Ffion Evans

Ffion Haf Evans

Position: Senior Lecturer in Drama, Theatre and Performance

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 01248 388458

Office Location: First Floor, Music Building (Staff Offices)

Current Administrative Responsibilities: 

Subject Lead for Drama, Film, Media and Journalism. Department of Arts. School of Arts, Culture and Language. 

Ffion is a Senior Lecturer in Drama, Theatre and Performance and subject leads Drama, Film, Media and Journalism within the School of Arts, Culture and Language at Bangor University. She is also a Professional Theatre Director who has been directing and lecturing since 2011 and is currently a council member of the Arts Council of Wales, appointed by Welsh Government.

Ffion graduated with a First Class Honours Degree in Theatre, Film and Television at Aberystwyth University, receiving a Catrin Jones Hughes Award for achieving highest in the Department of Theatre, Film and Television and continued on to complete a Postgradute Taught Masters Degree in Theatre Directing at St Mary’s University College, London.

She has trained professionally with the Welsh Language National Theatre of Wales (Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru) and Sherman Theatre Cardiff, and has directed large scale national touring productions across Wales. Specialising mainly in Contemporary New Plays, Site Specific Performances and Theatre for Children and Young People.

In 2015 she became Associate Director for theatre company 'Fran Wen', directing plays across Wales as well as the International Edinburgh Fringe Festival before moving on to be selected as one of 12 UK Directors to embark on a research residency with World Renowned German Theatre Director, Thomas Ostermeier (Schaubuhne Theatre Berlin) to evaluate Contemporary European Directing Methodology (in partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland, National Theatre Wales and Goethe-Institut Glasgow).

Ffion has extensive professional experience and has trained with directors, actors, vocal coaches and movement directors from the Royal Shakespeare Company, Young Vic, Shakespeare Globe, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Complicite, Frantic Assembly, Mike Alfreds and Living Pictures and ensures students gain industry-related teaching within their own studies. 

Since 2021 she has achieved the status of Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in recognition for her teaching excellence and learning support in Higher Education and excellence in leadership and mentoring of staff and students. In 2023, Ffion was shortlisted for oustanding pastoral care at the Student Led Teaching Awards across the University.

Ffion is currently persuing an EdD (professional doctorate) with the School of Educational Sciences at Bangor University.

Research Interests:

Drama, Theatre and Performance: Directing, Acting, Dramaturgy, Contemporary Theatre, Multi Media Theatre, Film and Theatre. Performance Training, Actor's Training, New Writing, Devised Theatre, Scenography, Theatre in the Community, Theatre for Children and Young People, Theatre for Families, Professional Practice in the Arts Industry, Performance and Ecology. 

Education: Educational Leadership and Management, Counselling in Education, Creative Research Methods, Meeting Additional Learning Needs, Understanding Childhood and Youth. 

Ffion is a fluent Welsh Speaker and can deliver personal tutorials as well as academic supervision through the Medium of both English and the Welsh Language. 

Grants:

• Equipment Fund for Performance based research (Bangor University) (£13,600)
• HEFCW Higher Education Investment and Recovery (HEIR) for digital learning, Department of Music, Drama and Performance (£10,000)
• Small Grant ‘Arts Council of Wales’ Exploring a new Performance Lab. (£5000)
• National Touring Production Grant ‘Saer y Sêr’ (Star Maker), Frân Wen, Arts Council of Wales, (£55,000)
• Research and Development ‘Saer y Sêr’ (Star Maker), Frân Wen, Arts Council of Wales, 2014–15 (£11,000)
• Production Support Grant to stage at the International Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Frân Wen, Wales Arts International, (£12,000)
• Pontio’r Bwlch (Bridging the Gap), Frân Wen, ESF European Funded Grant, (£62,000)
• CEWN Project, Bangor University, Cwmni Da, Beaumaris Gaol, Pilot Project, (£3,000)
• Training and Development, Theatre Directing, Arts Council of Wales, (£2,000)
• BRAIN, Frân Wen, Arts Council of Wales, Large Project Grant (£30,000)
• BRAIN, Frân Wen, Arts Council of Wales, Large Project Grant 2012–2013 (£30,000)
• BRAIN, Frân Wen, Arts Council of Wales, Large Project Grant (£30,000)

Awards, Roles and Nominations:

• Best Female Performance (Siw Hughes) Mrs Reynolds a’r Cena Bach. Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, Wales Theatre Awards.
• Nomination for Best Male Performance (Sion Emyr) and Best Production. Mrs Reynolds a’r Cena Bach. Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, Wales Theatre Awards.
• Judge at the National Eisteddfod (New Writing Award ‘Y Fedal Ddrama’) 
• Selected as one of 12 Director’s across the UK to take part in researching European directing methodology with the World Renowned German Director, Thomas Ostermeier. Organised by Living Pictures, Goethe-Institut Glasgow and The National Theatre of Scotland.
• Bursary from ‘National Theatre Wales’ to attend the directing research with Thomas Ostermeier (Schaubühne Theatre Berlin).
• ‘Winner for Best Welsh Language Dramatist’ (Llyr Titus) Fran Wen. Wales Theatre Awards.
• Nomination for best male performance (Bryn Fôn) and best female performance (Gwenno Hodgkins) Drych (Mirror). Wales Theatre Awards.
• Nomination for best production for young people and best male performance (Carwyn Jones). Dim Diolch by Fran Wen. Wales Theatre Awards.
• ‘Dim Diolch’ (No Thanks) by Iola Ynyr. Nomination for best production for young people. Wales Theatre Awards.
• ‘Dim Diolch’ (No Thanks) by Iola Ynyr. Nomination for the best actor ‘Carwyn Jones’ Wales Theatre Awards.
• Selected as one of 5 Director’s across Wales to take part on a one year professional training and development with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru (Welsh Language National Theatre), Sherman Cymru and Living Pictures.

External Engagement and Impact

Ffion’s professional development in the creative industries and educational sector works hand in hand with her research interests. Public engagement and collaborating with creative industry professionals, senior management and teachers in education and children and young people in the community are all core individuals that Ffion has worked with on a regular basis over the years. Her research interest in developing contemporary work in the theatre and developing creative communities leads her to naturally develop creative practice that is rooted amongst people.

Since 2009 she has worked extensively with several external organisations and partners, including local, national and international theatre companies, performance venues, national and international performance festivals and primary, secondary and further education establishments and units, charities and publically funded organisations. She has also toured performance work locally and nationally on a regular basis to small, mid-scale and large performance venues, such as Wales Millennium Centre Cardiff and Clwyd Theatre (Mold) and has organised and delivered several community theatre projects, established new artistic programmes, creative branches with in local companies and project managed extensively across the sector on a national scale. Her work has been recognised at the Wales Theatre Awards and in relation to the Arts Council Wales Portfolio.

External organisations:

Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru (Welsh Language National Theatre), Fran Wen, National Theatre Wales, Sherman Cymru, Living Pictures, Arad Goch, National Theatre Scotland, Goethe Institute Glasgow, Schaubuhne Theatre Berlin, Galeri Caernarfon, Pontio, Arts Council Wales, Wales Arts International, Cwmni Da, Beaumaris Gaol, International Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Family Arts Festival, Urdd Gobaith Cymru, National Eisteddfod, Reach the Hights (ESF Funding), Ysgol Dolbadarn Llanberis, Ysgol Glan Clwyd, Llanfairfechan Primary School, Aberdaron Primary School (Crud y Werin), Lottery, Community Firsts, Ysgol y Moelwyn (Blaenau Ffestiniog), Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy Council, World Stage Design.

• New Writing Mentor/Dramaturg for Theatre Genedlaethol Cymru (Welsh National Theatre Company)
• Creative Agent – Arts Council of Wales (Consulting and supporting senior management and teacher’s professional development creativity in education. Brining learners, teachers and creative practitioners together to co-design curriculum activity.)
• Associate Director, Frân Wen Theatre Company (Supporting the Companies artistic programme; directing two national touring productions; a core involvement in designing the Companies Arts Council of Wales’s investment plan; supporting the community engagement officer’s development with ‘BRAIN’ (young people's company); a part of the interviewing panel for a new Marketing Manager; A part of the core companies process of re-branding, developing a new website and marketing material; investigating new ideas with the companies architecture to explore a new home for the companies long term future.)
• Devising with the young (Developing production material for young children aged 3-7 years old in response to the Internationally renowned theatre maker and actor ‘Andy Manley’ input, exploring how can we devise with and for young children – ensuring that the child’s voice is integral to the creative development of work into production?)
• New Writing Programme ‘Sgript i Lwyfan’ (Script to Stage) Frân Wen in collaboration with Galeri Caernarfon (Ffion created and designed the programme and then went on to developed it with one of Wales’s leading dramatists, Aled Jones Williams. The Programme is designed for young people 14–25 old to develop their work with professional actors and directors and gain insight and experience into the professional industry for a long term purpose. Young playwright, Llŷr Titus (Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies, Bangor University) won an award for the ‘Best Welsh Language Playwright’ for his play ‘Drych’ (Mirror) at the Wales Theatre Awards, that was developed with in this national programme.
• Established and Project Managed a new young people’s creative branch called, ‘BRAIN’, Frân Wen: (Devising, New Writing, The Digital, The Community, Nurturing and Encouraging the young people’s voice creatively (11–25 years old). When the company evolved from a ‘Theatre in Education’ Structure to a ‘Theatre for children and young people’ identity, Frân Wen wanted the young person’s voice to be a more integral part to the Companies overall direction srategically and artistically. Ffion joined the Company during this transition stage and created a new structure for the new participatory branch called ‘BRAIN’. Ffion project managed and piloted projects along the way to evaluate how the progression of the branch was going to grow in the future. Gwennan Mair took on the role of Engagement officer during 2014–2016 and the work developed by ‘BRAIN’ has grown from strength to strength. The Young People’s voice is now right at the heart of the Companies future progression.
• Pontio’r Bwlch (Bridging the Gap) (Multidisciplinary programme for young people not in education, training or employment and/or acknowledged as living with in a recognised disadvantaged area) With in BRAIN’s aims and objectives, Ffion project managed a programme of delivery with 5 communities of practice for young people to communicate through the arts and the digital – to channel individuals wellbeing and educational/social development and support. The programme was recognised as an ‘Inspiring Programme’ by the Arts Council of Wales and some of the individuals that took part shared their story and experience during the Arts Council of Wales annual conference in Cardiff, 2013. Since then, Frân Wen has gone on to establish a permanent digital STIWDIO with in the Companies home. The STIWDIO (Studio) develops individuals entrepreneurial skills on a more 1–1 basis , in collaboration with professional companies in the world of business, education, tourism..developing material for marketing and design purposes through film, gaming, app development, composing and graphic design development.
• Devising within the community, BRAIN – Cwmni’r Frân Wen (Projects and Productions including Chwarel (Quarry), Bocsys (Boxes), Gwyn dy Fyd, Tasa ti’n sefyll yn Fama). Ffion designed and developed a 6 month devising programme for young people to experience a multidisciplinary approach to producing performance and encouraged site specific activity. Since then the programme has gone on to work as a three week intense production during the summer term and SBECTOL and AR Y STRYD was created in 2015 a 2016 by Gwennan Mair.
• Accreditation in The Arts, Urdd Gobaith Cymru (Ffion produced new OCN Modules to measure young people’s development in creative activity that could allow young people to be accredited as they participated in community work).

Workshops, Presentations and Papers in Conferences and Public Presentations and Lectures:

• Tour Director of ‘Y Tŵr’ (Music Theatre Wales and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru) presenting talks on ‘drama and the opera’ during pre and post-performance talks across performance venues, such as Clwyd Theatre Cymru, Sherman Cymru, Aberystwyth Arts Centre across Wales
• Organised a new External Performance Lab with the School of Creative Studies and Media with professional actors, voice/text coach and students to explore contemporary performance practice. Arts Council of Wales.
• ‘Directing in the Theatre’ Evening at Bangor University’s Arts and Humanities College to celebrate and share research (presenting)
• Conference ‘Cymru ar Lwyfan y Byd’ (Wales on the World’s Stage) Aberystwyth University in partnership with Bangor University (School of Welsh) (presenting)
• ‘The Process of Translating from a Director’s Perspective’ School of Creative and Studies Research Programme, Bangor University (presenting)
• Developing Creativity in Education (Designed and delivered tailored workshops during teachers HMS afternoon to explore the role of creativity in their teaching delivery) Glan Clwyd Secondary School and Dolbadarn’s Primary School in Llanberis took part. Arts Council of Wales.
• Wrote a Blog on behalf of National Theatre Wales to feature in the Community Page Website to share the directing research of ‘Thomas Ostermeier’
• Judge at the National Eisteddfod ‘New Writing’ (Y Fedal Ddrama)
• ‘Merch yr Eog’ Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru (Welsh Language National Theatre) (Chaired a post-show discussion with the Director and cast at Pontio’s ‘Bryn Terfel Theatre’) Bangor University
• Directing ‘Mrs Reynolds a’r Cena Bach’ (Mrs Reynolds and the Ruffian) Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru (Welsh Language National Theatre) (pre-show discussion with the audience – chaired by the actor Huw Garmon) Clwyd Theatre Cymru
• Staging ‘Drych’ (Mirror) Frân Wen (post-show discussion with the audience Neuadd Dwyfor Pwllheli)
• Research and Development on the Play ‘Drych’ (Mirror) Frân Wen (Planning and implementing a week long research process with actors, author, composer, set designer and lighting designer)
• Devising Saer y Sêr (Star Maker)– Llanfairfechan Primary School (Designing and co-delivering research workshops with the creative members of the cast and crew to explore the young children’s ideas into development for the production’s national tour) Exploring with the children as well as the teacher’s and the families input.
• Fi di Fi (I am Me) – (Pilot Project) On Mental Health with Secondary School, Ysgol y Moelwyn, Blaenau Ffestiniog (Advising and supporting the engagement officer and the Company on the development of the project) Frân Wen.
• Lectures and workshops on ‘Public Speaking’ Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol (Welsh National College) (tailored for lecturers, postgraduate students (M.A. and PhD)
• Conference ‘Theatr, Hanes a Gwleidyddiaeth’ (Theatre, History and Politics) (University of South Wales, The Atrium) Apart of the discussion panel.

Links:

Opera ‘Y Twr’ (The Tower) Music Theatre Wales/Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Lp6uPY05wg

Examples of work directed by Ffion Haf in production:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMzKz7pP7L0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNj2SlgMhpI

An introduction to the New Writing Programme ‘Sgript i Lwyfan’ (Script to Stage) Ffion created and developed with Aled Jones Williams:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Lpdt7Veps

Example of the community work developed in BRAIN (young people's theatre company), (Gwennan Mair) Frân Wen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGctSuaHWqQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVJjBVj_Iw8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_UACXbZXxQ&t=10s