Rapunzel

Rapunzel

Dodleston Players

12/2/26

Dodleston Village Hall was full to capacity for the opening night of their annual pantomime; this year it is Rapunzel. This society is truly a community event for this small Cheshire Village, directed by local resident Joanne Robertson with her talented team. Lighting Richard Kitchin & Sound Richard Hulmston, scenery Lorraine Black & costumes, Elaine Porter, Margaret Lloyd, Sue Ramsey, & Erin Preston, plus an efficient backstage crew, Tim Preston Steve Hughes, John Murdoch & Craig Pollard. A true team production.

The Storyteller Fairy Fauna (Lauren Fauna) comes forward on stage, and welcomes the audience introducing them to the story of Rapunzel. A fairy tale complete with a Wicked Witch, Heroic Prince, Kings & Queens, Magic, and the longest hair in the world. Kidnapped from her loving parents King Otto (Oscar Marsh) & Queen Agnes (Maddie Gandy) as a baby by the evil Witch Gothel (Karen Rowlands), Rapunzel (Lauren Green) was locked in a tower, deep in the forest and led a lonely and secluded life, dreaming of escaping the building she’s known for all her life.  The wicked Gothel has other ideas, planning to keep her captive and make beauty potions from her magical hair to stay young and gorgeous. She also plans for her son Sidney ((Rohan Pollard) to eventually marry Rapunzel.

Where is the Dame, I hear you asking, fear not Dame Betty Beehive (Gorden Robertson) explodes onto the stage, colourful costume, outrageous hair, she owns the only hair salon in Quiffendale. Her apprentice Silly Billy (Ellen Bennett), an outspoken employee who is not afraid of telling Betty how to improve the business.  The salon unfortunately is not doing so well, both Betty & Billy believe is due to the salon hair specialist Bob the Barber (Mike Dix) dishing out very dodgy hairdo’s. A hilarious scene in the hairdressers, the young ensemble cast were amazing, hats off to the imaginative props team for the pink hair dryers (painted plastic buckets) genius.

There is great excitement when the village is visited by King Reginald (Denise Ward) & Queen Margory (Gabriella Phillips) looking for a wife for their son the handsome Prince Leo (Lauren Preston). All the villagers came out to welcome their royal visitors, especially lifelong royalist Granny Mavis (Lottie Howell). Now this is a pantomime, we need a ‘double act’ enter Drip (Karen Welsh) & Dribble (Pippa Gilligan) who are subservient to Gothel to watch Rapunzel is kept in the tower.  What a duo they proved to be, they were so very funny, great rapport with the audience. While wandering in the enchanted forest Prince Leo discovers the tower and Rapunzel, they instantly fall in love, but his rescue does not go to plan. To live happily happy ever after, Leo and Rapunzel, must defeat the evil witch, Gothel, luckily, Fairy Fauna (Anne Halsall) pops up to help.

When Rapunzel finally escapes, Gothel is furious and vows to take her revenge. With an enchanted forest, a talking rabbit (the very talented Felicity Fisher in her debut role), and a large amount of super-strength hairspray, the only guarantee is a hair-raising adventure.

This was a wonderful traditional Panto from this very talented and popular society; the audience loving the madness and mayhem completely. Panto is a very special genre requiring a multiple skill base. I have to mention Gordon Robertson the outrageous Dame Betty Beehive, who was a star, stage presence in spades, involving the audience at every stage, a truly splendid performance.

Thank you Dodleston once again for my invitation, this was an exceptional evening of panto. See you next year.

 

Joanne Rymer

NODA

District 4

 

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