The following letter went to The Western Mail and The Guardian today. Copies will follow to the Heritage Ministry of the Welsh Government and the Israeli Embassy in London. Many thanks to all who have supported this small but important attempt to speak up for the role of theatre in one of the world's most difficult situations. I hope that our friends and colleagues in Jenin will be heartened to know that we hold them in our hearts.
Open Letter from the Theatre Makers of Wales
We, the theatre makers of Wales, deplore the recent attacks in Jenin on The Freedom Theatre, its people and property. Freedom Theatre is a beacon for artistic expression and cultural co-operation, offering children and young adults in the Jenin area a safe space in which they are free to express themselves, to explore their creativity and emotions. The theatre has the following admirable goals:
- To raise the quality of performing arts and cinema in the area.
- To offer a space in which children and youth can act, create and express themselves freely, imagining new realities and challenging existing social and cultural barriers.
- To empower the young generation to use the arts to promote positive change in their community.
- To break the cultural isolation that separates Jenin from the wider Palestinian and global communities.
Sadly, it is reliably reported that in the past week, Israeli soldiers attacked the theatre, and arrested staff members.
Unless initiatives such as Freedom Theatre are nourished and supported, there can be little prospect for wider understanding and peace. We call on the Israeli government to investigate and to bring an immediate end to these attacks. We call on our fellow artists in Israel and beyond to support The Freedom Theatre as an inspiring source of cultural understanding and artistic hope.
Signed
John McGrath, Artistic Director, National Theatre Wales
Arwel Grufydd, Artistic Director, Theatr Genedlaethol
Chris Ricketts, Director, Sherman Cymru
Kevin Lewis, Artistic Director, Theatr Iolo
Peter Richards, Artistic Director, Fluellen Theatre
Peter Cox MBE, writer
Greg Cullen, writer and director
Terry Victor, writer and performer
Rebecca Gould, director
Meredydd Barker, writer
Kaite O’Reilly, writer
Abdul Shayek, Creative Associate, National Theatre Wales
Carys Shannon, writer and producer
Carmen Medway-Stephens, writer and director
Tim Price, writer
Bridget Keehan, director
Guy O’Donnell, designer
Kath Chandler, writer
Chris Kinsey, writer
Tom Beardshaw, media artist
Sam Burns, writer
Alun Howell, writer
Sam Boardman-Jacobs, choreographer
Lisa Parry, writer
Alan Harris, writer
Tom Wentworth, writer
Brad Birch, writer
Ian Staples, writer
Kit Lambert, writer
Rick Allden, writer
Steven Elliott, actor
Catriona James, actor
Adele Thomas, director
Richard Huw Morgan, artist
Ieuan Watkins, writer
Manon Eames, writer, actress
James Roberts and Bridie Doyle, Citrus Arts
Georges Dewez and Jane Llloyd Francis, Equilibre Theatre
Amy Bonsall, director
Brent Morgan, performer and creator
Jorge Lizalde, photographer
Zoe Mills, actor
Paul Wines, producer
Gary Knowles, actor
Amanda Weeks, actor/writer
Charlie Elliot, actor
Kay Richmond
Lisa Mellor
Cari Medway
Vanessa Medway
Colin Medway
Rhodri Stephens
Marie Suzanne Todd, performer
Rhiannon Cousins, writer
Lucy Ellinson, performer
Matt Ball, Creative Associate, National Theatre Wales
Devinda De Silva, TEAM Co-ordinator, National Theatre Wales
Nicholas Davies, Arts Council Wales
Ruth D. Majeed, theatre practitioner
Simon Harris, writer/director
Alex Louise Murdoch
Hannah Bevan, producer
Catrin Clarke
Michael Kelligan
Kevin Johnson, writer
Rhian Jones, Administrator, National Theatre Wales
Darren Webber
Lynn Hunter, actor and director
Femke van Gent
Liz Gardiner, actor and administrator
Anna Louise Poole
Naomi Doyle, actor
Sandra Blue, production/stage manager
Natalie Paisey, actor
Thomas Reilly, technical and production manager
Wyn Mason, filmmaker
Miranda Roszkowski, actress
Phillip Mackenzie, director
Caroline Beasley, actor
Anja Conti, actor
Matt Kidd, writer
Mathilde Lopez, director
Gilly Adams, director and workshop leader
Sarah Bickerton, director
Janine Cooper-Marshall, actor
Jaen Fox, writer and director Asking4It Productions
Matthew Bulgo, actor and writer
Sam Potter, director
Vivienne Buckley, director
Sian Thomas, Creative Producer, Adain Avion
Sian Taylor, performer, director and stage manager
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I make that 94 names John! (Mind you maths was never my strong point.) Well done everyone and thank you NTW for facilitating this process.
As a second phase of profile raising in a few days it would seem to make sense for individuals to forward a copy of the open letter to their own MP's / AM's etc.
If you do get any media responses it would be great if they could be posted here.
Thanks once again John.
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