After two research projects funded by Coreo Cymru and National Theatre Wales, we have been awarded a commission by Coreo Cymru, with full Arts Council funding and producing support from Galeri, to go into production with I loved you and I loved you in summer 2015.
I loved you and I loved you is about the life of the welsh composer Morfydd Owen and her relationships with both her husband Ernest Jones (leading British psychoanalyst and close associate of Sigmund Freud) and her intense friendship with Elliot Crawshay-Williams, who was parliamentary private secretary to Winston Churchill.
The librarian at The Royal Academy, when she saw Morfydd’s file said, ‘this is one of the most diverse and distinguished student records I have ever seen.’ Yet amongst the awards and scholarships was a woman fiercely loyal to Welsh music as well as famed for her beauty and sense of fun, with friendships that included DH Lawrence and Ezra Pound.
Morfydd died at just twenty six and many questions still surround her death. It was said she might have become the Elgar of her time. She was certainly considered to be one of Wales’ most talented musicians and composers, yet little is known about her outside Wales and there are relatively few recordings of her work.
Our pianist, Brian Ellsbury is the first pianist to have recorded her solo piano works, the first volume released on iTunes last year. Virtually all the music used within I loved you and I loved you will be from Morfydd’s own compositions.
Our research started with the official biographies, we are particularly indebted to Dr Rhian Davies for her pioneering research. In 2012 a huge catalogue of Eliot Crawshay-Williams’ personal correspondence was released into the public domain and delving into these and the archives in the music department and also special collections at Cardiff university we have made significant discoveries including a previously unknown composition which we use in the piece; it has been an astonishing journey..
Our cast are Faith Prendergast, Karl Fargarlund – Brekke and Daniel Whiley, along with Brian Ellsbury on piano and Ellen Williams will be singing. Costume design will be by Emma Bailey and sound design by Philip Jeck.
If you would like to come to our work in progress preview before our Edinburgh run, it is on as part of a double bill at The Place on 30th July. Tickets are just £10. It’s wonderful way to be introduced to the work and to have a say in the final production.
The show will be touring to 19 venues including an initial run at Zoo Venue’s newest venue, The Sanctuary – from 23rd August at 6.40pm each night until the end of the festival.
I loved you and I loved you
The Place – Work in Progress (30 July)
Theatre Harlech (19 & 20 Aug)
The Sanctuary, Zoo Venues, Edinburgh Festival (23 – 31 Aug)
The Court Yard, Hereford (8 Sept)
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital (10th Sept) 1pm
The Plough Theatre, Great Torrington, Devon (13th September)
Taliesin, Swansea (17 Sept)
MAC Birmingham (26 Sept)
The Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead. (29th Sept)
Stanley and Audrey Theatre, Leeds. Excerpt. New Adventures showcase (30 Sept)
The Lowry (5 & 6 October)
Arts Depot (8 Oct)
Galeri, Wales (10 Oct)
Lincoin Centre for Performing Arts, Lincoln. (15 Oct)
Edge Hill Arts Centre, Ormskirk (22 Oct)
Capstone Theatre, Liverpool (27 Oct)
Stahl Theatre, Oundle. (2 Nov)
Cardiff Festival, Dance House. Millennium Centre (22 Nov) A Sunday.
Dance East, Ipswich. Last week of January. Date tbc.