2007… 2008…

Somehow, 2007 didn’t quite happen. Possibly as a result of sheer exhaustion following the epic Centenary Music Hall in December 2006, it proved impossible to cast the planned Spring production and by the time of the AGM in September, there was a very real danger of the Players being mothballed for a year or so.

However, with a couple of enthusiastic new members, a new eager committee and a new – or at least newly re-cycled - chairman in Andrew Leach, the courageous decision was taken to do a panto, jointly with The Yippies, using the same writing/ directing partnership of Jack Burgess and Lesley Wolowiec who were responsible for our last panto in 2002, The Dragon’s Tail. And just as in 2002, the panto in question – Snow White and The Seven Not Particularly Tall People – was still largely in Jack’s bizarre brain.

Just how bizarre this brain was, we were soon to find out. In his own words, “I freely admit to relying on fading childhood memories of seeing Snow White on the big screen and also of missing a fair bit of it whilst rummaging under the seat trying to retrieve the ice lolly that I’d dropped in fright when the witch first appeared.”

This might explain some curious twists to the plot, such as the unexpected appearances of Dick Whittington, a troupe of tap dancing Trolls and chuckle mining in the Last Laugh Mountains of Saccharinia (which is no laughing matter). Not to mention the Seven Not Particularly Tall People.

Given the scale of the project – and to allow for it to be written! - it was decided to aim for early 2008 rather than our traditional early December slot. As a result, Snow White and The Seven Not Particularly Tall People was staged for four hectic performances – two matinees, two evenings – over the weekend of 2^nd - 3^rd February.

With a ‘cast of thousands’, gorgeous costumes and a terrific set…

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…the show was very well received by some 380 paying punters and it received an excellent write up in The Painswick Beacon…

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And so, on to the next…