‘The man’s an outlaw. A poacher. A thief. A criminal. A villain. A thug. What else? Now, tell me, tell me one thing about John Jones that paints a different picture.’
1913. War is on the horizon. In a dark, dingy pub, standing on a tabletop, soaked in beer, John Jones holds the crowd in the palm of his hand with stories of mischief and misdemeanours.
But when his son falls for the daughter of the local landowner, trouble isn’t far behind…
Based on the exploits of notorious jailbreaker, poacher and thief, Coch Bach y Bala, The Red Rogue of Bala is a hilarious, fast-paced comedy about power, community and myth.
Chris Ashworth-Bennion’s play was first performed at Theatr Clwyd, Mold, in 2025, directed by Dan Jones.
‘A rich true crime caper about the ‘Welsh Houdini’ tinged with mischief and magic… A sweeping, very funny debut [that] sings with dramatic life… a fine ensemble piece… love stories, longstanding feuds and plenty of cases of mistaken identity… Yes, it’s silly, but good God does it get a laugh’
— The Times
‘This deliciously dark comedy about a notorious Welsh criminal is a triumph… full of theatrical magic… overtones of Joe Orton and Martin McDonagh… This lyrical rumination on incarceration and emancipation, the ever-changing nature of community, land ownership and power speaks to the moment with a moral urgency’
— Telegraph
‘A fiery comedy that comes out roaring… taps into a rich seam of Welsh mysticism and myth-making… a work of expansive scope and gleeful theatricality… roundly entertaining’
— The Stage
‘Fantastic storytelling… a great night of theatre’
— Reviews Hub
