TORCHBEARERS

'Torchbearers' is a Valleys Kids and Wales Millenium Centre Co-production-the result of a long standing partnership with South African artists and community arts organisations. It is part of Wales' Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival.
    
The programme describes it as,
     ' a spectacular cross-cultural performance, which celebrates the extraordinary achievements of      Valleys Kids and their inspirational creative partners in Wales and South Africa. Together, they are   succeeding in changing the lives of disadvantaged individuals in their communities through engaging them in the arts'.

We went to see the show on Friday to a packed auditorium. The show is highly ambitious with a cast of what seems like hundreds-South African dancers, actors, gymnasts, actors, singers and musicians-mixed in with singers, actors, dancers, musicians and young people from Valleys' communities. It is a love story of a South African girl and Welsh boy, who meet on the film set of 'Zulu' at the time Nelson Mandela is imprisoned. They are now old reminiscing about those days.

The production is awesome and it almost seems disloyal to be at all critical as I'm a great fan of Valleys Kids since I worked with Richard Morgan and Margaret Jervis, thirty odd years ago at Rhondda Community Arts and what was then Penygraig Community Project.  I loved the African input-it was so professional and slick, I was moved by the dancing, the music score by Paula Gardiner is inspiring and the singing fantastic. The production is energetic with a great set designed by Mary Drummond. For me a weakness lies in the script by Laurence Allen. It isn't always clear and at times I found it confusing and repetitive. The casting of a mixed race South African, seemingly representing the old Welsh man as the young boy was confusing. This wasn't helped by some poor sound, although given I was having problems with my own hearing at the time, it could have been me.  However, apart from that it is an amazing achievement.
It's going to be performed at Artscape Theatre in Cape Town on November 8,9.10 2012. Well worth the airfare!