See programme in 1997 - See details of the show in 2012
L to R: Karina Farnlucher, Hannah Dallow, Nikki Jewell, Gemma McCartney, Lester Woodger, Mel Bower
L to R: (rear) Mel Bower, Kay McGregor, Wendy Downs, Ruth Bower; (front) Jill Turner, Joan Parkinson
L to R: Emma Dixon, Tony Nelson, Ben Torrens, Caroline Potter
L to R: Ben Torrens (Owl), Nikki Jewell (Sgt Rock), Mel Bower (Sugar Plum Fairy), Laurie Lewis (The Mouse King), Hannah Dallow (Cpl Fudge), Caroline Potter (Kurt), Vicky Jones (Twitchnose), Gemma McCartney (Clara) and the junior chorus
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Drosselmeyer (Tony Nelson) gives Clara (Gemma McCartney) the nutcracker. |
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Drosselmeyer and Clara sing: "I could be happy with you" |
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Laurie Lewis as the Gnawman, the Mouse King |
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Whiskers (Simon Tanner) and Twitchnose (Vicky Jones) with Gnawman |
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Drosselmeyer reads the story to Clara and Frederick in their bedroom |
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The mice arrive in the bedroom … |
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… and do a bit of synchronised tail-swinging |
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… and sniffing out chocolate |
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Nikki the Prince (Karina Farnlucher) arrives with the toy soldiers … |
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… and battles it out with Gnawman |
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The mice are defeated – the victorious trio inevitably sing a song: "Somewhere out there" |
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Drosselmeyer with his assistants: Weil (Emma Dixon) and Kurt (Caroline Potter) … |
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… and their creation, Twit the Owl (Ben Torrens) |
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At the Fortress of Sweets, Corporal Fudge (Nikki Jewell) and Sergeant Rock (Hannah Dallow) challenge Twitt, who doesn't really give a hoot … |
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… but he scares the mice … |
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… right off the stage … |
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… and Gnawman too … to the strains of the 1812 Overture. |
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The mice somehow seem to have lined up for a photo-shoot! |
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After the interval, the chorus dance to "Big Rock Candy Mountain" (as you do in pantomime!) |
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Sergeant Rock makes Corporal Fudge show the label on his chest to Frederick. |
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While members of the chorus get down to some serious dancing |
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… and here's Nick Webb giving it his all (or nearly all!) in the Russian dance. |
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The Sugar Plum Fairy (Mel Bower) leads the singing of 'Tree Elves' to the tune of the Nutcracker Overture. |
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Drosselmeyer's 'Transmousturiser' arrives to save the day – real mice go in one side and chocolate mice come out the other. |
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And where do these two think they're sneaking off to? You'll see them again in 2012 – and Jo Levy, the Muscical Director, she'll be there too! |
Report:
There was a bit of a do at the opening performances of Headley Theatre Club's panto.
Birthday girl Helen Keech, aged 5, of Birch Road, got a special treat when she, her family and friends went along to see her sister Ashleigh (7), take the role of a fairy in local playwright Jo Smith's Nutcracker.
The sisters and their friends loved the birthday party with a difference - and little Ashleigh enjoyed her new-found fame so much, she stood autographing programmes afterwards.
The party was among a good crowd at the Saturday and Sunday matinee performances of the Headley village hall production.
Although the audience at Friday night's opening showing was a little thin, according to theatre club member Tony Nelson, next Saturday evening's performance is a sell-out. And Mr Nelson and his colleagues are also hoping for good turn-outs for the performances on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.
The cast got a big vote of confidence from little Helen's father Chris. He said: "We were very impressed with the panto indeed. Some of the scenes in it were absolutely brilliant."