A MUSICIAN from Penarth will be taking her self-penned, self-financed musical "I Merlin" to the stage at the Wales Millennium Centre next month, following a successful run at the Paget Rooms last year.

I Merlin is an adaptation of a Mabinogion Welsh legend, created by Katherine Cole, who has taken the idea from conception all the way to the big stage.

"It's a bonkers story," said Mrs Cole. "It's about a woman created out of nine wild flowers for this man who can't marry a mortal.

"I started writing it about three years ago. It started off with just one song and I thought, 'this is going somewhere'."

The first performance of I Merlin took place at the Paget Rooms and the production - which also features many local children, alongside noted actor Dan Lambert in the titular role - is now heading to the the big stage at the millennium centre.

Mrs Cole said she hopes that I Merlin will be a success and enable to her to pursue her dream of writing musicals full time.

The 50-year-old said: "I'm funding it completely by myself at the moment. To get funding is a nightmare, you have to have a proven track record of being successful.

"I need to prove myself before I can get any funding."

She added that her plan - should I Merlin prove a success - is to write even more musicals based on Mabinogion legends.

Mrs Cole said she is confident that audiences will be blown away by I Merlin - which she says has a modern rock score and is suitable for the family.

"The cast are amazing," she said. "They really are wonderful."

I Merlin is being performed at Weston Studio, Wales Millennium Centre on Saturday July 9, and Sunday July 10. Tickets cost £15 and can be purchased from www.wmc.org.uk/Productions/2016-2017/WestonStudio/IMERLIN/

I Merlin is directed by Ieuan Rhys.