“My aim in writing the book was to show the women and girls of this area that they were part of this great historical event.”
My big ears are to thank for hearing that Sylvia Mason, the author of ‘Mary Frost, Wife, Mother, Chartist‘, was in the audience at last night’s opening of Pianoforte – The Story of Mary Frost. Yes – I overheard someone sitting near me.
I’d actually nipped into Cwmbran Library on Friday and picked up a book about Newport history. A quick look at the index showed no mention of Mary – but John’s son Henry and his uncle Edward are both “honoured” (my word) with a reference.
The story that Sylvia’s meticulous work uncovered about Mary’s life and role caught the attention of scriptwriter Adele Corner, who turned it into this production with the Her Story Theatre Company.
As a local lad who’s spent a bit of time in Newport, I thought I knew enough about the Chartists to get me through a question or two in a pub quiz. Most of us in Cwmbran have heard of John Frost Square and even the Greenhouse pub’s link to the Newport Rising.
Thousands of working-class men marched from the valleys to Newport, demanding changes to the British political system, including ending a rule that only landowners could become MPs, and allowing all men over 21 the right to vote.
Ten children and a business
Mary and John had ten children (two from her first marriage) and ran a business. While John was organising events, speaking across the country, writing pamphlets, missing their daughter’s wedding, being sued, imprisoned, avoiding being hung, transported to the other side of the world and eventually pardoned – it was Mary’s support, advice, enthusiasm and campaigning that allowed him to be the man history remembers.
And she did all that while raising ten children and running their business.
The trio of actors Adele Cordner (Mary), Clare Drewett (Dilys Morgan) and David Constant (John Frost), cleverly turned a draper’s shop into multiple scenes that seamlessly (pun intended) jumped back and forth through this historic period and key moments in their lives.
Clothes on the rails weren’t just props – they became characters in this story. The music, movement and script made it clear whenever we shifted through time.
As soon as the three actors walked off the stage after a mesmerising performance, I quickly left my seat and stood in the bar area waiting to spot Sylvia leaving.
I asked her how she felt seeing the first night of this eight-venue tour.
‘Overwhelming’
She said: “It’s just overwhelming, really, isn’t it? It’s amazing that people standing on a stage can move you so much…it’s the fact that I lived with Mary all the time I was writing the book and researching her, and now to see her, and in many ways Adele is just like I imagined Mary would be.
“It’s an incredible honour that they, a company like this has used all that material that I researched.”
And why should people go and see this performance before it ends its eight-venue local tour on 11 June – before being shown at the Edinburgh Fringe later this year.
Sylvia said: “It’s because it’s local, isn’t it? It’s because it’s about us, our people. My aim in writing the book was to show the women and girls of this area that they were part of this great historical event.
“In fact, it was almost the formative event of this area and it’s still so real for people. I just felt it was important and in doing that in trying to show the women and girls that they were part of it. It shows everybody because naturally we have to show the achievements of the men as well and it’s just a wonderful way to get history, across, isn’t it?”
Inspirational – not just Mary’s story, but Sylvia’s passion for making sure this part of our area’s history is now known.
Tickets to other shows
Click here for tickets to other shows on the tour.
Tickets for Pianoforte – The Story of Mary Frost
The tour opens at the Congress Theatre in Cwmbran, on Friday 24 April 2026 with tickets available here.
- 25 April 2026: The Drill Hall, Chepstow
- 30 April 2026: The Paget Rooms, Penarth
- 21 May 2026: The Blake Theatre, Monmouth
- 23 May 2026: The Memorial Hall, Usk
- 3 June 2026: Blackwood Miners Institute, Blackwood
- 6 June 2026: Horfield Parish Church Hall, Bristol
- 11 June 2026: The Riverfront Theatre, Newport
Click here for tickets to other shows on the tour.