Paul Griffiths (director)
Paul Griffiths | |
|---|---|
 Griffiths presenting the 2008 Drama Medal Ceremony at the Urdd Gobaith Cymru Eisteddfod in May 2008. | |
| Born | Richard Paul Griffiths 8 August 1973 Wales |
| Occupation | Writer, director, critic |
| Alma mater | University of Wales |
| Years active | 1994–present |
Paul Griffiths (born 8 August 1973) is a Welsh writer, theatre critic and director. He won the Drama Medal at the National Urdd Gobaith Cymru Eisteddfod three times in succession between 1995 and 1997 – the only person ever to do this. Between March 2006 and December 2013 he contributed a controversial weekly theatre column to the National Paper of Wales Y Cymro. He is also a regular contributor on the Welsh language Television Channel S4C and BBC Radio Cymru.
Early life
Griffiths was raised in Dolwyddelan, North Wales. At the age of thirteen, he set up his own theatre company, called Cwmni Ieuenctid Dolwyddelan.[1] The company became successful and toured Wales competing in local theatre festivals. He was educated at Dolwyddelan school and later at Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy Secondary school in Llanrwst, North Wales. Griffiths took a three-year Media Course at the Y Coleg Normal, University of Wales, Bangor and after graduating in 1994, worked for numerous television companies as a Production Assistant, and later as an Assistant Producer and Director.[1]
National Urdd Eisteddfod
Griffiths won the Drama Medal at the National Urdd Gobaith Cymru Eisteddfod for the first time at the
TV production career
Griffiths started his career in television production as a part of his work experience in his second year at Y Coleg Normal,
Writing career
In 2000, Griffiths received several writing commissions from S4C[1] including his first feature film commission. Two other scripts had also been turned into short dramas for the Welsh-language channel. He has worked on a number of scripts for S4C series like Pengelli[1] and Tipyn o Stad (A Bit of a State) and wrote a 13-episode children's animation series called Bibi Bêl (Bibi the Ball) for Griffilms. His work is inspired by everyday life and gets his inspiration from listening to people talking and picking things up from conversations. In 2000, S4C's commissioning editor for drama, Angharad Jones, said Griffiths' scripts contained warmth and a sense of humour. "He also has quite a good understanding of female characters as he has got sensitivity", she added.[1]
Following being diagnosed with depression in 2012, Griffiths was commissioned by
Theatre career
After his Youth Company parted in 1994, Griffiths was invited to co-write, produce and direct a musical for a Festival to celebrate the centenary of poet and
In 1998, Griffiths was commissioned along with composer Einion Dafydd to write a musical for the Urdd Gobaith Cymru Eisteddfod in Pwllheli, and Yn y Ffrâm (Framed) was produced at Neuadd Dwyfor, during the festival week in May 1998. A second commission followed in 2000, and Griffiths worked with composer Gareth Glyn on Ail-Liwio'r Byd which was staged at the Venue Cymru, Llandudno in May 2000.
Since re-locating to London in June 2007, Griffiths has worked with numerous companies such as Soho Theatre, Punchdrunk_(theatre_company), Battersea Arts Centre, Finborough Theatre, and five years as Operations Manager for the National Youth Music Theatre UK across the UK.
Y Cymro
He longed that Wales could one day match the National Theatre of Scotland production standards.[citation needed]
In February 2010, Griffiths was interviewed on S4C's youth current affairs series Hacio.[citation needed]
Youth Music Theatre UK
Between July 2008 and March 2012, Griffiths became Operations Manager for Youth Music Theatre: UK and managed their 2008 Summer productions which included Marie Jones' The Chosen Room at Belfast, Terry Pratchett' Mort at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford and Nick Stimson and Jimmy Jewell's production of Peter Pan at the Barbican, Plymouth. YMT's production of Conor Mitchell and Kath Burlinson's Missing Mel transferred to the Cochrane Theatre in the West End in October 2008.
Griffiths' Summer 2009 productions included A Winter's Tale by
In February 2010, Griffiths appeared on S4C's early evening TV show 'Wedi 7' to promote YMT's 2010 Cardiff Auditions.
YMT's 2010 Summer productions, which Griffiths oversaw, included further development of Nick Stimson and Jimmy Jewell's Peter Pan alongside their new interpretation of John Gay's The Beggar's Opera at South Hill Park Arts Centre in Bracknell with Choreographer David Leighton. Other projects included Jenifer Toksvig's adaptation of David Almond's children's novel, The Savage in Casterton, Cumbria; Scheherazade at the Bradford Playhouse; A Song for Eurydice at the Barbican Plymouth and a sequel to the 2009 production of the vampire musical The Watchers called Ghosts of the Past at the Aberdeen International Youth Festival. Conor Mitchell's The Dummy Tree originally commissioned by the National Theatre's Connections Festival and presented by YMT members in 2009, ran for 2 weeks at London's Tristan Bates Theatre.
2011 saw further developments of
In August 2011, Griffiths and the Korczak company were featured on S4C's 'Wedi 7' to promote the show. He resigned from the charity in March 2012, due to illness.