THE ORCHARD PLAYERS

Magic Of The Musicals

Directors  Sammi Johnson, Sabrina Browning.

Choreographers Gracie Seager, Sabrina Browning, Kerry Johnson, Lynn Perera,

          Charlea Finbow, Lucy Parry, Daniel Johnson

Junior Choreographers  Amelia Browning, Ava Robinson-Rogers, Beaux Townsend,

           Lily Murren, Lyla Parry.

Performed at the Capel St Mary Community Centre on Friday 3^rd July 2026 at 7.30pm.

I was warmly welcomed on arrival at Front of House and had the chance to speak with Directors Sammi Johnson and Sabrina Browning during the interval and at the end of the performance. The Community Centre Hall was almost full for this lively production which showcased some stellar talent from the junior cast. In fact juniors outnumbered the adult cast in a testament to the ability of this society to attract and retain junior talent.

The show consisted of extracts from seven familiar musicals with some sections specifically focused on the junior cast. From the beginning the show was energetic with some great choreographed routines carried out very well. Thanks to the many choreographers involved, as listed, there was variety in the set pieces with good movement around the stage and the constructed apron which provided additional space closer to the audience.

It’s always difficult, with a show like this, to flag and identify particular performers as this was a talented adult and junior cast with everyone tackling their parts with huge enthusiasm and ability. The sequence from Wicked featured Gracie and Matilda Seager as the witches Elphaba and Glinda with the full company and I especially enjoyed their voices in Defying Gravity. Well done. The next sequence was from Hairspray with Lyla Parry sparkling in Good Morning Baltimore and the full company involved in a noisy and energetic version of You Can’t Stop The Beat. Very infectious!  Next up was a selection from Moulin Rouge and Charlea and James Finbow excelled in Come What May, their voices blending well together. This duet was a delight to listen to and to see. The first Act concluded with music from High School Musical featuring the junior company. Evelyn Marriott and Amelia Browning displayed their good vocal range in the upbeat Breaking Free.

Act Two  introduced Annie with the junior company singing a rousing rendition of It’s The Hard Knock Life. Sandie Finbow was the irascible Miss Hannigan and Erin and Gavin Ostler delivered the lovely duet Tomorrow. The next selection from Mamma Mia really excited the audience with the familiar numbers delivered very competently. It was good to see Cheryll Burton give an emotional solo of The Winner Takes It All and Becky Thomas and Eleanor McCullough singing a delicate interpretation of Slipping Through My Fingers. Well done everyone involved in this selection.

Finally a selection from The Greatest Showman drew the show to an end. And what a busy and energetic finale. Ray Seager was so well cast as the Showman with a great duet with James Finbow in The Other Side and Fiona Rogers shone in This Is Me. It was good to see Jacob Woodgate perform with lots of confidence. Congratulations to the cartwheelers and  hooplar spinners and to Analeigh and Kaiya Perera for an excellent ballet routine.

The major prop was the very realistic  Windmill to stage left and scene changes, although minimal,were carried out fluently. The costumes, masterminded by Cheryll Burton and Julie Wardley were colourful and relevant to the characters and looked stunning !

Many congratulations to Directors Sammi Johnson and Sabrina Browning for their talent and creativity in devising this production and then bringing it to stage. All the cast had so much to do and delivered a cracking show. Well done everyone.

Hazel Hole MBE

Regional Representative

NODA East

District 11

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved  

THE ORCHARD PLAYERS

Alice In Wonderland, written by Daniel Johnson

Director   Daniel Johnson

Producer   Lauren Marriott

Choreographers    Daniel Johnson, Kerry Johnson, Gracie Seager, Lynn Perera and Charlea Finbow

Performed at the Capel St Mary Community Centre on Thursday 8^th January 2026

I was warmly welcomed on arrival and was able to discuss the performance at the end with Director Daniel Johnson and Producer Lauren Marriott.

This pantomime had been written for the society by Daniel Johnson and contained all the ingredients of a traditional family pantomime including plenty of corny jokes, slapstick and an outrageous dame.

I must start this review by mentioning the costumes. They were magnificent, totally stunning and very colourful! All sourced and mostly made by the society. I  congratulate Julie Wardley and Cheryll Burton for their creativity in dressing this pantomime. All the principals had great outfits and I especially admired the Cheshire Cat’s costume! In addition there were some very attractive dresses and outfits worn by the juniors and chorus.

Due to the small stage an apron stage had been erected in front and a good deal of the activity took place closer to the audience. Good use was made of a large video screen to denote the scene changes which were colourful and relevant. Several  props were moved on and off fluently the largest of these being a ‘cage’ to imprison Alice. The stage and parts of the hall and bar were decorated with huge playing cards which all added to the production.

Sound levels were good and most of the cast projected their voices well. Good use of lighting enhanced the sets eg the Throne Room.

The music was provided by backing tracks and the cast coped well with some strong voices apparent. There was varied choreography with each choreographer bringing different styles to the show. I noted good positioning and blocking with plenty of movement from the cast.

Casting was good with plenty of talent apparent in those juniors who were cast in major roles.

Wendi Sheard as Queen of Hearts was evil and wicked and Wendi was most convincing in the role. I especially liked her movements sweeping across the stage and her singing of One Way or Another. There were plenty of boos and hisses from the audience. She was partnered by Graham Carey as King of Hearts, a rather pathetic meek and mild character. Alice was sensitive and well played by Ava Robinson-Rogers with good stage presence and vocals. I enjoyed her singing  Naughty with the White Rabbit, played by Eleanor Marriott. Eleanor acted this role with great confidence and had a good singing voice. Raymond Seager was a splendid Mad Hatter and led the chorus in several numbers including Happy Not My Birthday (great. ‘tapping’ routine) and We Go Together. A major role for Raymond who acted out this part superbly.

Lyla Parry was an energetic and cheeky March Hare full of confidence and stage presence and Lynn Perera was an enthusiastic Cheshire Cat.  Lynn’s voice was well suited to her song ’Everybody Wants To Be A Cat’ and her movement was good in spite of her rather flamboyant costume! Matthew Marriott played Miss Tilly Teacake, a comical and exaggerated Dame who drew plenty of laughs from the audience.

TweedleDee and TweedleDum, well played by Gracie Seager and Fiona Rogers were the traditional funny and stupid couple with some good slapstick. The TweedleDiddlies were far more sensible and Kacie Johnson and Lily Murren acted these roles well. Also Lana Deakin was a believable ghost.

The chorus had plenty do, both adult and junior and I was pleased to see the smiling faces of the juniors.

The audience was noisy and participative.

Congratulations to Director Daniel Johnson and Producer Lauren Marriott for bringing this new panto to the stage. Well done everyone.

Hazel Hole MBE

Regional Representative

NODA East

District 11

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved  

THE ORCHARD PLAYERS

Lights, Camera, Action 

Directors and Producers Cheryll Burton and Linda Garrad

Choreographers  Lynn Perera, Charlea Burwood, Cheryll Burton, Millie Sillett.

Stage Manager  Judi Burwood

Performed at The Capel St Mary Community Centre, Capel St Mary on Thursday 3^rd July at  7.30pm.

I was warmly welcomed on arrival and  was able to discuss the performance at the end with Directors and Producers Cheryll Burton and Linda Garrad. They explained that they had put this production together with the theme of classic musicals which had been films or were films first. There were five sections with some mainly involving juniors, of which there were sixteen, some mainly using adults and others involving all the ensemble.

There was no set as such with some action taking place on the main stage but most action was on the apron stage at the front. There was a bar at the back of the stage which was used as a focal point for some numbers. Very few props were used, mostly tables and chairs around the bar. Lighting was used well for effect and sound levels from the backing tracks were just right. Most of the cast projected their voices well and could be heard clearly. Costumes were mostly supplied by the society and were relevant to each of the five sections. A screen was used accompanied by an announcement of the synopsis of the plots.

The company opened with a rousing selection from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and I was most impressed with the juniors all of whom were smiling and putting lots of energy and enthusiasm into their singing and dancing. Becky Thomas performed Truly Scrumptious very tenderly then sang Toot Sweets with Len Stockdale and Rob Dack. Ray Seager and Jean Donald followed with their duet of Chi Chi Face. A good opening section.

This was followed by a selection from Matilda with Gracie Seager as Miss Honey and Sandie Finbow as Miss Trunchbull. The juniors in their school uniforms did particularly well in this section with the star definitely being Amelia Browning singing Naughty. She really both looked and behaved the part and was quite delightful.

A selection from Rock Of Ages bought Act One to an end, featuring Capel’s own rockers ie Ray Seager and Emma Cranwell, not forgetting Gary Burton as Lonny. Lots for the ensemble to do here with plenty of action and dancing around the bar.

The juniors started Act Two with songs and action from Bugsy Malone. Lyla Parry was a sparkling Tallulah singing her solo with great confidence whilst Ava Robinson-Rogers gave a good interpretation of Blousy Brown. Lots for the juniors to do as customers, dancers and small named parts.

The final section featured songs from Sister Act involving the entire company. Bex Nicholls featured heavily as Sister Doloris Van Cartier and led the ensemble through a number of favourite songs. Rob Dack was Eddie and Sandie Finbow was Mother Superior.  But this section fittingly showcased the many talents of Bex Nicholls as this was her last production with the society having joined as a junior many years ago and now moved to another part of the country. Her energy and enthusiasm will be missed !.

Congratulations to the choreographers, Lynn Perera, Charlea Burwood, Cheryll Burton and Millie Sillett for really interesting routines, especially the rock numbers.

And congratulations to Linda and Cheryll for their vision and creativity in putting this production together and for working so hard with the juniors. This is one of the best shows I have seen from this society in recent years.

Hazel Hole MBE

Regional Representative

NODA East

District 11

NODA owns the intellectual Property Rights to the content of all show reports written by NODA Councillors, Reps and Assistant Reps

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved  

THE ORCHARD PLAYERS

Cinderella  written by Dave Crump.

Co-Directors   Lynn Perera and Glyn Hill

Choreographers  Charlea Finbow, Bex Nicholls, Lynn Perera.

Performed at The Capel St Mary Community Centre on Friday January 10^th 2025 at 7.30pm.

I was warmly greeted on arrival by Director Lynn Perera who explained that this production was dedicated to Co-Director Glyn Hill who sadly passed away in December. Unfortunately he did not get to see the finished production. I also spoke with Lynn during the interval.

This was a good family pantomime with plenty of comedy in the script and enhanced by good and capable acting.

The set and props, designed and built by the society were fairly basic and easy to manoeuvre with flats depicting the Village, Hardup Hall kitchen and the Palace. A lovely forest scene was projected on to a curtain and set changes were fluent throughout. Sound and lighting were just right for the stage and the apron extension and worked well. Music was to backing tracks and microphones worked well. Most of the cast could be heard clearly and projection on the whole was good.

Emma Cranwell, as Fairy Godmother opened the panto spreading her magic with Ozzy Cranwell as the Town Crier. Buttons played by Dan Johnson was a larger than life character, lively and energetic and I particularly enjoyed his singing of Mr Cellophane. He had a good rapport with the audience who were engaged throughout with plenty of boos and hisses where needed.

In this script Dandini was unusually portrayed as the ‘baddie’. He was played by Ray Seager who was scheming and plotting to inherit the kingdom instead of his half brother Prince Charming. A good delivery of This Is The Moment by Ray.  Charlea Finbow played the Prince with Gracie Seager as Cinderella. Charlea was a confident principal boy with good singing and acting. Gracie acted the part well with plenty of expression and good vocals.

The two Ugly Sisters, Chardonnay played by Fiona Rogers and Portia played by Sandie  Finbow were very well cast. Outrageous and flirty they complemented each other with their extravagant behaviour and constant vying for attention. Well done Their costumes were elaborate and ostentatious.

Brigadier ( Lord) Hardup and his wife, Lady Hardup were well matched and well played by Kerry Broom and Julie Wardley respectively. Kerry was a somewhat penniless veteran returning to his home with new wife who assumed that he was wealthy. Julie delivered the role of wicked and partial stepmother with great skill and good characterisation.

I really enjoyed the characters of the rent collectors with Len Stockdale as Mr Wonga and  Amelia Botha as Mr Spon and Lana Deakin as Mr Dolicks, his side kicks. They all had great expressions and antics with good timing. Well played and lots of humour here.

The small chorus of adults and juniors were energetic and enthusiastic in both singing and dancing and had plenty to do.

There was some good singing throughout and I especially enjoyed Rock Around The Clock ( Fairy Godmother with chorus), Material World ( Lady Hardup with Ugly Sisters) and Prince ( Hey Baby). I must also mention a new song, We’re Bad written for this production by erstwhile Musical Director Maria King.

Finally the costumes which were all sourced and/or made by the society. These were truly imaginative and excellent and enabled every actor to look the part. Congratulations to the costumes team.

This production was well directed by Lynn Perera and, until recently Glyn Hill and brought out the talents within this small society. Congratulations to everyone involved in any way.

Hazel Hole MBE

Regional Representative

NODA East

District 11

NODA owns the intellectual Property Rights to the content of all show reports written by NODA Councillors, Reps and Assistant Reps

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved

The Orchard Players  present Dick Whittington

At Capel St. Mary Community Centre on 12^th January 2024

Director – Ray Seager, Assisted by Rob Dack

Choreographers – Lynn Perera, Charlea Finbow, Bex Nicholls & Gracie Seager

Written by Stephen Duckham

Review – Catherine Dixey

This was a traditional village Panto from Orchard Players and they achieved that standard with ease and with participation and familiarity between cast and audience being so apparent.  It had all the familiar characters and we meet Fairy Bowbells (Sandie Finbow) as she casts her magic ensuring  good reigns over evil. Daniel Johnson played the larger than life Ratface, King of the Rats and he really captured this nasty character as he engages with the audience in comedic fashion.  His seven little rats all looked good with their black noses and all matching fluffy headpieces and tails as they ran around the stage with plenty of energy.  They were played by  Evelyn, Matilda, Amelia, Eleanor, Kaiya, Eleanor and Lana. Well done girls.

Lola Miller is Jack, a comedy role she played with confidence and energy as she communicates well with the audience.  We also meet Alderman Fitzwarren, (Kerry Broom) and his sweet daughter Alice played by Ava Robinson-Rogers. The Alderman’s shop is not doing very well and is overrun with rats so along comes Dick Whittington (Gracie Seager) with his trusty cat Tommy, (Kacie Johnson).  Gracie looked good as principal boy, a part she played with warmth and enthusiasm and who worked well together with her furry friend Tommy. For me Tommy stole the show, this young character was full of life, energy and totally living the part as she ran around chasing off all the Rats.

Other main principal characters included Gavin Ostler as Captain Cod and Fiona Rogers as Skate The Mate. She is a natural comedian both physically and vocally (loved the wriggling fish!!)  who contrasted well with the more staid  character of the Captain, a good combination.  Len Stockdale as Sarah Suet, the Dame in this Panto, played  his role very nicely and  worked well communicating with the audience. Innuendos were tastefully delivered and very funny.  The adult chorus were lively and enthusiastic in their singing and dancing of the musical numbers managing the restricted stage area very well.  There were also some good and very well sung songs with small groups of principals including ‘Me and my shadow’ which rounded off Act 1.

A lot of thought had gone into the different dance routines and there was also a well choreographed fight scene with Dick and  Ratface.  The costumes which were either specifically made for this show or from the Society’s wardrobe were good and colourful, particularly all the costumes in the Sultan’s palace scene.

The set  worked well with each scene seamlessly changed to keep up a good pace. This was also helped with the good use of the front apron and  the different tab lines.

All credit to Ray and Rob in directing and for all the hard work of the production team in bringing this Panto to life.  Well done to all the cast for giving us and their many friends and family in the audience an enjoyable evening  which was shown by their appreciation and enthusiastic applause throughout.

Catherine Dixey. NODA East Representative District E12

NODA owns the intellectual Property Rights to the content of all show reports written by NODA Councilors, Reps and Assistant Reps.

The Orchard Players present  It’s Showtime

Capel St Mary Community Hall on 6^th July 2023

Directors – Glyn Hill & Lynn Perera.

Musical Director – Maria King

Choreographers – Amanda Dack, Charlea Finbow, Bex Nicholls, Lynn Perera,

Emma Pulford & Gracie Seager

Review – Catherine Dixey

Glyn and Lynn had come up with the idea for this show over a coffee one morning.  They wanted to include lots of their favorite songs from the musicals including Starlight Express, Anything Goes, Guys and Dolls and many more.  It must have been quite a task to whittle down the list from so many great  shows to ones that would work with their membership. With the help of Maria King, their MD, who had I’m sure given this cast lots of help and encouragement.

The cast itself was made up from lots of familiar faces from the Company and also included a junior ensemble  aged between 9 and 12 years, including some new members making their stage debut.  They opened with five songs from Starlight Express including  ‘I am Starlight’a duet from Ray Seager and a very confident  young Evelyn Marriott. Cheryll Burton & Rob Dack treated us to their rendition of ‘All I Ask of You’.  The Juniors gave us ‘Fat Sam’s Grand Slam’ from Bugsy Malone and a lively full chorus number ‘Flash, Bang, Wallop’ from Half a Sixpence. They finished the first half with ‘Any Dream Will Do.

In the second half we heard the clear and pure voice of Sophie Bridges with a beautiful  solo of ‘On My Own’ from Les Miserables. One of my favorite sections was from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ with Solos from Analeigh Perera, Kacie Johnson and Matilda Seager who all sang confidently and were absolutely delightful.  Linda Garrad & Bex Nicholls calmed down the proceedings with a touching rendition of ‘I Knew Him So Well’.

The whole cast all did a grand job and the Juniors were delightful with plenty of energy and enthusiasm.  The choreography was well thought out to suit the differing age groups and the cast were obviously enjoying their singing and dancing. There were quite a few costume changes  which looked good and all the juniors looked very smart with their plaited hair.  It was good to see live music to accompany the singers from the six piece band lead by Maria King on the keyboard.   The cast made the most of the stage and front apron using the space well, which was enhanced by some good lighting.

The small audience were all very appreciative.  Our thanks go to Glyn and Lynn and all their cast and production team for all their work in putting together this musical show and giving us all a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment.

Catherine Dixey,

NODA East District 12 Representative, on behalf of Hazel Hole from District 11.

Orchard Players

Babes In The Wood

Capel St Mary Community Centre on 12^th January 2023

Director – James Finbow

Assistant Director – Charlea Finbow

Musical Consultant – Maria King

Choreographers – Charlea Finbow, Bex Nicholls, Lynn Perera

Written by Helen Gard & Jo Stokes

Review by Catherine Dixey

We were warmly welcomed by the FOH team and shown to our seats. The Panto opened with Fairy Fluster ( Lynn Perera) setting the scene  along with her fairy helpers, Willow, Cowslip and Thistledown who were all delightful. She also introduced us to the suitably evil, Baron D’Evil (Neil Jackson) who got the audience warmed up with their ‘booing’ and ‘hissing’. Mr Blue Sky was the first big chorus number which was a happy, joyful number and all looked enthusiastic and gave the song plenty of energy. The young girls all looked particularly good with long plaited hair, which showed a nice attention to detail.

The two Babes, Emmaline and Edwin were played by Evelyn Marriott and Jack Ostler. These two very young people, worked well together and stayed in character the whole time. Well done to them.  Ray Seager  played the dame Cheri Bakewell, who looked wonderful in her colourful costumes and with a Bakewell tart hat complete with cherry on top. He had a great voice and several songs, which he sung very well.  Spittle & Lurch (Glyn Hill and Kerry Bloom) were the comedy slapstick duo. They had two good cameo parts and they really seemed to enjoy playing these silly characters, giving us plenty of laughs.

As the Panto progressed we were taken to the forest where we met Robin Hood and Maid Marion (Brian Harvey and Sophie Bridges), not forgetting Friar Tuck and Will Scarlet (Brian Spalding and Sandie Finbow). Alice-A-Dale and Little Jane (Bex Nicholls and Gracie Seager) were involved in lots of the scenes. They were lively characters, and acted and sang very enthusiastically. Bex had also helped with the choreography and these two girl’s talents were noticeable as they lead several of the dances to the musical numbers with great energy. Indeed all the songs were well choreographed and suitably matched to the talents of the individuals in their particular numbers.  All the ensemble and cast did well with their own little characters despite a few first night nerves.

The music was to taped music and Maria King had certainly brought out the best in the cast with some very good singing and a good choice of appropriate songs. Costumes by Orchard’s costume department were all colourful and well fitting with nice attention to detail including the footwear which was all very appropriate. The set and props had all been made ‘in house’ and added well to create the right atmosphere, as did the sound and lighting, despite a few technical issues with the sound.

This was a traditional family village Panto and the whole audience were very appreciative and entered into the spirit of the evening.  Congratulations to James and his assistant Director Charlea, along with all the cast and crew for a very entertaining evening.

Review by Catherine Dixey, Representative District E12

On behalf of Hazel Hole, Representative District E11

THE ORCHARD PLAYERS

RED RIDING HOOD

Director James Finbow

Assistant Director Glyn Hill

Musical Director Maria King

Choreographers Charlea Burwood, Bex Nicholls, Lynn Perera and Emma Cole.

Performed at the Capel St Mary Community Centre

9th - 11th January 2020                  

It is always a pleasure to come to an Orchard Players production as the Front of House team make every member of the audience feel truly welcome. It was really good to have a chance to talk to the directors before the show. Thank you.

The very talented band played a range of music before the action started which created a lively buzz in the large audience.

The opening scenes introduced us to the rather complicated plot and to all the characters in the show. We then very quickly met the 'Baddie', Baroness de Brexit, brilliantly played by Bex Nicholls. Her striking performance throughout the pantomime used every ounce of 'nastiness' which really gave the younger members of the audience something to 'boo'. The relationship with the subtly played 'Dull', Sandra Finbow, was so well done and I was delighted when the 'worm' eventually turned.

Another pairing which worked really well was the beautifully awkward relationship between Timmy and Bo Peep. Ray Seager's gentle 'homage' to Frank Spencer was so effective and his excellent rapport with the audience was a real strength of the piece. Lynn Perera's sweet natured Bo Peep gave just the right response and the audience was truly involved in their romance. I particularly enjoyed their duet 'Don't go Breaking my Heart'.

The heroine and hero of the story, Red Riding Hood and Peter, the Woodcutter were both very well played by Sophie Edwards and Molly Griffin. They showed a youthful joy and just the right amount of sweetness and thigh slapping.

Brian Spalding as Aunt Flo flirted, pranced and danced her way through the show as a real dame should. This was a strong performance with good characterisation. Her pursuit of any eligible male but particularly the hapless Lionel was most entertaining. I loved the varied, slightly outrageous costumes.

Poor earnest Lionel, played by Ian O'Hanlon, got his chance to be a very different character when he was transformed into the Wolf. This was cleverly done with a good voice change and appropriate costume.

PC Billy, Dani Withers, had a pivotal role to play. Making sure that the audience is following the plot is never easy but her timely interventions were vital to the show. Every appearance alerted the audience to what was going to happen next and she did this so well.

The three little pigs played by Gracie Seager, Amber Carney and Zac Scutcher were an interesting but relevant addition to the plot. They all played their parts really well and the younger members of the audience loved them.

The quality of singing and dancing throughout the cast was excellent. All the principals showed strong vocals and were ably supported by both the Adult and Junior chorus. The Floretts were so well choreographed in every number they performed. I particularly enjoyed 'I'm Coming Up' which demonstrated the quality of the backing group and was well enhanced by the lighting team. The dance sequence in the woods was another excellent number. Congratulations to the choreography team. The very deep stage does make it difficult sometimes to see the people at the back when the whole cast is on.

This was a joyful and very well performed pantomime. Every member of the cast showed a liveliness and commitment which gave the audience a great afternoon. The musicians, led by Maria King provided excellent support to the actors. The costumes were brilliant and colourful. I really loved the whole style of the Baroness de Brexit. The lighting and sound always enhanced the action.

Congratulations to the Director James Finbow and Assistant Director Glyn Hill on a lively and thoroughly enjoyable pantomime. The audience, both young and not so young, had a great afternoon.

17 January 2019

Thank you so much for the very warm welcome given to all the audience by the Front of House team led by Sue Maplestone.

Rapunzel was a new pantomime for me but the story very familiar.  It was immediately evident on entering the Hall that Rapunzel was the subject of the piece with a very impressive tower.

The audience were treated to a lively introduction from Curly and Bob, ably played by Lauren Broom and Neil Jackson.  This duo shone throughout the pantomime showing great comic timing as they joked and capered from scene to scene.

James Finbow, playing Frankie, was another delightful and well acted character.  Son of Dame Trixie, he was always charming and created great rapport with the audience.

His very elegant mother, Dame Trixie, played by Ray Seager,  showed a strong character and filled the stage with her presence.  I missed the usual changes of costume which has become a traditional element of the Dame's role.

Bex Nicholls as Prince Frederick was a very powerful character and superbly played.  Her amazing singing voice and large stage presence lit up the hall.  I detected a touch of 'Ab Fab' in her dialogue which just enhanced the role.

The contrast with the much gentler Rapunzel, played by Charlea Burwood worked really well. Charlea won the sympathy of the whole audience with her lovely portrayal as she endured the thoroughly nasty attention of Fiona Robinson Rogers Wicked Witch.  She managed that amazing hair so well.

Fairy Flora, played by Lola Miller was a real highlight for me.  Her clear diction and confident stage presence shone.  This was a very good and mature characterisation from one so young.

Glyn Hill very ably portrayed King Geoffrey and was well supported by his rather pathetic Queen Gertrude,Sandie Finbow.  Both created a very believable pair.

Lacie, Macie and Gracie played by Sophie Edwards, Emma Cole and Molly Griffin sang, danced and acted with verve and were backed well by their mini versions  Freya Carney, Lily Benmore and Holly Barker.

Rob Dack completed the principal line up as the Captain of the Guard suffering the most unwelcome attentions of Dame Trixie.  But as in all pantomimes, she got her man.

Every member of the large cast projected vitality and joy in their performances.  It was wonderful to see so many young people on stage.  They danced, sang and acted with complete commitment with excellent backing from a very talented band.  Congratulations to the directors  Lynn Perera and Julie Wardley, Musical Director Maria King and all the choreographers.

The whole production team played their part in creating a very successful entertainment. The costumes were bright and lively. The tech team led by Greg Garrad supported the action throughout. The many set changes were well managed and the device of displaying the tower room with links to the very impressive tower was particularly successful.

This was a very long pantomime but understandably so because of the size of the cast.  It was certainly enjoyed by the audience.

One of the most colourful sets I have seen in a Pantomime with gorgeous chinese lanterns decorated carts loaded with fruits etc and an overall feel of brightness and right on stage which was
so inviting on entering the hall.

Not quite the usual formula in the cast of "Aladdin" but some great characters all well played.

Playing Aladdin a stalwart of the group James Finbow did really well and sung and acted with confidence, I did feel although a very lowly working class lad his costume was rather drab, but it sort of worked, and a great change when he appeared in a very colourful outfit later on gave the lead character more sparkle.

As Jasmine the Princess, Maddy Mayo looked lovely and sung in a very pretty style and the duets between Aladdin and Jasmine were pleasant and tuneful.

Lauren Broom as Wishee Washee was a "shining star" as always great rapp0rt from Lauren with the audience, and 100% commitment to her character. Great sense of timing and a real pleasure to
watch.

Rob Dade as the wicked Abanazar grew in the character as the show progressed and did a great job. Rob sings very well and "Can't take my Eyes off You" was beautifully sung. Well done!

A very glamorous Widow Twankey from Len Stockdale in some very sophisticated costumes throughout the show. Len worked hard with the audience to involve them in the story.

Lo and Hi played by Emma Cole & Bex Nichols were Abanazar's hench men and worked well together.I thought the choreography was rather repetitious and could have been rather more varied, but both worked hard with a good feel for the character's.

All the junior cast performed well and most of them had lovely smiley faces.

An accomplished Empress of Peking from Lynn Perera.great diction and feel for this part. And a nice character from Sophie as Genie of the lamp.

PC 39 and PC 27 from Sandie Finbow and Pead Attwood added a comic touch to the pantomime, and all in all everyone worked hard.

When on stage it is very important to become the character you are playing and total concentration in the show is so important. This is something which the younger members will learn with more experience.

A very ambitious production for a company of this, size but one which the Orchard Players drove through with some interesting scenes, characters and interpretations.

We had the usual Goodies versus the Baddies, and a junior chorus of around 20 young people who excelled in dance and enthusiasm towards the production. Supported by some adult members the singing was very tuneful.

The solo performance by Steph Porter as the Rose Fairy started the story off really well. A sweet performance by Steph, dressed beautifully as were all the cast throughout the show.

The costumes from the super talented team of Jurae Wardley Cheryll Burton and assistants were as always terrific. A delight of colour, all well fitting and attractive. I must commend the Wardrobe team for all their work and attention to detail.

Now to the main cast,

Emma Cole as Beauty, Bev Nicholls as the Beast, Cheryll Burton as Horrindana, Lauren Broom as Charlie, James Finbow as Prince Rowan, Richard Cavanagh as Madam Lotte and so the list goes on with many supporting characters all working so well together.

So many different characters to comment on but "star stand out" performances by Bex as the Beast with one of the high spots in the show in her solo "Who will love me as I am" performed with such emotion. I loved it!

Lauren as Charlie gave her all and more, a real talent here and one I hope we see many more times, perfect timing, action and 100% on top of the character. Terrific!!

Emma as Beauty looked the part, and gave touching performances in scenes with the Beast, and her Father Panisse, played very well by Peart Attwood.

It was good to see Cheryll playing a "baddie" in Horridana, and as always her songs were well sung and the character well-played.

Here and there one or two lapses in some of the dialogue from one or two cast members which slowed the pace. and I would have liked even more interaction from Madam Lotte with the audience.

Maddy Moyo playing Fifi a very saucy character, surely should have had a French accent which would have added so much more to the fun of the part.

James as Prince Rowan was quite a serious chap, a little more light and shade in his dialogue would have added more to this dashing character.

I liked Molly as Thomas who gave a confidence to the role.

Most of the songs were well chosen, but "Come to the Fair" was not as joyous as it could have been and needed more of a swing to lift it.

The young chorus did so well with the choreography and most of them looked happy and involved.

There were a few gaps in between scene changes which needed speeding up, especially before scene 6, when there was a long wait for the curtain to go up.

Lighting was very good and sound generally, with a few crackling mike's here and there. Great sets very colourful and bright.

When on stage everyone needs to be aware with Patomimes there will be shout out's from the audience which can be difficult, and it is good if just one or two characters on stage such as the Dame or similar ad libs with comments back.

If too many get involved it spoils the standard of the show.

The orchestra under Maria King did really well in supporting the songs and kept a lively pace. The songs tended to be jolly and were good, the one or two slower gentle songs were a direct change in tempo's and gave another dimension to the production.

All in all a very good Panto and one which the audience enjoyed very much.

I always enjoy my visits to Capel, thank you for your warm welcome on FOH and also meeting up with production members and committee, much appreciated.

I received a lovely warm welcome from Sue Maplestone and the Front of House team. The open stage had a very striking set along the theme of an American diner on stage which was vibrant and well constructed and flowed into the downstage exterior set. all of which were very well designed, constructed and painted by Len and Val Munns, Kyle Watts and Emma Cranwell, Who also provided the props. The colourful wardrobe and costumes were put together extremely well by the team, in keeping with the era and beautifully made in some cases. The sound and lighting design was varied and well applied, however there were one or two sound issues with personal mic packs that could have been avoided. Lynne Peera and Emma cote's choreography was very good for the most part however it did took a little regimented, maybe in future you could look at taking advantage of the dual levels and vary the moves accordingly. Also whilst I am impressed with the achievement of getting every member of the cast on stage, I do think that sometimes less is more, because you allow the cast more space for movement and expression. The band under the musical direction of Maria King were brilliant and clearly loved the songs that they were playing. With a review like this it is the job of the Director and Assistant, Val and Len Munns 􀄥 to pick the best songs that tell the back story, as there was in this production with music from the fifties and sixties and get the performers to bring them to life with their talent and performance. I think that Val and Len should be very proud of their cast and crew as they all did a great job. I really felt that after many months of waiting that summer had finally arrived in Capel St Mary. Ella Cooper and Hadyen Wise provided an extra special touch of class with their superb ballroom standard dancing.

This was a show full of fun arid enjoyment that was thoroughly enjoyed by the cast, myself and the audience in equal measure.

The transformation of the hall was impressive, with a total tum around from the staging and set we have been used to seeing over many years.

The audience sat around the stage so all the action was focussed on movement ever changing.

The opening and general feel of this production was very colourful with some superb costumes under the expertise of Julie Warclley assisted by Tonicha Rice, in fact some of the best costumes in Panto I have seen this season.

Mainly the songs chosen for the show were well known, albeit I felt some fitted better with the-theme and story line rather more than others.

Peter Pan was very enthusiastically played by Kerrie Webster who gave her all for the entire performance. A very confident strong character with a strong singing voice and a great costume and look.

Tinkerbell with Hannah Cocks was very sweet, and with her gestures in place of dialogue it was a well played role.

The Darling family of Father played by Rob Maplestone Mother played by Hanna Nunn, Michael Darling with Sam Rumbelow and John played by Minnie Gilbert and Wendy played by Emma Cole were fine. Perhaps Minnie (playing John) would have looked more like a boy with her hair tied back?

All the children in the cast did very well and looked as if they were enjoying themselves with confident appearances on stage.

Leading the Pirates was Bex Nicholls as Captain Hook in a most resplendent costume. As always Bex gave a very talented confident performance.

The cast had a lot of movement, and I do understand it needed to be so the audience could see all the action with the new lay out of the stage, but there were times it needed to slow down for solo's in particular, when just simply to stand and sing would have added more to the feel of the songs "On My Own" sung so well by Madison Mayo as Tager Lily, and a duet later on in the show with Hook and Peter for instance, are those that spring to mind.

I find the part of Smee a really complex character who needs to have a sense of fun, but dominated and rather afraid of Hook. James Fimbow always works so hard to involve the audience, which can be difficult depending on the audience's reaction. I felt more animation and life would have added to this character.

I find some of the dialogue difficult to hear despite the cast all using head mic's, lt is so important to get the sound (when using backing tracks under speaking) really well balanced.

Hannah gave the young people some good choreography which they performed

really well.

Overall a credit to Rob and the team in giving a new look and feel for the audiences enjoyment.

This group has a very loyal following which is an indication of the reputation here.

The concept of the show was a mixture of songs from well known movies, to include both adult and junior members of the society, with narration in between groupings.

A Jot of preparation, thought, and work had gone into the choices of songs from way back films up to the present day.

In Act 1 the range from "Moon River" from "Breakfast at Tiffany's" through to a selection including "Bugsy Malone" with the Junior members, “Bang Bang (The Great Gatsby) and ending with ""Singing in the Rain" was enjoyable.

There were lots of soloist's to name them all and generally all performed very well, however I would have liked to see rather more expression on some faces, especially when performing solo's, which adds a brightness and brings a song to life.

Some of the numbers were quite difficult and challenging, and there was a tentative start to some.

The dance routines were very good and the company did very well. The age ranges of the juniors included some quite young children and I did feel they were stretched coping with singing and dancing.

I commend Cheryll and Linda for all their hard work and encouragement with the younger people and having some of the older girls choreographing numbers which gives them confidence and an added interest to take part in the shows.

In Act 11 starting with "76 Trombones" from "The Music Man" the sound levels varied rather but a very packed act with some great songs from "Oliver”, "Moulin Rouge", "Skyfall”, “Armageddon," to name just some.

For me the star performances came from Gary Burton .and Becky Thomas singing "Come what May", and "Out of Reach" with Hanna Herschell and Lynn Perera.

Both these numbers had meaning and were sung with feeling and Bex Nicholls really excelled with the lovely "Skyfall" from the Bond movie, beautifully sung as did Linda Garrad with "Don't Want to Miss a Thing” from "Armageddon"

The show finished with "Happy" a jolly number which we hear so much on TV. Again great work from Cheryll and Linda with the company, and as always we need our more senior members for experience and confidence to back the young people.

A really hot afternoon for the company to perform and then follow it again in the evening.

Well done to you all, and I see from the programme you are already looking to the next production "Peter Pan" the pantomime. Forward thinking so essential to keep up your reputation and commitment to Musical Theatre.

For an evening of pure nostalgia the Orchard Players really stepped up to the mark with a selection of 50s and 60s songs linked together so well, and told a story along the way. This show had the audience singing and clapping along to most all of the numbers.

Devised by Val and Len Munns it took us on a Jukebox Journey with a great selection of soloists and very popular songs.

The set was excellent a typical diner complete with juke box, stylish bar stools and flashing signs which were so colourful. The wall paintings of cars from the period all add to the bright effect as the audience entered the hall.

There were far too many soloists to mention and all did so well, but “stand out” numbers for me were "Stupid Cupid" and Lipstick on your Collar" with Bex and the Juniors all in good form.

I also loved "Pink Shoelaces" with Adrian and Julie. "Does your Chewing Gum lose it’s Flavour" with both the Len's and "Chantilly Lace" with Big Bopper Adrian were fantastic.

Also "Come Outside" from Adrian and Pearl was such a great number and played so well, and James for "Times they are a Changing" with James playing solo guitar, and the last numbers in the show" Aquarius" and "Let the Sun Shine In" with Julie and the entire company brought back many memories and closed the programme.

Great credit must go to the entire company with some real energy on stage which came over to the audience.

Maria King as MD is also to be congratulated for her sterling work on keyboard along with a small band totally supporting the singers, and as I understand Maria did a great deal of the arrangements for the group. Well done!

Well done also to Val and Len for the original idea and to Val for her overall direction of the show which kept the pace going throughout.

I would also like to mention the costumes which are always so professional looking with The Orchard Players, and in this production a lot of work must have gone into researching the styles of the period which were spot on. Julie and her team did exceptionally well. Many Congratulations.

The next production will be the Pantomime which is already in hand. Forward thinking as time marches on. I look forward to" Jack and the Beanstalk" in January 2015.

A very different script and innovative story line where all the "baddies" really want to be good. Written and Directed by Damien Laverty assisted by Giles Meehan. Giles also composed all the songs in the show. This was a first production and a very interesting story line with all the favourite characters from all the Pantomime characters with a dash of Nursery Rhyme characters to boot.

John Hoskyns as Mother Molly Mary Moo Mud Pie (Yes that was her name) was excellent with some very flamboyant costumes and worked the audience well.

There were too many named characters to mention each and every one but I would like to comment on Bex Nicholls as Buttons and Sandie Finbow as The Wicked Witch. Both got right into their characters and worked hard at the interpretations.

With a brand new script and songs it took a while to get all the characters sorted.

To see it a second time a lot of the "inhouse" humour would have been appreciated more.

I did think Act 1 was overlong, finishing with a rather long song which might need looking at from Giles to see if it could be shortened perhaps?

Costumes in general were bright and attractive but there was rather a mixed bag with some characters A little more attention on hemlines and tidy looking costumes is always best checked before going on to the stage, and would have given a more professional look.

There were a few times in the performance I attended when cast on the stage were kept waiting for other cast to come on and carry on with the story. This really needed to be slicker to keep the pace flowing.

The singing was pleasant and most of the cast know all the Words. I say most as there was one or two who really needed to have worked harder at words and movements.

It can be very useful to young people who have not been in a show before to be given help through the process with the transition from rehearsal room to stage. It is a very different when first on a stage with nerves etc with a haft full of people watching you, and it is important that the younger members are given confidence. A little gentle advice re stage rules usually works.

All in all though I commend both Damien and Giles for all their work and with a bit of tweeking here and there this will be a great show for other groups to consider in the future.

As always a really warm welcome on our arrival and it was good to meet up with you all again.

I look forward to your next production.

17 January 2019

Thank you so much for the very warm welcome given to all the audience by the Front of House team led by Sue Maplestone.

Rapunzel was a new pantomime for me but the story very familiar.  It was immediately evident on entering the Hall that Rapunzel was the subject of the piece with a very impressive tower.

The audience were treated to a lively introduction from Curly and Bob, ably played by Lauren Broom and Neil Jackson.  This duo shone throughout the pantomime showing great comic timing as they joked and capered from scene to scene.

James Finbow, playing Frankie, was another delightful and well acted character.  Son of Dame Trixie, he was always charming and created great rapport with the audience.

His very elegant mother, Dame Trixie, played by Ray Seager,  showed a strong character and filled the stage with her presence.  I missed the usual changes of costume which has become a traditional element of the Dame's role.

Bex Nicholls as Prince Frederick was a very powerful character and superbly played.  Her amazing singing voice and large stage presence lit up the hall.  I detected a touch of 'Ab Fab' in her dialogue which just enhanced the role.

The contrast with the much gentler Rapunzel, played by Charlea Burwood worked really well. Charlea won the sympathy of the whole audience with her lovely portrayal as she endured the thoroughly nasty attention of Fiona Robinson Rogers Wicked Witch.  She managed that amazing hair so well.

Fairy Flora, played by Lola Miller was a real highlight for me.  Her clear diction and confident stage presence shone.  This was a very good and mature characterisation from one so young.

Glyn Hill very ably portrayed King Geoffrey and was well supported by his rather pathetic Queen Gertrude,Sandie Finbow.  Both created a very believable pair.

Lacie, Macie and Gracie played by Sophie Edwards, Emma Cole and Molly Griffin sang, danced and acted with verve and were backed well by their mini versions  Freya Carney, Lily Benmore and Holly Barker.

Rob Dack completed the principal line up as the Captain of the Guard suffering the most unwelcome attentions of Dame Trixie.  But as in all pantomimes, she got her man.

Every member of the large cast projected vitality and joy in their performances.  It was wonderful to see so many young people on stage.  They danced, sang and acted with complete commitment with excellent backing from a very talented band.  Congratulations to the directors  Lynn Perera and Julie Wardley, Musical Director Maria King and all the choreographers.

The whole production team played their part in creating a very successful entertainment. The costumes were bright and lively. The tech team led by Greg Garrad supported the action throughout. The many set changes were well managed and the device of displaying the tower room with links to the very impressive tower was particularly successful.

This was a very long pantomime but understandably so because of the size of the cast.  It was certainly enjoyed by the audience.

One of the most colourful sets I have seen in a Pantomime with gorgeous chinese lanterns decorated carts loaded with fruits etc and an overall feel of brightness and right on stage which was
so inviting on entering the hall.

Not quite the usual formula in the cast of "Aladdin" but some great characters all well played.

Playing Aladdin a stalwart of the group James Finbow did really well and sung and acted with confidence, I did feel although a very lowly working class lad his costume was rather drab, but it sort of worked, and a great change when he appeared in a very colourful outfit later on gave the lead character more sparkle.

As Jasmine the Princess, Maddy Mayo looked lovely and sung in a very pretty style and the duets between Aladdin and Jasmine were pleasant and tuneful.

Lauren Broom as Wishee Washee was a "shining star" as always great rapp0rt from Lauren with the audience, and 100% commitment to her character. Great sense of timing and a real pleasure to
watch.

Rob Dade as the wicked Abanazar grew in the character as the show progressed and did a great job. Rob sings very well and "Can't take my Eyes off You" was beautifully sung. Well done!

A very glamorous Widow Twankey from Len Stockdale in some very sophisticated costumes throughout the show. Len worked hard with the audience to involve them in the story.

Lo and Hi played by Emma Cole & Bex Nichols were Abanazar's hench men and worked well together.I thought the choreography was rather repetitious and could have been rather more varied, but both worked hard with a good feel for the character's.

All the junior cast performed well and most of them had lovely smiley faces.

An accomplished Empress of Peking from Lynn Perera.great diction and feel for this part. And a nice character from Sophie as Genie of the lamp.

PC 39 and PC 27 from Sandie Finbow and Pead Attwood added a comic touch to the pantomime, and all in all everyone worked hard.

When on stage it is very important to become the character you are playing and total concentration in the show is so important. This is something which the younger members will learn with more experience.

A very ambitious production for a company of this, size but one which the Orchard Players drove through with some interesting scenes, characters and interpretations.

We had the usual Goodies versus the Baddies, and a junior chorus of around 20 young people who excelled in dance and enthusiasm towards the production. Supported by some adult members the singing was very tuneful.

The solo performance by Steph Porter as the Rose Fairy started the story off really well. A sweet performance by Steph, dressed beautifully as were all the cast throughout the show.

The costumes from the super talented team of Jurae Wardley Cheryll Burton and assistants were as always terrific. A delight of colour, all well fitting and attractive. I must commend the Wardrobe team for all their work and attention to detail.

Now to the main cast,

Emma Cole as Beauty, Bev Nicholls as the Beast, Cheryll Burton as Horrindana, Lauren Broom as Charlie, James Finbow as Prince Rowan, Richard Cavanagh as Madam Lotte and so the list goes on with many supporting characters all working so well together.

So many different characters to comment on but "star stand out" performances by Bex as the Beast with one of the high spots in the show in her solo "Who will love me as I am" performed with such emotion. I loved it!

Lauren as Charlie gave her all and more, a real talent here and one I hope we see many more times, perfect timing, action and 100% on top of the character. Terrific!!

Emma as Beauty looked the part, and gave touching performances in scenes with the Beast, and her Father Panisse, played very well by Peart Attwood.

It was good to see Cheryll playing a "baddie" in Horridana, and as always her songs were well sung and the character well-played.

Here and there one or two lapses in some of the dialogue from one or two cast members which slowed the pace. and I would have liked even more interaction from Madam Lotte with the audience.

Maddy Moyo playing Fifi a very saucy character, surely should have had a French accent which would have added so much more to the fun of the part.

James as Prince Rowan was quite a serious chap, a little more light and shade in his dialogue would have added more to this dashing character.

I liked Molly as Thomas who gave a confidence to the role.

Most of the songs were well chosen, but "Come to the Fair" was not as joyous as it could have been and needed more of a swing to lift it.

The young chorus did so well with the choreography and most of them looked happy and involved.

There were a few gaps in between scene changes which needed speeding up, especially before scene 6, when there was a long wait for the curtain to go up.

Lighting was very good and sound generally, with a few crackling mike's here and there. Great sets very colourful and bright.

When on stage everyone needs to be aware with Patomimes there will be shout out's from the audience which can be difficult, and it is good if just one or two characters on stage such as the Dame or similar ad libs with comments back.

If too many get involved it spoils the standard of the show.

The orchestra under Maria King did really well in supporting the songs and kept a lively pace. The songs tended to be jolly and were good, the one or two slower gentle songs were a direct change in tempo's and gave another dimension to the production.

All in all a very good Panto and one which the audience enjoyed very much.

I always enjoy my visits to Capel, thank you for your warm welcome on FOH and also meeting up with production members and committee, much appreciated.

I received a lovely warm welcome from Sue Maplestone and the Front of House team. The open stage had a very striking set along the theme of an American diner on stage which was vibrant and well constructed and flowed into the downstage exterior set. all of which were very well designed, constructed and painted by Len and Val Munns, Kyle Watts and Emma Cranwell, Who also provided the props. The colourful wardrobe and costumes were put together extremely well by the team, in keeping with the era and beautifully made in some cases. The sound and lighting design was varied and well applied, however there were one or two sound issues with personal mic packs that could have been avoided. Lynne Peera and Emma cote's choreography was very good for the most part however it did took a little regimented, maybe in future you could look at taking advantage of the dual levels and vary the moves accordingly. Also whilst I am impressed with the achievement of getting every member of the cast on stage, I do think that sometimes less is more, because you allow the cast more space for movement and expression. The band under the musical direction of Maria King were brilliant and clearly loved the songs that they were playing. With a review like this it is the job of the Director and Assistant, Val and Len Munns 􀄥 to pick the best songs that tell the back story, as there was in this production with music from the fifties and sixties and get the performers to bring them to life with their talent and performance. I think that Val and Len should be very proud of their cast and crew as they all did a great job. I really felt that after many months of waiting that summer had finally arrived in Capel St Mary. Ella Cooper and Hadyen Wise provided an extra special touch of class with their superb ballroom standard dancing.

This was a show full of fun arid enjoyment that was thoroughly enjoyed by the cast, myself and the audience in equal measure.

The transformation of the hall was impressive, with a total tum around from the staging and set we have been used to seeing over many years.

The audience sat around the stage so all the action was focussed on movement ever changing.

The opening and general feel of this production was very colourful with some superb costumes under the expertise of Julie Warclley assisted by Tonicha Rice, in fact some of the best costumes in Panto I have seen this season.

Mainly the songs chosen for the show were well known, albeit I felt some fitted better with the-theme and story line rather more than others.

Peter Pan was very enthusiastically played by Kerrie Webster who gave her all for the entire performance. A very confident strong character with a strong singing voice and a great costume and look.

Tinkerbell with Hannah Cocks was very sweet, and with her gestures in place of dialogue it was a well played role.

The Darling family of Father played by Rob Maplestone Mother played by Hanna Nunn, Michael Darling with Sam Rumbelow and John played by Minnie Gilbert and Wendy played by Emma Cole were fine. Perhaps Minnie (playing John) would have looked more like a boy with her hair tied back?

All the children in the cast did very well and looked as if they were enjoying themselves with confident appearances on stage.

Leading the Pirates was Bex Nicholls as Captain Hook in a most resplendent costume. As always Bex gave a very talented confident performance.

The cast had a lot of movement, and I do understand it needed to be so the audience could see all the action with the new lay out of the stage, but there were times it needed to slow down for solo's in particular, when just simply to stand and sing would have added more to the feel of the songs "On My Own" sung so well by Madison Mayo as Tager Lily, and a duet later on in the show with Hook and Peter for instance, are those that spring to mind.

I find the part of Smee a really complex character who needs to have a sense of fun, but dominated and rather afraid of Hook. James Fimbow always works so hard to involve the audience, which can be difficult depending on the audience's reaction. I felt more animation and life would have added to this character.

I find some of the dialogue difficult to hear despite the cast all using head mic's, lt is so important to get the sound (when using backing tracks under speaking) really well balanced.

Hannah gave the young people some good choreography which they performed

really well.

Overall a credit to Rob and the team in giving a new look and feel for the audiences enjoyment.

This group has a very loyal following which is an indication of the reputation here.

The concept of the show was a mixture of songs from well known movies, to include both adult and junior members of the society, with narration in between groupings.

A Jot of preparation, thought, and work had gone into the choices of songs from way back films up to the present day.

In Act 1 the range from "Moon River" from "Breakfast at Tiffany's" through to a selection including "Bugsy Malone" with the Junior members, “Bang Bang (The Great Gatsby) and ending with ""Singing in the Rain" was enjoyable.

There were lots of soloist's to name them all and generally all performed very well, however I would have liked to see rather more expression on some faces, especially when performing solo's, which adds a brightness and brings a song to life.

Some of the numbers were quite difficult and challenging, and there was a tentative start to some.

The dance routines were very good and the company did very well. The age ranges of the juniors included some quite young children and I did feel they were stretched coping with singing and dancing.

I commend Cheryll and Linda for all their hard work and encouragement with the younger people and having some of the older girls choreographing numbers which gives them confidence and an added interest to take part in the shows.

In Act 11 starting with "76 Trombones" from "The Music Man" the sound levels varied rather but a very packed act with some great songs from "Oliver”, "Moulin Rouge", "Skyfall”, “Armageddon," to name just some.

For me the star performances came from Gary Burton .and Becky Thomas singing "Come what May", and "Out of Reach" with Hanna Herschell and Lynn Perera.

Both these numbers had meaning and were sung with feeling and Bex Nicholls really excelled with the lovely "Skyfall" from the Bond movie, beautifully sung as did Linda Garrad with "Don't Want to Miss a Thing” from "Armageddon"

The show finished with "Happy" a jolly number which we hear so much on TV. Again great work from Cheryll and Linda with the company, and as always we need our more senior members for experience and confidence to back the young people.

A really hot afternoon for the company to perform and then follow it again in the evening.

Well done to you all, and I see from the programme you are already looking to the next production "Peter Pan" the pantomime. Forward thinking so essential to keep up your reputation and commitment to Musical Theatre.

For an evening of pure nostalgia the Orchard Players really stepped up to the mark with a selection of 50s and 60s songs linked together so well, and told a story along the way. This show had the audience singing and clapping along to most all of the numbers.

Devised by Val and Len Munns it took us on a Jukebox Journey with a great selection of soloists and very popular songs.

The set was excellent a typical diner complete with juke box, stylish bar stools and flashing signs which were so colourful. The wall paintings of cars from the period all add to the bright effect as the audience entered the hall.

There were far too many soloists to mention and all did so well, but “stand out” numbers for me were "Stupid Cupid" and Lipstick on your Collar" with Bex and the Juniors all in good form.

I also loved "Pink Shoelaces" with Adrian and Julie. "Does your Chewing Gum lose it’s Flavour" with both the Len's and "Chantilly Lace" with Big Bopper Adrian were fantastic.

Also "Come Outside" from Adrian and Pearl was such a great number and played so well, and James for "Times they are a Changing" with James playing solo guitar, and the last numbers in the show" Aquarius" and "Let the Sun Shine In" with Julie and the entire company brought back many memories and closed the programme.

Great credit must go to the entire company with some real energy on stage which came over to the audience.

Maria King as MD is also to be congratulated for her sterling work on keyboard along with a small band totally supporting the singers, and as I understand Maria did a great deal of the arrangements for the group. Well done!

Well done also to Val and Len for the original idea and to Val for her overall direction of the show which kept the pace going throughout.

I would also like to mention the costumes which are always so professional looking with The Orchard Players, and in this production a lot of work must have gone into researching the styles of the period which were spot on. Julie and her team did exceptionally well. Many Congratulations.

The next production will be the Pantomime which is already in hand. Forward thinking as time marches on. I look forward to" Jack and the Beanstalk" in January 2015.

A very different script and innovative story line where all the "baddies" really want to be good. Written and Directed by Damien Laverty assisted by Giles Meehan. Giles also composed all the songs in the show. This was a first production and a very interesting story line with all the favourite characters from all the Pantomime characters with a dash of Nursery Rhyme characters to boot.

John Hoskyns as Mother Molly Mary Moo Mud Pie (Yes that was her name) was excellent with some very flamboyant costumes and worked the audience well.

There were too many named characters to mention each and every one but I would like to comment on Bex Nicholls as Buttons and Sandie Finbow as The Wicked Witch. Both got right into their characters and worked hard at the interpretations.

With a brand new script and songs it took a while to get all the characters sorted.

To see it a second time a lot of the "inhouse" humour would have been appreciated more.

I did think Act 1 was overlong, finishing with a rather long song which might need looking at from Giles to see if it could be shortened perhaps?

Costumes in general were bright and attractive but there was rather a mixed bag with some characters A little more attention on hemlines and tidy looking costumes is always best checked before going on to the stage, and would have given a more professional look.

There were a few times in the performance I attended when cast on the stage were kept waiting for other cast to come on and carry on with the story. This really needed to be slicker to keep the pace flowing.

The singing was pleasant and most of the cast know all the Words. I say most as there was one or two who really needed to have worked harder at words and movements.

It can be very useful to young people who have not been in a show before to be given help through the process with the transition from rehearsal room to stage. It is a very different when first on a stage with nerves etc with a haft full of people watching you, and it is important that the younger members are given confidence. A little gentle advice re stage rules usually works.

All in all though I commend both Damien and Giles for all their work and with a bit of tweeking here and there this will be a great show for other groups to consider in the future.

As always a really warm welcome on our arrival and it was good to meet up with you all again.

I look forward to your next production.