A LOCAL drama group will be bringing a classic tale to life next month.
Brynamman Players will be hosting their first production – a pantomime of the tale of Pocahontas – at the end of August.
The amateur dramatics group was formed when director Adrian Cunningham MBE moved to Brynamman 18 months ago and he started volunteering as an usher at Brynamman Public Hall.
“I asked Tom Smith, the manager, if there was an amateur dramatics group and he said no, but that he thought it was a great idea," he said.
Adrian then advertised a plan to set up the group, with 59 people turning up to the initial meeting.
“Tom said he was absolutely amazed at the amount of people who went.
“We have around 45 people who actually perform on stage, and a number who help behind the scenes.” Most – Adrian states around 85 per cent – have never performed on the stage before.
The performance of Pocahontas will be the first production put on by Brynamman Players and it is a special one created by Adrian himself.
“I lived in Gravesham in Kent for many years and Pocahontas died on her way back to America and was taken to shore in Gravesend and buried.
“My granddaughter was six and said to me ‘would you write a pantomime about Pocahontas because I want to be Pocahontas.’ So I sat down with my grandson Lewis and it took us a year to write.”
The Pocahontas pantomime follows a fictional story of Pocahontas – the real-life Powhatan Native American who moved to England in 1616 after converting to Christianity and marrying Englishman John Rolfe – who wants to travel the world.
It will also have all the usual pantomime fun including panto dame Shining Star.
The names used for the characters are names that were around during the time period, translated into English.
The pantomime retains some Disney – who popularised a story about Pocahontas - magic, as when he was mayor of Gravesham, he was invited to go to Disney when the film was being premiered and was granted permission to use some of the songs.
Brynamman Players’ pantomime Pocahontas will be performed at Brynamman Public Hall between August 24-26. Tickets cost £12 for an adult, £8 for a child and £32 for a family ticket and are available at https://www.brynammancinema.org/movie/pocahontas
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