The rehearsals for this year’s fabulous and festive panto, Rapunzel, are well under way at the Torch Theatre, Milford Haven and our professional, local actors are anticipating an exciting time. Actress and choreographer, Freya Dare, is one of them and having appeared on the Torch stage in previous productions, she feels right at home on her local stage playing the role of Zephyr the Puffin.

Freya is no stranger to acting and dancing and runs her own theatre company with her mum, Lynda, who writes original plays inspired by children’s classic literature with an environmental message woven into them.

“I started dancing when I was three years old. I was always dancing and unable to sit still in the house and very frequently asking my brother can you do this move that I’d made up. My amazing mam took me to my first dance class, and I just loved the feeling of freedom and joy that dance gives you. I remember a project called ‘The Young Americans’ visited Carmarthen and we worked on performance at The Lyric and I knew then that feeling of creating and performing was so special,” explained Freya who played Agatha, a comedic baddie last year in the Torch Theatre’s festive pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk.

Freya says that dance is for anyone and everyone and there are no barriers, with audience contribution a must.

“I believe dance is like an extension on language where you can communicate how you really feel on a deeper level where words sometimes fail. Dancing can express how we feel and help us to let go of emotions. I love the way dance brings people together. Most of my happiest memories are with groups of people dancing together and absolutely, I think everyone should give dance a go. Dance is something natural we all have within us! I teach dance classes to all ages and abilities from very young children to people in their 80’s and you still see the same joy for movement to music.”

Freya will not only be playing the part of Zephyr – a very physical role with lots of dancing and wiggling, she will also be choreographing the whole pantomime.

“I work with the music and lyrics as my initial inspiration. Our amazing Musical Composer, James Williams, always creates a diverse range of music that expresses characters feelings on another level. I use chorography as an extension of that feeling. For example, we may get a Jazzy cool piece of music for a baddie, and that could trigger inspiration of quirky movement or Bob Fosse cool Jazzstyle.

“When working on a comical song I’ll use the physicalityof the character and the words of the song to dictate the choreography. Last year in a song for Jack and the Beanstalk I used sign language for the Fairies song that encouraged the audience to join in. I love how sign language expresses words physically and really complements dance,” added Freya.

The hair-larious Rapunzel panto has a nautical feel to it with a Pembrokeshire lighthouse playing a huge part in the story. There will be a variety of dancing from sea themed numbers to lots of fun choreography that audiences can copy and get up in their seats and partake in.

“I am envisioning some inspiration for choreography from sea related activities such as Charleston/comedic rowing boats and choppy seas/shipwreck inspired dancing. As well as fun, joyful movements that audiences can join in with,” said Freya who was also the understudy in Beauty and the Beast and used her physicality to help create the different characters she needed to play.

And as the opening of Rapunzel draws near, Freya is very excited to see Torch pantomime supporters in their droves.

Freya concluded: “Pantomime is my absolute favourite season! I love seeing audience completely letting lose, shouting out, belly laughing and dancing along. It’s so lovely to be a part of people’s Christmas. As a child and teenager, I regular performed with my dance school in our local panto and the magic I felt then has stayed with me. I am so looking forward to all the fun this year.”

Rapunzel will feature on the Torch Theatre stage from Saturday 06 December to Sunday 28 December. Price: £24.50 | £20.00 Cons | £78.00 Family. Relaxed Environment Performance - Saturday 13 December at 2pm. BSL Interpreted Performance (Liz May) - Tuesday 16th December 6pm. 

 For further information visit the Torch Theatre website www.torchtheatre.co.uk / phone the Box Office on (01646) 695267 or click here.