Our new show, Operation Julie, is a psychedelic true story from the hillsides of rural Wales. We have turned the story of the undercover operation that smashed one of the most extraordinary drug rings the world has ever seen into a must-see musical for all Welsh music fans. But don’t just take our word for it. After its first week in Aberystwyth Arts Centre, the locals and the media have been responding.
Photographs by Dimitris Legakis from Athena Pictures Agency.
An audience knows what it is doing. If it stands in a collective expression of uninhibited joy, it is a response that happens for a reason. The company has made it happen.
Theatre in Wales
Operation Julie is taking Wales by storm!
Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
With its impish relish for human paradox – folly and idealism in equal measure – its layered narrative, its subversive humour, its adoring musical tribute to prog-rock pioneers of an era, Operation Julie is the blast of summer performance exhilaration that theatre in Wales need and its audience deserves.
Adam Somerset
Not to be missed!
Arts & Business Cymru
On one hand, it is a rip-roaring, comic tale of a police operation in a time before the internet and mobile phones hampered by sheep nibbling through communication cables and detectives unconvincingly disguised as birdwatchers. But on the other, it seeks to tell the story of a bunch of idealists deeply worried about the state of the planet who believed that taking LSD would help the human race see a path to a better, more sustainable way of living.
The Guardian
Well, Operation Julie was just a joy last night. Thought provoking gig theatre that got me bouncing all the way down Penglais Hill!
Lynwen Haf Roberts
Cewch i weld y sioe yma! Mae’n gymaint o sbort. Miwsig gwych, canu da, lot o chwerthin a stwff difrifol hefyd. A mae actorion amazing yn actio mam a dad. Llongyfarchiadau Geinor Styles a Theatr na nÓg am sioe penigamp!
Lydia Jones
Roedd Operation Julie yn hollol BRILLIANT heno. Diolch Theatr na nÓg am noson wych a llongyfarchiadau enfawr i’r tîm a’r actorion! Gymaint o dalent ar un llwyfan! Os ydych chi yn Aber (neu’r ardal) EWCH I WELD HWN! Just WAW!
Mari Fflur
If you get the chance, GO AND SEE OPERATION JULIE!!! Absoliwtli anhygoel o sioe. Chwerthin, crio, cast anhygoel. Possibly the best production I’ve ever seen.
Rhydian Elis Fitter
I implore everyone see Operation Julie with Theatr na nÓg, oh my god, please please please, it’s amazing!! You will not be disappointed!!
Huw Ferguson
Wow! Operation Julie yn anhygoel - wedi cael trip theatrig a hanner neithiwr. Blown away by Carl Davies’s set and Greg Palmer’s musical arrangements and the whole cast’s performances. Llongyfarchiadau enfawr Geinor Styles a phawb! Wow!
Branwen Davies
Waw noson agoriadol wych i Operation Julie. Great opening night! Pawb ar ei traed/standing ovations! Da iawn Theatr na nÓg, Geinor Styles, cast and crew.
Dafydd Rhys
An incredible story, superbly written by Geinor Styles and brought to life by an extremely talented cast of actors and musicians. 70s rock, peace, love and acid. What more could you want from a night out?
Sara Bailey
I saw you guys on opening night in Aberystwyth, then again on the 6th August (well, I just had too!). I swear down, it is the best show I have seen in a long, long time, possibly ever! I had no idea what to expect and you didn't disappoint. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for a truly magnificent show and hope to see this go from strength to strength. Mind-blowing performance! Thank you so much for putting this together.
Simon Tony Betts
Last night was a spectacular evening for the opening night of Operation Julie. The musical was phenomenal to say the least and it brought back a lot of memories of growing up during this era.
Dafydd Davies
What a gloriously refreshing, anarchic show this is! Well done Theatr na nÓg. Loved it so much I'm going to see it again tomorrow.
Liz Jones
Wel, am Sioe Gerdd gwych! Stori wir, sgript arbennig, perfformiadau heb eu ail. Cyfarwyddo slic a chaboledig. Bydd perfformiadau ychwanegol yn Aberhonddu a Chaerfyrddin. Cewch i weld e!!! Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi gyd am noson fythgofiadwy a phwerus. BRAVO!!!
Gillian Elisa
...a fantastic night of theatre that I won't forget in a hurry. This prog rock play with song...is, in my humble opinion, pretty groovy.
Cambrian News
I put this on here as a "heads up" because it is one of the best shows I've ever seen and it's coming to Theatr Brycheiniog at the end of August. I'm no thespian, but this is an incredible show. I didn't expect such brilliant script, music, singing, acting, comedy and staging. I strongly recommend it. Yep, we're going again, hope to see you there.
Gerwyn Rees
Fantastic show! Hollol wych! Music was superb! #OperationJulie #Aberystwythartscentre
Angharad Jones
Sioe anhygoel heno gyda @theatrnanog yn @aberystwytharts / Absolutely amazing summer show by @theatrnanog #OperationJulie - Y sioe orau fi di gweld / The best one yet
Helen Wyn
We saw Operation Julie in Brecon last night and loved it so much I feel compelled to say a huge thank you to everyone involved. It really was fantastic, so full of energy and brilliant music, with a wonderful connection to the audience. I’m still smiling at the memory of it. This is what live theatre should be all about. Well done and thank you!
Kate Hainge
#OperationJulie is 70s sitcom meets 70s psychedelic concert! See it for the music alone, but a sitcom about a real LSD lab in Tregaron is genius. A show that can pull off a stonking rendition of Purple Haze as an encore is a must see! Fantastic cast & production!
Antwn Owen-Hicks
#operationjulie WAW!!! Wedi cal fy swyno gan y hanes chwedlonol hon ers yn groten… sioe hollol bendigedig.
Charmed by the legendary story since I was a little girl and this rock musical did NOT disappoint
@theatrnanog
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Charmed by the legendary story since I was a little girl and this rock musical did NOT disappoint
@theatrnanog
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sian Lloyd
Had a fantastic evening at @Brycheiniog last night watching #OperationJulie Great to be back watching live theatre! Congratulations to @theatrnanog on an incredible production! This company never fails to impress! Really recommend!
Deryn Evans
Absolutely stunning production of #OperationJulie at @Brycheiniog this evening. Congratulations @theatrnanog!
Jayne Gold
Llongyfarchiadau @theatrnanog ar gynhyrchiad ffantastic o #OperationJulie yn @Brycheiniog heno. Actorion a cherddorion talentog iawn, Wedi joio mas draw. Mae perfformiad arall nos fory neu yng Nghaerfyrddin wythnos nesaf - ewch i’w weld! #livetheatre #musicaltheatre
Rhian Jones
WOW @theatrnanog. Just WOW. #OperationJulie at #AberystwythArts
You guys are seriously brilliant. Silver Machine brought it all back. Amazing. Da iawn 👏🏼👏🏼
You guys are seriously brilliant. Silver Machine brought it all back. Amazing. Da iawn 👏🏼👏🏼
Hélène de Bagatelle