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Six up-and-coming writers have been shortlisted for Wales Writer in Residence 2020 with the winner set to be announced on Sunday 6th December.
The six shortlisted writers are:
- Brennig Hayden
- Faebian Averies
- Greg Glover
- Katie Elin-Salt
- Cameron Loxdale
- Neil Williams
Find out more about them below.
The winner will be announced on air in a Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Wales Arts Show Special on Sunday 6 December 2020 at 6pm, which will include performed extracts from the shortlisted writer’s work, along with interviews plus a chance to hear thoughts directly from the judges.
The judges this year are Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales Lorne Campbell, Development Executive for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Studios Jenna Robins, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 Drama Commissioner Alison Hindell, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom Wales Development Producer Helen Perry and special guest judge actor Rakie Ayola.
The winner will be awarded a total bursary of £12,000 to assist their year-long placement as Wales Writer in Residence. Over those 12 months they’ll be offered two bespoke placements; an initial 6 months with Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Cymru Wales including working with Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Studios, followed by 6 months with . Thoughout, they’ll have access to special mentoring and training, along with industry introductions. In addition they’ll be commissioned to write an original audio drama for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4, guaranteeing them a Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ broadcast credit.
Only in its second year, the Wales Writer in Residence is a prestigious scheme aimed at furthering a writer’s career across screen, sound and stage. It is a partnership between Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Cymru Wales, NTW and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom Wales, created specifically to support writers.
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom Wales Development Producer Helen Perry said; “Wales Writer in Residence 2020 has uncovered a joyous amount of talent, in what’s been somewhat of a gloomy year. The reading process revealed brand new emerging writers and also the extraordinary progress made by writers already known to us. We’re so excited about the amount of talent in this shortlist. We’re very much look forward to working with all of them, not least the winner of Wales Writer in Residence 2020.”
Lorne Campbell, Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales said; “It's been a pleasure to be flooded with talent and ideas through this process, and incredibly difficult to narrow the field to this exceptional shortlist. Each writer has brought authenticity and originality, and I've loved diving into their worlds. We're massively excited to welcome one of these artists into the company next year, and to work with many more of them in the future. Thank you to every writer who shared something of themselves with us by entering.”
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Brennig Hayden
Brennig Hayden is a writer from the Bridgend area of South Wales. The first of his family to attend university, achieving a first-class honours degree before entering the TV/Film industry as an assistant director. Over the course of ten years, he utilised the skills learned on TV sets to further his knowledge of writing, squeezing time to write into weekends and late nights after wrap, fuelled by strong black coffee.
Brennig’s writing led to his invitation to attend a writer’s retreat in America and attend the Berlin Film Festival in 2018. This summer, he had his first screenplay optioned by an L.A. based studio, a low budget horror movie that will hopefully be made next year. Brennig’s ultimate aim is to create work that reflects the lives of the working-class people he grew up with, and to have their stories told in film, TV, theatre and radio.
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Faebian Averies
Faebian Averies is an actor/writer from Penarth who began writing in 2018. In 2019 she was invited into Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom Welsh Voices following a showcase of her work with Chippy Lane Productions. Faebian’s writing highlights include writing for podcast, creating sketches and having work commissioned by Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales. Most notably, this year Faebian made the final 0.8% out of 3500 applications for the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Comedy Room 2020 and has just been shortlisted to the final 6 for ‘Pitch your play’ for Masterclass at Theatre Royal Haymarket. During lockdown Faebian was also invited onto a development scheme with Kiln Theatre and has been working on a TV comedy script. In her spare time Faebian enjoys travelling, eating and watching a lot of TV. She is committed to making and performing work that brings a smile to your face but may also give you a new perspective, promoting the fact we Welshies have stories worth telling and using writing as a foundation for change.
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Greg Glover
Greg Glover is a writer from Newport who in 2018/19 was one of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom Welsh Voices. He has had numerous plays staged in venues that include the Sherman Cymru, Bristol Old Vic, The Riverfront going all the way back to the infamous Dirty Protest yurt. He won the Chippy and Scratch Best Playwright Award and has been shortlisted in the last few years for the Hartswood Award amongst others.
He has had several It’s My Shout films shown on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales as well as having a piece filmed for Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Sesh. Having recently been forced online his Zoom play was put on by Flaw State Theatre.
Outside of writing and teaching he is extremely interested in disability-rights as well as trying to help disadvantaged young people access careers in the media.
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Katie Elin-Salt
Katie Elin-Salt is from Bridgend and started her creative career as a proud member of Bridgend Youth Theatre, working professionally as an actor since graduating from RWCMD in 2010. Katie has been writing seriously for about 3 years - after discovering in her late 20s that she actually had a lot to say about the world! She is currently a 2020 Writer in Residence at Theatre Clwyd and a member of both the Royal Court/ NTW Welsh Writer’s group and Chippy Lane Welsh Female Writer’s group. Her debut play “Sprinkles” is currently under development with Dirty Protest. In her spare time Katie is a co-host of creative podcast The 98% and an ambassador for two Welsh charities - Bridgend Women’s Aid and Oshi’s World. She would like to thank her family, friends and most importantly her cat, Sir Tom-Cat Jones, for their support and love always.
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Cameron Loxdale
Cameron Loxdale is a comedy writer from Swansea. He has written on several Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ radio shows including The News Quiz, Newsjack and Breaking The News.
He is part of the 2019/2020 Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Welsh Voices group and was selected after his sitcom script Gaffer was longlisted for the Wales Writer in Residence Prize last year. Cameron is currently working on developing a TV comedy script which was recently optioned by a production company. He is interested in writing exciting comedy and drama for television, theatre and radio. His name is an anagram of Relaxed Cool Man which is weird as he is barely one out of the three.
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Neil Williams
Neil Williams has been writing for most of his life and has created and developed a wide range of material that encompasses comedy, drama, thriller, horror and children’s television, some of which have been optioned and developed over the years by companies such as Hat Trick, Red Planet and The Forge. He wrote THE HUNT FOR A NEW BOB CRUTCH which won the It’s My Shout ‘best film’ award, was networked on ITV Wales and selected for the Best Short Drama category at the Celtic Film and Media Festival. His feature debut REACHING HIGHER received a BAFTA Cymru premiere and was networked on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ2 Wales. He wrote two episodes of Tony Jordan’s hit Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales drama series CRASH and was funded by NTW to workshop THE PARKING LOT, a site-specific play set in a car park. Neil has had placements on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Casualty Shadow Scheme and on three Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom residential workshops – Casualty/Holby City ‘Red Button’, CBEEBIES ‘Get a Squiggle On’ and ‘New Welsh Writers’. He has independently published several novels and survived lockdown by creating and writing 15 episodes of a comedy web-series ISOLATION NATION – a fictional weekly video diary starring Christian Patterson. Neil lives near Bridgend with his wife, daughter and dog. He enjoys watching 80s films and trying to play guitar. Neil, not the dog.
Cyhoeddi rhestr fer Awdur Preswyl Cymru 2020
Mae’n bleser dweud bod gennym ni newyddion da. Rydyn ni’n falch o gyhoeddi rhestr fer Awdur Preswyl Cymru 2020.
Byddwn yn cyhoeddi'r enillydd ar yr awyr ar raglen arbennig Radio Wales Arts Show ar Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Wales ar ddydd Sul, 6 Rhagfyr 2020 am 6pm. Cewch gyfle i wrando ar ddetholiad o waith yr awduron yn cael ei berfformio, cyfweliadau â’r awduron a chlywed barn y beirniaid eu hunain.
Y beirniaid eleni yw Cyfarwyddwr Artistig National Theatre Wales, Lorne Campbell; Swyddog Gweithredol Datblygu Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Studios, Jenna Robins; Comisiynydd Drama Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4, Alison Hindell; Cyfarwyddwr Datblygu Writersroom Wales y Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, Helen Perry; a beirniad gwadd arbennig, yr actor a’r cynhyrchydd Rakie Ayola.
Bydd yr enillydd yn cael bwrsari o £12,000 i helpu i dalu am ei leoliad am flwyddyn fel Awdur Preswyl Cymru. Yn ystod y 12 mis, bydd yn cael cynnig dau leoliad gwaith pwrpasol; chwe mis i ddechrau gyda Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Cymru Wales, yn gweithio yn Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Studios, ac yna 6 mis gyda NTW. Bydd yn cael gafael ar brofiadau mentora a hyfforddi drwy gydol y cyfnod, yn ogystal â chyfarwyddiadau’r diwydiant.
Hefyd, bydd yn cael ei gomisiynu i ysgrifennu drama sain wreiddiol i Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 gan warantu credyd darlledu ar y Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ.
Dim ond ail flwyddyn cystadleuaeth Awdur Preswyl Cymru yw hon. Mae’n gynllun nodedig sy’n ceisio rhoi hwb i yrfa awdur, boed hynny ar y sgrin, mewn sain neu ar lwyfan. Mae’n bartneriaeth rhwng Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Cymru Wales, NTW a Writersroom Wales y Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, yn arbennig i gefnogi awduron.
Dyma’r awduron ar y rhestr fer:
Brennig Hayden
Awdur o ardal Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr, de Cymru yw Brennig Hayden. Ef oedd aelod cyntaf ei deulu i fynd i brifysgol, lle graddiodd â gradd anrhydedd dosbarth cyntaf cyn mynd i'r diwydiant teledu/ffilm i weithio fel cyfarwyddwr cynorthwyol. Mae wedi defnyddio'r sgiliau y mae wedi’u dysgu ar setiau rhaglenni teledu dros gyfnod o ddeng mlynedd i ddatblygu’r hyn mae’n ei wybod am ysgrifennu, ac mae wedi bod wrthi’n brysur yn ysgrifennu ar benwythnosau ac yn hwyr gyda’r nos ar ôl gorffen ffilmio, gyda choffi du cryf yn ei helpu.
Mae gwaith ysgrifennu Brennig wedi arwain at wahoddiad i encil i awduron yn America a gwahoddiad i Ε΄yl Ffilmiau Berlin yn 2018. Yn ystod yr haf eleni, dewisodd stiwdio yn LA ei sgript ffilm gyntaf, sef ffilm arswyd cyllideb isel a fydd yn cael ei chreu y flwyddyn nesaf gobeithio. Yn y pen draw, mae Brennig yn gobeithio creu gwaith sy’n adlewyrchu bywyd y bobl dosbarth gweithiol y cafodd ei fagu â nhw, a dweud eu stori mewn ffilm, ar y teledu, mewn theatrau ac ar y radio.
Faebian Averies
Actor/awdur o Benarth yw Faebian, a dechreuodd ysgrifennu yn 2018. Yn 2019, cafodd ei gwahodd i ymuno â Lleisiau Cymreig Writersroom y Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ ar ôl i’w gwaith gyda Chippy Lane Productions gael ei arddangos. Mae uchafbwyntiau Faebian yn cynnwys ysgrifennu ar gyfer podlediadau, creu sgetshis a Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales yn comisiynu ei gwaith. Yn fwyaf nodedig, eleni llwyddodd Faebian i gyrraedd y 0.8% olaf allan o 3500 o ymgeiswyr ar gyfer Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Comedy Room 2020, ac mae newydd gyrraedd y rhestr fer o 6 ar gyfer ‘Pitch your play’ Masterclass yn Theatr Frenhinol Haymarket. Yn ystod y cyfnod clo, cafodd Faebian wahoddiad ar gynllun datblygu â Theatr Kiln hefyd, ac mae hi wedi bod yn gweithio ar sgript gomedi ar gyfer y teledu. Mae Faebien yn mwynhau teithio, bwyta a gwylio llawer iawn o deledu yn ei hamser hamdden. Mae hi wedi ymrwymo i greu a pherfformio gwaith sy’n rhoi gwên ar eich wyneb, ond a fydd hefyd yn rhoi persbectif gwahanol i chi o bosib, gan hyrwyddo'r ffaith fod gennym ni'r Cymry straeon gwerth eu hadrodd a defnyddio ysgrifennu fel sylfaen dros newid.
Greg Glover
Awdur o Gasnewydd yw Greg, ac ef oedd un o Leisiau Cymreig Writersroom y Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ yn 2018/19. Mae nifer o’i ddramâu wedi cael eu llwyfannu mewn lleoliadau fel Sherman Cymru, yr Old Vic ym Mryste, The Riverfront a hyd yn oed yr holl ffordd yn ôl yn iwrt drwgenwog Dirty Protest. Enillodd wobr Dramodydd Gorau Chippy and Scratch ac mae wedi cyrraedd y rhestr fer ar gyfer Gwobr Hartswood, ymhlith gwobrau eraill, yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf.
Mae nifer o’i ffilmiau It’s My Shout wedi cael eu dangos ar Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wales, ac mae un o’i ddarnau wedi cael ei ffilmio ar gyfer Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Sesh. Bu’n rhaid perfformio ei ddrama Zoom ar-lein yn ddiweddar, a hynny gan Flaw State Theatre.
Pan nad yw’n ysgrifennu ac yn addysgu, mae ganddo ddiddordeb brwd mewn hawliau pobl anabl, ac mae hefyd yn ceisio helpu pobl ifanc difreintiedig i gael gyrfaoedd yn y cyfryngau.
Katie Elin-Salt
Daw Katie o Ben-y-bont ar Ogwr, a dechreuodd ei gyrfa ysgrifennu creadigol pan oedd yn aelod o Theatr Ieuenctid Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr. Mae hi wedi bod yn gweithio fel actor proffesiynol ers graddio o Goleg Brenhinol Cerdd a Drama Cymru yn 2010. Mae Katie wedi bod yn ysgrifennu o ddifri ers tua thair blynedd - ar ôl iddi ddarganfod bod ganddi lawer iawn i’w ddweud am y byd pan oedd hi’n ei ugeiniau hwyr! Ar hyn o bryd, mae hi’n Awdur Preswyl 2020 Theatr Clwyd ac yn aelod o grΕµp Awduron Cymraeg NTW/Royal Court a grΕµp Awduresau o Gymru Chippy Lane. Mae ei drama gyntaf “Sprinkles”, wrthi’n cael ei datblygu gyda chwmni Dirty Protest. Yn ei hamser hamdden mae Katie yn cyd-gyflwyno podlediad creadigol, The 98%, ac mae hi’n llysgennad ar gyfer dwy elusen yng Nghymru - Cymorth i Fenywod Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr ac Oshi’s World. Hoffai ddiolch i'w theulu, ei ffrindiau, ac yn bwysicaf oll, i’w chath, Sir Tom-Cat Jones, am eu cefnogaeth a’u cariad bob amser.
Cameron Loxdale
Awdur comedi o Abertawe yw Cameron Loxdale. Mae wedi ysgrifennu nifer o sioeau radio i'r Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, gan gynnwys The News Quiz, Newsjack a Breaking The News.
Mae’n aelod o grΕµp Lleisiau Cymreig y Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ 2019/2020 a chafodd ei ddewis ar ôl i’w sgript comedi sefyllfa, Gaffer, gael ei rhoi ar y rhestr hir ar gyfer gwobr Awdur Preswyl Cymru y llynedd. Mae Cameron yn gweithio ar ddatblygu sgript rhaglen gomedi ar gyfer y teledu, a gafodd ei dewis yn ddiweddar gan gwmni cynhyrchu. Mae ganddo ddiddordeb mewn ysgrifennu rhaglenni drama a chomedi cyffrous ar gyfer y teledu, y theatr a radio. Mae Relaxed Cool Man yn anagram o’i enw, sy’n rhyfedd iawn, oherwydd o’r braidd y mae’n un o’r tri.
Neil Williams
Mae Neil wedi bod yn ysgrifennu erioed fwy neu lai, ac mae wedi creu a datblygu amrywiaeth eang o ddeunyddiau sy’n cwmpasu rhaglenni comedi, drama, drama gyffrous, arswyd a rhaglenni teledu i blant. Mae cwmnïau fel Hat Trick, Red Planet a The Forge wedi mynd ati i ddewis rhai ohonynt a’u datblygu dros y blynyddoedd. Ef oedd awdur THE HUNT FOR A NEW BOB CRUTCH a enillodd wobr ‘ffilm orau’ It’s My Shout. Cafodd ei dangos ar ITV Wales a’i dewis ar gyfer y categori ‘Drama Fer Orau’ yn yr Ε΄yl Ffilmiau a Chyfryngau Celtaidd. Cafodd ei ddrama gyntaf REACHING HIGHER ei dangos am y tro cyntaf gan BAFTA Cymru a chafodd ei darlledu ar Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ2 Wales. Ysgrifennodd ddwy bennod ar gyfer cyfres ddrama boblogaidd Tony Jordan ar y Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, sef CRASH, a chafodd ei dalu gan NTW i gynnal gweithdai THE PARKING LOT, sef drama Benodol i safle, wedi’i lleoli mewn maes parcio. Mae Neil wedi bod ar nifer o leoliadau gwaith gyda’r Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ, er enghraifft cynllun cysgodi ar gyfer Casualty, tri gweithdy preswyl Writersroom y Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ - ‘Botwm Coch’ Casualty/Holby City, ‘Get a Squiggle On’ CBEEBIES ac ‘Awduron Newydd Cymru’. Mae wedi mynd ati i gyhoeddi sawl nofel yn annibynnol a goroesodd y cyfnod clo drwy greu ac ysgrifennu 15 pennod o gyfres gomedi ar gyfer y we, ISOLATION NATION – dyddiadur fideo wythnosol ffuglennol, gyda Christian Patterson. Mae Neil yn byw ger Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr gyda’i wraig, ei ferch a’i gi. Mae’n mwynhau gwylio ffilmiau o’r 80au a cheisio chwarae gitâr. Neil, hynny yw, nid y ci.
Dywedodd Helen Perry, Cynhyrchydd Datblygu Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Writersroom Cymru; “Mae Awdur Preswyl Cymru 2020 wedi datgelu swm arbennig o dalent, yn ystod blwyddyn ddigon diflas. Datgelodd y broses ddarllen awduron newydd sbon sy'n dod i'r amlwg a hefyd y cynnydd rhyfeddol a wnaed gan awduron sydd eisoes yn hysbys i ni. Rydym mor gyffrous am faint o dalent sydd ar y rhestr fer hon. Rydym yn edrych ymlaen yn fawr at weithio gyda phob un ohonynt, ac yn anad dim Awdur Preswyl Cymru 2020.”
Dywedodd Lorne Campbell, Cyfarwyddwr Artistig National Theatre Wales; “Mae wedi bod yn bleser gweld bwrlwm o dalent a syniadau drwy’r broses hon, ac yn anhygoel o anodd i leihau nifer y cynigion i’r rhestr fer eithriadol hon. Mae pob awdur wedi dod â dilysrwydd a gwreiddioldeb, ac rydw i wedi bod wrth fy modd yn cael cipolwg ar eu bydoedd. Rydym yn hynod gyffrous i groesawu un o'r artistiaid hyn i'r cwmni y flwyddyn nesaf, ac i weithio gyda llawer mwy ohonynt yn y dyfodol. Diolch i bob awdur a rannodd rywbeth ohono'i hun gyda ni trwy gystadlu."