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Caldicot teacher marks 40 years on the stage

8:10am Saturday 28th January 2012

A CALDICOT maths teacher is celebrating his 40th year performing in amateur dramatic productions across Gwent.

Graham Bryant, 61, has taught maths at Caldicot Comprehensive for almost 20 years. And in his spare time, he is often found with script in hand, preparing for a role for one of the many drama societies of which he is a member.

Father-of-five Mr Bryant, who lives in Monmouth with his fellow maths teacher wife, Jane, studied Civil Engineering at Cardiff University.

“I grew up on a council estate in Cardiff and we didn’t have a lot of money,” he said. “In those days it was tough to even go to university, so the only option I had was to study and stay living at home.”

After three years of working as a civil engineer, he found it was not for him and trained as a teacher.

Over the years, he has performed for a plethora of amateur dramatic societies including Cyncoed, Monmouth Theatre Company, and Caldicot’s CMTS. He has performed in sell-out shows at the Dolman Theatre and won critical acclaim for performances in plays such as Pygmalion, Oliver!, Proof, and The Importance of Being Earnest.

His favourite roles, he says, were playing Rene in ’Allo ’Allo and his most beloved role, Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady. He also turned his hand to directing, as has his wife, who directed him in Hello Dolly.

Mr Bryant can currently be seen performing the part of Maurice in Christchurch Theatre Club’s production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, which runs until tomorrow.

For more information visit christchurchtheatreclub.co.uk

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