Are You O.K?
For Hijinx Theatre, Tic is currently creating music and sound for the online presentation of ‘Are You O.K?’
We wake, we get dressed, we brush our teeth, we eat our breakfast, we hydrate, we exercise, we hydrate again, we grow plants, we look out our window. If we are lucky we go outside, we see people, at a distance, we laugh, we cry. We go to bed. Then we do it all again. But are we OK?
A diverse group of performers from Hong Kong and Wales (UK) reflect on a world in lockdown, on how life has changed, or stayed the same, on what and who we miss, on how we can help each other without being able to be with each other.
Are you OK? is a live performance, created on Zoom and presented via zoom from the performer’s own homes. The performance will be in Cantonese and English – Hijinx Theatre Website
BolSHE Branding Campaign
During Oct – Dec 2020 Tic collaborated with BolSHE, an organisation ‘aiming to celebrate and utilise creatives who are Welsh/Wales based women’, to create music for their branding campaign.
Heart of Cardiff
For Sherman Theatre, Tic is currently creating music and sound design for 5 of the 10 plays in the ‘Heart of Cardiff’ audio theatre series.
These radio plays include ‘Goodbye Memory Lane’ written by Emma Cooney and directed by Matthew Holmquist, ‘See For Yourself’ written by Claire Boot and directed by Alice Eklund, ‘Rodney and The Shrieking Sisterhood’ written by Hannah McPake and directed by Joe Murphy and ‘Housemates’ written by Tim Green and directed by Joe Murphy.
A big thank you to RWCMD Composers Niamh O’Donnell & Tayla-Leigh Payne providing additional music on the ‘Rodney and The Shrieking Sisterhood’ score.
Listen now at www.heartofcardiff.co.uk
Metamorphosis
Working with Hijinx Theatre, Tic created music and sound for their online show ‘Metamorphosis’. The show was performed live via Zoom for Green Man Festival’s ‘Field of Streams’ on Saturday 22nd August 2020. The show also appeared as a guest performance at the Grenzlos Kultur Festival in Mainz, Germany in September 2020 via Zoom. Watch the trailer here.
It Takes A Town
Tic collaborated with designer and theatre-maker Becky Davies on Becky’s National Theatre Wales Located Residency ‘It Takes A Town’.
“Created in collaboration with director Elise Davison, poet-musician Rufus Mufasa, and sound artist Tic Ashfield, It Takes a Town is a playful, multi-sensory journey in which the whole community is encouraged to play a creative role. This period of artistic research will culminate in the production of a prototype of an interactive book filled with at-home activities designed by Becky. The town’s bustling Prince’s cafe, and its sensory potential, will act as a springboard into the many anecdotes and associations residents of Pontypridd might bring to the work.” – NTW Website
Lung Water
“I never wanted you to have to go through that when you were, what? Thirteen, no? Thirteen, and me left with you. Stuck. Forever. God help me…”
Lung water
Tic created the music and sound for ‘Lung Water’ written by Jacob Hodgkinson during May – June 2020. The show was produced by Chippy Lane Productions with National Theatre Wales, Sherman Theatre in partnership with BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Arts. Watch the trailer here.
Director: Hannah Noone
Writer: Jacob Hodgkinson
Stage Manager: Amy Wildgoose
Technicians: Gareth Brierley & Dewi Jones
Constellation Street
“Place like this – you know this – place like this gets in your blood. Once it’s in your blood, you can’t get it out.”
constellation street
Tic created the music and sound for the online presentation of Constellation St by Matthew Bulgo during April and May 2020. The production was presented by National Theatre Wales and Sherman Theatre in partnership with BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Arts. Dan Jones directs for The Other Room assisted by Nerida Bradley. The cast includes Rakie Ayola, Matthew Gravelle, Rebecca Hayes and Julian Lewis Jones.
Director: Dan Jones
Assistant Director: Nerida Bradley
Writer: Matthew Bulgo
Stage Manager: Amy Wildgoose
Technicians: Gareth Brierley & Dewi Jones
Ripples
In April 2020 Tic created the music and sound design for the online presentation of Ripples by Tracy Harris, produced / supported by National Theatre Wales, Sherman Theatre, RWCMD, BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Arts. Directed by Matthew Holmquist.
Director: Matthew Holmquist
Writer: Tracy Harris
Videographer: Jorge Lizalde
Deputy Stage Manager: Demelza Monk
Technician: Dewi Jones
CoDI Move
During December 2019 to April 2020 Tic acted as mentor for the Ty Cerdd and Hijinx Theatre CoDI Move collaborative project. Five Welsh and Wales based composers were embedded in the the five Hijinx Theatre Hubs across Wales where they collaborated with actor/movement performers and choreographers to create a short movement piece.
“Five composers/sound artists from a broad stylistic range (shown above) were recruited to work in the Hijinx Academies – which train learning-disabled actors in Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Carmarthen and Prestatyn. Lead composer Tic Ashfield provided mentoring in writing for movement / theatre / dance while support in working in a learning-disabled training setting came from local choreographers and course leaders. The selected artists were resident in their local Academy for one session per week creating a work for the Academy actors to perform with in their end-of-term sharing.” – Ty Cerdd
Pryd Mae’r Haf?
Tic created the score for the Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru and Criw Brwd production of Pryd Mae’r Haf? during January and February 2020.
‘Pryd Mae’r Haf?, Gwawr Loader’s Welsh translation of the play Christmas is Miles Away by Chloë Moss, is presented by Criw Brwd and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with Theatr Soar and The Other Room.’ – TGC Website.
Director: Sion Pritchard
Assistant Director: Elin Phillips
Writer: Chloë Moss translated by Gwawr Loader
Lighting Designer: El Higgins
Designer: Luned Gwawr Evans
Movement Director: Eddie Ladd
Violence
Tic created the music and sound design for the ‘Violence’ season at The Other Room theatre, Porters. The Season features three new plays:
American Nightmare by Matthew Bulgo. Dir. Sara Lloyd.
The Story by Tess Berry-Hart. Dir. David Mercatali.
Hela by Mari Izzard. Dir. Dan Jones.
Assistant Director: Alice Eklund
Lighting Designer: Katy Morrison
Designer: Delyth Evans
Associate Director: Matthew Holmquist
Video Designer: Simon Clode
Production Manager: Rhys Williams
The season toured in England and Wales from the 15th Jan to 14th Feb 2020.
The Invisible Woman
Touring Wales during October and November 2019, Tic created music and sound design for ‘The Invisible Woman’ by Ailsa Jenkins. This one woman show was performed by Nicola Reynolds and directed by Chelsey Gilliard.
Director: Chelsey Gillard
Writer: Ailsa Jenkins
Lighting Designer: Angharad Evans
Designer: Ruth Stringer
On Bear Ridge
For John Hardy Music, Tic created the music for the National Theatre Wales and Royal Court co-production of Ed Thomas’ new play On Bear Ridge. For more information please follow this link.
Directors: Vicky Featherstone & Ed Thomas
Writer: Ed Thomas
Emerging Director: Izzy Rabey
Lighting Designer: Elliot Griggs
Designer: Cai Dyfan
Mike Beer: Sound Designer
Rygbi – Annwyl i mi | Dear To Me
Tic collaborated with National Dance Company Wales on the outdoor performance of Rygbi – Annwyl i mi | Dear To Me. She is working alongside Artistic Director and Choreographer Fearghus O Conchuir, creating bespoke, new music alongside the new choreography. For more information please follow this link.
Choreographer: Fearghus Ó Conchúir and performers
Costume Designer: Carl Davies
Storm.3_
During March and April 2019 Tic created the score for National Theatre Wales’ production of Storm.3_ created by Mike Brookes. Here, Tic collaborated with electronic composer and hardware designer Odilon Marcenaro in the creation of the score.
Odilon developed hardware and software using MAX/MSP and Arduino technologies to map the heart rate of a single performer in real time during the performance. This heart rate mapping was then converted to MIDI data; allowing the heart rate of the performer to control the tempo of the underscore.
Creator: Mike Brookes
Mike Beer: Sound Designer
Software & Hardware Developer: Odilon Marcenaro
Peeling
During March 2019 Tic composed the music and sound design for Taking Flight Theatre’s production of Kaite O’Reilly’s play Peeling. Peeling toured across the UK.
Director: Elise Davidson
Writer: Kaite O’Reilly
Producer: Beth House
Lighting Designer: Jane Lalljee
Designer: Becky Davies
Cracked
Tic created the music and sound design for Emily Hinshelwood’s play Cracked. Cracked toured across Wales in February 2019.
Director: Louise Osborn
Writer: Emily Hinshelwood
Designer: Becky Davies
Blue
Tic created the score for Chippy Lane Productions’ world premiere of Rhys Warrington’s play Blue.
Blue ran from the 5th to the 16th Feb, at Chapter in Cardiff.
“Ashfield’s sound design and composition is heartstring-tuggingly crafted”
Cardiff Theatre Review
Creator | Producer: Rebecca Jade Hammond
Director: Chelsey Gillard
Writer: Rhys Warrington
Lighting Designer: Ceri James
Designer: Oliver Harman
The Awkward Years
Returning to The Other Room theatre at Porter’s, Cardiff, Tic created sound design and music for Matthew Bulgo’s work The Awkward Years. The one woman show was scored with environmental sound and EDM.
Producer: Jenny Sturt
Director: Dan Jones
Assistant Director: Alice Elkund
Writer: Matthew Bulgo
Lighting Designer: Angharad Evans
Designer: Hilary Statts
“Tic Ashfield’s electronic sound design, alternating between ambient underscore and aggressive dance beats, is darkly menacing throughout.”
British Theatre Guide on The Other Room’s production of ‘The Awkward Years’
The Tide Whisperer
Alongside fellow John Hardy Music composer Sam Barnes, Tic created the sound and music for the National Theatre Wales production The Tide Whisperer written by Louise Wallwein for promenade performance in Tenby.
Writer: Louise Wallwein
Director: Kully Thiarai
Emerging Director: Nia Morris
Designer: Camilla Clarke
Lighting Designer: Ceri James
Sound Designer: Mike Beer
Video Designer: Simon Clode
Bottom
Tic created music and sound for Willy Hudson’s new play Bottom directed by Rachel Lemon. The work has been toured and performed across the UK.
Director: Rachel Lemon
Writer: Willy Hudson
As Long As The Heartbeats
Tic created the sound and music for National Theatre Wales’ show As Long As The Heartbeats. The show was performed at the Royal Gwent Hospital outpatients ward on the 21st and 22nd July 2018, the performance was a part of the NHS70 festival – celebrating 70 years of the NHS.
Directors: Ben Tinniswood & Marcus Romer
Designer: Becky Davies
Movement Director: Jennifer Fletcher
Deeds Not Words
During May – June 2018 Tic worked alongside Opera Sonic and Welsh National Opera leading creative school workshops at John Frost School Newport. Here students created a musical performance to celebrate the 100 years since women got the vote and to celebrate the Suffragette movement. The work was performed at the Riverfront Theatre, Newport.
Lovesick
Tic created the music and sound design for The Other Room Theatre’s Spring Season at Porter’s, Cardiff. The 2018 Spring Season featured three plays; A Number by Caryl Churchill, dir. Ed Madden, All But Gone by Matthew Trevannion, dir. Dan Jones and The Effect by Lucy Prebble, dir. Dan Jones.
Designer: Carl Davies
Lighting Designer: Joe Fletcher
AV Designer: Zakk Hein
The Collier’s Son
‘The Collier’s Son’ is a movement, sound and video work which explores the impact of the Industrial Revolution on family and community. Featuring choreography and performance by Angharad Matthews and performed at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, May 2016.
The work was also performed at The Sleeper Society electronic music showcase at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff in January 2017.
Created by Tic Ashfield
Choreographer | Performer: Angharad Matthews
Hard Times
During Oct – Nov 2017 Tic created the music and sound design for Lighthouse Theatre’s production of ‘Hard Times’ by Charles Dickens, adapted by Stephen Jeffreys.
The show opened at Pontardawe Arts Centre on the 9th November 2017 and toured Wales.
Director: Joe Harmston
Moment(o)s
Tic created the sound design for Elaine Paton’s presentation of Moment(o)s in June 2017. The show, focused around mental health awareness was performed at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff.
This piece was created for Elaine Paton’s presentation of ‘Momentos’ performed at Chapter Arts Centre June 2017.
The piece was created using out of tune piano samples recorded by the composer after she found an old, abandoned piano backstage at a theatre. These samples have been edited and arranged to create the distressed piano sound heard in the piece.
Romeo & Juliet
In February 2017 Tic created music and sound for Omidaze Productions on a presentation of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. This has been her third time collaborating with the company and director Yvonne Murphy.
Director: Yvonne Murphy
Designer: Saz Moir
Lighting Designer: Joe Fletcher
Moment(os) of Leaving
Created by Elaine Paton, ‘Moment(os) of Leaving’ was a site specific work which explored issues of mental health and marked the closing of Whitchurch Hospital, Cardiff.
Tic worked closely with a team of dancers, actors and visual artists to create this promenade performance. The audience were taken through a series of ‘treatments’ during the show, which consisted of individual but thematically connected performances including solo and group movement pieces, monologues and video / design / archive installations. Each part of the production took place within a different part of the psychiatric wing, including the male and female wards.
To create the score, Tic predominately used found sounds from within the hospital itself as well as brass, woodwind and piano writing.
Henry VI
In 2016, Tic worked with Omidaze Productions once more to create the sound design and music for the all female Shakespeare production of ‘Henry VI’ at the Wales Millennium Centre.
Using the idea of leitmotif as inspiration, Tic created a series of textural pieces to underscore the drama based upon the characteristics of each of the leading characters. Sound was used as a key structural indicator throughout the performance, with sudden bursts of sound indicating the death of each character. Thunderous sounds of war were also used as a signifier for the many alarums within the play.
Director: Yvonne Murphy
Designer: Gabriella Slade
Lighting Designer: El Higgins
The performance was held within the dark roof void space in the Wales Millennium Centre with the audience moving around the space lead by the actors. The sound was dispersed throughout the space to help draw the audience through to the next location.
Saturday Night Forever
Alongside Benjamin Talbott, Tic composed the score for Roger Williams’ ‘Saturday Night Forever’ in 2015. The one man play tells the story of a man, living in Cardiff, who finds love and then tragically loses it because of hate crime.
Music and sound was used throughout the show to give the impression of clubs, bars and pubs as well as supporting the emotional journey of the story.
{150}
Created by National Theatre Wales and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in 2015, Tic composed the score for ‘{150}’ alongside John Hardy.
Director: Marc Rees
Sound Designer: Mike Beer
Producer: Sian Thomas
Richard III
‘Richard III’ was an all female cast and crew Shakespeare production created by Yvonne Murphy and Omidaze Productions. Tic created the score for the production in 2015.
Director: Yvonne Murphy
Designer: Gabriella Slade
Lighting Designer: El Higgins
The Gathering
‘The Gathering’ was a sight specific theatre performance by National Theatre Wales and The Louise Ann Wilson Company which took place on a Snowdonian Hill Farm in 2014.
The soundscape below showcases the variety of sounds collected during the development of the show.
Director: Ann Louise Wilson
Writer: Gillian Clarke
My People
Tic worked alongside fellow JHM composer Benjamin Talbott to create the score for Gwyn Emberton Dance’s ‘My People’.
Tir Sir Gar
Tic worked alongside Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru to create the score for the promenade theatre piece ‘Tir Sir Gar’ in 2013.
Director: Marc Rees
Writer: Roger Williams
Producer: Sian Thomas
Sound Designer: Mike Beer
Film: Simon Clode
Cold Rolling
‘Cold Rolling’ was a contemporary dance work created for the Adain Avion Cultural Olympiad in collaboration with Marc Rees, Tanja Raman, Ballet Cymru and John Hardy.
Director: Marc Rees
Choreographer: Tanja Raman
Co-Composer: John Hardy
