'Why Me', the new album from Mal Pope featuring the songs from the musical. This CD is now available online at www.mphrecords.co.uk

Request regular email updates on news and performance dates.

Reviews

Graham Williams, South Wales Evening Post 28th, March 2005.
Review from opening night.

HOT on the heels of a Grand Slam victory and a home-grown revival of Doctor Who comes this all-new stage musical from the Wales Theatre Company chronicling the Welsh Revival of 1904, spearheaded by a young miner from Loughor called Evan Roberts. Rarely has a new production at the Grand been so eagerly anticipated by such a wide cross-section of theatregoers, and it is fair to say that the wait has been worthwhile.

For composer/lyricist Mal Pope this is clearly a labour of love and his passion for the subject shines through every minute of what, in lesser hands could so easily have been yet another glum and introspective piece of Welsh navel-gazing. To his credit, however, Pope - together with writer Frank Vickery and the company`s visionary artistic director Michael Bogdanov - has come up with the goods and has placed the story within a framework which is engaging, persuasive and hugely entertaining. Roberts is portrayed by Robert Barton, a Ioan Gruffydd-lookalike with a suitably charismatic stage presence, while Sian Cothi shines as his sister Mary. There are also splendid contributions from Phillip Arran, Rhian Morgan, Lee Gilbert, Ieuan Rhys and Jon Cecil as W T Stead, the journalist who serves as narrator. Mirain Haf, Beth Robert, Felicity Rhys and Llinos Daniel also fare well as Roberts` Singers of the Dawn. However, the biggest performance - in every sense of the word - comes from musical theatre stalwart Peter Karrie, whose portrayal of the fire-and-brimstone preacher Peter Price is sensational. Given the chance to perform a showstopper with real emotional depth, he seizes it with both hands and emerges triumphant.

While many of the songs are determinedly contemporary - with the odd sly wink to other stage musicals here and there, such as the sequence in which Roberts is manipulated like a puppet (shades of Roxie Hart in Chicago) - they are juxtaposed with hymn tunes which lend a timeless air to the production. Not only does the piece have much to say about the events of 1904 but it also touches upon the ongoing obsession with celebrity, fame and the power of the media - and there is also a cheeky reference to the Evening Post, in spite of the fact that the title did not exist until 1932.

My only minor niggle surrounds the cameo appearance by Huw Edwards, who appears on video to tell us what became of the characters at the end of the story. This smacks of gimmickry and is perhaps a little incongruous, but it could have been worse - it could have been Anne Robinson.

Review by Michael Kelligan
Sherman Theatre, Cardiff 6th April 2005

If passion, enthusiasm, commitment and a flair for melody are the components for a successful piece of musical theatre, then Mal Pope, composer and lyricist of Amazing Grace has them exuding from every pore. And he brings it off, here in partnership with writer Frank Vickery and the company's artistic director Michael Bogdanov the building blocks of the first great Welsh Musical are set down. He combines the music of traditional Welsh hymn singing, through Cole Porter via Sondheim with a touch of Andrew Lloyd Webber and a tea-spoon from his mate Elton John to produce what may become the new Welsh Sound.

In the hands of seasoned performers like Peter Karrie, voted the greatest Phantom ever, it becomes electric. His performance as fire and brimstone preacher Rev Peter Price has in it a fine touch of humour and his song You Never Threw a Party For Me is a breathtaking show stopper. This is the quality and excitement we need to bring to the stage in Wales. Robert Barton looks superb as Evan Roberts as he twists in his bed, becomes possessed by the Holy Spirit and calls out plaintively in his opening prayer Why Me and then goes on to establish the 'The Great Welsh Religious Revival'. There is resistance from his family with firm no-nonsense Welsh performances from Phillip Arran and Rhian Morgan as his father and mother but loving support from his sister, Mary, sensitively and beautifully sung and acted by Shân Cothi.

The atmosphere of early twentieth century Wales is well drawn with scenes of home, chapel and working life flashing before us. Some of his fellow miners, who in 1904 were working their way to the great confrontation with the coal owners, feel his devotion to prayer is undermining their rebellion. Lee Gilbert gives a good strong performance as Miner's Leader Will Hay with great singing support from his fellow miners played by Rhys Ap William, Evan's brother, Adam Kelly and Ieuan Rhys who also turn up in various other roles as the story progresses. We see Evan at work passionately savings souls in Moriah Chapel. The London Press has sent their representative to find his way to Lougher and report back. This allows Jon Cecil as newsman W T Stead to act as narrator and he does a fine job, moving things along and updating us on events as they happen.

The revival builds and Evan Roberts is wanted in chapels all over Wales and beyond. Wherever he goes he is supported by a close band of young women, 'The Singers of Dawn', prettily voiced, Beth Robert, Felicity Rhys and Llinos Daniel, led by Mirain Haf, a sincere and delicate performance as Annie, who falls seriously in love with Roberts. Roberts' close association with these young women is also used to threaten him. At one point they do show an erotic leg, buts that's just a bit of satire. By the time he goes to preach in Liverpool something has undermined him and he fails to produce his usual souls saving routine. A vulnerable Roberts withdraws from the scene and we are left wondering was this man really sincere in his commitment to God or was he suffering from a deluded misunderstanding of his own 'unimportance'.

One outstanding unique aspect of this serious exploration of man's passion and beliefs was that it never took itself too seriously and it contains many moments of tongue-in-cheek humour. There were also moments when things slipped a little but Bogdanov is a fine seaman and quickly brings the ship back on course and steers what may well be, with a few bits of fine tuning, the first Great New Welsh Musical triumphantly into port. Indicating that it's now time for The Wales Theatre Company ship to 'sail full steam ahead'.

Extract from a review of Mal Pope
by Hannah Jones, The Western Mail

Swansea Grand Theatre

RADIO DJ, TV chat show host and documentary maker, master of ceremonies and raconteur.

All of these can be preceded with the name Mal Pope.

But to see the heart and soul of Pope in an environment in which he is most comfortable, then you really have to witness him on stage plying his trade as one of the UK's most gifted singer-songwriters.

He was backed by Ryan Aston on drums, Andrew
Couglan on bass, Tim Hamill on electric guitar and Nigel Hopkins on keyboards. Most of these are boyhood friends of Pope and are known collectively to the rest of the world as The Jacks.

Everything had a good airing - from solid oldies like Cover Me and Pope's quirky and yet infectious version of Bread of Heaven to the title track from the Golden Days album.

Pope took time out to introduce the audience to his guests, Ria Jones, Steve Balsamo and Peter Karrie.

The fact Pope was able to entice West End Stars of the calibre of Jones, Balsamo and Karrie to perform his songs says an awful lot for the esteem they have for him and his music.


Pope also introduced and performed for the first time a few songs from his new stage musical with the work-in-progress title of Amazing Grace, based on the life of Evan Roberts, one of the central characters in the 1904 Christian revival.

The evening proved that Pope is a rare and precious Welsh talent and I look forward to returning to the Grand in spring 2005 when his musical
gets its first airing.