Our students studying Welsh A level have been spoilt for choice recently, with an array of Welsh language theatre productions on offer in the city. On Sunday 18th September, the students accompanied Mrs George and Mrs Emms to a very special charity film screening of the Welsh/Spanish film ‘Patagonia’ at Chapter Arts Centre. ‘Patagonia’ is a film studied at AS level, so it was an incredible opportunity to watch the film on the big screen, over a decade after it was made by the director, Marc Evans. Following the screening, we were fortunate to attend a live Q&A session with the director and the principal actress, Nia Roberts. Nia Roberts has appeared in many Welsh language films, already watched by the students as part of the A level course, as well as a large number of both Welsh and English language television programmes on S4C and the BBC respectively. Everyone, including the pupils, was starstruck, especially when we all chatted to Nia through the medium of Welsh at the end of the evening. 

Only ten days later, on Wednesday 28th September, our students joined Mrs George and Mrs Emms again for another night of entertainment. This time, it was time to watch a live theatre production of the coveted drama, ‘Tylwyth’ at the Sherman Theatre. A decade earlier, Mrs George watched the prequel to ‘Tylwyth’ in the very same theatre, and after sharing that drama with her students, they were ready and raring to go and watch the sequel. Mrs George and Mrs Emms were very impressed to see that the students were already able to make comparisons between the production and the literature they have just started studying themselves in the classroom. Da iawn, bawb!

All students represented St John’s College wonderfully and were keen to experience Welsh culture and use their language skills outside of the classroom. Students are already looking forward to our next outing on Monday 17th October to watch a modern, bilingual performance of Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’.