GRAV performs to the Welsh Rugby Team at the Principality Stadium
The Torch Theatre Company Production ‘GRAV’ receives warm praise from the Welsh squad and coaching staff, following exclusive performance at the Principality Stadium.
Four years on from the launch of GRAV at Parc-Y-Scarlets, Llanelli, the remarkable one-man show has seen no shortage of milestones– However, Monday the 18th of February is a date that will remain in the hearts and minds of all involved for years to come.
The Torch Theatre Company transformed the away (England) changing room into a theatre for the emotional and heartfelt one-man production GRAV; a show which explores the life and times of Ray Gravell, one of Wales’ most loved sons. Playwright Owen Thomas who wrote GRAV described the night as “the proudest night of [his] playwriting career.”
Directed by the Torch Theatre’s Artistic Director, Peter Doran, and starring Gareth J Bale, GRAV was performed to the Welsh squad and coaching staff including Warren Gatland, Alun Wyn Jones, Shaun Edwards, Neil Jenkins, Robin McBride, Leigh Halfpenny, Gareth Davies, George North and Ken Owens.
Ken Owens and Robin McBryde were reduced to tears as they watched the emotional, patriotic one-man play. “The play was very good – it was powerful, the boys that went certainly enjoyed it, it definitely showed the pride that Grav had and we all have in Wales,”mentioned Wales star George North.
“I could hear ‘Muckers’ (McBryde) champing at the bit in the end. Muckers and Ken were both crying” North added.
Former Llanelli captain Robin McBryde was a close friend of Ray Gravell and had been particularly touched by the performance.
He went on to say: “It put us in a really good place mentally wise and we should have played straight after it.
“If we can in any way match Gareth Bale’s performance on Saturday, it doesn’t matter if the roof is open or closed, there will only be one result.”
The Torch Theatre’s Artistic Director, Peter Doran describes the experience:
“It was truly a great honour to perform in front of such an illustrious audience – heroes all!
In the play, Gareth as Grav, talks about what it’s like to put on a Welsh Jersey and perform in front of the home crowd, not many of the 10,000 people who have seen our production to date could relate to that but here we were playing to a whole audience who knew exactly what we were talking about. Incredible.”
For actor Gareth J Bale, the show, while always an emotional performance, had special significance and is an experience he will never forget. Inspired by his Father to ‘always chase lost causes’, Gareth had taken a different direction early on in life, becoming an actor, despite dreams of playing Rugby for Wales – “I was decent…Decent isn’t good enough. I was crushed.”
“Yesterday I played Ray Gravell in front of Mari (Ray’s Widow), Manon, Gwenan (Ray’s Daughters), my family and the Welsh Rugby squad in a changing room at the National Stadium. It’s the closest I will ever get to playing for Wales. I played a hero. Told his story. Pulled on his shirt. It was an honour and it will stay with me forever.”
The Torch Theatre Company Production GRAV tours this February and March across Wales before a run at London’s Hope Theatre on the 17, 18, 24 & 25 of March. Full tour dates and information available on the Torch Theatre website.
Listings
GRAV – Production Tour 2019
Theatr Brycheiniog, Brecon
Wednesday 20 February
brycheiniog.co.uk | 01874 611622
Pontardawe Arts Centre
Thursday 21 February
pontardaweartscentre.com | 01792 863722
Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff
Thursday 28 February & Friday 1 March
rwcmd.ac.uk | 02920 391391
The Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot
Wednesday 6 March
princessroyaltheatre.com | 01639 763214
Lyric, Carmarthen
Thursday 7 March
theatrausirgar.co.uk | 03452 263510
Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Tuesday 12 March
aberystwythartscentre.co.uk | 01970 623232
The Welfare, Ystradgynlais
Wednesday 13 March
thewelfare.co.uk | 01639 843163
The Riverfront, Newport
Thursday 14 March
newportlive.co.uk | 01633 656757
Theatr Felinfach
Friday 15 March
theatrfelinfach.cymru | 01570 470697
The Hope Theatre, Islington – London
Sunday 17, Monday 18, Sunday 24 & Monday 25 March
thehopetheatre.com | 0333 666 3366
For more information and to book tickets visit http://torchtheatre.co.uk/or call the Box Office on 01646 695267.
Torch Theatre
The Torch Theatre was established in 1977 and is one of only three building-based producing theatres in Wales alongside Cardiff’s Sherman Cymru and Clwyd Theatr Cymru. It now consists of a 300 seat Main House, a 102 seat Studio Theatre, a bespoke art gallery, bar facilities and an attractive café – Café Torch. The venue has been transformed to create an accessible, comfortable and attractive place to enjoy entertainment and the arts, complete with state of the art digital cinema technology with 3D capabilities. The Torch Theatre now offers over 1,300 shows, films, art exhibitions and live broadcasts annually to audiences in excess of 10,000.
Torch Theatre Company’s highly acclaimed productions, which include an annual Christmas show, are directed by Artistic Director Peter Doran and have included One Man Two Guvnors, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Turn of the Screw, The Hired Man, Neville’s Island, Abigail’s Party, The Little Shop of Horrors and An Inspector Calls.
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