In a moving tribute to all those affected by the Aberfan disaster, The Silent Volunteer asks the question, “Have we learnt from our mistakes?” Lovingly performed by a cast affected by what happened that Friday morning 60 years ago, the play explores the enormous role volunteers played in the aftermath, and how the events of 1966 have continued to shape mining communities ever since.
The Silent Volunteer, featuring on the Torch Theatre stage this September, is a play about voices that have not yet found the words to speak – but who want the world to know the Aberfan disaster was not “an act of God”, and that future disasters in former mining areas can and must be prevented.
Avant Cymru presents The Silent Volunteer, a powerful theatre piece by Sue Bevan, alongside an exhibition and Q&A in partnership with Coalfield Regeneration. It is an opportunity to remember, reflect and hear voices often absent from the public record.
To mark the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan Disaster, the descendants of the volunteers are opening up a conversation about how this history continues to shape mining communities today- why remembering, listening and learning still matters, and how loss, resilience and community continue to shape Wales today.
Here’s what Avant Cymru have to say about The Silent Volunteer:
“When Sue Bevan came to us with her play Hireath and her story about being a 10-year-old volunteer at the Aberfan disaster, we reached out to the community.
We heard in Tylorstown how recent landslides had affected people’s lives, we heard from the survivors of Aberfan about how they were told “not to talk about it”. We reached out to our families who told us that they were encouraged not to speak, not to share what they saw.
We have been undertaking trauma-informed training and we have been discussing how the disaster has shaped our lives and the lives of those in our community and along with Sue Bevans’ play, we are ready to talk some more and share what we have people want to be shared.
People are welcome to be involved as they wish, we will host a Q&A at every show. There is a post box at the Rhondda Heritage Park for anyone who wants to write a letter to the Aberfan community, to share with them how the disaster impacted them as a volunteer or as a family member of someone who was there.
The exhibition in collaboration with Coalfield Regeneration explores the lives around tips past present and future, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.”
The Silent Volunteer, created with and by the people with a direct connection to the events of 1966, where neighbours helped neighbours when it mattered most, can be seen on the Torch Theatre stage on Wednesday 23 September at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
Tickets £15 / £13 cons. Phone the Box Office on 01646 695267 or visit torchtheatre.co.uk.
Read more: Theatre posts
