Celebrating Wales in Japan: Theatr Cymru’s Dawns y Ceirw goes international
Theatr Cymru is thrilled to announce a new international tour, taking their acclaimed Welsh-language children’s production Dawns y Ceirw to Japan this autumn.
After captivating audiences across Wales last winter, Dawns y Ceirw – an enchanting show written and performed by Casi Wyn – will be revived for a special international tour, introducing Japanese audiences to the beauty of the Welsh language and culture through theatre, music and movement.
Dawns y Ceirw follows the journey of a lonely little deer who discovers courage, friendship and belonging on a magical adventure through a snowy forest. Combining live performance, original music and movement, the production (★★★★ "Abundant wonder”, The Guardian) offers a rich cultural experience for children and families, sharing a universal story of hope and kindness.
Writer Casi Wyn stars as narrator and will also perform original music which she composed specially for the production. Joining her onstage are Osian Meilir, a dancer and choreographer whose work includes the internationally renowned Qwerin, and Ruby Portus, a dancer, choreographer and previous Sadler’s Wells Young Associate 2018/2019. The production was originally co-directed by Theatr Cymru’s Artistic Director Steffan Donnelly and National Dance Company Wales’ then Artistic Director, Matthew William Robinson.
Dawns y Ceirw will tour to Setagaya Public Theatre in Tokyo and UPOPOY National Ainu Museum and Park in Hokkaido. At UPOPOY, Japan's national centre for the revival and development of Ainu culture, Theatr Cymru and Ainu artists will engage in cultural exchange workshops, exploring minoritised language and creative practice.
To ensure accessibility for all, Theatr Cymru’s innovative language access app, Sibrwd, will provide real-time Japanese closed captions during performances, via the audience members’ smartphones. The production also features some Japanese narration, in Miki Yamazaki’s beautiful translation, voiced by Susan Hingley. This allows audiences to enjoy the magic of the original Welsh-language production while following the story in their own language.
Casi Wyn, writer and performer, said:
“In this new version of our original production Dawns y Ceirw, the colourful, creative and beloved imaginations of Wales and Japan overlap. Touring a show like Dawns y Ceirw, in a place that inspired the works of Studio Ghibli, recontextualises our own national stories. I can’t wait to present this bilingual show for Japanese children and people, in Welsh and Japanese – the first of its kind, beginning in Tokyo.”
Steffan Donnelly, Artistic Director of Theatr Cymru, said:
“This year sees Theatr Cymru productions at major theatres in Cardiff, Tokyo and London. Our ambition at Theatr Cymru is touring exceptional theatre to the heart of communities within Wales, whilst also connecting Wales – and Cymraeg (the Welsh language) - with the world. This is Theatr Cymru’s first international tour for over a decade and I’m so grateful for the support of Wales Arts International, Setagaya Public Theatre and the UPOPOY National Ainu Museum and Park. I’m excited for audiences in Japan to experience this magical show and for the opportunity to celebrate Welsh theatre artists internationally. In Hokkaido, I’m looking forward to continuing our partnerships with Ainu artists and experiencing two minoritised languages, Welsh and Ainu, come together in a sharing of culture and creativity.”
This landmark tour is part of a wider programme of events marking the Year of Wales and Japan, an initiative celebrating cultural exchange and collaboration between the two nations. It is made possible with the support of Arts Council of Wales/Wales Arts International, British Council and Welsh Government through the Wales and Japan 2025 Cultural Fund, helping to bring Welsh creativity to global stages and build cultural connections between Wales and Japan.
Eluned Haf, Head of Wales Arts International at Arts Council of Wales said:
“I’m thrilled that Dawns y Ceirw will tour to Japan as part of an incredible showcase programme this autumn. It’s an honour to be supporting Theatr Cymru to collaborate with UPOPOY and the Ainu community. We’ve been supporting artists in Wales to listen and collaborate with other Celtic and Indigenous languages in Canada, Ireland, Australia, Gambia, New Zealand and South America as part of the UN Decade of Indigenous Languages. This collaboration with the Ainu community brings new global perspectives to the revitalisation efforts of our respective languages and the cultures they carry.”