Pantomime Programme Updated

OH NO I WON'T

OH YES YOU WILL

The unmissable

AQUARIUS PANTO

Sunday 17th January 2010 1:30 pm

In five paragraphs a history of Pantomime by Rodger Wheeler,

with a few additional words by Frank Rainsborough.

A form of street entertainment called Commedia dell'Art was played to the public in the 16th century and its standard characters were adopted in England in about 1660.  In time it was blended into music hall productions and was given the name Pantomime.

The usual plot is that a girl, dressed as a boy, plays the son of a man, and this man is dressed as a woman!  The girl, no, the 'boy' will win the attentions of a girl (dressed as a girl!) with the help of some mystic assistants, such as a Fairy Godmother.

There will usually be a King and a Queen, and we like tradition so these characters will be in our Panto.  Usually the Queen is a wicked Queen, and so she is in our Panto.  It's also usual to have some other baddies, we have those as well, look out for the three Princesses.

Another essential feature is audience participation, 'Oh Yes you are/ Oh no you aren't' are the usual calls, and 'Behind You' is another favourite, all of these, when called for, are to be applied with raucous enthusiasm!

The final outcome of any pantomime is that despite all the obstacles being put in the way of a happy ending, good always prevails over evil, and so it is with our panto!

oooOooo

A synopsis of the Pantomime
‘The Princess and the Pico’

SCENE 1 (In which over breakfast Queen Malevola tells her son Prince Aquarius, that he must marry a titled Princess.  He agrees on condition that the chosen Princess can right a capsized boat. They decide to hold a contest to see who can right a capsized Pico.)

SCENE 2 (In which we watch some very silly Princesses making fools of themselves when trying to right the capsized Pico)

SCENE 3 (In which we are introduced to Ella and her Fairy Godmother who is in training, and a storm is brewing.)

SCENE 4 (In which Prince Aquarius hears someone calling for help.  The King and Queen are sitting in their living room with the butler standing behind Queen Malevola’s chair.  King Dupe is reading a sailing magazine.)

SCENE 5 (In which Ella is rescued by Prince Aquarius and they fall in love. Unbeknownst to them a fish was holding Ella above the waves)

SCENE 6 (In which Prince Aquarius and Ella announce their intention of marrying, then all exit except Queen Malevola and her evil butler who devise a plot against Prince Aquarius and Ella.)

SCENE 7 (In which Ella rights a capsized Pico, and does so with the aid of a fish, despite that the Pico was sabotaged by Queen Malevola.  Ella’s Fairy Godmother tries to help during the capsize recovery, but all her magic goes horribly wrong.)

SCENE 8 (In which Ella and Prince Aquarius are married, and the Fairy Godmother manages to successfully work a spell, and so
graduates)

The pantomime ends, all the cast bow to the audience, and with luck, the audience will applaud!

Middle row  Queen Malevoa     Fairy Lydia             Buttons

Bottom row  King Dupe      Ella           Prince Aquarius   Director

Priest       Princess Tanglia                 Princess Driftia

      Servant      Fairy Godmother   Herald 1   Director’s Assistant

Top row

Some welcome sustenance in between rehearsal!

      Hanna     Edmund    Noah     Millie         Imogen