March/April 1998 112

ST. MARY’S THEATRE CLUB:

1998 PANTOMIME ”THE FROG PRINCE”

by Lesley Thomas

St. Mary’s Theatre Club pantomime, ”The Frog Prince”, was well received and obviously thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended the performances at the Town Hall on 25th, 30th and 31st January and 1st February. This pantomime was written and produced by Lesley Thomas and what a joy it was to watch a new show which had many clever innovations whilst still retaining all the traditional ingredients of pantomime. With a cast of twenty individual roles plus as many again in groups, it was quite an undertaking! The dashing young prince Caspar (Eleanor Ould), seeking a princess to wed, meets the wonderfully wicked witch Grizelda (Maggie Perkovic) who has laid a terrible curse on the kingdom if the Princess Flavia does not wed before her seventeenth birthday. The dignified King and Queen (Steve Harvey and Mim Bowman) are preparing for their daughter’s sixteenth birthday and the attractive but restless Flavia (Meriel Williams) is keeping the harassed Chamberlain (Richard Farr) and the effervescent Nursie (Julian Ould!) busy. Two hilarious royal guards (Jane Pender and Jackie Pritchard) and a variety of lively and colourful villagers complete the royal court. A visiting magic troupe led by Marvo, an eccentric and entertaining magician (Brian Thomas), ably assisted by the charming Petronilla (Rose Tabraham) and an endearing Chimp called Anna (Tamar Wilkinson), provide great interest, especially when the lovely Princess ”disappears” from Marvo’s magic box after Grizelda arrives. The unusual and frothy Fairy Snow (Helen Guymer) takes time off from her washing to help a rescue party set off into the Forest of Doom in search of the missing princess. In the forest we meet the gentle Tabitha (Amy Wright) who befriends the princess, plus the exotic gypsies with their King and Queen (Reg Phillips and Jill Christopher), and later the dear little frog (Martin Sherris). The forest also has demons, bent upon scaring everyone in sight - and even the wood has eyes! At the South Pole, lives the stately Ice Wizard (Ian Tabraham) and a wonderful group of penguins. Of course, being pantomime, all is well, evil is overcome (the moment when Grizelda, on finding her long lost daughter, changes her tall witch’s hat for a mob-cap is one of the highlights of the show) and the prince and princess are married. Even Nursie finds a husband after changing her image with a dramatic striptease. Stage Manager Peter Conisbee and helpers did a magnificent job and the sets were quite brilliant - when the curtain rose on the South Pole set, the audience actually gasped! Costumes were particularly impressive and colourful and the make-up was excellent. Choreography was great throughout, particularly the intricate line dancing sequence, and Betty Silvester gave tremendous support as Musical Director. Finally, many, many congratulations to Lesley for giving us such a memorable show.

Pat Hayden, Secretary.

A STEP ACROSS THE WATER

In 1996, four young people from Scilly:

Paul Douglas, Adam Conisbee, Rowan Legg and Matthew Thompson

- shared their last summer on Scilly and subsequent journey to college on the mainland with film maker Robin Toyne.

The 28 minute documentary which shares the experience of four teenagers from the Isles of Scilly as they make the step to the mainland in order to continue their education, has been selected as one of six films to represent Cornwall at this year’s Celtic Film and Television Festival. The documentary ”A Step Across the Water” has been produced by Quintessence Films, with support from the National Lottery through the Arts Council and had its premiere on Scilly this Christmas. Filmed over 9 months, it features Paul Douglas, Adam Conisbee and Matthew Thompson from St. Mary’s and Rowan Legg from St. Agnes, who shared their last summer before leaving home and subsequent journey to the mainland with film-maker Robin Toyne. There was a chance to see the documentary along with a programme of other Cornish films at the Falmouth Arts Centre on February 28th and at Restormel Arts event at Wheal Martyn on March 4th. (It was also shown at the Penzance Arts Club on February 5th.) The Celtic Film Festival is in Tralee in Southern Ireland 1st – 4th April, where the producers will seek television interest in the production.
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