Worzel Gummidge the musical

Nunthorpe Players production of Worzel Gummidge provided an afternoon of family entertainment with a heart-warming play and entertaining script.
The performance started with the magical scarecrow creation, by The Crowman almost the sinister magician played nicely by Terry Pritchard, sparking life into scarecrow Worzel Gummidge and then curtains opened to reveal a bright, bustling, and beautifully created village scene, with a fixed set of farm house, caravan, fields, and barn house all colourfully painted. The opening number "Living in the country" was sang very tunefully by Tina Welsh and supporting full chorus. Costumes were bright and colourful each with a character, and the dancing was well rehearsed.  The story was a father and two kids come to town for holiday and the children discover the scarecrows are living and comedy mayhem ensues.

Lead role of Worzel Gummidge was played by Lee Blake with brilliant bumbling characterisation, fast script dialogue, clearly heard and a wonderful country accent maintained throughout the whole performance. Aunt Sally, the wooden doll, was cleverly characterised by Alex Duncan with great character movement, clear diction and again accent maintained throughout, along with some lovely singing, the duet " Home" with Lee was well done by both.  Owner of Aunt Sally was Mr Shepherd acted by Lee Rogers as the chaotic villager. Neil Mapplebeck played the hapless father and Eve Smith as Jenny and Isabella Greenwood as Sue were the two daughters trying to find excitement in father’s holiday, who both played their parts well and sang with lovely voices. 

Mrs Braithwaite the homely holiday letting lady was nicely portrayed by Tracey Legg and her sister Bunty the sorrowful farm worker from Cheryl Mills was a well done cameo, and doubled role of Hessian Tatersack. Alison Whitehead as the Village police constable had some good comedy timing and a nice country characterisation.
Sergeant Beetroot, the military scarecrow was a wonderful performance from Audrey Carolan, excellent character as bossy, loud, and drill sergeant with excellent timing in trio comedy number “We’ll be there” with Wendy Gosling and Karena Coxon as Soggy Boggart and Scabby Tater-Blight respectively, a number that stole the show. 
The village busy body and organiser was Mrs Bloomsbury-Barton from Helen Hughff who played this cameo with lovely character too.  The couple of chorus numbers were sung nicely, all musical numbers accompanied by keyboard player Graham Thompson and dancing was well rehearsed that added to the show nicely and their scarecrow courtroom scene was nicely done too.

The show was entertaining, comical, and good family fun, if a bit too long to keep the children in the audience enthralled, but cast coped admirably with the various disturbances.  Tea and a slice of cake was a lovely touch for this matinee performance - Well done all

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