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ALADDIN
Aladdin first
saw the light
of day in
May 2001, when
the Enid
began to construct
scenes, develop
characters and writes
the script.
Throughout that summer Enid
completed a draft
script for Act
1. Various
contributions by the
Cooper family to
this draft were
incorporated and by
the end of
September auditions had
been held.
This year
we were able
to attract new
members, including
Katie Odell as
our princess, the
two enthusiastic Ashleys as
Rubba Dubba and Wishy Washy
and new members
in the chorus.
Mary Shiers,
Josie Dwyer and,
and Brian's daughters
Jo and Emma
are still recovering.
Gwen volunteered her services
as prompt and
was immediately promoted
by Enid.
She became Enid's
right hand woman,
and was soon
indispensable to the
whole production.
The first
major hurdle to
cross was finding
a pianist. Barbara
Jones finally solved
this problem by
inviting Emma Robson,
a colleague,
to help us.
What a find she
proved to be.
By October
Enid had arranged
to borrow costumes,
including some spectacular
Dame's costumes.
Helen Constant then
began to make
the remaining Dame's
costumes. Ron
had begun designing
and making a
washing machine and
a flying carpet
- things were
looking up!
Enid, with
Ron as a
critical friend,
finally wrote the
rest of the
panto. The
cast was busy
learning lines,
songs, and
making and decorating
three sets of
kaftans, with
head-dresses to
match. But
turbans proved to
be quite tricky.
The children had
mastered complicated choreography,
including the jewel
dance. Babs
and Enid had
designed the jewel costumes
and Babs had
begun the long
task of making
costume design into
a vivid reality.
She did this
magnificently.
In November
Dorothy Shiers opened the
box office for
the cast and
soon half the
tickets had been
sold. The
flying carpet was
tested a - it
worked, and
the cast was
sworn to secrecy!
At the beginning
of December tickets
went on sale
to the village
and soon all
performances were already
sold out.
There were rumours
of a black
market in tickets.
Dave Short lead
a group of
men, escorted by
Lynn and Judy
Clayton, and directed
at apron,
Pat came and
put up a
lighting tower and
the additional scaffolding.
Jay Wright,
Ron and other
members of the
group began to
construct of the
set. Jay's
seemingly unlimited supply
of a variety
of power tools
sped things up
considerably. Debbie Able began
the challenging task
of transforming wood
into a Baghdad
bazaar and a
marvellous Arabian palace.
By the beginning
of January cast
spirits were lifted
when carpentry and
art came together.
The set came
to life under
Debbie's paint brush.
Have colourful it
was! The light and
shade of Debbie's
paintwork on the
stage and on
the apron gave
the whole set
depth and vitality
and brought it
out into the
audience. When
Pete Marston set
the lights,
the illusion was
nearly complete.
With sound effects
from Neil Rogers,
smoke from the
Clayton brothers,
and a well
organised stage crew
under Alison Chamberlain,
the magic took
place and the
excitement grew.
It even grew
more when Peter
Allen stuck his
beard on and
Pete Swallow shaved
his beard off.
This surely meant
that performances were
soon.
During the
last two weeks
of rehearsals,
we saw scenes
with their full
effects. Costumes
are, set,
lights,
sound and effects
entranced us;
gasps of delight
were heard when
the jewels appeared,
the flying carpet made
us spontaneously applaud and
we all laughed
with delight at
the antics of
the Dame and
the animated washing
machine.
Our hard work,
energy, enthusiasm
and talents came
together, but
with a live
audience everything
took off.
All audiences reacted
and participated with
enthusiasm. The
children in the matinee
audience were a
special delight.
'Put some
more washing in
the machine.' ' Take
the old lamp.' ' That
looks difficult.'(
As Aladdin climbed
down into the
cave.) We
all laughed at
their responses.
The youngsters ( aged
80 and below)
on Saturday evening
responded in the
same way.
And what did
the audience say
about us?
Best panto
yet, how
would you top
this?
The best special
effects I've ever
seen on the
amateur stage.
The Quiz World
scene with those
characters was memorable.
Jim Davidson
at Northampton rep
- eat your heart
out!
Wonderful set
and costumes.
A glorious
day and an
exceedingly bad Abanazar,
first rate.
A clever,
well-written script,
with many different
levels of humour.
A principal
boy who can
act, sing
and has the
legs to prove
it.
That Genie should
do stand-up comedy,
she is Riseley's
Jo Brand.
How did they
make a magic
carpet fly?
So a very
big thank you
to everyone who
helped make Aladdin
such a resounding
success, especially
our audience in
the village.If you feel
that you would
like to be
part of such
as successfully creative
and happy team
next year then
rent ring it
Enid 708432 now
and she will
certainly contact you
in time for
the next production.
Riseley Drama
Group.
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