And much too soon, it's the last day - but there's a full programme of things to see and do today
And all too soon, here is the final day of the Wrecsam Eisteddfod. But before heading home and starting to think about the National Eisteddfod in Garreg Las, a full day of activities and competitions awaits us, with a very special highlight to crown it all.
In the Pavilion, there’s a series of notable competitions with generous prizes to be won across various fields. Among them are the Instrumental Blue Ribbon for over-19s, the Lady Ruth Herbert Lewis Memorial Prize for folk song, the Aled Lloyd Davies Prize for solo cerdd dant singers over 21, and the Honourable Company of Welsh Livery Scholarship for the winner of the musical theatre solo over 19.
These competitions are followed by the Richard Burton Prize for two monologues from suitable plays or prose; the Llwyd o’r Bryn Prize for the best speaker over 21; and the David Ellis Memorial Prize, the Blue Ribbon for singers over 25. Whew! That’s a day promising fierce competition.
The talented actor Mark Lewis Jones presents this year’s Llwyd o’r Bryn Memorial Talk in the Babell Lên at 15:15. He’ll be interviewed by Stifyn Parry, another lad from Rhos, about his life and career in the performing arts.
It’s another busy day for the actor and producer from the remarkable village of Rhosllannerchrugog. We’ll get a chance to learn more about the village’s dialect as Stifyn tries to keep order among three panels battling over their dialects, with the Doctor Cymraeg on hand to educate and inspire us.
Dyfed Thomas and Bethan Jones represent Rhos, facing off against Siân James and Arwyn Groe from Powys, and Iwan John and Mari Grug from Pembrokeshire. A lively session awaits in the Babell Lên at 18:00.
The main ceremony of the day is the awarding of the Composer’s Medal. The three shortlisted musicians – Jon Guy, Sarah Lianne Lewis, and Owain Gruffudd Roberts – have worked with three string players to develop their compositions. The ceremony is followed by Epilog (19:30), which weaves together well-known songs with brand-new ones by Robat Arwyn and Mererid Hopwood.
Y Lle Celf is the largest art exhibition in Wales during the National Eisteddfod, and throughout the week thousands will have wandered among the artworks. Everyone has their opinion on art, and the public has the chance to vote for their favourite in the People’s Choice. The winner of the Josef Herman Prize will be announced in the foyer of Y Lle Celf at 16:00.
Before that, at 3pm, there’s an opportunity to learn more about Josef Herman himself – a refugee from Poland who lived in Ystradgynlais. Artist and lecturer Gwenllian Beynon will give a talk on some of the lesser-known works of the artist.
At Sinemaes at midday, the classic film Oed yr Addewid will be shown in a new 2K scan by the National Library of Wales’s Screen and Sound Archive, with descriptive English subtitles. Emlyn Williams wrote the script and directed the film, which is based on personal experiences. The film is rooted in north-west Welsh communities, with the Pen Llŷn landscape acting as a quiet but powerful character throughout.
The film was first shown at the Cardiff International Film Festival in 2000, followed by cinema screenings across Wales in early 2001, and at several European film festivals. It was broadcast on S4C in 2001 and won several BAFTA Cymru awards in 2002, including Best Actor, Best Script, and Best Film. Oed yr Addewid is suitable for audiences aged 15 and over.
Bwncath will close the Maes Stage – well, almost – this year. One of the busiest bands in Wales, the group from Caernarfon will perform songs from their latest album Bwncath III, released earlier this year, along with some old favourites. Before Bwncath takes the stage at 21:45, there will be sets from Y Mellt at 19:20 and Buddug at 18:00.
To round off all the activities in Wrexham, there will be an exciting live outdoor event based on the classic novel Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd by Islwyn Ffowc Elis, published in 1957, which portrays Wales as it could be in the year 2033.
The Eisteddfod’s artistic team has collaborated with an experienced producer, a prominent director, and a versatile choreographer to create an event that brings together the talents of disabled and non-disabled artists to form a magical space where diversity is welcomed, boundaries are broken, and inclusivity is celebrated. The event begins at 22:30.
We hope you’ve had a wonderful week – and we’ll see you in Llantood in a year’s time!