Watlington Players to stage adult panto in 24-hour dash

In November, the Watlington Players in Watlington, Norfolk, will pick up the gauntlet to create a show in 24 hours – with an adult pantomime as their preferred presentation. A member of the Players has written an original panto for the group and its over-18s, but Director, Kevin Rooney, isn’t giving any clues as to what it might be. Plans call for the event’s kick-off on 1 November at 7.30pm, when the scripts are revealed, and auditions begin for the show’s principals. “We’ll look at who we’ve got, who wants what and everyone else that’s there is automatically in the ensemble or building or prop hunting,” Rooney says.

A read-through and rehearsals begin. Then music rehearsals will begin around 9-9.30pm with Musical Director, Amy Power, “to start running through all the songs that are going to be in it,” says Rooney, who is the group’s vice-chair. Choreography and set building also must be fitted in, with a break for the cast tentatively scheduled “for a few hours early in the morning. Then from about half six in the morning, we’re rehearsing again,” Rooney says, with rehearsals running throughout the day.

The sole performance will be at 7.30pm.

The Players ask that interested participants get in touch with them as they are taking sign-ups to join in the fun. Non-members of the society from beyond Watlington are invited to sign on as well, Rooney said. A production in the making for only 24 hours is a fun recruitment tool to bring on board aspiring thespians who may not have the time to get involved with a normal production that rehearses over weeks or months, Rooney suggests.