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Theatre companies join forces to create a psychedelic stage musical
Over four decades ago, rural west Wales was at the centre of the greatest drugs bust in history. The police investigation, Operation Julie, resulted in dozens of arrests and the discovery of LSD worth £100 million. This summer, a brand-new musical play from Theatr na nÓg and Aberystwyth Arts Centre explores the story from both sides of the drugs divide – the police, and the hippies who settled in Ceredigion hoping to spread their ideals in a changing world.
This summer, Theatr na nÓg and Aberystwyth Arts Centre will present an ambitious co-production for audiences in Aberystwyth before touring Wales. Operation Julie is a musical play packed with songs, drama and comedy, telling the extraordinary story of what happened in and around west Wales in the mid-1970s when hippies settled in the area seeking a new way of living fuelled by acid and an alternative attitude. When a chance clue is discovered following a car accident, the local constabulary works with detectives from across Britain to uncover what turns out to be the biggest stash of acid ever found, taking out up to 60% of the world’s LSD market at that time. Among the main protagonists are Richard Kemp and Christine Bott, a couple living near Tregaron who find a way of making the purest LSD the world had ever known, and roguish dealer, Smiles, based in Llanddewi Brefi.
Theatr na nÓg and Aberystwyth Arts Centre’s version of events tells the story from both sides of the law, with Geinor Styles meeting and interviewing a variety of people from that time, including one of the main acid dealers, Alston ‘Smiles’ Hughes – who was a key part of the LSD chain from his modest home in Llanddewi Brefi – and Anne Parry, the wife of the late Detective Sergeant Richie Parry.
Speaking today, Smiles Hughes says the acid movement was as much about a sustainable lifestyle and a commitment to saving the planet, as it was about psychedelic trips: “We were raising the flag and saying look, look, this is an emergency. We [humans] were spending the world’s capital, we weren’t living off the interest, we were spending the capital. And look at the state of the world now. They should have listened – they should have bloody listened… Then [in the 1970s], there was still the time to change. We could have changed lots and lots of things about society, and instead we went the other way, it just went into this global consumerism.”
Postponed due to the Covid pandemic, Geinor Styles feels the Operation Julie story is too important to be delayed. . “I was astonished how relevant this story was to us living in a time where the effect of what we are doing and continue to do to the planet is a threat to our existence. It is as simple as that. Kemp and Bott knew this and wanted to do all that they could to save humanity. In light of recent films like “Don’t Look Up” and the continued denial of climate change, the message is relevant and urgent and still needs to be told and retold,” she says. “This philosophy was emphasised by our protagonist Richard Kemp, a talented scientist, who moved to Tregaron in the early '70s and created the purest form of LSD.”
Operation Julie is a musical play, a format favoured by the popular and forward-thinking theatre company. Greg Palmer is Operation Julie’s composer and he discussed Smiles’ psychedelic musical tastes and the records that influenced him during the period of creating the play. “Smiles has referenced a number of bands from that era – Caravan, Bob Dylan, Steely Dan. I’ve been very keen from the beginning of the process to have the sound world of the play reflect those musical trends.”
Theatr na nÓg and Aberystwyth Arts Centre are confident that this combination of drama, comedy and music will result in a truly memorable production when Operation Julie reaches the stage this summer. “Operation Julie will be a popular and important theatre production,” says Dafydd Rhys. “We remain totally committed to this uniquely Welsh tale that had an impact throughout the world. It also has the added bonus that the music will be fantastic! We know the audience will be in for a treat – a really good night of quality, thought provoking and popular theatre.”
Smiles hopes the play reflects the seriousness of the cause of that time, but also the joy of living through an exhilarating period: “It was wonderful. We had so much fun, you can’t believe it!”.
Operation Julie will be performed at Theatr Brycheiniog on Wednesday, August 24th – Friday, August 26th 2022. David Wilson, Theatr Brycheiniog’s director, mentioned that ‘We are thrilled that Operation Julie will be coming to Brecon, and this summer we get to treat audiences to a (prog) rock musical. It will be a cracking fun night out. Theatr na NÓg are brilliant at creating great theatre, and this show is sure to enthrall locals and visitors alike - its such an infamous story! The whole team at Theatr B are also looking forward to sharing our new spaces (a new bar, café and foyer layout). The works have been tricky to programme as we have wanted to stay open as much as we can, but this summer we will have a whole new look (to go with our refreshed brand) alongside some superb shows and events. We cannot wait, see you there!’.
For further information, and to book ticket, please contact Box Office on 01874 611 622 where a member of our visitor experience team will be more than pleased to help. You can also book through our website at www.brycheiniog.co.uk.