Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Everyone knows the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but do they know about the evil Queen Bee and the Zombie Honey? The Nomads obviously had great fun putting on this production to thrill their loyal followers in East Horsley and surrounding villages (and towns too, of course). With a large cast of 22, some catchy musical numbers well performed, and with great choreography, this was a colourful, fun show. 

The opening set was a beautiful old village of half-timbered houses, very colourful and evocative. Our dame, Auntie Septic, lived in the closest one and poked her head out of her cute upstairs window (with a heart on the shutters). She had a nice display of pot plants outside too. There was a good array of baskets as the villagers offered their wares, and the butcher sported a fine string of sausages. Later in the 3 bears’ cottage, there were of course 3 bowls and spoons, different chairs, including one that cleverly fell apart. The pretty bluebell-filled glades were projected onto gauze. The bears had picnic blankets and baskets, of course containing jars of honey. The Queen Bee carried an impressive looking striped cane.

The costumes were excellent. Obviously, Auntie Septic wore some fabulously eccentric gowns in an array of colours, and various fetching wigs. Goldilocks looked charming in her pale blue dress, and her hair was delightful, she really looked the part. Tom Tom, her beau, looked fine in royal blue tunic. Ray in dungarees, Splinter and Choppit in check lumberjack shirts with braces and of course their axes. The bears looked cuddly in their costumes, which must have been very warm indeed! But the Queen Bee was perhaps the finest of them all in her striped, winged costume, with yellow antennae and wonderful makeup. Her fellow bees and the ladybird also looked super. Makeup throughout was excellent, and I read in the programme that the team came from Guildford College Media Makeup Diploma course.

Both lighting and sound were suitably dramatic for a pantomime. The accompaniment to the songs was pitched just right, so it didn’t drown out the singing.

The curtains opened onto the mean Queen Bee telling us of her hatred of those dratted humans and their cruelty to beekind. We then met the villagers; Goldilocks, superbly played by  Vykki Mash;  and Tom Tom who seemed newly arrived, and was well played by Susan Foster; Ray, an energetic, simple, and very smiley John Want; and his mother Auntie Septic, the terrific Anthony Kemp. Splinter and Choppit, the smart woodcutters kept popping up to add a few jokes and a bit of sanity to the proceedings. Ken Smith and Valerie Carr made these parts their own, and had some nice songs. Tom Tom and Goldilocks fell for each other, of course, and they did indeed make a handsome pair as they sang: ‘As long as you’re mine’.

As we know, Goldilocks ventured into the forest to the bears’ cottage, which finding deserted, she ate the porridge and broke Baby Bear’s chair, before going off to the bedroom for a snooze. The bears returned, discovered the intruder, but were not too cross, in their excitement at planning for the Teddy Bears’ Picnic. And how wonderful it was to hear that favourite old song of mine, the Teddy Bears’ Picnic, in that cosy woodland scene.  Interrupted though by Penelope and the Bees – and Ladybird – as they substituted the ghastly green Zombie Honey for the bears’ nice tawny coloured stuff!

The Queen Bee’s nasty plan worked, naturally, and the bears all entered a zombie-like trance in her aim to get them to get rid of those nasty villagers. Moyra Brookes made a tremendously villainous Queen Bee, and of course earned a lot of boos.

All ended happily, of course, the Principal Boy got his girl. The whole cast played their roles very well, with Catherine Poplett, Mark Leddin and Dean Parsons making super bees, Michael Ayres a somewhat hapless and flappy Kevin the ladybird. Josh Locke, Ella Kay and Evangeline Scanlan were the loveable bears.  The eight strong chorus were great.

Samantha Potten deserves congratulation not only for her fine direction, along with Michael Ayres, but also for her slick choreography, there were some lovely dance numbers in which she also took part. Plenty of sweets were thrown to the audience too, which obviously kept some people very happy. A good evening’s festive fun was had by all.

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