Dydd Gŵyl Dewi

St. David's Day

Gwyn Thomas

Glyn Houston as Gwyn Thomas

Today is Glyn Houston's 90th birthday.
In the 1980s the Welsh actor performed a hugely successful one-man play called "Chunks and Chips" using the autobiographical writing of Gwyn Thomas to bring his unique wisdom and dark observational humour back to life. This performance is a must for anyone who appreciates Welsh humour, great writing and superb acting.

This video has been uploaded with the kind permission of HTV Wales, who own the copyright. If you have enjoyed this video please click on the link below to view more of their great content.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT2N...

Aberfan is different

Aberfan

At 9.15am on Friday October 21st 1966, after several days of heavy rain, a huge slag tip above the town of Aberfan in South Wales suddenly liquified and poured down the mountain. The black tidal wave demolished properties in its path and engulfed the Pantglas Junior School in seconds. Of the 144 people who lost their lives that day, 116 were children. The tragedy was totally preventable. The National Coal Board had been warned time and time again of the dangers of dumping slag in such a geologically unstable area above towns. They chose to ignore the warnings claiming it wasn't profitable for them to move the slag tips to safer locations. After the disaster, donations from all over the world poured in for the shattered community. However, most of the money never reached Aberfan. Instead the Government gave it to the National Coal Board so that they could move other slag tips overlooking other towns in South Wales.

The great Welsh writer and broadcaster Gwyn Thomas delivered his own moving tribute to the victims of the tragedy on the BBC the morning of the mass funeral. This is an excerpt from his eulogy

Steamer from Cardiff to Tenby

In the 1960's writer and broadcaster Gwyn Thomas made a series of programmes for TWW in which he visited different parts of Wales. In this programme, Gwyn joins a group a day trippers on a Steamer from Cardiff to Tenby. Today, his unique, warm and darkly humorous observations give us a fascinating insight into what life was like for people living in these Welsh communities half a century ago.

Although the original audio of this particular broadcast has not survived, the script that Gwyn Thomas wrote for the programme has. His timeless words are read here by the superb actor Glyn Houston.

Please note that the copyright of this video belongs to ITV Cymru Wales / National Library of Wales. They have very kindly given permission for it to be showed here. Please show them your appreciation and visit their YouTube channel to see more fantastic archive recordings from Wales: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT2N...

The Keep by Gwyn Thomas

Gwyn Thomas' play "The Keep" has been described as "probably the greatest play to come out of Wales since Under Milk Wood" and was rightly hailed as a triumphant success when it premiered in London's Royal Court Theatre in 1961. 

Glyn Houston as Gwyn Thomas

In the 1980's, the Welsh actor Glyn Houston performed a hilarious one man show about the writer and broadcaster Gwyn Thomas. Using Gwyn's own words, Glyn Houston delivers a masterful performance that is still remembered with great affection by those fortunate enough to see it. This is a true Welsh masterpeice of comedy theatre, and a treat not to be missed.

Laughing Lhursday*

In 1975 Gwyn Thomas appeared on the Kane at Christmas programme. As these few brief excerpts show, it was a hilarious performance that is still fondly remembered by many to this day. Listen again to the great talker as he explains the dangers of Rugby, the funeral of Cliff Davies, the legend of the buried city of Kenfig, stolen false teeth,the problem with singing and the perils of adultery.

* [For first time visitors]:

Typo in the title?
Nah.
It's just that I would not let a tiny T spoil an avantgardistic alliteration.

Gwyn Thomas interviewed

The great Wesh writer, talker and broadcaster Gwyn Thomas appeared on the Michael Parkinson show in the early 1970's. In the first part of the intervew he explains why he has his own signal at Paddington station, how he broke his toe defending pacifism, and the impact of the Welsh religious revival on the productivity of pit ponies underground.



In Part Two of the interview, Michael Parkinson asks Gwyn Thomas about the time he spent at Oxford University, growing up in the Rhondda and his experiences of working on the Brains Trust. Gwyn explains how Welsh people have a theatrical nature, why he is always being mistaken for someone else and the unfortunate consequences of learning to smoke at a very early age



In the third part of his interview on the Parkinson show, Gwyn Thomas explains Dr Bronowski's greatest challenge, why he eventually gave up teaching and his unfortunate early experience of being miscast as an actor. Later, with actress Sarah Miles they discuss fox hunting, the secret of a happy marriage and the madness of Hollywood.

Welsh Greats – Gwyn Thomas

The Truth of his Joy

In the 1960's writer and broadcaster Gwyn Thomas made a series of programmes for TWW in which he visited different parts of Wales. In this programme, Gwyn visits Laugharne and pays tribute to the literary genius Dylan Thomas, a man who Gwyn had known well.

Although the original audio of this particular broadcast has not survived , the script that Gwyn Thomas wrote for the programme has. His timeless words are read here by the superb actor Glyn Houston.

Please note that the copyright of this video belongs to ITV Cymru Wales / National Library of Wales. They have very kindly given permission for it to be shown here. Please show them your appreciation and visit their YouTube channel to see more fantastic archive recordings from Wales.

Laughing Lhursday*

* [For first time visitors]:
Typo in the title? Nah. It's just that I would not let a tiny T spoil
an avantgardistic alliteration.




In 1975 Gwyn Thomas appeared on the Kane at Christmas programme. As these few brief excerpts show, it was a hilarious performance that is still fondly remembered by many to this day. Listen again to the great talker as he explains the dangers of Rugby, the funeral of Cliff Davies, the legend of the buried city of Kenfig, stolen false teeth,the problem with singing and the perils of adultery.