Huge success for ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ Family Panto 

 …….. including two ‘firsts’!!! 

‘The Sleeping Beauty’ was every bit the Thetford Players best panto yet …… as the group had promised, ‘Oh yes it was’!!!

Images credit Maria Cooke, Official Photographer of the Thetford Players

A live band featured at all four sell-out performances plus, on opening night, a British Sign Language Interpreter for the Deaf thanks to funding received from the Lovewell Blake Fund via the Norfolk Community Foundation. This was the first time that the Thetford Players had provided live music and an interpreter at panto and it is hoped that this will now set a precedent for the group’s annual pantomimes.

‘The Sleeping Beauty’ script, which won the ‘Best Panto of 2012’ award by the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA), was written professionally by Ben Crocker and was very well received by the audience who enjoyed laughs, slapstick, song and dance on a journey through 118 years, meeting Queen Dottie, Kitty the cat and King Norbert along with the Royal butlers Billy and Jilly. Thanks to the Fairies, Princess Aurora met her Prince despite Carabosse and Spindleshanks’ best efforts to thwart Aurora’s future. There were unexpected twists throughout, including a ‘Thriller-style’ zombie scene which saw much interaction within the audience! Make up (provided by the Stepping Stones Training Academy), hair (Techniques Hairdressers) and costumes (Thetford Players’ Wardrobe Mistress, June Lewis) were as spectacular as ever, something the group prides itself upon. By the end of this classic fairytale, the village of Woollycombe saw the return of its spinning wheels much to the relief of its local town folk who went on to celebrate a Royal wedding!

Jo Cooper, Chairperson of the amateur dramatic group, commented that “This show has certainly ended a difficult year for the Players on a high note.  Caroline, the Director, along with all the cast and crew, worked tirelessly to put on a panto to be proud of and having live music was a real highlight.  I am very proud of the dedication shown by all of our members who love doing what they do best – making others laugh and smile.

The Thetford Players, who recently became members of NODA, the official body of amateur theatre in the UK, would like to thank all those individuals, local businesses and the audience who supported the group’s fourth pantomime at the Carnegie Room, Thetford, between Thursday 16^th and Saturday 19^th January 2014.

The next production planned by the Players is due to take place in June/July 2014 and will be a Musical – further details, including the audition procedure, will follow shortly at www.thetfordplayers.co.uk/new_productions.html

 

Thetford Players present cheque to its

‘Charity of the Year, 2012 – 2013’

Throughout 2012 and 2013 the Thetford Players raised money through raffles and a percentage of ticket sales for its ‘Charity of the Year’, the Riversdale Centre in Tanner Street, Thetford.

Riversdale is a centre for the local community, providing accommodation to a wide variety of groups who are there to provide helpful information and include the Dementia Support Group, Age Concern, West Suffolk Mind, Youth Offending Team, Red Cross and the Alzheimer’s Society. Riversdale also fulfils users’ needs for leisure, recreation and social welfare.

Thetford Players’ Jo Cooper (Chairperson) and Sue Balaam (Treasurer) recently presented Pauline Quadling, the centre’s manager, and members of the Riversdale Committee, with a cheque for £500.11 which will help the centre to continue on with the vital services it provides, particularly in light of its recent loss of the main County Council grant that has supported the centre over the past 30 years.

Speaking about the donation, Tim Peacock, Chairman of Riversdale, stated that ‘Whilst our main client groups are the elderly, people living with physical and mental health difficulties and incoming and migrant communities, I have always seen one of the benefits of Riversdale as being able to be involved in partnerships to the benefit of the wider cultural and social good of the town. It is especially pleasing therefore that this donation is from a respected Thetford group that we have been able to work in partnership with’.  

Members of the Thetford Players nominated the Fulmerston Family and Community Project as the ‘Charity of the Year’ for 2013 – 2014 during its AGM last September. Further details about this charity are available at www.thetford.players.co.uk/charity.html

We would like to thank our supporters for helping us with our fund raising efforts by attending our events and participating in our raffles.