'Blink' is a 'Valleys revenge tragedy- a harrowing story about a charismatic and unscrupulous drama teacher, partly derived from events contained in the Clywch Report. Directed by Michael Kelligan.

A couple of fascinating theatrical experiences in the past week or so, both at Cardiff’s Chapter Theatre, both dealing, in their different ways, with the micro-politics of masculinity. 

The first was a reading of Ian Rowlands’ “Blink”, inspired by the scandal of a drama teacher who sexually abused huge numbers of youths in the South Wales Valleys over a number of years, and committed suicide before finally being sentenced (the same events which have led to a review of policy which recently resulted in moronic newspaper headlines about GCSE drama students being “banned” from kissing one another during productions “Romeo and Juliet”). Very perceptive in terms of the parental neglect which can lead to vulnerable young people being driven into the arms of potential abusers, and also in respect of the destructive long-term emotional impact of such abuse. Rowlands often shuns naturalism, so it was instructive to see him applying a poetic sensibility to such distressing events. A beautiful, disturbing piece of work.

http://blakeson.blogspot.com