A FORMER actor who has swapped the stage for a career in local politics is to bring youth arts back to Charlbury.

Andy Graham, who was elected as Liberal Democratic councillor for Charlbury on West Oxfordshire District Council at the last general election, has plenty of experience in children’s theatre.

When he found out the youth theatre group in the town had shut down years ago, he made a vow to bring it back.

Now the 60-year-old from Churchill near Chipping Norton is launching a series of workshops to kick off Charlbury’s very own dramatic reprise.

The father-of-two said: “Charlbury parents set up a youth theatre group and saw it through for a couple of generations for about ten years.

“But when their kids grew up it stopped and it’s such a shame.

“I thought maybe if I can kickstart it, it will inspire people to do something for their town.”

Mr Graham plans to use his contacts to ensure the new group has input from a range of international talents.

He plans to invite performers including a Chilean dancer and an African artist to add some spice to the new drama workshops, which will include puppetry, dance and performance.

He also has contacts in Eastern Europe gained through the charity he founded called Ai Ai, which develops projects with young people in Romania, Africa and Bangladesh.

In those countries groups of youngsters have developed their ideas into a series of plays known as The Longest Story in the World – tales which are soon to be brought together in a forthcoming book.

Mr Graham added: “The aim of bringing back the youth theatre is to give children and young people a creative outlet for their thoughts and feelings about the world they live in.

“It is fully inclusive with children from all backgrounds enjoying activities, making friends and building self confidence.”

Mr Graham started out as a professional actor making notable appearances alongside Jeremy Irons in the 1980’s TV mini-series, Brideshead Revisited.

He starred at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, before quitting the stage to form his own SNAP Theatre company.

The group developed plays for schoolchildren.

He also wrote a stage version of the Grammy Award winning film My Beautiful Laundrette.

Mr Graham said: “The people of Charlbury took me on in such a big way by electing me against the odds.

“I wanted to do something for them in return and bring youth theatre back to the town.”

Tim Widdows, chairman of the Charlbury Amateur Dramatic Society, which runs productions and pantomimes with a cast of children and adults, said: “It’s great to get kids back into that sort of thing.”

The workshops will run for four age groups on separate Wednesday and Saturday morning slots.

They will cover storytelling, dance, drama and visual arts including puppetry, mask making and theatre skills over ten weeks, leading to a showcase of the students’ work.

The sessions begin on Tuesday, September 15 at The Shed venue on Nine Acres Road, Charlbury,