28 July 2014

At 4.30pm on Thursday, 7 August, in the S4C pavilion at the National Eisteddfod in Carmarthenshire, renowned singer Gruff Rhys will be performing and discussing his latest multi-platform project American Interior. The ambitious project includes a Welsh language film which will be broadcast first on S4C.

The project tells the story of John Evans, a farm hand from Waun Fawr in Gwynedd who left for America in 1792. His quest was to discover if there really was a Welsh-speaking tribe descendant from Prince Madog still living on the Great Plains. That, and the fact that he wanted to win a bet he made with none other than Iolo Morgannwg.

John, who was twenty two at the time, travelled through wild America from Baltimore all the way to the home of the Mandan tribe in North Dakota (as it's known today).

In 2012 Gruff Rhys set off on the exact same journey on a mission to trace his relative's fascinating history. He called this Investigative Concert Tour American Interior.

There are four parts to the multi-platform project, four ways to experience the search for a lost tribe. For the absolute full experience you can come and see Gruff perform before you read the book, listen to the album, download the app and watch the film on S4C later in the year. For more information and to download the album and the bilingual app visit www.american-interior.com

At the S4C pavilion (4.30pm, Thursday, 7 August) Gruff will be bringing American Interior to life with a slide show, stories and songs from his latest album, also called American Interior. Get ready for an epic journey to the vast and untameable American Interior.

Llion Iwan, S4C Content Commissioner said:

"We're looking forward to having Gruff with us at the S4C pavilion at the Eisteddfod, to give us a taste of his ambitious and exciting project, American Interior. The film, which will be broadcast on S4C in September, touches on a number of subjects, from Welshness, identity, the history of America's native tribes to Wales's relationship to the rest of the world. It's also full of Gruff's distinct songs so it really is a feast for the senses."

Gruff has already performed this show across Britain and will be taking it across the seas to America later in the year so don't miss him at this free-entry exciting event at the Eisteddfod.

The Welsh version of the film, I Grombil Cyfandir Pell – American Interior, will have its TV premier on S4C in September 2014.

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Notes

Click here for a taster of the project - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHV_6H2hQnM

For a full timetable of S4C's events at the Eisteddfod visit www.s4c.co.uk/caban