Cinderella

Reviews and Cuttings

There are – apart from good and bad – two kinds of pantomime. There is the spectacular, Elaborately dressed professional show; and there is the home-made, good humoured, wholly amateur show.

The latter has, despite or because of its limitations, an inimitable charm which tends to remain in the memory when other productions are forgotten. Such a one was "Cinderella” At South Brent last week.

It was entirely home-made. Retired schoolmaster Mr Hugh Butler wrote the book, and added lyrics to 19 songs written by his wife. She turned out to more than a tune a week during the period of rehearsals. Neither had had pantomime experience, yet both contrived to give their version of "Cinderella" some original touches, and a shameless delight in its own ingenuity.

Inspiring force behind this, the first pantomime to be attempted by South Brent present dramatic society, was a young farmer’s wife, once a repertory actress, now mother of two and as busy as a farmer's wife must always be. She is Mrs Joan Deedes, who played Dandini; had a hand in the production; and who sat up half the night making 50 dresses for as well-dressed an amateur chorus as any I've seen this year.

There were flowers and gifts for her on Saturday when the show was over; tributes from a happy company to an extremely happy, perhaps an overwhelmed, "maid of all work." George Preston, who played Baron Hardup with gusto, and John Piper, who laboured with benign enthusiasm back-stage, both told me: "Talk about work! Nobody has ever worked harder for a show that Mrs Deedes worked for this."

If the greatest of reward is the achievement of intention, then she has attained it. She told me that she planned “an entirely local show which would please local audiences," and the audience was on Saturday night delighted from the curtain up.

The talent in South Brent surprised me. More than half the thirty members of the chorus were schoolchildren, and there were some neat little dancers among them. I liked nine-year-old Patsy Gigg, sergeant-major of toy soldiers; and Gillian Badge and Stella Manning.

There was some pleasant singing, too, from Winifred Windatt, as the fairy godmother, and from 19-year-old Christine Preston, as principal boy. Pamela Andrews played Cinderella nicely, while the comedy numbers were put over surprisingly well.

Brokers’ men George Salter and Harry Westcott exploited the local allusion; persuading South Brent to laugh at itself in a fashion which would be tolerated only in pantomime. But they will need to refurbish the material when they take the pantomime on a charity tour of neighbouring hospitals. Allusions which mean plenty in South Brent, will mean less than nothing in – for example – Ivybridge; to which town it can be assumed the fame of Cllr JE Wild’s "Haywain" has not yet penetrated.

A happy evening for company and audience alike. I enjoyed myself. The experiment of pantomime has served to winkle from the corners of shyness a great deal of talent which few suspected. It only remains for South Brent dramatic society to go on from here; showing the same response to leadership, and the same appetite for work.

As a final example of this appetite for work I make mention of Cinderella’s coach; built in four evenings of voluntary labour by Messrs Alan Perkins, J Neseval, and J Chappell, the programme attributed the coach to Mr Perkins, but he assured me: "I was one of three. We did it as a team." I congratulate South Brent on its pantomime. It gave me one of the jolliest evenings I have spent in the amateur theatre for some considerable time.

PANTOMIME SUCCESS ACHIEVED

Pantomime largely owes its success to its infinite variety. Its story must amuse, amaze, and aggreive in turn, while its music must keep feet tapping in rhythm, each changing mood bringing new appeal.

"Cinderella," performed by the South Brent Dramatic Society in the Brent Church Hall last night, had a good share of these virtues – and more, it had originality.

Wisely the company has not striven to imitate the masters of this age-old entertainment, but has set out to produce its own version of "Cinderella," using all the talents available in its small community – and they have succeeded.

Much of the credit must go to the producer, Hugh Butler, for an original book. Comedy abounds, and if much of it is purely topical so much the better. He is catering for his audience.

CAST OF 50

The old fairytale is spiced with novelty. Prince Charming appears as a University graduate – and a cricket Blue into the bargain; Baroness Hardupp is the writer of a correspondence column in a women’s magazine.

The show, with a cast of 50, has a persistent sparkle. The dialogue is amusing and the tunes, including some catchy original numbers composed by Anna Butler, are a gay selection. The costumes are effective and the setting picturesque without being pretentious.

Pamela Andrews, as Cinderella, has a pleasant a voice and confident stage presence. She is aptly suited to her prince, Christine Preston, who is perhaps the best vocalist in the show and a lively actress.

PLENTY OF COMEDY

The comedy is supplied in good measure by George Preston and Anita Perkins (Baron and Baroness Hardupp), Evelyn Hard and  Rosalie Smeeth (the Ugly Sisters), and George Salter and Harry Westcott (the Broker’s Men).

Dandini is played with professional confidence by Joan Deedes who also devised the show and designed the home-made costumes.

Reg White, Joan Ayres, Margaret O'Shea, and William Windatt gave good support in minor roles, while the immortal figures of good and evil are well portrayed by Judy Jensen, Mary Vesey, and Winifred Windatt.

The chorus work and a dance routines, arranged by Sheila Winzer, are simple but effective, and the show moves with a fair pace towards a bright finale.

Alan Perkins constructed a truly enchanting coach, and praise is due to the excellent accompanist, Rose Lugger, and her assistant, Hilda Catt.

Nearly 300 people saw last night's performance. The pantomime will be repeated this evening and on Saturday.