Eisteddfod to debut jukebox musical celebrating Welsh rock legends

To mark World Choral Day (14 December), the National Eisteddfod organisers have announced a brand new jukebox musical set to premiere at the festival in 2026.

efyll ar y Sqwâr (Standing on the Square) is a jukebox musical celebrating the legacy of Ail Symudiad, the 70s rock band hailing from Cardigan, and the legacy of Fflach records.

As the Eisteddfod Choir project for 2026, the musical will combine choral vocals, Ail Symudiad’s music, and a new story penned by Nico Dafydd and Mari Elen.

Aiming to reconnect with music that’s part of the Welsh cultural identity and present it to a new audience, Sefyll ar y Sqwâr performances will take place in the Eisteddfod’s Pavilion on Saturday night, 1 August, and Monday night, 3 August.

Ail Symudiad have been called one of the most influential bands in Welsh rock, creating songs with sharp lyrics and catchy harmonies that became instant classics.

Both Richard and Wyn Jones were sons of their own square mile, and many of their songs refer directly to the area – the very area hosting this year’s Eisteddfod.

The show takes its name from the group’s first album, paying tribute to the unique blend of innovation, humour and honesty that characterised Richard and Wyn’s work and continue to inspire Welsh musicians.

Sefyll ar y Sqwâr will take its audience back to the 1950s, to a seaside town in west Wales, with a story that highlights the tension between ambition and family duty, and love of place versus commercial development.

Siwan Llynor will direct the show, with Steffan Rhys Williams as Musical Director. The choral team – Dan Edwards-Phillips, Trystan Phillips, Einir Dafydd, Catrin Davies and Catrin Morris – brings together talent from across the Eisteddfod region.

Nico Dafydd, Sefyll ar y Sqwâr’s script writer, said: “I grew up surrounded by the sound of Richard and Wyn’s music – Ail Syumdiad’s songs were part of my home, my family and my community.

“It’s a privilege and an exciting challenge to create a new story that stands alongside the melodies and words that mean so much to us as an area. Sefyll ar y Sqwâr is a tribute, but also an invitation for new audiences to discover this great treasure of our culture.”

The Eisteddfod Choir will also take center stage at the Cymanfa Ganu in the Pavilion on Sunday evening, 2 August. They will lead the audience in song and add two classical works to the programme. One of these will be Eric Jones’s choral setting of Waldo Williams’s Y Tangnefeddwyr (The Peacemakers), while the second piece will be announced shortly.

Rehearsals for Sefyll ar y Sqwâr will be held at Ysgol Cardigan, Theatr y Gromlech and Ysgol Caer Elen, giving people from all parts of the area the chance to take part.

The first rehearsal will be on 2 February, and anyone interested can register here: 2026 Eisteddfod Choir | Eisteddfod

Eisteddfod y Garreg Las will be held in Llantwd, north Pembrokeshire, from 1–8 August 2026. For more information, visit the festival’s site here.