Can yr Adar/Birdsong-Critical Chinwag 5th November

So-last night I was lucky enough to take part to take part in my first Critical Chinwag at Theatr Mwldan in Cardigan. Here are some thoughts, opinions and ramblings on 'Can yr Adar/Birdsong':

Upon arrival at the theatre last night, I felt quite unsure of what to expect-but knew that I was in for a unique experience. 'Can yr Adar/Birdsong' promised a collaboration between some fantastic Welsh musicians-jazz musician Gwilym Simcock, singer/songwriter Kizzy Crawford and young orchestral ensemble Sinfonia Cymru. It also promised newly composed music and visuals created in response to a particularly location- namely Carngafallt, a complex ecosystem situated in Powys. I was certainly interested to see how effectively these different elements would work together on stage, and if the creators would succeed in bringing the natural world into a man-made theatrical space.

The staging itself was relatively simple, yet effective. Sculptures of tree branches framed the stage nicely, whilst the musicians and their instruments took up the remaining space. A large screen displaying visual video footage of Carngafallt created an almost hypnotic backdrop, and really helped to connect the performance to the location which inspired it.

The performers themselves were fantastic, and a real joy to watch and listen to. They managed to remain personable and unpretentious throughout, and were clearly enjoying performing. The Sinfonia Cymru Ensemble, in particular, communicated brilliantly with each other-both through their music and with the odd smile, glance or head wiggle. Kizzy was also a real presence-with beautiful vocals and a musical maturity beyond her years.  

However, I did feel that both the visuals and music could have gone further to reflect ongoing changes in the natural world at times-such as the seasons, the time of day, and perhaps bigger challenges such as climate change. I also felt there were some missed opportunities with natural sounds, and that a soundscape could have been intertwined into the music in some way.

But really, these are minor criticisms-and I would encourage anyone who loves jazz/folk/nature/life in general to go and see this show (which is currently on tour). Your ears in particular will thank you for it! 

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