‘We want to change Port Talbot from being a go-from place, to a go-to place’, one local resident implores. A local story that made headlines reverberate globally, Banksy’s Christmas gift to Port Talbot in 2018 appeared on the garage of a local steelworker – the first Banksy in Wales.
Whilst the industrial centre of Port Talbot is often made out in grey shades, the Sherman’s newest original, directed by Paul Jenkins, paints a community in vivid technicolour; this theatre project lets the everyday local figures of P’talbot tell their story in their own words.
Drawing inspiration from Brechtian theatre, Port Talbot Gotta Banksy transgressed conventional boundaries by breaking the fourth wall. This innovative approach was underpinned by the use of verbatim theatre, drawing from over 150 hours of real interviews conducted by Paul Jenkins and Tracy Harris of Theatr3, crafting a community-driven- narrative. The result was a powerful, politically conscious production that not only engaged its audience intellectually but also emotionally.
This is telling a story from the inside out; a 21st-century story of tourism and celebrity in a post-industrial region where the end of blast furnace steelworks marks the beginning of a new uncertainty.
One of the most striking elements of the performance was the seamless transformation of actors between characters. Performers used precise body language and physical mannerisms to embody entirely different roles. Matthew Bulgo, Holly Carpenter, Ioan Hefin, Simon Nehan, Jalisa Phoenix-Roberts, and Kerry Joy Stewart weave in and out of each other’s lives as strangers, family members, or friends, all wandering through the streets of the town, the local greasy spoon, or the Marie Curie charity shop.
Each actor appeared deeply invested in the characters they portrayed, clearly having taken time to research and internalise their roles. Being a demand skill to sustain, it was a testament to the talent of all the actors involved.
Amidst the endless Michael Sheen and Facebook gags are pockets of sentimentality, especially when the actors finally remove their earpieces to play out loud the audio source material from which the script was derived. Every minuscule detail is there; the stammers, gaits, misspoken words and regional colloquialisms are all parroted with razor-sharp precision.
The staging was minimalist but effective; the set consisted of a square box that served as a screen for projections, blending multimedia elements that enriched the narrative and offered emotional depth. From direct address and monologues to visual symbolism and multi-role casting, each element was thoughtfully applied to support the central themes of identity, community, and resistance. The performance concluded with a well-deserved standing ovation, a testament to the artistic impact it had on the audience.
Whilst staging Brechtian dramatics against the backdrop of South Wales might seem unconventional, it proved undeniably compelling and resonant. The Sherman has long had a penchant for elevating domestic kitchen-table tales to the grandeur of the national stage; indeed, community and commonality play at the heart of their latest production, foregrounding how larger decisions affect the livelihoods and well-being of real people.
Reviewed by Katie Storrie and Julia Bottoms at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff
Cast: Matthew Bulgo, Holly Carpenter, Ioan Hefin, Simon Nehan, Jalisa Phoenix-Roberts and Kerry Joy Stewart
By: Paul Jenkins & Tracy Harris
The play also showing at the following venues:
Plaza, Port Talbot
15, 16 & 17 May, 7.30pm
Book now
Grand Theatre, Swansea
22 May 2025, 7.30pm
Book now
Torch Theatre, Milford Haven
20 May 2025, 7.30pm
Book now
Tŷ Pawb, Wrexham
24 May 2025, 7pm
Book now
