Witchful Thinking

“Witchful Thinking” is a brand-new pantomime written by Shirley Jones inspired by The Brothers Grimm tale sometimes known as “The Witch’s Hairs”. In this version the dastardly Grimshaw Blackheart plots to evict the villagers, flatten the charming village of Wavendon, and replace it with warehouses and new housing estates thereby destroying the soul of the people who live there. Can the villagers rally together to save their beloved home from Blackheart’s ruthless greed? The suspense keeps you hooked right to the final cheer!

The cast of 12 (plus Daisy the cow) acquitted themselves well with strong performances, delivering the dialogue with clarity and without prompts. From the very first scene, audience engagement was good —boos, cheers, and laughter echoed throughout, perfectly capturing the essence of pantomime tradition.

Musical numbers, whilst enjoyable, occasionally lacked the boldness to truly soar. At times, it felt as though the singers were holding back rather than embracing the full theatrical flair. A touch more conviction—and perhaps, at times, the addition of backing tracks—could have elevated these moments and boosted confidence.

Shirley Jones, as the writer of the pantomime, was well placed to bring her script to life through her direction keeping a good pace throughout.

Despite limited lighting resources, atmosphere and drama were added to each scene. The sound balance between vocals and amplified music was commendable, ensuring one did not drown the other.

Dame Fanny’s costumes were highly colourful as were her make-up and wigs befitting of a pantomime dame. Other characters were well dressed for their roles, however in my opinion a couple of make-up choices missed the mark—Broomhilda’s deep earthy tones obscured facial expressions. It would have been beneficial for the ogre to have been green as mentioned in the script and the intricate patterns needed to be bolder to be effective. These latter minor details, however, did little to detract from their performances.

The staging was inventive, with reversible scenery adding visual interest and stepped platforms creating depth. The only drawback? Heavy footsteps on the front staging—a soft floor covering could easily remedy this in future productions.

In summary, “Witchful Thinking” delivered an afternoon where the audience revelled in the tradition—booing the villain, cheering the heroes, and leaving in high spirits.

Thank you for the invitation, and the warm welcome, and here’s to the success of your 40th birthday celebrations in 2026.

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