FOLLOWING two sold-out runs at London’s Union Theatre and on tour across Wales, Liam Holmes’ critically acclaimed debut drama Mr Jones heads to the Edinburgh Fringe 2025 from Friday (August 1).
Blending drama, poetry, verbatim, and first-hand accounts, Mr Jones revisits the harrowing events of the 1966 disaster, when 150,000 tonnes of coal waste engulfed the village of Aberfan, claiming the lives of 144 people – including 116 children at Pantglas Junior School.
Mr Jones is the debut work of Welsh actor and playwright Liam Holmes. Born and raised just a few miles from Aberfan, Holmes drew on his personal connection to develop the play while training at Guildford School of Acting.
Holmes said: “As a writer and actor who grew up near Aberfan, I witnessed first-hand the generational trauma carried by those affected.
“The impact of the disaster is still deeply rooted in the town. I felt compelled to tell the often-forgotten stories of my community.”
Holmes stars as Stephen Jones, a self-proclaimed rugby prodigy navigating loss and identity in the shadow of tragedy. He is joined by Mabli Gwynne (Dr. Strangelove, Noël Coward Theatre) as Angharad Price – a local nurse and long-time family friend, caught between who she is and who others need her to be.
With widespread praise for its emotional depth, poetic style, and honest storytelling, Mr Jones stands as a powerful tribute to a community shaped by unimaginable loss.
To book tickets for the Edinburgh Fringe performances at Jade Studio – Greenside @ George Street, running from August 1 to August 23, click here.
