A SPECIAL theatre show capturing the extraordinary life of 19th-century Llangrannog heroine Cranogwen comes to Ceredigion this month.

The show will be staged at Pontgarreg Hall on Friday, September 30 (7.30pm), Aberystwyth’s Arts Centre on October 4 and 5 (English performance) as well as Cardigan Castle on October 14.

Cranogwen was born in the parish of Llangrannog in 1839.

At a time when women were expected to sit at home quietly sewing, Cranogwen, or Sarah Jane Rees as she was known, took a completely different path to her peers.

At the age of 26, she was the first woman to win a prize for poetry at the National Eisteddfod, much to the surprise of all the men who competed.

Her poem was about The Wedding Ring even though she never married herself.

She became famous not only in Wales but also all over England and America.

After all the travelling and lecturing, however, she would always return to her native Llangrannog.

This is a show about an unique and talented girl.

The production is being brought to the stage by The Monumental Welsh Women campaign in partnership with Cerflun Cymunedol Cranogwen Community Monument, a sub-group of the Llangrannog Welfare Committee, and Mewn Cymeriad Theatre Company.

Mewn Cymeriad were commissioned by MWW to create a one-woman show to travel all over Wales.

A portion of the ticket income from the tour will go towards Cranogwen’s statue which is due to be unveiled in Llangrannog during 2023.

Cranogwen encouraged the talents of other women throughout her life and the play has been created by an all-female team led by Eleri Twynog.

"Before starting this project, I had little idea about the history of Cranogwen, and so it has been a real pleasure, especially as a Cardi myself, to get to know this amazing girl,” said Eleri.

Ffion Dafis has scripted the play, Janet Aethwy is the director and Lynwen Haf Roberts will act the part of Cranogwen.

The Cranogwen theatre tour will open at Pontgarreg Hall – a very suitable location to start the tour as Cranogwen was born a stone's throw from the venue and was a teacher at Pontgarreg school.