Red Riding Hood

Were the Ury Players downhearted by not being able to stage their annual panto due to Covid restrictions? – Oh no they weren’t! Instead they entered into the digital age and produced “Red Riding Hood” a Zoom Panto by local writer and company member Russell Adams. Russell gave this traditional tale an up-to-date twist with Granny Hood using online dating to get a husband (so she can inherit a fortune) and the Wolf using Covid germs to foil her plans(so he can inherit the money) but also included local references and the usual corny jokes and one-liners. With the use of simple costumes, face masks and projections the cast still managed to bring us the magic of panto. Garry Brindley as Granny Hood gave his usual saucy dame whilst Andrew Dart was an excellent wily Wolf. Liz Forrest, Heather Adams Officer and Tim Roberts were the spotty Covid germs and I particularly liked their song “Three Little Germs Are We” – a delightful parody on G & S’s “Three Little Maids”. Heather Stewart as Red Riding Hood and Isla Neil as Jim (the Barman at Granny’s Dippit Inn) were the juvenile love interest. Kirsty Lockhart with the use of face masks portrayed the Inn’s famous customers including Boris Johnson and Dame Judi Dench! Peter Esson played Granny’s eventual love interest Baron Hardup and the whole panto was brought together by Freda Adams as the Narrator. Andrew Dart is to be congratulated on editing together the individual performances into a very coherent piece. Well done everyone.

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