Ie Ie Ie: The talented team bringing young people’s experiences to the stage
We're preparing for our next national tour, Ie Ie Ie – an important piece of theatre co-created with Wales’ young people which asks essential questions about healthy relationships, desire and consent. Ie Ie Ie will open at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, on 5 February, before visiting venues across Wales.
Created for young people, this production contains honest interviews and important conversations about life experiences and the company has brought together a fantastic team of artists to develop and stage this special show. With director and artist Juliette Manon at the helm, actor, comedian and author Eleri Morgan will perform this one-person show. The production has been adapted into Welsh by Lily Beau, and Enfys Clara also joins the team as Assistant Director.
With rehearsals beginning in the new year, director Juliette Manon said:
“I can’t wait to share Ie Ie Ie with everyone! The show and topic are very close to my heart and it feels like a really immediate and necessary piece. I hope that it will initiate really important conversations about relationships and consent and resonate with young people and adults alike across Wales.”
Ie Ie Ie is a Welsh-language adaptation of Yes Yes Yes, a live show by artists Karin McCracken and Eleanor Bishop from Aotearoa / New Zealand. The company’s Artistic Director Steffan Donnelly was inspired to adapt the play into Welsh after seeing a performance of the original show during Canada’s CINARS Biennale in 2022. Steffan said: “Seeing Yes Yes Yes was an amazing experience – Karin and Eleanor have created an intimate show that discusses important topics in a relevant and informal way. I felt sure that this show would have had a huge impact on my life if I’d seen it in my teens and, from that moment, I was determined to create a Welsh-language adaptation of the production for – and in collaboration with – the young people of Wales. I’m really proud of the talented team we’ve brought together to stage this unique production and, of course, it’s been wonderful to see the participation work happening across Wales in recent months.”
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru has been thrilled to work with young people to co-create parts of this unique theatre piece. Over recent months, the company’s Participation Coordinator, Sian Elin James, has been leading the project’s participation arm, travelling to schools and education establishments across Wales to deliver workshops discussing important questions and interviewing young people for the show:
“I’ve been so lucky to collaborate with so many amazing young people over the last few months with the Ie Ie Ie workshops. It’s a topic that perhaps doesn’t get enough attention in schools and colleges and seeing the young people’s passion about it was incredible. I can’t wait to see and celebrate the young people’s hard work and voices on stages across Wales.”
While developing this production and working with young participants across the nation, the company has received training and consultancy support from Brook Cymru, the sexual health charity working with young people. You can learn more about Brook’s work on their website, brook.org.uk.