Gillian Elisa
Encyclopedia
Gillian Elisa is an actress, singer, and comedian. Early in her career she was known by her full name of Gillian Elisa Thomas.
, Wales
, and brought up in Lampeter
; she began acting even before she started school. As a sixth-former at Ysgol Gyfun Llanbedr-Pont Steffan in Lampeter, she co-wrote a Welsh-language musical, Yr Enfys (The Rainbow). After leaving school, she studied at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff
. In 1975 she was chosen by producer Endaf Emlyn
to play the lead in a Welsh-language
rock opera
. Since that time, she has been a well-known figure on Welsh-language television.
On S4C
television, she plays the part of Sabrina Daniels in the long-running soap
Pobol y Cwm
and the comic character "Mrs O.T.T." in the variety entertainment programme Noson Lawen
. Gillian also appeared in the gangster drama series Y Pris
. She has performed one-woman comedy shows at the Edinburgh Festival
. As a singer, Gillian has completed three albums of new and traditional Welsh songs – Rhywbeth yn y Glas http://www.gillianelisa.co.uk/page8.1.html#target, Haul ar Nos Hir http://www.gillianelisa.co.uk/page8.2.html#target, and Lawr Y Lein http://www.gillianelisa.co.uk/page8.4.html#targethttp://www.gillianelisa.co.uk/page8.5.html#target – as well as appearing on a number of other recordings.
Career
Gillian was born in CarmarthenCarmarthen
Carmarthen is a community in, and the county town of, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is sited on the River Towy north of its mouth at Carmarthen Bay. In 2001, the population was 14,648....
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and brought up in Lampeter
Lampeter
Lampeter is a town in Ceredigion, South West Wales, lying at the confluence of the River Teifi and the Afon Dulas.-Demographics:At the 2001 National Census, the population was 2894. Lampeter is therefore the smallest university town in both Wales and the United Kingdom...
; she began acting even before she started school. As a sixth-former at Ysgol Gyfun Llanbedr-Pont Steffan in Lampeter, she co-wrote a Welsh-language musical, Yr Enfys (The Rainbow). After leaving school, she studied at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. In 1975 she was chosen by producer Endaf Emlyn
Endaf Emlyn
Endaf Emlyn is a Welsh musician, film and television director.Emlyn was born in Bangor, Wales. He began his television career as scriptwriter and presenter for HTV Wales, but had a simultaneous career as a musician...
to play the lead in a Welsh-language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
rock opera
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
. Since that time, she has been a well-known figure on Welsh-language television.
On S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
television, she plays the part of Sabrina Daniels in the long-running soap
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Pobol y Cwm
Pobol y Cwm
Pobol y Cwm is a Welsh-language television soap opera which has been produced by the BBC since October 1974. The longest-running television soap opera produced by the BBC, Pobol y Cwm was originally transmitted on BBC Wales television and later transferred to the Welsh-language station S4C when it...
and the comic character "Mrs O.T.T." in the variety entertainment programme Noson Lawen
Noson Lawen (TV series)
Noson Lawen is a long-running Welsh-language television series, first broadcast on S4C in Wales in 1982.The term Noson Lawen translates roughly into English as A Merry Evening. The programme takes the form of a variety show, with performers including singing duets, sketches, choirs, comedians etc...
. Gillian also appeared in the gangster drama series Y Pris
Y Pris
Y Pris is a popular Welsh language television programme produced by Fiction Factory for Welsh public service television station S4C. Described in its tagline as "The Sopranos by the seaside"...
. She has performed one-woman comedy shows at the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
. As a singer, Gillian has completed three albums of new and traditional Welsh songs – Rhywbeth yn y Glas http://www.gillianelisa.co.uk/page8.1.html#target, Haul ar Nos Hir http://www.gillianelisa.co.uk/page8.2.html#target, and Lawr Y Lein http://www.gillianelisa.co.uk/page8.4.html#targethttp://www.gillianelisa.co.uk/page8.5.html#target – as well as appearing on a number of other recordings.