shortlists
Rhestrau Byr Gwobrau Theatr Cymru 2017
BEST SHOW FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Y SIOE ORAU AR GYFER PLANT A PHOBOL IFANC
The Insatiable, Inflatable Candylion, National Theatre Wales
The Borrowers, Sherman Theatre / Theatr y Sherman
Cysgu’n Brysur, Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch, mewn cydweithrediad â / in collaboration with Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru / Wales Millennium Centre a / and Canolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Dilyn Fi, Frân Wen
BEST SOUND
SAIN GORAU
Gruff Rhys, The Insatiable, Inflatable Candylion, National Theatre Wales
James Kennedy, A Mighty Wind, National Dance Company Wales / Cwmni Dawns Cenedlaethol Cymru
Gareth Bonello, Rhith Gân,Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with the National Eisteddfod of Wales / mewn partneriaeth ag Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru
Andy Tamlyn Jones, Windsongs of the Blessed Bay, Theatr Cadair
BEST LIGHTING
GOLEUO GORAU
Joe Fletcher, Swansea’s Three Night Blitz by / gan Manon Eames, Swansea Grand Theatre / Theatr y Grand Abertawe in collaboration with / mewn cydweithrediad â Joio
Emyr Morris-Jones, Hogia Ni – Yma o Hyd, Theatr Bara Caws
Katy Morison, Play / Silence, The Other Room
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
Janet Bird, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Theatr Clwyd
Cai Dyfan, Chwalfa, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru mewn partneriaeth â / in partnership with Pontio & Cwmni’r Frân Wen
Gabriella Slade, Rick Fisher. Andrzej Goulding and / a Francis O’Connor, The Last Mermaid, Festival of Voice 2916, Wales Millennium Centre / Gŵyl y Llais 2016, Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru
BEST OPERA PRODUCTION
CYNHYRCHIAD OPERA GORAU
Figaro Gets a Divorce, Welsh National Opera / Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru, co-production with / cyd-gynhyrchiad gyda’r Grand Théâtre de Gèneve
Kommilitonen!, WNO Youth Opera / Opera Ieuenctid OPC
La Voix Humaine, co-production between Wales Millennium Centre and Welsh National Opera for Festival of Voice 2016 / cyd-gynhyrchiad rhwng Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru ac Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru ar gyfer Gŵyl y Llais 2016
The Devil Inside, Music Theatre Wales, co-production with / cyd-gynhyrchiad gyda Scottish Opera
BEST MALE IN AN OPERA PRODUCTION
PERFFORMIAD GORAU MEWN CYNHYRCHIAD OPERA – GWRYW
Alan Oke, Figaro Gets a Divorce & The Marriage of Figaro, Welsh National Opera / Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru, co-production with / cyd-gynhyrchiad gyda’r Grand Théâtre de Gèneve
Andrew Bidlack, In Parenthesis, Welsh National Opera / Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru
Gwyn Hughes Jones, Cavalleria rusticana & Pagliacci, Welsh National Opera / Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru
Lester Lynch, The Merchant of Venice, Welsh National Opera / Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru, co-production of the Bregenzer Festspiele, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute as part of the Polska Music programme and Teatr Wielki, Warsaw / cyd-gynhyrchiad Bregenzer Festspiele, Sefydliad Adam Mickiewicz fel rhan o raglen Cerddoriaeth Polska a Teatr Wielki, Warsaw
BEST FEMALE IN AN OPERA PRODUCTION
PERFFORMIAD GORAU MEWN CYNHYRCHIAD OPERA – MENYW
Anna Devin, The Marriage of Figaro, Welsh National Opera / Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru, co-production with / cyd-gynhyrchiad gyda’r Grand Théâtre de Gèneve
Chiara Vinci, Kommilitonen!, WNO Youth Opera / Opera Ieuenctid OPC
Marie Arnet, Figaro Gets a Divorce, Welsh National Opera / Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru, co-production with / cyd-gynhyrchiad gyda’r Grand Théâtre de Gèneve
Claire Booth, La Voix Humaine, co-production between Wales Millennium Centre and Welsh National Opera for Festival of Voice 2016 / cyd-gynhyrchiad rhwng Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru ac Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru ar gyfer Gŵyl y Llais 2016
BEST ENSEMBLE
ENSEMBLE GORAU
The Good Earth, Motherlode co-production with RCT Theatres / cyd-gynhyrchiad gyda Theatrau RCT in association with / ar y cyd â Chapter, Blackwood Miners Institute / Sefydliad y Glowyr y Coed Duon, Wales Millennium Centre / Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru
Wonderman, Gagglebabble, National Theatre Wales & Wales Millennium Centre / Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru
Meet Fred, Hijinx in association with / ar y cyd â Blind Summit
Taming of the Shrew, Richard Burton Company, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama / Cwmni Richard Burton, Coleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru
BEST PLAYWRIGHT IN THE WELSH LANGUAGE
DRAMODYDD GORAU YN YR IAITH GYMRAEG
Bethan Marlow, Cysgu’n Brysur, Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch, mewn cydweithrediad â / in association with Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru / Wales Millennium Centre a / and Canolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Meic Povey, Hogia Ni – Yma o Hyd, Theatr Bara Caws
Wyn Mason, Rhith Gân, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with the National Eisteddfod of Wales / mewn partneriaeth ag Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru
Angharad Price, Nansi, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
BEST PLAYWRIGHT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
DRAMODYDD GORAU YN YR IAITH SAESNEG
Alan Harris, Love, Lies & Taxidermy, Theatr Sherman Theatre, Paines Plough & Theatr Clwyd
Karin Diamond, Belonging / Perthyn, Re-Live in association with / ar y cyd â Chapter and / a Torch Theatre / Theatr y Torch
Matthew Bulgo, Constellation Street, The Other Room
Nicola Reynolds, A Sunny Disposition, The Other Room
BEST DANCE PRODUCTION
CYNHYRCHIAD DAWNS GORAU
Folk, National Dance Company Wales / Cwmni Dawns Cenedlaethol Cymru
Little Red Riding Hood & The Three Little Pigs, Ballet Cymru, co-production with The Riverfront / cyd-gynhyrchiad gyda Glan Yr Afon,
Ceirw – Savage Hart, Citrus Arts, co-production with / cyd-gynhyrchiad gyda The Roses, Tewkesbury and / a Pontio, Bangor
BLOCK, NoFit State and Motionhouse, co-production by / cyd-gynhyrchiad gydag Archaos, Pôle National des Arts du Cirque Méditerranée and / a Le Citron Jaune, Centre National des Arts de la Rue
BEST FEMALE DANCE ARTIST (PERFORMER AND / OR CHOREOGRAPHER)
ARTIST DAWNS GORAU – MENYW (PERFFORMIWR A / NEU GOREOGRAFFYDD)
Jo Fong, An Invitation
Caroline Finn, Folk, National Dance Company Wales / Cwmni Dawns Cenedlaethol Cymru
Elena Thomas, Folk, National Dance Company Wales / Cwmni Dawns Cenedlaethol Cymru
Ella Treays, Run Ragged & Creu Cymru
BEST MALE DANCE ARTIST (PERFORMER AND / OR CHOREOGRAPHER)
ARTIST DAWNS GORAU – GWRYW (PERFFORMIWR A / NEU
GOREOGRAFFYDD)
Gwyn Emberton, Shadow of a Quiet Society, Gwyn Emberton Dance, co-production with / cyd-gynhyrchiad gyda Canolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Josef Perou, Folk, National Dance Company Wales / Cwmni Dawns Cenedlaethol Cymru
Phil Williams, Theatr Dawns Cascade Dance Theatre
Jem Treays, Run Ragged & Creu Cymru
BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PERFFORMIAD GORAU YN YR IAITH SAESNEG – MENYW
Eiry Thomas, The Glass Menagerie, Theatr Pena, co-production with / cyd-gynhyrchiad The Riverfront / Glan Yr Afon
Sophie Melville, Blackbird, Those Two Impostors at/yn The Other Room
Alexandria Riley, The Mountaintop, Fio at / yn The Other Room
Nicola Reynolds, Constellation Street, The Other Room
BEST MALE PERFORMANCE IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
PERFFORMIAD GORAU YN YR IAITH SAESNEG – GWRYW
Delme Thomas, Saturday Night Forever, Canolfan y Celfyddydau Aberystwyth Arts Centre a Joio
Llion Williams, Belonging / Perthyn, Re-Live in association with / ar y cyd â Chapter and Torch Theatre / a Theatr y Torch
Neal McWilliams, A Sunny Disposition, The Other Room
Christian Patterson, St Nicholas, The Other Room
BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN THE WELSH LANGUAGE
PERFFORMIAD GORAU YN YR IAITH GYMRAEG – MENYW
Manon Vaughan-Wilkinson, Hogia Ni – Yma o Hyd, Theatr Bara Caws
Melangell Dolma, Nansi, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Siw Hughes, Mrs Reynolds a’r Cena Bach, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru mewn partneriaeth â / in partnership with Cwmni’r Frân Wen a / and Galeri Caernarfon
Betsan Llwyd, Nansi, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
BEST MALE PERFORMANCE IN THE WELSH LANGUAGE
PERFFORMIAD GORAU YN YR IAITH GYMRAEG – GWRYW
Emyr Roberts, Allan o Diwn, Theatr Bara Caws
Siôn Emyr, Mrs Reynolds a’r Cena Bach, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru mewn partneriaeth â / in partnership with Cwmni’r Frân Wen a / and Galeri Caernarfon
Rhodri Evan, Rhith Gân, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with the National Eisteddfod of Wales / mewn partneriaeth ag Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru
Llion Williams, Chwalfa, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru mewn partneriaeth â / in partnership with Pontio a / and Chwmni’r Frân Wen
BEST PRODUCTION IN THE WELSH LANGUAGE
CYNHYRCHIAD GORAU YN YR IAITH GYMRAEG
Perthyn / Belonging, Re-Live in association with / ar y cyd â Chapter and /a Torch Theatre / Theatr y Torch
Chwalfa, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru mewn partneriaeth â / in partnership with Pontio a / and Cwmni’r Frân Wen
Nansi, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Mrs Reynolds a’r Cena Bach, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru mewn partneriaeth â / in partnership with Cwmni’r Frân Wen a / and Galeri Caernarfon
BEST PRODUCTION IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
CYNHYRCHIAD GORAU YN YR IAITH SAESNEG
Constellation Street, The Other Room
Meet Fred, Hijinx in association with / ar y cyd â Blind Summit
Wonderman, Gagglebabble, National Theatre Wales and Wales Millennium Centre / a Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru
Insignificance, Theatr Clwyd
BEST DIRECTOR
CYFARWYDDWR GORAU
Peter Doran, Belonging / Perthyn, Re-Live in association with / ar y cyd â Chapter and / a Torch Theatre / Theatr y Torch
Rachael Boulton, The Good Earth, Motherlode co-produced with RCT Theatres / cyd-gynhyrchwyd â Theatrau RCT in association with / ar y cyd â Chapter, Blackwood Miners Institute / Sefydliad y Glowyr y Coed Duon, Wales Millennium Centre / Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru
Arwel Gruffydd, Chwalfa, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru mewn partneriaeth â / in partnership with Pontio a / and Cwmni’r Frân Wen
Maxine Evans, The Revlon Girl, October Sixty Six