RawFfest is a youth arts festival designed by young people for young people and was held this year at the Riverfront Theatre in Newport.

Representing West Wales were a young cast of talented performers from the Torch Theatre in Milford Haven. The cast of 13 were from the theatre’s Senior Youth Theatre and performed an original play titled Tales From A Small Town.

The play was written and directed by The Torch’s youth theatre and education officers, Johnny Lock and Chloe Wheeler, and rehearsed by the cast in only five days. The play offers a snap shot into Pembrokeshire life in the style of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milkwood.

The cast were kindly escorted to the festival by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Milford Haven, William Elliott and Colin Sharp. They, along with their consorts, drove the cast to the festival and enjoyed watching the performance. Johnny Lock, Chloe Wheeler and Torch business manager, Guy Woodham, also accompanied the cast to the festival.

Throughout the day the cast were involved in ‘Flash Mobs’, MC and spoken word workshops and, of course, got to perform their piece to a 400-seater theatre filled with other youth arts groups.

Johnny Lock commented: “I am extremely proud of our Torch Youth Theatre. There are some incredibly talented young people in this county and I’m so pleased we got a chance to showcase what we have to offer.

“RawFfest 2016 was an incredible experience for all involved. Our guys did us and the county proud. I would like to extend my thanks to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Milford Haven for all their support. We look forward to taking part in next year’s festival.”

For further information about the Torch Youth Theatre, email [email protected]-