Community Theatre at its best

Community Theatre at its best

Posted: 19th January 2026

Rareseed Theatre returned to Clarence Hall last weekend with In the Bleak Midwinter, a finely crafted play by local author, Charles Way.  First performed in 1990, it still felt fresh and relevant. Way’s script blends poetic imagery with earthy, spoken dialogue, creating something that is accessible, lively and engaging.

Inspired by the medieval mystery plays, In the Bleak Midwinter is a poignant work. Set in the Welsh Border country, not far from Bethlehem, it places a familiar narrative within a landscape that feels recognisable.

At its centre are Zac, a stargazing shepherd, and Miriam, his pragmatic and challenging wife. Their journey through the Black Mountains to Bethlehem, undertaken to register for the poll tax, becomes a testing ground for trust and resilience. Along the way they meet Mak, a sheep-stealer, and his wily girlfriend Gill. When they reach Bethlehem, the tension sharpens.  Zac is led astray, while Miriam takes shelter in a stable with a carpenter, his wife and their newborn child.

Through the experience of ordinary figures living with hardship and uncertainty, the piece reflects on how grace can touch even the most humble lives and how hope persists when survival demands difficult choices.

The production was enriched by original live music, reinforcing its roots in communal storytelling. The staging was deliberately unconventional, with action unfolding on the floor rather than a raised stage, creating an intimate atmosphere.

The audience response to the drama was warm, with particular praise for the inventiveness of the writing and the ease with which the cast engaged those watching. The result was theatre that felt alive in the room: thoughtful and moving.

With a career spanning more than four decades and plays staged across the UK and internationally, Charles Way is a writer of remarkable range and humanity. Seeing one of his works brought to life so effectively by Rareseed Theatre, and so close to home, was a reminder of the strength of local voices and of how, even in bleak times, compassion can still have the last word.   Community theatre at its best!