Robinson Crusoe & The Pirate Treasure, The Pantomime,

We were given a warm welcome from Josephine Lea and her team to their annual Pantomime Robinson Crusoe and the Pirate Treasure, which was written by Julie Petrucci and Chris Shin. A traditional village Panto which Needham have successfully been performing now for over 20 years.
The scene opened with a wonderful hand painted cloth of an underwater scene, which when the lights went down was transformed into a very clever UV underwater scene. Saying that, all the scenery was excellent; there were some 4 different backcloths and other transportable pieces of set, designed by Anne Baldwin and painted by Hazel Calver. The props, always very creative, designed and made by Brian Annis, which have in the past gone on to star in other various productions locally. Well done to all the team.
Lesley Crompton as Neptuna Queen of the Seas and Frank Lea as a suitably evil Davy Jones (looking uncannily like Ian McShane) opened with their good versus evil traditional introduction. This was followed by a rousing opening song from the whole chorus set in London Town. I must mention that it is Jo and Vera’s philosophy not to audition the chorus and to make everyone welcome, so there was a big junior chorus of around 16 of  varying ages and abilities, but all were enthusiastic and smiling; including some tiny little ones for whom it was first time on stage and they remembered most of the words to the songs. So cute, bless them. We all have to start somewhere and where better than at a village pantomime with lots of friends and family in the audience to support them.
The storyline introduced us to the colourful Dame Camilla Crusoe played by Simon Hughes, and her two sons Robinson Crusoe (Sarah France) and Selwyn Crusoe (Rebekah Holland). Sarah Ruby played Polly Olsen, the love of Robinson Crusoe and her father Captain Olsen (Glyn Bolton). They all worked well together with their traditionally corny jokes and enthusiastic audience responses. The other ‘baddies’ were the pirates, Gillian Hilder as Black Jack, and Wendy Simmonds as Smog, the two fools who both have such a good rapport together and Pat Cross as their bossy Captain Scab. Wonderful characters.
The first act finishes with a lovely chorus rendition of “We are sailing” before the ship inevitably sinks and they get washed up on a foreign island with the inhabitants decked out in floral garlands. There we met Man Friday played by Toby France and the Witch Doctor (Richard Mead) to name a few. I particularly liked the songs ‘Island in the sun’ and the pirate song ‘Shiver my timbers’ Also Captain Olsen and Polly led the chorus number ‘Reach for the stars’ which was well sung. Inevitably, they find the treasure and all end up happy ever after.
Hoping that your good houses and your continuing enthusiastic support from your audiences mean you have raised lots of funds which are donated to the Community Centre and which last year amounted to £3500. Well done to Jo, Vera and their team and all the cast. A very enjoyable evening.

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