Welsh Film Effi o Blaenau Revives Iphigenia in Splott
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Iphigenia in Splott premiered in 2015 at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff, initially slated for just two and a half weeks amid ticket‑sale worries.
- Gary Owen wrote the play while living in Splott during austerity, basing Effie on neighbours in supported accommodation and his own experience of early labour for his second child.
- The Guardian gave the play a five‑star review in 2022, urging “Everyone should see this.”
- Effi o Blaenau is a Welsh‑language film adaptation directed by Marc Evans, who co‑wrote the script with Owen and moved the setting from Cardiff to the former slate‑mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog.
- Leisa Gwenllian, a final‑year drama student from north Wales, stars as Effi, delivering a breakout performance that follows her front‑row experience of the original play in London.
Why it matters: Welsh film industry gains a new Welsh‑language feature, expanding its catalog by one title; the added visibility could attract further investment and talent to the region.
Ask SkimNews
