Funny exploration of the science behind love

week we talk to Carys Eleri, whose one-woman show will be at Caernarfon’s Galeri tonight (Wednesday February 20, 7.30). Tell us about your family: I was brought up by two Welsh-speaking teachers - my dad teaching secondary sports and my mam a primary deputy head. It was a classic chapel-going West-Walian upbringing. I have one sister who is a journalist at the BBC. What are you best known for? It depends on your age - if you are over 14 then playing Myfanwy on S4C’s Bafta-nominated Parch, or if you are under 14 then it has to be stroppy tooth fairy - Deilwen Dannedd in S4C’s annual Cyw Christmas film ‘Dona Direidu be’ wnei di?’ Tell us about your show LoveCraft (Not the Sex Shop in Cardiff) is my one-woman-science-comedymusic-show. It’s me telling brutally honest and witty stories and explaining the neuroscience of love and loneliness. I’m speaking from my own experiences and singing some super original songs (The Love Monger, Space and Time, Tit Montage). It’s from the heart, tales of relationships highs, lows and the downright confusing. Examining the science of hormones and why love is really all about the brain, discovering how love works, why it makes us do crazy things and why hugging is the answer. What can audiences expect? Utter joy, fun and some sneaky education chucked in. A romp through my formative years; love, life and loneliness and an 80s power ballad to a Tinder profile. Tell us five things which make your show great? Chocolate. Hugs. Bringing people together. Bangin’ Tunes. Plenty of Sass. What’s your favourite part of the show? It has to be the Tit Montage song - an anecdote about waking up one morning realising I must be in my experimental phase! Tell us about the costumes: An inexplicable sparkly bumbag, a sciency skirt and my choose love t-shirt with a brain on top. What’s the best song from the performance and who’s it by? It’s too hard to pick a favourite, all the songs are written by me and produced by my personal wizard Branwen Munn. Tell us what’s good about the venue: We love Galeri, it’s a great venue. Really welcoming and I absolutely love a ‘Cofi -dre’ chat. Who is the director and what’s their style? Mared Swain of Neontopia directed the show. It’s hugely personal and sort of part stand up, part pop concert, part TED talk. What are your best and worst habits? My best habit is that I tend to hug everyone, whether they enjoy a cwtch or not, but that’s probably my worst habit too as it can get quite awkward! Who’s the biggest celebrity you’ve met? Susan Sarandon - I met her at Dylan Thomas’ boathouse in Laugharne when I was working there in 2007. I showed her and her sister around.

I even sold her a painting. Have you ever forgotten your lines? Yes, I’ve probably forgotten them lots but I tend to style it out so it looks like a very dramatic pause or a brilliant ad lib. Once the tour has finished what are your plans? We will be taking the show to Adelaide Fringe Festival straight after Caernarfon and then plan to tour this autumn across Wales.