A PEMBROKESHIRE theatre has just revealed its cast that will bring a tale as old as time to life this winter.

The Torch Theatre in Milford Haven will be giving the classic tale Beauty and the Beast the panto treatment this Christmas.

The panto has been written directed by artistic director Chelsey Gillard and will have a star cast.

Amelia Ryan will be returning for her third Christmas at the Torch and will be playing Crystal the Butler. She trained at the University of Wales Trinity St David and the California State University Fullerton and has lent her voice to the Funk Pigeon, Hodge Bank and Public Health Wales adverts among others.

Pembrokeshire-born Ceri Ashe will be the Evil Fairy Shadowmist. She has her own company called Popty Ping Productions and has starred as Niamh in Pilot of Class, Ros in Gwaith/Cartref – Series 6 for Fiction Factory/S4C and Claire in Ridley Scott Associates’ Pull Up Pilot.

Good Fairy Gertrude will be played by Ceri Mears. He is originally from Llanelli and trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and has starred in Stella, The 4 O’Clock Club on BBC, Being Human and Torchwood as well as a number of commercials.

Belle will be played by Welsh-speaking actress Leilah Hughes. The mezzo soprano is also a talented ballet dancer and modern dancer. She has been on Pobl y Cwm and Gwaith Cartref on S4C.

The Beast will be played by Pembrokeshire native Samuel Freeman. The Milford-Haven born actor attended the Torch Youth Theatre as a child and has recently been in Torch productions Jabberwocky and Other Nonsense.

Samuel said: “So naturally, I am ecstatic to be working at the Torch again this Christmas in Beauty and the Beast. It promises to be full of all the laughter, music, and fun you expect from panto and more! I heard the beast is quite dashing under all that fur and makeup too…”

Lloyd Grayshon, from Pembrokeshire, will be playing Belle’s Father. He has appeared in a number of Torch productions including A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Aladdin and Brief Encounter.

Local actress Freya Dare will be the super swing – an understudy for the roles of Belle, Evil Fairy, Butler and Belle’s Father (as Mother). She runs her own theatre company called Forest Fairies and Friends Theatre and has been on Baker Boys for the BBC as well as a number of other roles.

There will be a lot of audience participation in Beauty and the Beast, including a number of new songs.

Beauty and the Beast will be at the Torch Theatre from Friday, December 15 to Sunday, December 31. There will be a relaxed environment performance on Saturday, December 16 at 2pm and a BSL interpreted performance on Tuesday, December 19 at 6pm.

Tickets can be bought for £22.50 for adults, £19 for concessions or £70 for a family ticket. Torch members will get 25 per cent off up to four tickets purchased for the panto. Tickets can be bought at www.torchtheatre.co.uk or by calling 01646 695267.