On Saturday, September 24, and Saturday, October 1, to coincide with the first and last days of Tenby Arts Festival, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery’s creative collective will be staging a dramatic reading of sections of the 9th century poem Etmic Dinbych.

The poem is written in the form known as a dadolwch, or poem of reconciliation, in this case between the poet and his lord Bleiddud. It makes reference to a ‘fortress set above the sea’ and whilst no evidence exists of a pre-Norman castle at Tenby, an early hill fort as described in the poem, may well have existed on the present day Castle Hill. It is on Castle Hill, with the dramatic views of Carmarthen Bay, that the poem will be performed.

Dewi Rhys-Jones will take on the role of the poet, with Robbie Price as the lord. Both have previously performed at the museum in In Reflection and The Portrait Speaks.

The poem will be performed in Welsh and the museum is asking any Welsh speaker or Welsh learner of any standard who is interested in taking part in the chant of the poem on these days to register an interest at the museum. This dramatic interpretation of the poem will start a series of storytelling on the streets of the town that will be taking place on these two Saturdays.

This is a great opportunity to be a part of a dramatic flash mob performance of this ancient poem, so if you are a Welsh speaker and want to be involved, then contact the museum via email ([email protected]) or ’phone (01834 842809) or just call n for a chat.