Tri Bywyd
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Tri Bywyd (three lives)
Site specific performance at Esgair Fraith in Welsh and English.
Undertaken by Brith Gof, October 1995
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Site: >>Esgair Fraith, Clwedog. An abandoned farm in a conifer plantation, west Wales.

Two new and temporary architectures, designed by >>McLucas, were introduced at the farm: 16 meter steel scaffolding cubes, running through the ruin and among the trees. They were made up with floors and rudimentary features - stairs, furniture, lighting. These three ‘houses’ became the setting for three interpenetrating and episodic performances, each involving three sections of thirteen two minute parts, with physical work, commentary and spoken source materials (records, police statements, newspaper accounts), and amplified sound track. Five live performers, including two local actors who had known Esgair Fraith in the 30s and 40s. A dead sheep. Various artifacts including flares, book, buckets of milk, sheets and a pistol.

The audience of 300 were seated in an auditorium built of scaffolding running through the neighboring plantation. Buses bringing the audience were parked in a quarry over the ridge, where also were sited the generators.

The three lives.

One. 1869: a cottage in the village of Llanfiangel ar Arth, Lletherneuadd Uchaf, near Pencader west Wales. Site of the death of Sarah Jacob, the Welsh Fasting Girl, who, it is said, survived without food or water for two years, one month and one week. She died when nurses from St Guy’s hospital London locked her door and watched the result.

Two. 1965: Esgair Fraith, Llanfair Clydogau, Lampeter. Rural poverty and suicide.

Three. 1988: 7 James Street, Butetown, Cardiff, site of the murder of Lynette White, a prostitute, and associated with the miscarriage of justice in the
>>false conviction
of the Cardiff Three.



>> Brith Gof

see also >>[three rooms]
(a Metamedia project)
Funding and support from
Arts Council Wales
Forest Enterprise
Theatr Felinfach
Arts Center Aberystwyth
Department of Archaeology, University of Wales Lampeter