February 22, 1996
Aladdin
Pirton Players’ please take a bow! Playing to full houses, your performances of the pantomime Aladdin in Pirton Village Hall would not have been out of place on the stage of any London theatre. Somewhere in the region of one hundred people were involved in the production, far too many to name here, but to each and every one of your our grateful thanks.
From the moment we entered the hall, leaving the cold February weather outside, to enjoy the warmth of the welcome from the front of house staff, to the finale when the complete cast sang ‘I aint ever gonna leave Pirton no more’, not a single member of the audience wanted this marvbellous show to end. Two and a half hours of superb entertainment had just flown away. The scenes moved along with military precision and not even Concorde could have transported us from China to Egypt and back in the space of a couple of hours – yet Pirton Players, with the help of a little magic – did just that. ‘Oh yes they did!’
This panto had everything; comedy, pathos, magic, slapstick, superb costumes and make-up, music, sound effects and lighting scenery and audience participation; all much more professional than one would normally expect in a village show and with acting and singing good enough to grace any stage anywhere. Every character was played with great feeling and perfection. Space does not permit me to pick out individuals, suffice to say the whole show was a true team effort from the gymnastic somersaulting genie to the two hilarious policemen who could have come straight from the Keystone Cops.
As well as being entertaining, Aladdin was also educational. We came away with a revolutionary method of making our Pools selections, identifying laundry without name tags and reading and speaking Chinese ???¥? - ‘Oh yes we did!’
Director Geoff Welch, the entire cast and production team, have our congratulations in producing a show which fully repaid the many hours of hard work they must have put in to give the audiences so much pleasure. Well done everybody. We eagerly await your next production. [Review by Joe Titmuss]
Director - Geoff Welch
Cast
Aladdin - Helen Manders
Bamboo - Graham Gibbs
Chopsuey the Twelfth - Paul Kerswill
Chorus - Marie Tackley
Chorus - Liz Chapman
Chorus - Rosie Sommerville
Chorus - Jan Simmons
Chorus - Stephen Jaynes
Chorus - Stewart Field
Chorus - Valmai Guess
Chorus - Lorna Sexton
Chorus - Penny Picken
Chorus - Caroline Manders
Chorus - Douglas Tackley
Chorus - Laura Woodward
Chorus - Simon Stimson
Chorus - Hilda Handscombe
Chorus - Stella Turner
Chorus - Helen Wallace
Chorus - Fizz Gibbs
Chow Mien - Peter Johnson
Dragona the Thirteenth - Helen Hofton
Madam Flash Bang - Penny Picken
Mazawattee - Lorna Sexton
Mazda - Katie Pearson
Prince Pekoe - Sue Kennedy
Princess Say Wen - Kathryn Wallace
Rick Shaw - Valmai Guess
Sing Hi - Rosie Tackley
So Shi - Victoria Tackley
Strong Pong - Dudley Gentle
The Egyptian Mummy - Douglas Tackley
The Great Abanazer - Paul Ribbans
Typhoo - Dick Woodward
Widow Twankey - Keiron Jones
Wishee Washee Twankey - Michael Tackley
Crew
Bass - Geoff Welch
Box Office - Susie Welch
Catering - Pam Finbow
Costume - Stella Turner
Director - Geoff Welch
Drums - Andrew Sexton
House Manager - Derek Jarrett
Lighting - Derek Webb
Make-up - Maureen Jones
Make-up - Loretta Hobbs
Make-up - Amanda Bristow
Make-up - Fran Manning
Musical Director - Margaret Johnson
Percussion - Susie Welch
Poster Design - Roy Brittain
Poster Production - Heather Abbiss
Programme Advertising - Jennie Jarrett
Programme Photographs - John Freeman
Programme Seller - Christine Gammell
Programme Seller - Liz Gentle
Programme Seller - Ann Fausset
Programme Seller - Liz Wallace
Programme Seller - Pat Parkins
Programme Seller - Margaret James
Props - Paul Turner
Props - John Souster
Rehearsal Pianist - Ted Turner
Rehearsal Pianist - Doreen Cass
Set Construction - Dudley Gentle
Set Construction - Penny Picken
Set Construction - Barrie Simmons
Set Construction - Sue Kennedy
Set Construction - Laura Kennedy
Set Construction - Denis Franklin
Set Construction - Liz Gentle
Set Construction - Stephen Jaynes
Stage Crew - Brian Sommerville
Stage Crew - Dudley Gentle
Stage Crew - Paul Turner
Stage Crew - Barrie Simmons
Stage Manager - John Souster
Ticket Design & Printing - Keith Parkins
Ticket Sellers - Jim Monk
Ticket Sellers - Maureen Bradley
Ticket Sellers - Ken Bradley
Ticket Sellers - Jean Ray
Ticket Sellers - Ann Fausset
Ticket Sellers - Liz Gentle
