WIZARDS OF CLYDACH: Councillors step into limelight to save village panto after community council axe
Matthew Bailey, Gordon Walker, and Brigitte Rowlands, who all represent the Clydach ward as independent councillors, will revive the once-popular show this weekend. And two of them—Councillors Bailey and Walker—will go one step further and star in it!
Councillor Walker has taken the courageous step of agreeing to play the lion, while Councillor Bailey showed some brains by playing the scarecrow.
A Community Tradition Under Threat
Clydach, in the lower Swansea Valley, enjoyed a run of sold-out pantos between 2016 and 2024 before the community council, unfortunately, decided to bring the curtain down for good.
The amateur productions, staged in the village’s community hall and played out by people from the village, were always well attended, bringing the community together. They were quite the family affairs, with the scripts written by former journalist Geraint Thomas, his one-time West End actress sister Bethan Cunningham directing, and their mother Beryl Thomas making the costumes.
Now the show returns—thanks to the councillors’ support—with The Wizard of Oz!
‘We’re Not in Clydach Anymore’
Packed with local references, including “I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Clydach anymore” and the famous yellow brick road hit by potholes and a 20mph speed limit, it promises to be one of the best yet.
The show opens on Friday (February 20) evening, with two performances on Saturday, including a matinee, and an evening performance on Sunday. Tickets for the matinee and Sunday are being offered free for local community groups.
The rest of the cast is made up of Euan Renesto, Hayley Davies-Jones, Gemma Lawerence, Ian Whitehurst, Ellie McGuire, and Milly Cunningham—all with Clydach connections.
‘Hundreds Have Asked What’s Happening’
As a former chair of Clydach Community Council, Councillor Bailey has been involved from the start.
Councillor Matthew Bailey said:
“For over seven years, since 2016, we’ve been proud to bring a traditional community pantomime to Clydach. In a time when many families have to travel to large theatres and pay large prices for festive entertainment, we were incredibly lucky to have something special right here in our village. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the current community council decided that it wasn’t something they wanted to continue. So, we stepped in.”
He added:
“We have been approached by so many people, asking what’s happening to the pantomime, literally hundreds have asked. This year, me, Brigitte and Gordon got together and said, ‘Why don’t we use some of our community budget to help pay for it?’ The tickets sales don’t always cover the full cost, so we agreed to cover any shortfall.”
‘She Laughed from Start to Finish’
Councillor Bailey was keen to praise his fellow cast members and those behind the scenes, recalling a particularly poignant moment from a previous production.
Councillor Bailey said:
“We’ll never forget the three sisters who came along one year and sat together at the back. After the show, they told us one of them had terminal cancer—and she had laughed from start to finish. Moments like that remind us exactly why we do this.”
Councillor Gordon Walker said:
“The village has lost quite a lot over the past few years, due to one reason or another, and the panto has always been popular and brought the community together—even if they do laugh at me on stage making a fool of myself! I give the script writer, Geraint, nightmares forgetting his lines but that just adds to the fun—he even writes jokes in about me not being able to act or learn my lines!”
Councillor Brigitte Rowlands said:
“It’s of huge community benefit. It’s very good for people’s wellbeing and nice for people to get out, enjoy and have a bit of a laugh. It’s nice to see locals involved in it, someone local has written it—it’s just an all-round local event for the community.”
She is not tempted to tread the boards with her colleagues, however. “I think Broadway is waiting for them!” she joked.
How to Get Tickets
Tickets are still available from Clydach Pantomime – The Wizard Of Oz on Eventbrite. Tickets for the Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening performances are being offered to local clubs and groups for free—just get in touch with Matthew, Brigitte, or Gordon.
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