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The Green, Green Grass of Home: Mr Jones An Aberfan Story - Finborough Theatre

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A life of hope and promise, interrupted, lies at the heart of Mr Jones: an Aberfan Story. The play follows two young people in Aberfan before and after the disaster that killed 144 people, including 116 children. It’s an emotional coming-of-age tale of intersecting lives, family, love, and the shock of tragedy. With two vivid performances and strong characterisations, you feel immersed in 1960s Welsh small-town life. It’s now running at the Finborough Theatre , after performances at the Edinburgh Festival and across Wales.  The Aberfan disaster is well known in the UK but perhaps less so elsewhere. The facts of the tragedy are confined to the programme notes rather than in the piece. On 21 October 1966, the catastrophic collapse of a colliery spoil tip on a mountain above Aberfan engulfed a local school, killing many. The play avoids the causes and negligence, instead focusing on those working and building lives in the town.  Writer-performer Liam Holmes plays Stephen Jones, a...
Conversation at the Cloakroom of the National Theatre

The day after July 7, things are a little different. I was staying overnight in Streatham so I had a larger rucksack than usual...

Security: You will have to open your bag for inspection before you can leave it at the cloakroom.
Paul: Ok I just have a change of clothes in here...
Security: You will have to open up your bag and show me what's inside.
Paul: Ok well there is a polo shirt...
Security: And what's under your shirt?
Paul: That is just my jeans and a pair of shoes...
Security: Ok now open up the front zipper section.
Paul: Ok well in there are just my toiletries...
Security (also seeing several packets of Lemsip and Syndol): ... Hmm and medications...
A (walks over to Paul after observing this dialogue from a distance): Darling just tell them its your slag bag and so we can all be done with it...

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