Familiar new histories: promenade theatre and local amateur actors in a creative heritage project

Building upon previous work in the creative heritage sector, in this paper I analyse A Time Traveller’s Guide to Theatrical Brecon, a promenade production funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, performed on the streets of Brecon in mid Wales, UK in 2021. The performance involved local amateur actors from Brecon Little Theatre and was accompanied by a map and educational resources and workshops for local schools. It brought to life stories from Brecon’s theatre history for its local residents. Brecon Little Theatre members created and performed the promenade performance, creatively engaging with historical material to write, direct, rehearse, and present fictionalised scenes rooted in historical events. In my analysis of the project, I offer a methodology for creative heritage which intersects the fields of theatre history, public history, and amateur theatre. I propose a form of participatory history involving an academic institution, amateur performance practices, and the wider public. I suggest that through involving amateur theatre groups in the formation of community heritage, and developing meaningful accompanying resources, wider demographics within society can be engaged within creative heritage processes.