Mr Burton: A problem of nationalism

Quote: "Your average person doesn’t understand why Michael Sheen can be Brian Clough but Harry Lawtey can’t be Richard Burton." The difference being that Welsh actors can skillfully do English accents but English actors are terrible at Welsh accents.

Spot on, every point... As someone who has made a hobby of being in films made in Wales l agree... Country, hobble thyself... Why has no one been allowed to watch 'Happy Now' it's full of talent and humour... Alison Steadman, Ioan Gruffudd and the rest...`

I suppose I would be described as a 'nationalist'. I haven't said anything about this, however. So, what is your evidence that it is 'nationalists' that are unhappy about it? Perhaps it's you, Nick Stradling that has a problem.

In regards to a non welsh actor being cast in the lead role Nick Stradling says "This, apparently, is an act of English oppression against the Welsh. An affront to our identity and both a symbol and cause of our national predicament"...the only person ive seen say that is the nick stradling himself. And he somehow then manages to regard a perfectly legitimate view among some that a welsh actor should have been cast in the role as representing some deepseated 'anti-english' sentiment (and the less said about his barely coherent rant about Wales' political status the better). Ironically for someone who talks about 'red herrings' he is the one peddling the biggest red herring of all in his ill advised hysterical rant. And interestingly for someone so forthcoming he doesnt seem to have anything to say about the fact people in the community Richard was brought up in felt marginalised and ignored by the film makers

Let's unspecify this and deal in general principles. Should an Irish straight actor play Oscar Wilde? Should a white south African play Mandela?

Comparing Welsh people playing English people to this is such a dreadful argument, it completely strips away all historical context. It would be a great argument if Wales was represented the same way as England is, if Welsh people (including actors) had the same opportunities as English people and if the whole history between both nations quite frankly just didn’t happen. That’s not the reality we live in though, it’s not long ago if you searched for what Wales is you simply got the answer “see England” it’s so sad that Welsh people want to keep it that way.

I would argue that there is a very simple reason people are disappointed in the predictable casting of English actors in the leading roles of films depicting Wales, especially historical Wales. It's that we have scarce examples of English actors portraying Welsh people believably. Welsh characters are far too often portrayed with a boilerplate accent which to a Welsh audience comes across as little more than a toned-down Dafydd from Little Britain. It grates on the ear. No reasonable person should view an individual actor with contempt for this. It's just that most English people have spent very little time in Welsh communities, and haven't watched many TV shows, documentaries, or movies depicting actual Welsh people and accents. I'd go as far as to say that most people outside Wales have heard more English actors and comedians doing poor Welsh impressions than they have heard authentic Welsh accents. It's like a self-reinforcing cycle that never ends, and unless you get an actor of Daniel Day-Lewis calibre, determined to go to every length to embody a role, it's probably going to end up pretty lacklustre, given the time constraints and production methodologies of the average medium to low budget film. As a result Welsh audiences haven't connected with most of these "Welsh" films over the years. It's no surprise that Twin Town is one of the few English-language films that love it or hate it feels authentically Welsh. Even though the Ifans brothers aren't from Swansea you could hear the authenticity in every syllable they speak, along with a supporting cast who were indeed intimate with that region of Wales. Compare this to the film "Pride". I should love this film. It's a heart-rending and inspirational true story that deserved to be filmed, and it was well produced in every aspect - except the casting. By casting nearly all the main roles of the Onllwyn community with English actors the result was, for me, hugely underwhelming. Imagine if Pride was cast with people who actually understood how people from the valleys talk to eachother. It would have been an utterly adored film in Wales. As it is I never talk about it with other people from the valleys - we know it wasn't made for us. It wasn't made for us, but following on from that one could argue - as Nick does in his video about the Burton film - that we need to stop turning our noses up at this casting trend because furthering Welsh "soft power" on a global stage is more important than such parochial concerns. But I would argue that it is *precisely* this lack of cultural confidence in producing English-language films performed and written primarily by Welsh people that explains why we're so invisible culturally. International audiences may not know better or care, but I would in turn suggest that they would intuit when they were getting something authentically and unapologetically Welsh, and respond more enthusiastically as a result. Look, I'd shut my mouth if we got a Braveheart equivalent starring Ryan Gosling as Owain Glyndwr, but it hasn't happened yet so I'll continue to complain. The appeal of strong national film cultures - French, Danish, Mexican, Irish, Japanese, American - has always been the sense that as a viewer from outside that country you are being offered a glimpse into a world that is otherwise foreign to you. Everybody knows how New Yorkers talk, so in the long run it doesn't matter if there's one Stephen Graham (doing a near-perfect Italian mobster in The Irishman) for all the dozens of authentic Pacino's, De Niro's, and Pesci's. Conversely it's a thrill to see Meryl Streep killing it as Thatcher because we'd usually expect to see any number of British actresses in the role. We don't have that privilege in Wales. We don't get films that hold the mirror up, warts and all, for us to see ourselves. That should be where we begin. I'll end by mentioning my favourite Welsh film of recent years, Submarine. It was directed by an Englishman, based on a novel by a Swansea writer. The film is set in and around Aberafan and the Afan Valley. It doesn't make a huge deal of this, but it's unmistakably Wales, and a specific and distinct corner of it - one that I know better than any other having grown up there. The main character, Oliver Tate, is played by Craig Roberts, from Caerphilly. Oliver's parents aren't Welsh. The comic antagonist of the film isn't Welsh either. There is no intention behind this, but it tracks with the diversity you'd expect in nearly any community these days. Oliver's love interest is Welsh, but played by an actress from London, Yasmin Paige. Her performance is outstanding - the best in a film of pitch-perfect performances. She depicts the haughty wit and deadpan attitude of girls I went to school with in the 2000s perfectly. It's not forced, and her accent is flawless - a particular sociolect; the middle class teenage girl from South East Wales whose speech is inflected rhythmically by the pervasive influence of American teen media. It's something deeply familiar, which I've barely seen portrayed on screen. This is all to say that it's not all bad out there. Also, as a note to Nick Stradling if you are reading this comment - I have watched your channel for years and always find your videos thought provoking - regardless of differing opinions. Cheers!

Wales is finding its voice and that will emerge through the Welsh National Theatre rather than cinema.