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Entertainment

An abundance of belly laughs with Spamalot the Musical at the Torch

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DID you see the original Spamalot that ran for three years in the West End and four years on Broadway where it’s currently enjoying a sellout revival?

If not, look no further and prepare yourselves for a lot of laughter as Pembrokeshire based Artistic Licence presents Monty Python’s Spamalot at the Torch Theatre this February.

From the original screenplay by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, this award – winning musical is “lovingly ripped-off” from the film ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’, retelling the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

Showing from Wednesday 7 February to Saturday 10 February, the non-stop whirl of irreverent humour, irrepressible silliness and exuberant song hopes to ensure that you…always look on the bright side of life!

Artistic Licence was formed by Carol Mackintosh, Marcus Lewis and Trisha Biffen in 2011 with the aim of challenging performers and to engage audiences with a range of theatrical genres. In previous years, Artistic Licence has taken on Shakespeare, Sondheim, Sister Act the Musical interspersed with Alan Bennett, Oscar Wilde and a smattering of Noel Coward to name but a few, along with events to support Sandy Bear, the Paul Sartori Foundation, Ty Hafan and Young Onset Dementia charities.

But, this year, its members are tackling something completely different with the largest cast to date.

Written by Python Eric Idle, Spamalot takes us on an epic Arthurian Adventure with a twist told through song, dance and mime along with some very silly jokes. Audience members are told to look out for the knights of Ni, the Lady of the Lake, the unconquerable Black Knight and a life-size inflatable cow.

One of the Artistic Licence founders, Marcus Lewis, added: “Here in Pembrokeshire, Artistic Licence hope that their production will offer some respite from the post-Christmas blues. With musical direction from Sarah Benbow and accompanied by an eleven-piece band, King Arthur and his knights set out on their adventures at the Torch Theatre.”

Directed by Carol Mackintosh, Spamalot is presented through special arrangement and all authorised performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide (TRW).

Artistic Licence Presents: Monty Python’s Spamalot at the Torch Theatre on Wednesday 7 February at 7.30pm, Thursday 8 February at 7.30pm, Friday 9 February at 7.30pm, and Saturday 10 February at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Ticket prices full: £18, concession: £16.50. For tickets phone the Box Office on 01646 695267 or visit torchtheatre.co.uk.

 

Entertainment

One Night in Dublin returns to the Torch with a brand-new show

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ONE NIGHT IN DUBLIN is heading back to the stage at the Torch Theatre with a lively new production fronted by renowned Irish singer Danny Muldoon.

Tickets are already selling fast for the feel-good celebration of Irish music, which promises two hours of songs, stories and plenty of craic.

Backed by an award-winning five-piece band, Muldoon leads audiences through a packed set of sing-along favourites including Galway Girl, Tell Me Ma, The Irish Rover, Dirty Old Town, Whiskey in the Jar, The Wild Rover and The Galway Shawl, along with many more well-loved classics.

The show recreates the atmosphere of a bustling Dublin pub, complete with fiddle, whistle, guitars, banjo, bodhrán, accordion and driving drums, transporting the audience straight into “Murphy’s Tavern” for an unforgettable night of live entertainment.

Fans can also expect hits from Irish legends including The Pogues, The Saw Doctors, The Dubliners, The Fureys, Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys.

One Night in Dublin comes to the Torch Theatre on Thursday, March 26 at 7:30pm.

Tickets cost £26.50. Visit the theatre website or call the Box Office on (01646) 695267 to book.

 

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Entertainment

New appeal in search for missing Manic Street Preachers musician

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Family and charity issue fresh appeal for information about guitarist 31 years on

THIRTY-ONE years after the disappearance of Richey Edwards, a new public appeal has been issued urging anyone with information to come forward.

Edwards, guitarist and lyricist with Manic Street Preachers, vanished on January 31, 1995, in a case that has become one of the most enduring mysteries in British music history.

Missing for over 30 years: Richey Edwards

The then 27-year-old was last seen at the Embassy Hotel Bayswater in west London, where he had been staying ahead of a promotional trip to the United States. He checked out of room 561 but never reached his destination.

Despite numerous reported sightings over the years, none have ever been confirmed. Edwards was officially declared presumed dead in 2008, though his family continue to mark the anniversary of his disappearance and keep hope alive that answers may still emerge.

Anniversary appeal

The charity Missing People has released a statement in collaboration with Edwards’ sister Rachel, asking the public to remember the case.

In a social media post, the organisation said: “It is 31 years since Richard went missing, please keep his family in your thoughts.”

They also repeated key identifying details from the time he vanished. Edwards was described as white, around 5ft 7in tall, slim, with brown eyes and a shaved head. He had several distinctive tattoos, including a rose with the words ‘Useless Generation’, the phrase ‘I’ll surf this beach’, and a scar on his lower left arm where he had scratched the words ‘4 REAL’.

Unanswered questions

His car was later found near the Severn Bridge services, close to the Welsh border, prompting widespread searches but yielding no firm clues about what happened next.

At the time of his disappearance, the band were on the brink of international success. Edwards’ intense, literate songwriting and striking image had already made him a defining figure in Welsh rock music. More than three decades later, fans still hold vigils, create murals and share tributes across Wales and beyond.

Police say the case remains open.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Metropolitan Police Service on 101 or use their online reporting service, quoting reference CONNECT REF 01/764429/24. Missing People also operates a free, confidential helpline on 116 000.

 

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Entertainment

Turner and Constable brought to life on the big screen at the Torch Theatre

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ART lovers in Pembrokeshire will have the chance to experience the lives and rivalries of two of Britain’s greatest painters when a new documentary, EOS: Turner & Constable, arrives at the Torch Theatre this March.

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of their births, the film explores the intertwined stories and enduring legacies of J.M.W. Turner and John Constable alongside Tate Britain’s major new exhibition. Exhibition on Screen has been granted exclusive behind-the-scenes access, bringing their extraordinary art and personal histories vividly to the cinema screen.

Born just a year apart, Turner and Constable helped redefine landscape painting in Britain – and were fierce competitors. Both captured a nation in transition, yet their styles could not have been more different. Turner’s dramatic skies, blazing sunsets and atmospheric scenes from his travels contrasted sharply with Constable’s gentle, nostalgic portrayals of the English countryside and familiar rural life.

Their opposing visions divided critics and audiences alike, famously described at the time as a clash of “fire and water”.

The documentary offers rare, intimate access to sketchbooks, letters and personal artefacts, alongside insights from leading curators and art historians. It also ties in with Tate Britain’s landmark exhibition, running in London from November 2025 to April 2026, which reunites the two masters’ works side-by-side.

This cinematic event gives audiences the chance to see their masterpieces in stunning detail and discover unexpected sides to two artists whose rivalry shaped British art history.

Turner and Constable will be screened at the Torch Theatre on Sunday, March 15 at 4:30pm.

Tickets are £13. For bookings, visit www.torchtheatre.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01646 695267.

 

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