Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

  YES, folks, it’s that time of year again – Pantomime season! One of the most eagerly-anticipated pantomimes in west Wales is the show staged by Theatrau Sir Gâr / Carmarthenshire Theatres at The Lyric in Carmarthen. This year, it is the turn of Beauty and the Beast, which will run from December 12-29. The festive favourite promises to be a spectacular show filled with magical moments, plenty of laughs, and all the panto fun that families have come to love. Following on from the success of last year’s pantomime (seen by nearly 8,000 local people), Beauty and the Beast will be produced in-house again by the Theatrau Sir Gâr team, in arrangement with the renowned pantomime producing company, Imagine Theatre.  This year’s Beauty and the Beast cast includes three Carmarthenshire-born cast members. The line-up includes Steve Elias as the hilarious and larger-than-life Dame Sylvia Scrub-it, Carwyn Glyn as the lovable sidekick Sammy Scrub-it and Ceri-Anne Thomas as the beautiful and...

THERE was a time when I was regarded as something of a ‘stickler’ for dress codes. In the days when I sat in the editor’s chair, it was a case of woe betide any male trainee reporter who turned up for work without a jacket and tie. Female journalists were excused the jacket and tie regime, but they had to be smartly dressed. And some of my old trainees are still dining out on the tale of how I once sent a photographer home after he turned up (in the middle of a heatwave, it must be said) in a pair of khaki shorts. Today, of course, I take a more relaxed approach to dress codes. Whisper it, but even my Rotary Club in Llanelli, no longer requires collar and tie for dinner. The ‘less stuffy’ approach is being adopted (gradually) by politicians and civic leaders, many of our male leaders choosing (on appropriate occasions) to ditch the tie. The ladies, of course, have more scope when selecting their fashion statements, so it was interesting to see the fallout this week from Neath and Swans...

  THE annual Llanelli Rotary Club Young Musician of the Year competition saw singers and instrumentalists battle it out at Greenfield Chapel in the town centre. The competition was the first stage in a national competition to find the Young Musician of the Year in both vocal and instrumental categories. Llanelli Rotary Club President Cerith Owens said: “Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland believes it is highly important to encourage and develop creativity in young people and the young musician competition is one of a number of ways in which we can nurture talent. “The young musician competition in Llanelli has been running for nearly 10 years, with a short break for the coronavirus pandemic. During that time, we have been hugely entertained and impressed by the young talent on display in the two categories of the competition. “This year’s competition was of a very high standard and we would urge schools and music teachers across the area to pencil next autumn into the...