Iphegenia Yn Sblot Q&A

We wanted to get to know Seren Hamilton who plays Effie a little bit better. This is what she had to say about her character and the one-woman Welsh language play ‘Iphigenia Yn Sblot’ that will be visiting the Torch Theatre on Wednesday 18 September.  

Tell us a little about your character, Effie.

Effie is someone everyone knows. Maybe you've seen her on the street, at school, in the club drinking with friends, or maybe you've been Effie yourself. On the inside, she is a powerful woman but suffers from people judging what they see on the surface.

Tell us a bit about the play.

The play was produced in 2015 at the Sherman, before appearing at the National Theatre, London. Since then, it has been performed and adapted around the world, but this version will be the first time it is performed in Welsh. The play deals with themes of class war and cuts to the NHS, which feel even more relevant now than ever.

How does it feel to be the only actress on stage in a one-woman show?

As I've just graduated and never done a show like this before, the idea of ​​performing in a one woman show was quite scary at first to be honest! But since starting the process, I've learnt so much about myself as a performer and it's been a huge learning curve. Now, I feel like I could do anything.

In three words, how would you describe the play?

Powerful, heartbreaking and necessary.

How much practice time have you had and how easy was it to learn and remember the lines?

We had four weeks to rehearse the show before the performances at the Eisteddfod, so we spent a lot of time rehearsing in the rehearsal room every day. But learning and remembering the lines was the hardest thing about the process as there were so many of them! I had to do a lot of work every night after arriving home from rehearsals to make sure I got them to stick in my head, and asking for a lot of help from friends too to make sure I got them right.

Which part of the play do you like best?

There are two parts of the play that I really like. The scene when Effie goes to the doctor is a lot of fun as there are a lot of characters to play. But since performing for an audience, I also like the last scene, because I can see from people's faces how the play has impacted them and what it means to them personally and I feel so proud that I can give a voice to a character like Effie.

What other memorable experiences have you had on stage?

I don’t have a specific moment, but I have a lot of memories of performing in places like the Eisteddfod when I was little and performing in a musical in Barry Memorial Hall. They’re important memories for me because I just remember being so happy up on the stage with my friends and loving every moment! And without all those experiences, I would never have chosen to be an actor.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to be an actress?

Don't give up. It's such a hard profession, and sometimes it feels like you'll never get the right job or role, but don't give up and have confidence in yourself. Try to be as open as you can and take every opportunity that comes your way, because you never know what will come next.