Details

Hail Cremation! is a musical odyssey through the wild and bizarre life of Dr William Price. This psychedelic fusion of live music, dance and video, will take audiences on a riotous, strange and wonderful journey into the life of a complex and extraordinary Welshman. Price lived from 1800-1893 in South Wales and is regarded as the ?Father of Modern Cremation'. He was one of the youngest ever surgeons to qualify from the Royal College of Surgeons. As well as his professional achievements, he was well known for his eccentricities from his unusual attire to his mode of travel of a cart pulled by goats. As one of the earliest feminists, he is widely known for his expression of welsh identity and his advocacy of a vegetarian diet. Most famously, he fathered a child when he was 82 with his 22 year old partner, Gwen. Price's most famous act occurred when his five-month old son died of natural causes. Price burnt the baby's body on a hill outside Llantrisant on a Sunday when the chapels were emptying which caused an outrage. He was arrested and a famous trial followed. He successfully argued that the law did not prohibit the burning of corpses, and paved the way for the 1902 Cremation Act. Price was ostracised from society in later years due to his more increasingly erratic behaviour and it is now believed that he struggled with mental health towards the end of his life. His statue stands in Llantrisant, where he lived from 1866 until his death, aged 93.

Cast/Performers

Matthew Bulgo, Gruffudd Glyn, Lee Mengo, Seren Vickers, Iestyn Arwel (dancer), Ella Biddlecome (dancer), Elan Elidyr (dancer), Kyle Flaherty (dancer), Stephen Black (musician), Tom Cottle (musician), Aidan Thorne (musician), Paul Jones (musician)

Creatives/Company

Music: Jon Tregenna
Lyrics: Jon Tregenna
Company: National Theatre Wales
Director: Adele Thomas
Design(s): Rhiannon Matthews, Nic Finch (video design)
Costume: Rhiannon Matthews
Lighting: Joe Fletcher
Musical Director: Richard Melkonian
Choreographer: Emma Woods