The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Whenever I go to see productions by the Langtoft Players I am particularly impressed by the high regard that they have for their membership of NODA and the sincerity and warmth of the welcome I receive. For their 2014 panto they had chosen to perform Stephen Duckham’s adaptation of the classic story “The Pied Piper of Hamelin”. The city of Hamelin is overrun with rats and their master, the Rodent Lord (Matthew Lee) is waiting to take over the area and already has the Burgomaster (Robert Birchenall) under his thumb. Frieda von Froth (energetically played by Brian Branch) and his somewhat dim-witted son, Willy (played by Joan Thompson) run the local beer garden and have had enough of the rats devouring everything they find. Lorelei (Sandie Burns) the good White Witch of the mountain, tells the mystical Pied Piper (confidently played by Harry Finlay); he tells the citizens he can rid Hamelin of the rats by playing a special tune on his pipe for a fee of 1,000 guilders. Karl , the town’s book keeper (played by Rosie King) and Liesl ,the Burgomaster’s daughter (played by Emily Key) try to persuade the Burgomaster to agree, The Piper keeps his promise but the Burgomaster fails to pay him. At the celebrations in Frieda’s Inn, Willy has to constantly fight off the amorous advances of Grechen, the waitress (superbly played by Val Gregg). The Piper plays another tune and all the children follow him into the Koppelberg Mountain. When the people see what has happened they tell the Burgomaster off for not keeping his word and Karl persuades the Piper to return the children. An abundance of humour had the audience in stitches and the children present loved it. Clever sets, colourful costumes and corny jokes ensured everyone went home happy. Well done Langtoft Players! 

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