Local group bounces back after Covid lockdown break and brings family friendly performances to Cydweli and Mynydd-y-Garreg.

KAMPS is back – drama group founded in 2018 has come back strongly after an 18 month forced break due to Covid. KAMPS presents an amateur production of The Wind in The Willows, in association with Nick Hern Books.

Mynyddygarreg Hall, September 2-4 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday matinée).

Children £2, adults £8 Like us all in recent times, local performance society KAMPS has experienced covid-19 disruptions. After great feedback from audiences for their first two performances, it was full steam ahead for their third show – Jack and the Beanstalk – until Covid forced the cancellation when all rehearsals were stopped during lockdown. They kept in touch throughout, even experimenting with performances over Zoom – until Michael Sheen and David Tennant beat them to the punch. As a group they were so glad to be able to meet and rehearse again, and put together a free show to welcome audiences back in September 2021.

Audience feedback was universally positive. Thanks to some donations from CO-OP and Cydweli Town Council the group was able to upgrade the lighting at Mynydd-y-Garreg hall to further improve the look of their shows. Unfortunately Covid had not gone away and the surge in Omicron led to the postponement of the Christmas Panto, forcing Ali Baba and the Four Tea Thieves to become a Spring Panto instead. Again KAMPS received totally positive feedback about this recent performance. The latest production Kenneth Graham’s “The Wind in the Willows”, adapted for the stage by Mike Kenny, is their most ambitious to date with great scenery, lighting, costumes and storytelling.

Director Dilwyn Jones said “It’s wonderful to see the standard of performance increase with each production. We have members who have been with us since the start as well as people who have joined us for this production”; he went on to say “we are a very friendly, inclusive and supportive group”.

Lou Thorn has been responsible for set design and overall look of this piece – she said “it’s a complex staging with many levels of storytelling seen from differing viewpoints at different times – there is a lot of imagination and humour in the set and costume design”. Toad is played by Dave Thorn – he said “I played a panto villain last time so it will be a change not to be booed on stage”.

It’s a family affair for the Thorns with their son Dyfrig (9 years old) taking part this time in his third production and their daughter having previously acted with KAMPS. One of the group’s newest recruits Ruqayyah Din, though busy with driving lessons and revision for A levels, said “I enjoy the rehearsals and have been made to feel really welcome at KAMPS and can’t wait to be able to share Wind in the Willows with an audience”.

Chair of KAMPS – Heather Richards (Badger in this production) said – “we are always looking for new members to act, provide backstage or front of house support – if you have previously acted and want to do it again or if you have never set foot on stage but want to try you would be most welcome to join us”. She went on to say “we are primarily an adult group but there are sometimes roles and opportunities for children aged 9 and over”. KAMPS is a local amdram group based in Mynyddygarreg hall near Kidwelly. Meetings are twice a week with the aim of performing two or three productions a year. www.facebook.com/kampsonline/ www.instagram.com/kampsonline/ www.kampsonline.blog