Mam loves Tad. Tad loves Mam. This should be simple- but it isn’t. As their relationship breaks down, the shadows in the corners of Mam’s vision start to take form- and the line between our world and a strange other place begins to blur. A uniquely Welsh story about mythology, control, and what our past teaches us about our future.

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“Olwen Wept” is a drama which examines the historical relationship between Wales and England and the narratives that surround it through the lens of a family. Mam and Tad’s relationship is central to the plot: his insecurities manifest as control as he unintentionally gaslights Mam to a state of fragility. At this point, she is visited by various women from Welsh mythology: the play is steeped in magic so its deliberately unclear whether these visitations are the result of a psychotic breakdown, or real mythological people visiting from a world beyond our own. These women all come from legends that were centred on a male perspective, and they are given an opportunity to reclaim their own narrative. They urge Mam to take control of her situation and try to aid her in seeing past the gaslighting she’s experienced.

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