28 Years Later star to appear in Intimate Newport Theatre Production
A powerful new play inspired by South Wales’ mining heritage is coming to Newport this August, featuring rising Welsh actor Sam Locke, known for his role in 28 Years Later.
Locke is also set to appear in the upcoming sequel 28 Years Later: Bone Temple, due for release in 2026, and has been tipped by many in the industry as one to watch, with some calling him a future breakout star on the international stage.
Before returning to screens, he’ll perform in Yma o Hyd, a one-act drama written and directed by his friend Dylan Duffield.
The two perform opposite each other in this intimate two-hander, which runs at the Phyllis Maud Performance Space on 9 and 10 August
Set in the aftermath of a mining explosion, the play follows two strangers trapped underground as they confront the weight of their past, the changing world above, and the silence between them. It touches on themes of masculinity, identity and working-class legacy, all rooted in the final days of the Welsh coal industry.
Duffield, who also plays Aled, wrote the play from the stories his grandfather told him about growing up in the Rhondda Valley and his time working for the National Coal Board.
“He told me about the workers, the weight they used to carry and the strong community they were a part of. I wanted to pay tribute to those people and make their voices heard”.
The production is part of Perspectives, a programme from Gold Tops Studios supporting new work by local writers and performers.
There is no elaborate set design or large cast. The creative team has opted for simplicity to focus on character and story.
“It’s just two people, a moment in time and everything that bubbles up when the walls start closing in,” said Duffield.