Cowbridge Amateur Dramatics Society (CADS) have held their first rehearsal since 15 March 2020.

On Monday 5 July, cast members gathered to rehearse a play called Neville's Island by Tim Firth.

The dark comedy traces four middle aged men who become stranded on an island while on team building exercise in the Lake District.

When lockdown was imposed, CADS were just a month from their opening night on 22 April 2020. Now, with the end of the pandemic hopefully in sight, Director Camilla Hopkins is planning five Autumn performances

She casts her mind back to March last year.

"We were so, so disappointed, but we rather naively thought that within about six weeks we should be back to it able to plan new dates," she tells Nub News. "Ha! The months went by with no sign of being able to come back and I resigned myself to waiting the virus out.

"One of the original cast has had to pull out due to a change of jobs. Not really that surprising given how much so many people's have changed with all the lock downs etc. I would have considered us extremely lucky if no one had had to pull out. That only one did is fortunate in itself, really. "

The first rehearsal was attended by Camilla, three of the four cast members and some of the crew. Camilla says it was great to be back.

"There is guidance that we have to follow so it was a bit different, but it felt very much like coming home after a long trip away," she continues.

"As director it was wonderful to see us back doing what we love, listening to the ideas flowing, the moves coming back to the actors, and the laughter. It was a joy to be back and hopefully we can keep going, and also get all the way to an actual production in front of an audience."