THE WYESIDE in Builth Wells was prickling with excitement this Wednesday as I entered the building with other theatre goers gearing up for a performance of Shakespeares comedy Much Ado About Nothing put together by Mid Powys Youth Theatre.
I have been covering the preparations for the play each week and this was the opportunity for me to see how the performance would all come together and they didn’t dissapoint.
Walking into the theatre the set was fantastic, and with latin styled live music playing as the audience entered and took their seat around tables you really felt as though you were in a town square somewhere in the mediterranean.
The performance began, and the youngsters were superb to say the least. Considering they had only been practicing since September, it is beggars belief how they managed to pull of such a seamless show.
The story of Much Ado, for the unfamiliar, tells the story of two sets of lovers who are the main protagonist throughout the play, and the comical way in which their relationships come together, with twists and turns of course. The play ends – as all Shakespearean comedies do – with a wedding.
Credit must got to all the young actors who made the show so spectacular, but particular credit must go to some. Joe Dunn and Baely Saunders who play Beatrice and Benedick were outstandingly funny, Robbie Williams who played Don Pedro looked exceptionally jovial as you could imagine the character to be, Andrew Mercer and Claire Butterfield played the love-struck Claudio and Hero brilliantly, Shain Lewis who played Leanarto the old Govoner of Messina with confidence, and Connell Treen’s stare as villain Don John was piercing and he fit the role seamlessly.
The dancing scenes in the play were a personal highlight, the lighting, the stage, the music and the actors all together looked superb and the young people were really enjoying themselves on stage, which in turn made the audience enjoy themselves.
The show was however clouded with the knowledge that it could possibly be the last production that MYPT put together, and at the end of the show Baely -who is also an administrator for the arts cuts protest group called Campaign4Creativity - gave a speech hitting home to everyone in the audience how important Theatr Powys and arts as a whole are in the county.
If this is to be their last performance – which I sincerely hope is not the case – then they can be extremely proud of what they achieved.
* For ticket information, contact the Wyeside on 01982 552555.