2007 - Old Mother Hubbard
The Players hope that you all had as much fun at the panto as we did. The total proceeds were £1300 of which £700 was given to the Village Hall and the remainder to the Players funds – many thanks to everyone who supported us. Thanks also to Linda Lines for the following review.
Hardington’s twenty third annual production was the less well known, ‘Old Mother Hubbard’. Despite its unfamiliar title, this show had all the ingredients of a traditional pantomime, and was good family entertainment with lots of audience participation.
The title character, 
Old Mother Hubbard, was played by panto veteran Kevin Margetts. With colourful costumes and flamboyant wigs he played the character of the dame perfectly. Much of the dame’s dialogue is with the audience and Kevin, always in command, communicated with them like a professional.
Much of the early action has the dame on stage with his children. Will Pearse demonstrated great comic timing as the hapless son Hughie and the audience loved his sparkling performance. His sister, Polly was acted well by bubbly young Lucy Vincent, who provided the love interest later in the panto. 
Slapstick comedy was provided by the bailiff’s men who were ordered to evict Mother Hubbard. Karen Clotworthy’s slow, thick, characterisation contrasted nicely with the cleverer, faster thinking bailiff played by Andrew Middleton. They worked really well together and kept the audience laughing. However, it was Dandy the dog, whose injuries increased throughout the panto, played by John Soulsby, who stole every scene he was in. Despite having virtually no lines beyond the odd, ‘Woof,’ John’s quizzical looks and comical gestures ensured that he was a favourite with the audience.
Every panto needs a fairy and Tamsin Firth was a very attractive and confident goodie. She later doubled as one of the chorus, and I felt that her strong singing voice could have been used to even greater advantage. The fairy moved the action to the Wild West in the search for the dame’s lost brother.
Here they encountered the baddie, Vinyl Silk, skilfully played, as we have come to expect, by lively Maggs Soulsby. Tex Laramie, the principal boy of the panto, also made an appearance. Hannah Nitti, as the handsome cowboy, showed everyone why she has been commended for her acting skills. Her American accent was faultless and her timing and delivery were exemplary. In the future, Hardington villagers will recall that they saw her perform on the Hardington stage before she was famous!
It was lovely to see the Hardington tappers, Tanya Ogden, Karen Clotworthy, Elaine Gilmore, Anne Lunt and Elaine Peters, demonstrating their skills in the saloon. They were supported by talented songstress, Elizabeth Helme, as Miss Lulabelle. The most unusual casting of a character has to go to Wendy Simmonds as the tobacco spitting old cowboy, Tumbleweed. A bewhiskered Wendy managed to play him convincingly and with great humour, which is definitely a credit to her acting skills!
Lots of supporting members added to the fun. Hank and Jake, baddies and sidekicks of Silk Vinyl, were played by Julia Beckey and Elsa Hedges, who provided both comedy, and for some of the young members of the audience, some scary moments. 
Other minor parts were played convincingly by John Gilmore as Chief Thundercloud and Ciaran Hawke as Little Drizzle. Tiny Plop was played by Daniel Ogden, Bear by David Beckley, and the medicine man by Alan Grassam. I loved the grace and serenity of young Jessica Ogden as Little Deer, daughter of Chief Thundercloud. David Cleaton brought smiles to the audience as the captain of the rescuing cavalry; in this case, a crack Welsh regiment, whose uniforms included leeks and daffodils. Daniel Odgen and Ciaran Hawke were talented, young cowboy guitarists. Additional members of the chorus were Jenny MacLean and Helen Parrott, with children: Jane and Rose Firth, Sarah Maunder, Claire MacLean, Laura Nitti, Blaise, 
Maia and Polly White, Molly Atkinson, Sophie Clotworthy, Megan Gibbons and George and Northey Hawke delightfully playing little Indian braves and dancers. It is a joy to see so many local youngsters on stage.
A successful production needs a good backstage team to ensure it runs smoothly. Stage manager Stewart Ogden, had a strong team, and was assisted by Jack Clotworthy who also took control of the props. Derek Richards designed the imaginative scenery, while wardrobe mistress, Rachel Hawke, assisted by Jo-Ann Halliday took charge of the colourful costumes. Make up was in the capable hands of Rose White, Sue de Boehmler, Vanessa May and Lucy Gibbons. Sound effects were provided by Jim Lefeuvre and the lighting was designed and managed by Helen Spearing. While Helen and Peter Rosewell, Claire Stewart and Nick Lunt took care of Front of House, the stage crew of Stan de Boehmler, Will Brooks, Jamie Knibbs, James Parrott and Graham Pearse ensured the scenes were quickly set behind the curtains. Fortunately, prompt Liz Sawtell was not heard. As usual, Hardington ladies, Brenda Bickerton, June Chivers, Pauline Grassam, Sally Maunder, Kay McIver and Rosemary Richards provided much needed refreshments after all the audience participation of the first half!
A production needs a few chiefs, and with Elaine Peters as musical director and Tanya Ogden as overall director, the show was in good hands. This pantomime, produced by Anne Lunt was hugely enjoyed by the mostly local audience whose ages ranged it seemed from tots to great grandparents. Everyone involved in this show deserves to feel proud of this very professional production which was thoroughly enjoyed by all four audiences.