'This is a really interesting time for Welsh politics' - The Nature of a Curve runs at the Corpus Playroom this weekGareth Scourfield

It’s election night in Wales, and Vicky Evans MS is seeking re-election to the Senedd. She is gunning for promotion in the government and will do anything to make sure she consolidates power. However, her aide, Carys, makes a startling discovery, one which threatens to derail all of Vicky’s ambitions.

Packed with all the tension and unknown of a real election night, The Nature of a Curve is a new play written by Gareth Scourfield which offers a glimpse into the under-scrutinised world of Welsh politics.

Welsh politics is not the most glamorous of subjects. Neither is it one that is often explored, especially in theatre. Wales voted for devolution in 1997, and the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) has existed in one form or another since 1999. However, before the pandemic, most people if questioned on the street would have had little knowledge of the Welsh Government’s existence, and the impact it has on their everyday lives. Although the legislative body’s profile, in particular that of First Minister Mark Drakeford, has increased massively due to its control of Wales’ Covid restrictions, the Welsh political world in general is under-discussed and under-scrutinised.

“The lack of scrutiny has fostered a somewhat complacent attitude across the political spectrum”

I do think that there are some good politicians in Wales, fighting really hard to improve people’s lives. However, the lack of scrutiny afforded to Senedd politics has, in my opinion, fostered a somewhat complacent attitude across the political spectrum. Opposition parties offer no real challenge to the incumbent Welsh Labour, and the Government are often happy to match the extremely low benchmark of ‘better than Boris Johnson’. I get frustrated sometimes by this complacency, and this is partly what inspired me to write The Nature of a Curve.

The Queen meets First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford at the Senedd opening in OctoberHUW EVANS PICTURE AGENCY/SENEDD CYMRU

This is also a really interesting time for Welsh politics. The last election saw constitutional matters thrust to the forefront of the debate, and it actually wasn’t boring! Right-wing grifters called for the Senedd to be abolished, while nationalists like Plaid Cymru argued that Wales needs independence from the UK to thrive as a nation. The question of independence in particular has become a key point of contention in the wider public consciousness recently, and this is reflected through its prevalence in the play. Although I don’t think the play is explicitly pro or anti nationalist, I do think that Wales is a nation in its own right, and it deserves to be discussed on those terms; Welsh issues are far more than just ‘regional’ issues. Which is why we’re so excited that the play is being performed here in Cambridge – we hope that you, as a (predominantly) English audience, can engage with it in a meaningful and different way, and potentially consider some of the questions raised in the play, maybe for the first time!

“This is a really interesting time for Welsh politics”

I first wrote the play as part of my course last year (shoutout to the EEDA gang for helping it get off the ground!), and the process of staging it has been so much fun. The cast are fantastic and are by far the biggest reason you should come and watch the show. They’ve worked so hard to craft their characters and bring this show to life. It’s been particularly interesting to see their own conceptions of their characters’ motivations and histories, and how they inform their relationships with one another. With all the ridiculous trials and stresses of the Cambridge term, the cast have been so patient and committed as we’ve put this show together. They’ve honestly done so well to animate the script, and we’re so excited for you to see them on stage!


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The Nature of a Curve is on at the Corpus Playroom this week, 2-6 of November at 9:30pm. Tickets can be bought here.

Link to Facebook event here.