NEW.i.D
NEW.i.D :
1. A New Identity; to gain or acquire (English Translation)
2. Change ; to experience or implement (Welsh Translation)The Project
On the 29th July 2010 the Pavilion stage on the site of the 2010 National Eisteddfod in Ebbw Vale was transformed into a magical underworld occupied by relics from the past and governed by a rabble of mischievous fairies.
This transition took place to accommodate one of Head for Arts most ambitious projects to date - the staging of NEW.i.D, a bilingual community play which was performed for one night only.
The drive behind NEW.i.D was to create a performance which could involve as many people as possible particularly those who were entirely new to the arts and those who had never visited or performed at an Eisteddfod before.
In total, 1,917 people from across the Eastern Heads of the Valleys area were involved in the creation of this unique, multi-arts performance. There were opportunities for community members to be involved in a range of different capacities. Co-artistic director, Einir Sion, described the extent of community involvement in the project, stating that:
NEW.i.D has been created entirely
by the community for the community.
There was a 6 month research phase called Fflach/Flash which collected stories and ideas from 70 different community groups, all of which have fed into the production in some way or another. This collaboration continued during the creation of the script, devising of films, music, dance pieces, set and live performance of this production.
The months of hard work and preparation paid off as the final performance was a resounding success. The weird and wonderful plot together with the catchy musical score, the large scale venue and the vibrant set and costume design offered the perfect platform from which to showcase the skills and talents of both the performers on stage and those appearing in the films that accompanied the live action. Audience members were particularly impressed with the energy and enthusiasm that each cast member brought to the performance it was clear that everyone involved thoroughly enjoyed the experience!
Comments from those involved included:
I just like to say thanks to the artistic team they were fab - you have given me an experience of a lifetime & Id love to work with you all again!
It was a fantastic experience performing this show & I picked up a bit of the Welsh language through working with Welsh speakers. Thank you for this opportunity x
The NEW.i.D Creative Team
Einir Sion (Hairy Fairy) Co-Artistic Director
Lleucu Meinir (Fairy Nuff) Co-Artistic Director Helen Woods (Scary Fairy) Musical Director
Jen Angharad (Airy Fairy) Dance / Movement Director
Suzi Dorey (Very Fairy) Set / Costume Design
