Village Pantomimes.
The first Pantomime we put on was Aladdin in March 1989 for three performances in the Jubilee Hall. Olwyn Thomas (Church Street) wrote a skeleton plot which we all added to. We had no stage, no lighting other than the normal Hall strip lights and a strange, no doubt highly dangerous, W.I. contraption. The curtains had to have a large piece added onto the bottom to reach the floor and two young boys, Mathews Tett and Puddicombe, as Curtain Drawers. No money for costumes but plenty of old curtains, and nimble fingers worked miracles. About fifty people were involved, with our Chairman of the Parish Council, Mary Loaring bringing the house down as the Ring Fairy in a Tutu. Enjoyed by all but with complaints galore as only the front few rows could actually see!
Marjorie Fowler saved the day by finding us some second hand staging for Jack and the Beanstalk in 1995. New curtains and new and hired lighting pleased the audience and even with an extra performance it was, again, a sell out. Geoff Jones as the Giant's Baby in a nappy and a bottle stole the show, though with thirty in the cast (on a stage 16' x 12' and a small apron) there was plenty of competition for the title. Copies of the video taken were later on sale.
Robertson Caruso (or the Singing Castaway) was the third effort in March 1998.
A brand new, light and easy to handle stage, more lighting, a proper backdrop was bought and even some material for costumes. Still no more room though and with thirty four people in the cast space was at a premium. This time we entered the "Cinderella" Competition for Somerset Pantomimes. There were twenty five entrants from small villages like ours to towns like Wellington. We won five Prizes. "Tomorrow's Stars" were Liam Whittle, Gemma Davies and Maya Preston; the "Zaniest Script" - Penny Pargiter, and one of the Major prizes "Best Principal Boy" to Claire Morris who lived at Thorncombe, but has now moved to Spain. She so nobly held us all together, where do we go without her??
For all three shows we have had a marvellous team of backstage "doers". Tuesdays at Paccombe Cottage (Thompson's) for costumes, Wednesdays at Glebe Cottage (Rose's) for props and sets at Laymore (de Boinod), Jasons (Preston's) and Stuckey Farmhouse (Pargiter's).
Penny Pargiter, Author/Producer. |
