"Alys is a very intense drama, which also incorporates a helping of black humour," says series author, Siwan Jones, who created the popular and successful series Tair Chwaer and Con Passionate for S4C.

"There's an element of mystery as well - a chilling story. I've definitely tried to experiment and there's a different atmosphere about the series. It's very filmic as I convey the inner longings of the characters and the society they belong to."

Alys is a single mum who flees from her past in Cardiff with her young son, Daniel, and ends up in a small West Wales town. She's determined to give her son a better life and a new start.

"Alys is a modern heroine, following in the footsteps of historical heroines such as Gwenllian and Boadicea," says series producer, Paul Jones. "While Con Passionate emphasised the fragility of men, in this series, Siwan delves into the lives of women who have an influence on what's happening around them."

Twenty-four year old Ammanford actress, Sara Lloyd Gregory, plays Alys, a part which was created especially for her by Siwan Jones.

"I regard it as an honour to have the opportunity to play the lead role in a drama series written by Siwan," says Sara. "There's a complete balance to her writing. It has both intensity and humour, together with strong storylines and characters. Reading one of her scripts is like jumping into a book. Her directions are so detailed, you know the characters well from the very beginning. She's so observant.

"I'm very fond of Alys. I love the fact that she's so strong. And that there's always a reason for everything she does. She's not a bad person."

Among the other actors appearing in the series are Aneirin Hughes, William Thomas, Gillian Elisa, Shelley Rees, Ifan Huw Dafydd, Rhys ap William and Kate Jarman.

Sara also had to act with rats and a parrot who swears. "I didn't have a problem at all with the rats, I had more of a problem with the parrot," says Sara with a smile. "He behaved well with the male members of the cast, but it's obvious that he doesn't like women! In that respect, his attitude is similar to that of Alys's landlord, Mr Toms (Aneirin Hughes) who states that women have spayed the town he lives in."

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"I've enjoyed the experience immensely," says the 23-year-old actress from Rhuddlan. "I jumped out of my bed at 5.30 every morning, knowing there was another wonderful day on the Alys set ahead of me!

"One of my dreams while a student at the Royal College of Music and Drama in Cardiff was to have a part in a TV series written by Siwan Jones. When I was studying for my A levels, S4C was showing her drama series Tair Chwaer again. I'd watch it every night and I thought her dialogue was fantastic. When I was offered the part of Ceri in Alys, I was so excited! It's the dream of every actor to work with a good script. It poses a challenge while also stimulating you as an actor.

"Ceri and I are completely different. She's 18, a very shy person who's suffering from depression after she was raped, and as a result, gave birth to her son.

"I was nervous at the beginning, but everyone on the set was very willing to let me ask questions and have the opportunity to learn. I was in a situation where everyone was an expert in their own field. It was good to be able to watch them and learn from them. Playing Ceri was a pleasure and a challenge."

Since Catrin-Mai comes from Rhuddlan in Denbighshire, perhaps the biggest challenge facing her was mastering the West Wales accent.

"I was worried that I would stand out, that the viewers would notice my accent, but I knew that I would have to tackle a southern accent sometime during my career. It's a matter of listening and practising. I'm very lucky that the two friends I share a house with in Cardiff are South Walians, and my boyfriend comes from West Wales. It was a great help.

"As well as posing a challenge for the actors and the production team, Alys also challenges the viewers. In my opinion, that's Siwan's strength. I also enjoy the black humour that's part of the series."

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