Programme Highlights
With over 65 artists and storytellers presenting and sharing myths, legends and stories on stages, in fields, in castles, as well as in immersive locations around our gorgeous new setting it’s pretty hard for us to pick out the one must see of the festival. We also know everyone has different tastes, so here are just some of our BtB Highlights for 2021.
Citrus Village with Theatr Byd Bychan
This year we have handed over the family-friendly creative area to our friends at Citrus Arts. Citrus Arts is a professional and community circus theatre company who tour to festivals across the UK.
Their passion is not only performing but sharing their knowledge skills within their community. This year the Citrus Village will be home to lantern making and circus workshops as well as an adapted version of their festival performance, Savage Hart.
Popping up regularly at the Citrus Village you’ll catch the brilliant Hand to Mouth Theatre and stories for families and grown-ups surrounded by the beautiful Dinefwr woodland.
Stars and their Consolations (World Premiere: Storytelling Adventure Commission)
Friday 8pm – The Big Top (indoor)
Saturday 10pm – Outdoor (outdoor with headphones)
Imagine listening in to stories told at night, while you gaze up at the stars… in headphones!
Stars and their Consolations conjures up Greek myths of some of the most prominent constellations in our night sky. Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden are renowned for their lucid and passionate retellings of Ovid and Homer. Their performance is illuminated by a unique and evocative soundscape created by Welsh composer Sarah Lianne Lewis. Visceral, moving and profound, Stars and their Consolations is an inspiring fusion of ancient and modern.
Trigger warning: this programme contains images of sexual violence.
16+
Story walks
This year we have loads of Story walks that take you through the mystical realms of Dinefwr. Some about the trees, the ancient woodlands and myths that surround them. We also have walks influenced by human history and the natural environment that will take you on an adventure to parts of Dinefwr to Discover. We even have
stories told from Canada nested in our festival. All our Story walks are listed in the schedule, with two special walks highlighted on our Festival Map for you to enjoy.
Get involved
Over the weekend there will be workshops for all ages to get involved and explore new ideas and skills – circus, lantern making, sound capturing and crankie making. Some of which will also be used as part of our Closing Ceremony!
Llyn y Fan Fach
Sunday 5pm – The Castle
Storyteller Michael Harvey, dancer Eeva-Maria Mutka and musician Stacey Blythe have created a new bilingual performance based on the legend of the Carmarthenshire story, the Lady of the Lake. Movement, myth and music are combined to create a mythical experience at the top of the castle.
Storytelling Experiments
Be the first to be a part of a new performance by innovative, experimenting storytellers. Tim Ralphs will be transporting King Arthur into the future, on our outdoor screen and online; and Tamar Eluned Williams with her sister Morwen Williams will be probing the role of women in folk songs in Not Maid, Nor Widow, Nor Wife.
New Directions
Highlighting storytellers sharing a full length piece for the first time at BtB, check out fresh offerings from Saul Jaffe, Phil Okwedy and Sarah Liisa Wilkinson.
Stories from Canada
In 2020 we programmed some of the most exciting international voices to be a part of the programme. We were committed to transport them here, in the most COVID restriction allowing way possible for 2021.
We’ve teamed up with Festival Interculturel du conte de Montréal in Canada to create digital ways of sharing stories from Ivan Coyote in their Cabin in remotest part of the Yukon; Tamar Illana sharing childhood stories and music on outdoor screen, and Marta Singh has recorded audio from Canada to be listened to immersed in our new landscape throughout the festival.
Mamiaith
A 1 hour session in the Family Tent on Sunday featuring Michael Harvey (MC), Stacey Blythe, Rajesh David, Tamar, Chandrika, Ceri Phillips, Sef Townsend and Shona Cowie.
Seeking audiences unfamiliar with Welsh, Gujarati, Sanskrit, Yiddish, Dutch, Spanish, Bengali, Hindi and Portugese. An invitation to enjoy the richness of stories told in mother tongues, where not comprehending is all part of the fun!
And if you miss anything…have a look at our accompanying Online Festival which runs until 10 July as we are sharing more stories on there, some of which were at the live festival.