Clêr Stephens reprises the role of Mags in Belonging 2018

As we near the end of another successful tour of Belonging around Wales and a visit to Ireland, Clêr shares her thoughts on families affected by dementia and reprising her role as Mags.

"As time goes on there will more and more older people and a higher number of those will be living with dementia. I’ve seen a few plays dealing with dementia and I think Belonging shows the ripple effect, there’s the person living with dementia and then there’s the family and the carers.

The character I play is Mags. She and Morys have been married 42 years. They met in their teens and are just one of those very down to earth couples who've worked hard all their lives, not big major ambitions, just steadfastly going through life and then they're suddenly faced with dementia.  They have no children so the next generation isn’t there to support them.

I don’t think there’s enough support for people living with dementia and their families at the moment, and it’s not going away, it’s very short-sighted. You can’t just chuck dementia in a box, shut the door and hope it’s going to go away. It’s not. Wake up!"

Mags (Clêr Stephens) and Morys (Llion Williams) on their wedding day

"I think the connection with my character, Mags comes from the fact that I have friends and family who have a connection to that world. I’ve seen how they’ve had to adjust their lives. I feel their frustration.

Re-Live haven’t done this play just so you can leave, get fish and chips on the way home and forget about it. I believe they help to spread the word, raise awareness and make connections between people going through similar circumstances. It’s not a play that says ‘goodbye we’re leaving you on your own’; they are very supportive of people in a long-term way.

If there’s someone who meets us and it changes the way they look at people with dementia, or we can show carers our support, then it’ll be worthwhile."

Belonging will be showing at The Borough Theatre, Abergavenny on Weds 6th June.                2pm & 7.30pm performances. 

Information and tickets here: https://boroughtheatreabergavenny.co.uk/events/belonging/

Mae Clêr Stephens yn atgoffa rôl Mags yn Perthyn 2018

Y cymeriad rwy’n chwarae yw Mags. Mae hi a Morys wedi bod yn briod am 42 mlynedd. Fe gwrddon nhw yn eu harddegau ac maen nhw jyst yn gwpl halen y ddaear sydd wedi gweithio’n galed trwy gydol eu bywydau, dim uchelgeisiau mawr, jyst yn mynd trwy fywyd ac yn sydyn dyma ddementia’n taro. Does ganddyn nhw ddim plant felly nid yw’r genhedlaeth nesaf yno i’w cefnogi nhw.

Wrth i amser fynd ymlaen, bydd mwy a mwy o bobl hŷn a bydd nifer uwch o’r rheini yn byw gyda dementia. Rwyf wedi gweld rhai dramâu yn mynd i’r afael â dementia ac rwy’n credu bod Perthyn yndangos yr effaith ehangach, mae’r person sy’n byw gyda dementia ac yna mae’r teulu a’r gofalwyr.

Dydw i ddim yn credu bod digon o gefnogaeth i bobl sy’n byw gyda dementia, a dydy cyflwr ddim yn mynd i ffwrdd. Wrth i ni heneiddio, mae mwy o bobl yn byw gyda dementia. Mae’n fyr-weledol iawn ar hyn o bryd. Ni allwch chi jyst taflu dementia mewn bocs, cau’r drws a gobeithio y bydd yn diflannu. Dyw e ddim. Deffrwch!

Morys (Llion Williams) and Mags (Cler Stephens)

Rwy’n credu bod y cyswllt gyda fy nghymeriad, Mags, yn dod o’r ffaith bod gennyf ffrindiau a theulu sydd â chysylltiad â’r byw hwnnw. Rwyf wedi gweld sut maen nhw wedi gorfod addasu’u bywydau.Rwy’n teimlo eu rhwystredigaeth.

Nid yw Re-Live wedi cynhyrchu’r ddrama hon jyst er mwyn i chi allu gadael, cael pysgod a sglodion ar y ffordd adref ac anghofio amdani. Rwy’n credu eu bod yn helpu lledaenu’r gair, i godi ymwybyddiaeth ac i greu cysylltiadau rhwng pobl sy’n mynd trwy sefyllfaoedd tebyg. Nid yw’nddrama sy’n dweud ‘hwyl fawr, rydym yn eich gadael ar eich pen eich hun’; maen nhw’n gefnogol iawn o bobl mewn modd hir dymor.

Os oes rhywun sy’n cwrdd â ni a bod hyn yn newid sut maen nhw edrych ar bobl gyda dementia, neu’n gallu dangos cefnogaeth i ofalwyr, bydd y cwbl werth yr ymdrech.

Mae Perthyn yn agor fory - 6 Mehefin - Borough Theatre, Abergavenny

Tocynnau a gwybodaeth yma: https://boroughtheatreabergavenny.co.uk/events/belonging/

Sion Pritchard joins Belonging for 2018 tour

Sion talks about his connection with dementia and why Belonging is important to him.

I have a connection to the issues that are dealt with in the play, because my dad was living with dementia for the last few years of his life. I wasn’t expecting to be reminded of lots of the stuff we experienced. Belonging really investigates that in a truthful, honest and humorous way.

My character is called Gareth and he is Sheila’s son. He seems to have his own life and he’s maybe in denial about his mother’s changes or struggling to accept that his mother is getting older and their relationship is changing. Gareth goes through a journey in the play where he begins to take on his responsibilities and learns that this can be a positive experience.

Gareth (Sion Pritchard) and Rhian (Karin Diamond) in Belonging

It’s important to me that Belonging looks at the idea of language. I think positive use of language can make a massive difference to someone’s care and quality of life. Welsh being a minority language in the UK means that it’s not always considered important. My niece is training to be a nurse and she is writing her dissertation on how the decline of the Welsh language in care impacts on older people. I hope that Belonging will help to raise awareness of the importance of Welsh language in healthcare provision.

I think this is the first time I’ve been in a play that will have a direct social impact and could actually change people’s lives.

Belonging is touring Wales from April 26. Please visit the Belonging page for venues and dates near you. http://www.re-live.org.uk/belonging/

Mae Sion Pritchard yn ymuno â Perthyn ar gyfer taith 2018

Mae gennyf gysylltiad â’r materion yr ymdrinnir â hwy yn y ddrama, oherwydd roedd fy nhad yn byw gyda dementia am ychydig flynyddoedd olaf ei fywyd. Doeddwn ddim yn disgwyl cael fy atgoffa o lawer o’r profiadau cawson ni. Mae Perthyn wir yn archwilio hynny mewn modd gwir, onest a llawn hiwmor.

Enw fy nghymeriad yw Gareth a fe yw mab Sheila. Mae’n ymddangos fel bod ganddo ei fywyd ei hun ac efallai ei bod yn gwrthod derbyn newidiadau ei fam neu’n cael trafferth derbyn bod ei fam yn heneiddio a bod eu perthynas yn newid. Mae Gareth yn mynd ar daith yn y ddrama ble mae’n cychwyn cymryd cyfrifoldeb am y sefyllfa a dysgu bod hyn yn gallu bod yn brofiad cadarnhaol.

Gareth (Sion Pritchard).

Mae’n bwysig i mi fod Perthyn yn edrych ar y syniad o iaith. Rwy’n credu bod defnydd cadarnhaol o iaith yn gallu gwneud gwahaniaeth enfawr i ofal ac ansawdd bywyd unigolyn. Mae’r Gymraeg yn iaith leiafrifol yn y DU sy’n golygu ei bod ddim yn cael ei ystyried i fod yn bwysig o hyd.

Mae fy nith yn hyfforddi i fod yn nyrs ac mae hi’n ysgrifennu ei thraethawd estynedig ar sut mae dirywiad y Gymraeg yn y maes gofal yn effeithio ar bobl hŷn. Rwy’n gobeithio y bydd Perthyn yn helpu codi ymwybyddiaeth o bwysigrwydd y Gymraeg yn narpariaeth gofal iechyd.

Rwy’n credu mai dyma’r tro cyntaf i mi fod yn rhan o ddrama a fydd yn cael effaith gymdeithasol uniongyrchol a allai newid bywydau pobl.

Mae Perthyn yn teithio Cymru o fis Ebrill 26. Ewch i'r dudalen Perthyn am leoliadau a dyddiadau yn eich ardal chi. http://www.re-live.org.uk/perthyn

#Belonging2018 #Perthyn2018

Gillian Elisa joins Belonging cast

Following her recent appearance in S4C's Craith/Hidden Gillian joins the Belonging cast, playing the role of Sheila as the production tours Wales again in 2018.

Oh the last few days have been wonderful for me. This part has come out of the blue – and I feel really ready for it. I know a lot of companies are doing plays about dementia, but I felt so drawn to this script and especially the part that was offered.

My characters name is Sheila and she’s quite upbeat, she’s a survivor. She feels feisty! 

Sheila (Gillian Elisa) and Gareth (Sion Pritchard)

Sion Pritchard and I are the two new people in the cast, even though the original cast have performed it before they’re starting their own processes from scratch with us. This is a a new set up, a new pattern and a new journey. I’m really impressed that Peter Doran won Best Director and Llion Williams won Best Actor. I’ll have to pull my socks up!

I think Belonging will help a lot of people. I hope people can find things in it that they can draw upon and connect to. I think it would have helped me if it had been on when I was still caring for my brother.  My brother Alun died in November. He had dementia, but I somehow came through that. Two of my aunties also had it, so I’ve experienced the illness first hand. I thought ‘I can offer something here. I can help’. I like the humour in Belonging - humour is what kept my brother and I going. I think without humour this world wouldn’t be worth living in.

Sometimes you do get angry and frustrated when someone you love suddenly changes and you don’t know how you’re going to cope with it, but you do cope with it. You’re constantly learning, I even feel like I’m still learning now.

When I went through it with my family members I felt I was learning the hard way and I hope I can pass on my own experiences by doing this play to help other people.

Belonging is about to tour Wales from April 26. Please visit the Belonging page for venues and dates near you. 

 Mae Gillian Elisa yn ymuno â'r cast Perthyn

Yn dilyn ei ymddangosiad diweddar yn Craith / Hidden ar S4C, mae Gillian yn ymuno â'r cast Perthyn, gan chwarae rôl Sheila fel teithiau cynhyrchu Cymru eto yn 2018.

Mae’r ychydig ddiwrnodau diwethaf wedi bod yn wych i mi. Daeth y rhan hon allan o unman – ac rydw i wir yn teimlo’n barod ar ei gyfer. Rwy’n gwybod bod nifer o gwmnïau’n gwneud dramâu am ddementia, ond roedd rhywbeth deniadol iawn am y sgript yma ac yn enwedig am y rhan a gynigwyd i mi.

Enw fy nghymeriad yw Sheila ac mae hi’n berson go bositif, mae hi wedi goroesi llawer. Mae hi’n teimlo’n ewn! Rwy’n canfod ei chymeriad mwy a mwy wrth i ni ymarfer.

Sion Pritchard a finnau yw’r ddau berson newydd yn y cast, er bod y cast gwreiddiol wedi perfformio’r ddrama o’r blaen, maen nhw’n dechrau’r broses o’r dechrau gyda ni. Mae hwn yn drefniant newydd, yn batrwm newydd ac yn daith newydd. Rwy’n hynod falch bod Peter Doran wedi ennill Cyfarwyddwr Gorau a bod Llion Williams wedi ennill Actor Gorau. Bydd rhaid i mi weithio’n galetach!

Sian (Karin Diamond) and Sheila (Gillian Elisa)

Rwy’n credu bydd Perthyn yn helpu llawer o bobl. Rwy’n gobeithio bod pobl yn gallu gweld pethau yn y ddrama y gallant eu defnyddio a chysylltu â hwy. Rwy’n credu byddai hyn wedi fy helpu i pe byddai wedi bod ymlaen pan roeddwn dal i ofalu am fy mrawd. Bu fy mrawd Alun farw ym mis Tachwedd, roedd ganddo ddementia, ond rhywsut roeddwn i’n ffodus. Roedd gan ddwy o fy modrybedd y cyflwr hefyd, felly mae gennyf brofiad personol o’r cyflwr. Roeddwn i’n meddwl ‘Gallaf gynnig rhywbeth yma. Gallaf helpu’. Rwy’n hoffi’r hiwmor yn Perthyn ­– hiwmor oedd beth gadwodd fi a fy mrawd i fynd. Byddai dim gwerth byw yn y byd yma heb hiwmor yn fy marn i.

Weithiau rydych chi’n gwylltio neu gythruddo pan mae rhywun rydych yn ei garu yn newid yn sydyn a’ch bod ddim yn gwybod sut byddwch yn ymdopi gyda’r sefyllfa, ond rydych chi’n dysgu i ymdopi. Rydych chi’n dysgu o hyd, rydw i hyd yn oed yn teimlo fy mod yn dal i ddysgu nawr.

Pan es i drwy’r sefyllfa gydag aelodau o fy nheulu, roeddwn yn teimlo fy mod yn dysgu’r ffordd anodd ac rwyf yn gobeithio y gallaf basio fy mhrofiadau fy hun ymlaen trwy wneud y ddrama hon i helpu pobl eraill.

Mae Perthyn ar fin taith Cymru o fis Ebrill 26. Ewch i'r dudalen Perthyn am leoliadau a dyddiadau yn eich ardal chi.

#Belonging2018 #Perthyn2018

Re-Live Goes International!

Co-Directors Karin and Alison were humbled and delighted to receive an award for International Leadership in Arts and Health at the Arts and Health Australia Conference this month. Their trip to Sydney was brief but full – they managed to present Re-Live’s work to an international audience, meet some fantastic practitioners from the field of Arts and Health and catch a few waves at Bondi Beach! Now that’s multi-tasking.