BAFTA award-winning writer Andy Bradshaw has written this year's Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society's pantomime which you can see next month.

Andy is well known in Penarth as joint owner of Hamptons and Shore, an award winning designer and one of the Penarth Council's Outstanding Citizen. Alongside this, he was also trained at the Royal Welsh College in Theatre Design and worked in theatre and television for more than 40 years in designing, writing and puppeteering plus writing a number of BAFTA award winning series for children's television.

PODS welcomed Andy on their production of Sister Act to help out backstage but now he has written their pantomime Robinson Crusoe.

Andy said: “Robinson Crusoe is the first Panto that I’ve written for PODS, and was the first professional Panto I appeared in at the New Theatre, with Dickie Henderson and Keith Harris and Orville. The production team at PODS were keen to have some puppet characters so I obliged with Archie the Dog, Herman the Hermit Crab and Marley the Parrot.

"There’s also an underwater scene with seahorses, jelly fish and a shark. Of course it wouldn’t be complete without Pirates, a storm, a wicked baddie from the depths of the ocean and of course our hero Robinson Crusoe.

“I’m also helping out with the costumes too as I believe that there are more than 50. Rehearsals are going well and I was amazed at the amount of commitment that the members give to every production. We rehearse twice a week and now on Sundays too.

“PODS is very much a part of Penarth; the fact that it’s been going since 1924 shows how well supported each production is.”

Debbie Apollonio of PODS said: “PODS would like to give a huge thank you to Andy for writing such a great script. His help with costumes and set design have been invaluable and the wonderful puppets he has made, and coaching he has given to some of our younger actors, have really brought the pantomime to life. Andy has shown real community spirit."

Robinson Crusoe will be performed at the Paget Rooms, Penarth on Thursday, December 1 and Friday, December 2 at 7.30pm and on Saturday, December 3, and Sunday, December 4 at 2.30pm.

Tickets are available from Brian Gardener on 029 2071 2260 or on Ticketsource at ticketsource.co.uk/pods.