Competing with Netflix a challenge - theatre group

Competition from streaming giants Netflix and YouTube has seen a community theatre group try to find new ways of attracting audiences

Penarth Operatic and Dramatic Society (PODS) is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, making it one of the oldest in Wales.

From their first performance of the comedy opera Iolanthe in 1925, to Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood in 2024, the group has done it all over the years.

The society's head of publicity, Peter Knowles, said he was "proud" of their legacy, and said they were continuing to work to ensure people keep coming to see their productions.

"I hope that the people who started PODS would look at the society we have today and feel proud of how we've taken their legacy forwards," Mr Knowles said.

"It will be interesting to see how live theatre develops over the course of time. When PODS first started, there were no big musicals, it was just light operetta, now we are competing with Netflix, Youtube, all the major streaming channels.

"People's sources of entertainment now are so vast, and live theatre has to compete with that, it’s a challenge we’re enjoying."

PODS is made up of around 80 regular performers, and has 45 junior members in its youth section.

They perform four shows a year, which normally includes two plays, a musical, and a pantomime around Christmas.

To celebrate the anniversary, the group are putting on a series of special centenary shows in September.

Mr Knowles said the group was working to find new productions that will attract new audiences.

"Sometimes theatre only appeals to people of certain age groups, so for us we have to work to engage people of all age groups and groups of our local community," he said.

"As part of that, we have tried to keep ticket costs as low as possible, so those who can't afford to go to the larger theatre venues can afford to come here.

"We are all volunteers, and our source of income to put on these shows is our tickets, but without an audience we can't do anything, so we have worked to keep ticket prices low and discounted for groups where possible."

Lauren Jenkins, 21, has followed in the footsteps of her Mother and Grandmother in performing for PODS, and is also head of the society's youth section.

"I remember going to rehearsals with my gran when I was younger, she would make us a packed lunch, and I would sit and watch her direct, it's a memory I will treasure forever," she said.

"I'm not the most confident person, but I get on stage and become a completely different character each time I come out.

Lauren said she was glad she could help inspire a new generation of young people to get involved in theatre, but admitted things had changed over recent years.

"Especially with social media now, it means we have different posts for different shows," she said.

"It gives us a different type of publicity to what it used to be, and you have to keep on top of things in theatre.

"Things like Netflix means we always have to put our best foot forward and keep thinking about different ways we can put on a show and how we can make it a different experience for different audiences."

Head of Costumes at PODS Andy Bradshaw said he volunteers his own time to work on designing the productions because he loves it.

"I worked in theatre for many years and in TV production design, now I'm semi-retired it gives me the opportunity to design four completely new productions in a year, and because we have the workshops, we can do quite lavish productions, I really do love it, especially when someone gives positive feedback on our costumes and sets," he said.

"We're called community theatre now, we always used to be called Amdrams, so I think people think the bar is slightly lower than it is.

"Certainly with PODS, we have raised that bar because we have professional people who will give up their time for free, like myself, and in the end it's always worth it."