Rhiannon Boyle wins script commission in BBC Cymru Wales, BBC Writersroom Wales and National Theatre Wales award becoming Wales Writer in Residence.
The winner of the inaugural Wales Writer in Residence award has been announced as Rhiannon Boyle. The Holyhead-born scriptwriter will be given an unique opportunity to develop her craft under the guidance of the BBC Cymru Wales, BBC Writersroom Wales and National Theatre Wales over the course of a year.
As part of her prize Rhiannon will have a broadcast credit on BBC Radio 4 and/or BBC Sounds, a £12,000 bursary, and two consecutive residencies; an initial six months with BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Writersroom Wales including working with BBC Studios, followed by six months with National Theatre Wales. Keeping Faith writer Matthew Hall, who was a guest judge for the award, will also be her mentor.
Matthew Hall said:
“The shortlisted entries all exhibited unique qualities and each had interesting and surprising characters. I was looking for a story which contained the crucial elements of drama: a layered and complex central character and a story with dramatic conflict and surprising twists. It was a difficult decision, but ultimately Rhiannon’s script combined more of these vital ingredients than the other entries and she had created a protagonist who left a lingering impression.”
Rhiannon collected the award at a special ceremony at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, this evening (Wednesday 2 October) on the set of the latest National Theatre Wales and Royal Court co-production, Ed Thomas’ On Bear Ridge.
Rhiannon originally trained as an actor but started writing in 2007, and has screenwriting credits for productions on S4C.
Her winning script, Impacted, tells the story of Alys, a teacher whose life unravels when a colleague and friend is arrested for possessing indecent images of children. Overwhelmed with feelings of confusion and disbelief, Alys turns to the internet as she tries to make sense of what’s happened.
Wales Writer in Residence Rhiannon Boyle said:
“Winning the Wales Writer in Residence is an amazing opportunity because I have so many interesting stories to tell. At this early stage of my writing journey the mentorship and guidance offered will allow me to develop my voice and perfect my skills. This is an excellent springboard to launch my career in drama and I am extremely excited to get started with both the BBC and National Theatre Wales.”
BBC Cymru Wales Director Rhodri Talfan Davies said:
“Many congratulations to Rhiannon on winning this year’s residency. With such an obvious gift for storytelling, it’s going to be exciting see her development over the next 12 months. BBC Wales, BBC Writersroom Wales and National Theatre Wales are determined to develop the next generation of Welsh writers and this year’s competition has once again demonstrated the phenomenal natural talent that exists here in Wales.”
Kully Thiarai, Artistic Director of National Theatre Wales said:
“Huge congratulations to Rhiannon Boyle for winning the Wales Writer in Residence award in what was a highly competitive field. Her script was rich with story and character and tackled a difficult subject in surprising ways, enabling us to be drawn into the emotional world of the lead character Alys.
“I’m thrilled we’ve had such a great response to the WWiR initiative, an initiative that celebrates and raises the profile of our talented writers in Wales . The list of finalists reflects the quality of submissions to this year’s award with a rich and varied range of scripts. We are really looking forward to welcoming Rhiannon into the team at National Theatre Wales and working closely with her in the development of her ideas for an original stage work.”
Rhiannon Boyle yw Awdur Preswyl Cymru
Sgript yr awdur yn cael ei gomisiynu yng ngwobrau BBC Cymru Wales, BBC Writersroom Cymru a National Theatre Wales
Rhiannon Boyle sydd wedi ennill gwobr Awdur Preswyl Cymru, gwobr sy’n cael ei gynnal am y tro cyntaf eleni. Bydd y sgriptiwr o Gaergybi yn cael cyfle unigryw i ddatblygu ei chrefft dros gyfnod o flwyddyn dan arweiniad y BBC Cymru, BBC Writersroom Cymru a National Theatre Wales.
Fel rhan o’i gwobr bydd BBC Radio 4 a/neu BBC Sounds yn gwarantu credyd darlledu i Rhiannon, ynghyd â bwrsari gwerth £12,000, a dau gyfnod preswyl olynol; chwe mis gyda BBC Cymru a BBC Writersroom Cymru fydd yn cynnwys gweithio gyda BBC Studios, ac yna chwe mis gyda National Theatre Wales. Bydd yn cael ei mentora gan Matthew Hall awdur Un Bore Mercher/Keeping Faith a oedd yn feirniad gwadd ar gyfer y gystadleuaeth.
Dywedodd Matthew Hall:
“Roedd gan bob sgript oedd ar y rhestr fer rinweddau unigryw ac roedden nhw i gyd yn cynnwys cymeriadau diddorol ac annisgwyl. Roeddwn i’n chwilio am stori oedd yn cynnwys elfennau hanfodol drama: cymeriad canolog cymhleth ac aml-haenog ynghyd â stori sy’n cynnwys gwrthdaro dramatig a throadau annisgwyl. Roedd yn benderfyniad anodd, ond yn y pen draw roedd sgript Rhiannon yn cyfuno mwy o’r cynhwysion hanfodol hyn na sgriptiau’r ymgeiswyr eraill ac mae hi wedi creu prif gymeriad sy’n gadael argraff barhaol.”
Derbyniodd Rhiannon y wobr mewn seremoni arbennig yn Theatr y Sherman, Caerdydd, heno (nos Fercher 2 Hydref) ar set y cyd-gynhyrchiad diweddaraf rhwng National Theatre Wales a’r Royal Court Theatre, sef On Bear Ridge gan Ed Thomas.
Hyfforddodd Rhiannon fel actor yn wreiddiol ond dechreuodd ysgrifennu yn 2007 ac mae ganddi gredydau ysgrifennu ar gynyrchiadau ar gyfer S4C.
Mae’r sgript fuddugol, Impacted, yn adrodd stori Alys, athrawes sy’n cael trafferth ymdopi pan fo cydweithiwr sy’n ffrind iddi yn cael ei arestio am fod â lluniau anweddus o blant yn ei feddiant. Wedi’i llorio gan deimladau o ddryswch ac anghrediniaeth, mae Alys yn troi at y rhyngrwyd i geisio gwneud synnwyr o’r hyn ddigwyddodd.
Dywedodd Rhiannon Boyle Awdur Preswyl Cymru:
“Mae ennill Awdur Preswyl Cymru yn gyfle anhygoel oherwydd mae gen i gymaint o straeon difyr i’w hadrodd. Yn gynnar fel hyn yn fy ngyrfa ysgrifennu, bydd y fentoriaeth a’r cymorth yn helpu i ddatblygu fy llais a gloywi fy sgiliau. Dyma lwyfan gwych i lansio fy ngyrfa mewn drama ac rydw i’n edrych ymlaen yn arw at ddechrau arni gyda’r BBC a National Theatre Wales.”
Dywedodd Rhodri Talfan Davies, Cyfarwyddwr BBC Cymru:
“Llongyfarchiadau mawr i Rhiannon ar ennill cyfnod preswyl eleni. Mae ganddi ddawn arbennig i adrodd straeon, a bydd yn gyffrous yn gwylio’n datblygu dros y 12 mis nesaf. Mae BBC Cymru, BBC Writersroom Cymru a National Theatre Wales wedi ymrwymo i ddatblygu’r genhedlaeth nesaf o awduron o Gymru ac mae cystadleuaeth eleni wedi dangos unwaith eto bod talent anhygoel i’w chael yma.
Dywedodd Kully Thiarai, Cyfarwyddwr Artistig National Theatre Wales:
“Llongyfarchiadau mawr i Rhiannon Boyle ar ennill gwobr Awdur Preswyl Cymru mewn gornest hynod gystadleuol. Roedd ei sgript yn gyfoethog ac roedd y stori a’r cymeriadau yn mynd i’r afael â phwnc dyrys mewn ffyrdd annisgwyl, gan ein tynnu i mewn i fyd emosiynol Alys y prif gymeriad.
“Rydw i wrth fy modd gyda’r ymateb gwych i gynllun Awdur Preswyl Cymru, cynllun sy’n dathlu ac yn codi proffil yr awduron talentog sydd gennym ni yma yng Nghymru. Mae’r rhestr fer yn adlewyrchu safon y cyflwyniadau a gafwyd eleni gydag amrywiaeth eang a chyfoethog o sgriptiau. Rydym ni’n edrych ymlaen at groesawu Rhiannon i dîm National Theatre Wales ac at weithio’n agos gyda hi er mwyn datblygu ei syniadau yn waith llwyfan gwreiddiol.”
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