Pennod 2 Pobol y Rhondda

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-Shwmae!

-I'm Sion Tomos Owen, a Rhondda boy.

-I love it here. It's full of

-possibilities for artists like me.

-I always look for different ways

-of portraying the valley in my work.

-During the series, I'll speak

-to lots of interesting people.

-I'll paint pictures reflecting

-what the valley is really like.

-I'll put them together

-to create a big new map...

-..of the lives

-of the Rhondda people.

-Today, I've come to

-Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda in Llwynypia...

-..to paint the second part

-of my map.

-My theme this time is community,

-which is very apt...

-..in a building where

-there's so much coming and going.

-Hey! How you doing?

-Painting.

-I realize that the map is ambitious.

-But I have a good idea by now

-of what I'm trying to achieve.

-I've no idea what my family

-will think of the project.

-I'm trying to do something

-about every area.

-But it's hard.

-I haven't finished it yet

-but thinking about...

-Thinking of ideas is hard.

-What would you do?

-What would you do?

-

-I wouldn't do it.

-I'm trying to be ambitious.

-Do something different.

-It's a lot of work.

-I don't want it to be too cliched.

-It's what it could end up being.

-It can become kitsch...

-..if you do stuff like the mines,

-coal and rugby.

-But, they are part of the valley

-as well.

-It's exciting.

-But...

-..the problem is time.

-It can be

-a metaphor for the Rhondda.

-People say, "You can't do it.

-It's too ambitious. It's too big."

-Stuff it, I'm doing it anyway.

-I want to do something big, grand,

-overambitious and make it look good.

-Show we can do it.

-You've never been one

-to turn down a challenge...

-..so, good luck!

-During the series, I want to give

-you a guided tour of the Rhondda...

-..so that you

-get to know the place better.

-I'm going to start with my belly, or

-some of the places I go to fill it.

-My first stop

-is High Street Social in Treorchy.

-Alright?

-Can I have eggs benedict

-and Mrs C's frothy coffee please?

-No problem.

-High Street Social is on the site

-of one of Carpanini's Italian cafes.

-The new owners have kept many

-of the old cafe's original features.

-That means

-there's a great atmosphere here.

-They also make meals that are

-different to your usual cafe.

-They offer

-a varied and international menu.

-But this is definitely my favourite.

-Eggs benedict

-and Mrs C's frothy coffee.

-Spot on.

-There are plenty of good cafes

-in the Rhondda.

-I'd better do some exercise next.

-This is Kris.

-He works as an electrician.

-But I think

-he works hardest in the gym.

-Kris, we're in Treorchy,

-in your house.

-Where are you from originally?

-Where are you from originally?

-

-I was born in Lewis Street, Pentre.

-I lived there for two or three years

-then we moved to Hillside Street.

-I lived in Hillside Street

-for about 20 years.

-At the highest point.

-At the highest point.

-

-Yes, the top side of the village.

-Which school did you go to?

-Which school did you go to?

-

-I went to primary school in Ynyswen.

-You were a year above me.

-It's hard to tell, I know!

-I had a small paper round!

-I started in Ynys.

-After that, I went to Cymer.

-After leaving school...

-..I went to work for the council

-for four years.

-I then got an apprenticeship

-at a company in Cardiff...

-..Evans Electrical.

-I did my apprenticeship

-for three years.

-To be a sparky?

-To be a sparky?

-

-Yes.

-After that...

-..I started working in Cardiff

-in the St David's shopping centre.

-The massive one?

-The massive one?

-

-Yes.

-It was mad. I finished

-my apprenticeship on the Friday.

-I was called into the office

-and told, "Thanks. You're done.

-"You're sacked."

-Honest!

-Honest!

-Their policy is you do your time

-and then you go out into the world.

-Didn't you know that?

-Didn't you know that?

-

-No!

-So what do you do now?

-So what do you do now?

-

-I'm a lighting designer.

-I work on projects with people.

-So you plan everything.

-So you plan everything.

-

-Yes. What lights go in.

-It's better for you

-as you can work from home.

-I can see some muscly men

-on top of the TV.

-What are those?

-I looked like that back in the day.

-I looked like that back in the day.

-

-Very small!

-In shape but very small!

-That was the problem!

-I started when I was 14 in Cymer.

-I tried to play rugby

-but I was eight stone. I was tiny.

-My dad said we had to go to the gym

-to put some muscle on me.

-That's why I competed

-in Junior Mr Wales.

-I won that in my first competition,

-when I was 20, in Porthcawl.

-It was good.

-No.15, Kris Jones!

-It was tough.

-You look pretty tanned.

-You look pretty tanned.

-

-Very tanned.

-It's called Dream Tan.

-It's rub on, rub off,

-but it's a very good tan.

-I'd put girls to shame

-on a Friday...

-..if I walked into the Lion

-with a bit of Dream Tan.

-"Look at this, girls!"

-This is a tan.

-Right, let's see how hard

-this bodybuilding lark is.

-Oh, right.

-It's heavier than it looks!

-Come on.

-One.

-Two.

-The lifting

-is easier than the sitting down.

-One.

-Two.

-Three.

-If you trained for ten years,

-you could do this.

-Great.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-

-No problem!

-That wasn't far off what I weigh.

-What was it, 90?

-Yeah, 90kg. 14 stone.

-When I train, I do my chest, arms,

-back and shoulders...

-..and my legs on another day.

-What's your routine?

-Four days training, three days off?

-Well, to be honest...

-..I've done it for so many years now

-I do it when I feel like it.

-I might train for a day or two

-then have a rest day...

-..then go back for a day or two.

-I don't have a set routine any more.

-I just go when I feel like it.

-If you're tired, you won't do it.

-You have to listen to your body

-if you're tired, like you said.

-Mine's telling me I'm shattered.

-What do I do now?!

-Your body's telling you

-it's time to go home!

-For example...

-Higher. So it's level.

-Yeah. Up to there.

-I went to the Royal Welsh once.

-I had to pick up a drill

-and hold it up for ages.

-Did you win?

-Did you win?

-

-Three minutes and five. No.

-I look at this and think, "Flippin'

-'eck. Look at the shape he's in."

-I look like a sack of potatoes

-with a rope.

-When you do it, to achieve

-what you want for the competition...

-..is it worth it by the end?

-Yeah, I think so.

-It takes so much discipline

-to do it for three months.

-You can take that into your work

-and life in general.

-Come on. Come on.

-Come on.

-Come on. Come on.

-Come on.

-No, Jac y Jwced.

-Home. I don't know how you do it.

-Home. I don't know how you do it.

-

-Well done.

-You tried!

-Thanks! I tried!

-Right.

-Right.

-

-Lunchtime. Come on.

-Right, I want chips!

-Everyone likes salt and vinegar

-with their chips.

-But the Rhondda people

-like a bit of humour too.

-Here, in Ton Pentre...

-..Leighton Jones has opened a shop

-called A Fish Called Rhondda.

-In Treherbert...

-..his son Gareth has opened

-a shop called Good Pie Mr Chips.

-Having catchy names and cooking

-tasty chips runs in the family.

-Everyone in Rhondda Fach

-knows this shop.

-Giuliano Margaritelli's family...

-..has been selling fish and chips

-in Ferndale for 70 years.

-Ilda, Giuliano's mother, worked here

-years ago with her brother-in-law.

-The food tastes as good as ever.

-Stonkin' chips.

-After finishing the chips, I'll come

-here, to the clog-maker's workshop.

-Then I'll have a feast

-at another of the valley's cafes.

-I'll then go to the dance studio

-to see this lively lot.

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-The theme of the picture I'm drawing

-in Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda is community.

-I'm trying to paint life's journey,

-from when we're born...

-..to when we die

-and everything in between.

-A hospital such as this

-sees it all...

-..and is a focal point

-for the community.

-Alright?

-Back to the tour of the cafes

-and to a new favourite of mine.

-Delicious

-is on the high street in Ystrad.

-There's an incredible choice of food

-on offer.

-I've decided to go

-for the house special.

-Chicken chow mein, please.

-Matthew Rogers is a local lad.

-He worked as a chef in the Army

-for 17 years...

-..before coming home

-and opening his own business.

-Chicken chow mein.

-Fabulous. Flippin' 'eck -

-that's massive!

-It's huge. It's bigger

-than I'd serve for myself at home!

-It's lush.

-That's enough food for today

-and the end of my tour of the cafes.

-Thousands of people travel out

-of the Rhondda to work every day.

-I'm going to leave the valley for

-a little to see a craftsman at work.

-Here, at the National History Museum

-in St Fagans...

-..Geraint works at his craft.

-Hi, Ger.

-Hi, Ger.

-

-Hi, Sion. Nice to meet you.

-You've got me out of the Rhondda!

-Shall we see why I'm here?

-Shall we see why I'm here?

-

-Let's go in.

-Wow! It's like my wife's wardrobe -

-shoes all over the floor!

-It's all handmade.

-No sandpaper has been used on that

-at all.

-You used a lathe?

-No, it's all handmade.

-I use a stock knife, a scooper

-and a rebate knife.

-This is the stock knife.

-It hooks on the bench here.

-This is the scooper.

-It has a circular shape...

-I wouldn't have believed it that you

-only used those three things.

-That's all I use to make the instep.

-Then I do the rebate by using this.

-Is this the rebate?

-Yes. This cuts the rebate.

-That's where I put the leather.

-This is the sole and the foundation

-for everything else.

-Yes. It's made to measure.

-I draw around people's feet

-to get the shape before cutting it.

-So this is made from this.

-So this is made from this.

-

-That's it.

-This is the pattern I've made.

-I've drawn around the foot

-and shaped it a little.

-I then shape it more naturally,

-put it on the wood...

-..draw around it and use this

-to do most of the cutting.

-How long does one of these take?

-I never cut one -

-it's always a pair.

-I'm not being funny.

-What I do is work on one,

-do some work on the other...

-..do more on the original

-and then back again.

-I work on a pair.

-Cutting one is easy but doing a

-mirror image of it is a lot harder.

-I've been here for about 25 years.

-I used to do carving in the houses.

-In the winter, when people paid

-to come in, it was quite quiet...

-..so I did some carpentry

-in the houses to pass the time.

-I said to the museum that I wanted

-to be a craftsman here.

-At the time, a retired clog maker

-was working here as a caretaker...

-..a chap called Hywel Davies.

-I asked him if he was willing

-to teach me. He said, "Yes, fine."

-That's it, basically.

-It was fantastic to work with Hywel.

-I'd ask him if something was right

-and he'd say, "It'll do."

-I wanted to know if it was right!

-I hate that!

-It would drive me bonkers!

-I never wear anything else

-on my feet.

-These are about seven years old.

-Do you always wear them?

-Do you actually enjoy wearing them?

-Yes.

-If I go out clubbing, I wear these.

-I have three pairs.

-I tell my wife I have

-a pair for work, a normal pair...

-..and a pulling pair!

-The biggest I've made was a size 17.

-Gosh! You'd need a tree for that!

-He was quite tall.

-He couldn't come in here!

-He couldn't come in here!

-

-He stooped to about half his size!

-There they are.

-Look at that!

-They're a bit dusty

-because they've been on the floor.

-I could sail in this!

-It's massive!

-Can I have a go?

-Can I have a go?

-

-You can try. It's not easy.

-Put your left hand there, like this.

-Watch your fingers.

-Keep them out the way.

-Am I holding it in the right place -

-here?

-Hold it there.

-Push down and cut as you do so.

-Try to keep it...

-I'll help you.

-Bend over.

-I can't do it!

-How about that?

-Toothpicks.

-Yes, toothpicks. Or art.

-Turner Prize.

-Modern art.

-It can go in the Tate!

-Geraint is a Valleys' lad.

-He lives here in Pentre...

-..with his wife Debbie and children

-Adam, Kirsty and Glesni.

-Adam, do you live here?

-No, I live in Cardiff.

-I work in a casino at the moment.

-Are you the dealer in the casino?

-Yes, I'm the dealer.

-Roulette and blackjack.

-Right.

-Kirsty, you live away, don't you?

-Kirsty, you live away, don't you?

-

-In Swansea, studying Psychology.

-What do you hope to do?

-I want to do a masters.

-Maybe next year.

-I'll see

-what my financial situation is.

-I might go on to be a psychiatrist.

-Debbie, I can tell from your accent

-you're not from the Rhondda.

-No. I'm from Cardiff

-but I've been here for 12 years now.

-You speak English

-but your children speak Welsh.

-Is it natural

-to drop in and out of Welsh?

-I speak Welsh a bit.

-I should speak Welsh more.

-I have asked them

-to speak Welsh at home...

-..so by now,

-I'd obviously be more fluent.

-I wish we did

-all speak Welsh in the house.

-I see there's one missing.

-Ryan is at Coleg y Cymoedd.

-He's studying Performing Arts.

-In Llwynypia?

-In Llwynypia?

-

-Yes.

-I'll go to see Ryan performing, I'll

-go to the casino to gamble a bit...

-..and I'll stay away from Kirsty!

-You'll need to see Kirsty

-after losing all your money to Adam!

-Here's the lively and fit Performing

-Arts students in Llwynypia...

-..with Ryan Parfitt among them.

-Five, six, seven, eight!

-One, two, three. Faces all the time!

-One. Two.

-We do acting, singing and dancing.

-Dancing too. Oh, right.

-Are you a natural dancer or did you

-have to learn it from scratch?

-I had to learn it.

-I didn't expect to do everything.

-So you do everything even though

-you'd rather do one aspect.

-You can't just choose to do acting.

-You can't just choose to do acting.

-

-No, you have to do everything.

-It makes you more rounded,

-I suppose.

-Lavinia,

-you are not displeased with this.

-Not I, my lord.

-Some of our students go straight

-into university, which is brilliant.

-Some of our students decide

-to go into the professional world...

-..go to auditions

-and then maybe to drama schools...

-..in London and further afield.

-Strong arms.

-That's the aim.

-They're currently rehearsing for

-the Shakespeare Schools Festival.

-Make your audience believe it.

-Is Shakespeare and being on the

-West End stage what you want to do?

-Yes. 100%.

-Yes. 100%.

-

-Me too.

-Acting, performing or singing?

-Acting for me.

-Acting for me.

-

-Musical theatre.

-What are you going to do after?

-I like a course at the Royal Welsh

-College of Music and Drama.

-In Cardiff.

-Yes, so I'm looking into that.

-What's your goal?

-I just want to act.

-I'd like to be on television.

-If I'm still acting, I'll be happy.

-Thanks...

-..sweet Lavinia.

-Good luck to them all in the future.

-Some of them might earn a place on

-a future map of the valley's stars.

-I've finished the second picture.

-Things are shaping up.

-S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.

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