CEREDIGION performance artist, Eddie Ladd will take part in an ambitious project as part of the final year of 14-18 NOW, the UK’s arts programme commemorating the centenary of the First World War.

Nawr yr Arwr/Now the Hero will take place in south Wales, as part of the opening of the 2018 Swansea International Festival.

Now the Hero explores stories of battle from three distinct periods of Welsh history; a medieval warrior, a World War One private and a contemporary solider, and counterpoints this telling with a sense of hope via a protagonist played by dance and performance artist Ladd.

The Aberystwyth University graduate from Cardigan will work with Welsh interdisciplinary artist Marc Rees, who has teamed up with twice Oscar nominated Jóhann Jóhannsson and Bafta Cymru winner Owen Sheers for the project.

Eddie said: “I’m honoured that Marc asked me to take part.

“It’s a fantastic piece, full of rhythm and rhyme and one hundred voices will make a big impact.”

In an immersive two-and-a-half-hour production, Rees will work with a creative team to bring to life Y Gododdin through a new requiem scored by Jóhann Jóhannsson (The Theory of Everything, Arrival), in collaboration with budding Welsh composer Owen Morgan Roberts, a libretto by Owen Sheers (Mametz, The Passion) and sung by Polyphony, Stephen Layton’s world famous, twice Grammy nominated choir.

The contemporary solider will be played by David Williams, a Swansea-raised captain of 2nd Battalion The Rifles. He has served in Afghanistan, Gabon, South Sudan and Iraq and studies at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. In January 2018, Williams left the military and plans to retrain as a therapist and power-lifting instructor whilst becoming involved in the art community of Swansea.

If you are interested in taking part contact Carys Mol at [email protected]u

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