Debut book, debut play, debut sitcom, debut piano album.
The latest from the BBC Radio Wales Arts Show.
The latest BBC Radio Wales Arts Show is available now on BBC Sounds; in fact it has been for a few days, but after taking my 3-year-old to a steamfair on Saturday, I’ve been busy making tractors out of Play-Doh, but I knew I’d get around to sending this out at some point. You can listen to the show here.
This week I talk to debut author Kathryn Tann, whose Seaglass, a collection of personal essays, is out on May 9th. Kathryn is as good an interviewee as she is a writer, so you’ll get a lovely taste of what you can expect from the book in our conversation.
I also get the chance to talk to theatre director Patricia Logue and playwright Azuka Orforca about Azuka’s debut full-length drama, The Women of Llanrumney. From talking to them, the play sounds unmissable, and we could have a powerful new voice in Welsh writing in Orforca. It’s on at the Sherman in Cardiff from May 16th.
Lastly, and just as unmissable, Charles Williams and Emma Schofield were in the studio to review Mammoth (I did a whole BRG on this recently), and the second solo album from the Stereophonics’ frontman Kelly Jones Inevitable Incredible. Jones is trying his arm at a new downbeat piano ballad sound, and it’s been getting a lot of love at the BBC, so here’s a bit of balance for you.
And just to finish with a little reminder that very soon BRG will be sending out exclusive content to paid subscribers. I’ll be letting you know soon what the free stuff will be, and what the paid stuff will be, but for now it’s just important to remember that supporting BRG with any kind of subscription is what will keep it going.
Thanks for reading!
Gary Raymond is a novelist, author, playwright, critic, and broadcaster. In 2012, he co-founded Wales Arts Review, was its editor for ten years. His latest book, Abandon All Hope: A Personal Journey Through the History of Welsh Literature is available for pre-order and is out in May 2024 with Calon Books.