The Phantom Coracle: A Spectral Journey Through Cilgerran’s Soul
This October, the ancient stones of Cilgerran Castle will stir with firelight, folklore, and the echoes of lives long past. The Phantom Coracle, a spellbinding piece of community theatre, will transform the West Wales landmark into an immersive, after-dark experience that fuses sound, light, live performance, and local legend.
Running on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th of October, the production is a collaboration between Think Creatively, Cadw, and a stellar line-up of artists including Mark Anderson, Liam Walsh, Ulf Pederson, Collective Flight Syrcas, folk musician Mari Mathias, and Small World Theatre. Together, they’ll conjure a multi-sensory spectacle rooted in the rich cultural soil of Cilgerran.
From Glass Plates to Ghostly Tales
The project draws inspiration from the evocative Victorian photography of Tom Mathias (1866–1940), a self-taught chronicler of rural life whose glass plate images captured Welsh women, slate quarries, village events, and everyday moments. His legacy, rediscovered in the 1980s and digitised by the National Museum of Wales, offers a visual time capsule of a community on the cusp of change.
But The Phantom Coracle goes beyond the lens. It also channels the spectral storytelling of Idris Mathias, whose manuscript map of the Teifi River and collection Ghostly Tales of Old Cilgerran provide the narrative backbone of the performance. These tales — gathered from villagers, postmen, and riverbanks — are steeped in mystery, memory, and the enduring spirit of place.
A Community Reawakened
This isn’t the first time Cilgerran has been the stage for such a journey. A decade ago, In Light of Tom Mathias invited audiences to walk the village’s paths, guided by soundscapes and stories. That event sparked connections across generations and continents, including with Andrea Sutcliffe, Tom’s great-granddaughter, who helped preserve and publish the family’s stories.
Now, with fresh funding from the Arts Council of Wales and renewed local enthusiasm, The Phantom Coracle promises to be even more ambitious. Expect fire sculptures, projection art, puppetry, and live music — all Expertly woven together by ‘Think Creatively’, alongside students from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and the ever-passionate Cilgerran Players.
Rhwyfa dy gwch dy hun
At its heart, The Phantom Coracle is a celebration of heritage, resilience, and the power of storytelling. It invites us to row our own boats — to honour the past while navigating the present. As the coracles emerge once more from the Teifi’s banks, and the castle walls flicker with light and memory, Cilgerran will remind us that history isn’t just something we inherit — it’s something we perform, preserve, and pass on.
