Refrain
An adaptation of Sean Edwards' play Refrain, a poetic exploration of place, class and politics, performed by his mother Lily Edwards.
An adaptation of Sean Edwards' play Refrain, a poetic exploration of place, class and politics, performed by his mother Lily Edwards.
In 2019 the artist Sean Edwards represented Wales at the Venice Biennale.
His exhibition, in a de-consecrated church, was a poetic reflection on his childhood growing up on a housing estate in Cardiff.
It consisted of sculpture, video, textiles and photographs.
And, also, every afternoon at 2 o clock: a radio play -- called Refrain -- performed live each day by his mother Lily.
So -- if they timed it right -- as visitors made their way around the old church they would be joined by the presence of Lily -- her unembellished voice, broadcast directly from her council flat in the Welsh capital.
This programme is a reimagining of Refrain, setting the mosaic of memories, quotations and official documents against two different soundworlds -- an estate in Cardiff and the renaissance skyline of Venice.
Readings by Richard Harrington.
Thanks to Paul Heppell, Louise Hobson, Marie-Anne McQuay, Ffion Pritchard, Hadley Taylor, all at National Theatre Wales and Arts Council Wales.
Photo by Adrian Sherratt.
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Broadcast
- Tue 17 Dec 2019 16:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4