The Chairman of Everyman Theatre, who’re behind the Cardiff Open Air Theatre festival, Paul Williams, speaks with Buzz about their work and how to get involved.
How did Everyman Theatre, and your involvement with them, get started?
Everyman Theatre themselves were established in 1942 where we were set up as a Unity Theatre Group focusing on political theatre. In the 1970s the company played an important role in the creation and establishment of the Chapter Arts Centre, where we still meet and perform today.
My involvement with Everyman started in the early 1980s where I took the lead in Brian Friel’s play Philadelphia Here I Come at the Sherman Theatre, where the company regularly performed at that time. This was an exciting time to join the company, as it was then we staged our first Open Air Theatre production (Shakespeare’s Winter’s Tale) at Dyffryn Gardens where the Festival developed over the next 17 years before moving to St Fagan’s Folk Museum in the late 90s. Following another venue change we now celebrate our 5th year at Sophia Gardens, which we hope to make our permanent Festival home. I have seen the Festival grow beyond recognition over the past 35 years and I’m proud to say that we are now the largest Open Air Theatre Festival in Wales.
Could you sum up what Everyman Theatre do?
Everyman Theatre are based at Chapter Arts Centre in Canton where we perform a diverse season of plays every year, have an active social engagement through our Club nights, and where we run exciting skills workshops for our members. We also run Everyman Youth Theatre for any young aspiring performers. Our flagship is of course the Open Air Theatre Festival, which happens during June and July each summer and provides great opportunities not just for performers, but for volunteers working backstage on costumes, props, make-up, stage management, front of house management and also help run the busy Festival bar.
Could you sum up your role at Everyman Theatre?
My role as Festival Chairman is akin to birthing an elephant! Seriously though my role covers the appointment of professional Directors/Designer/Production Manager for all Festival productions and working with a busy, hardworking Festival Committee overseeing: the audition process; marketing and publicity; managing relationships with the Council and all commercial activity including the bar, food and sponsorship. In essence my responsibility is for the overall delivery of the Festival from start to finish.
Add to that the fact that I am playing Patsy in Spamalot most of my friends think I’m crazy – which of course I am.
How is the programme for the Cardiff Open Air Festival decided upon?
The Festival programme is decided and voted upon by the Festival Committee and planned 12 months in advance. We have already drawn up a shortlist for 2018, which promises to be another exciting year. All will be revealed in this year’s Souvenir Festival Programme.
Is there particular performance you’re excited for?
As Festival Chairman I guess I’m excited about everything. Spamalot will be great fun for both cast and audiences alike. Simon West is directing a very hard-hitting Macbeth with an absolutely brilliant cast. We celebrate working with a new Director Richard Nichols who brings all his comedy flair and expertise to Vicar of Dibley, and Disney’s Aladdin Junior (AndGo Theatre) is proving ever popular with family audiences, with three quarters of the tickets sold already.
From a personal viewpoint the addition to the programme of ‘Stand Up in the Park’ comedy night (Sun 25 June) and Hello Cabaret (Sun 9 July) I feel very proud to have introduced.
If you could only suggest one place to visit in Wales to someone who had never visited, where would you pick and why?
For me the Pembrokeshire National Park every time. It has stunning beaches (Barafundle, Marloes) beautiful coastal park walks and some of the most stunning scenery in the UK.
Cardiff Open Air Theatre Festival, Thurs 22 Jun – Sat 29 Jul. Tickets: prices vary per event. Info: 033 3666 3366 / www.cardiffopenairtheatrefestival.co.uk