St Faith's Church, Hitchin: Pantomime 2010

From 18th February for two nights only and by popular request, the St Faith’s Players and Friends put on their performance of Treasure Island. This was a play / pantomime based loosely (and I mean loosely) on the book by Robert Louis Stevenson, but which had been adapted to suit the requirements of the church.

It was produced and directed by Penny Mitchell who did a brilliant job with limited timescales and resources.

Treasure Island centres on the port (sic) of Walsworth, where a group of weary pirates, tired of the sea and seeking a new life on land, are persuaded by their charismatic captain and his idiosyncratic first mate to make one last trip based on a map which purports to show the location of a large hoard of pirate treasure. They are accompanied on their trip by a couple of pantomime dames (naturally), a cow (!) and various stowaways. They return with the same, the treasure and a shipload of islanders.

Penny was helped out by the variety of other Mitchells (music), Mike Woodward (Stage Manager), Eve and Margaret (Wardrobe) and what seemed to be several hundred other people. In total, some forty people were involved with supporting the play while another forty or so appeared on stage. It could get quite crowded at times, which after all was one of the purposes of holding the play.

Along the way, we all learnt a bit about acting, were drilled in singing for the stage by RSMs Attwood, M. and Mitchell, T. and had the chance to dress up in fancy costumes.

Although I played a very modest part in the play and can therefore be accused of bias, I believe the play was a great success, playing as it did to packed houses and garnering a lot of laughs. A DVD is available, price £6 and if you have yet to look at the photos in the church, please do so. Copies are still available for purchase through Penny Mitchell.

The pictures below are of scenes from the pantomime, taken during rehearsals.

Jon Sabey-Corkindale