The History Of Lilleshall Pantomine
The Wizard Of Oz - 2002
It was now fourteen years since the Lilleshall Pantomime Group was started and there had been many changes of cast, production team and helpers. Many members of the Group have come and gone over the years, little children have grown up and taken main roles, new members have been welcomed, some retired from performing but have continued to support the group in other ways. However, many of those people who were there when the group began were still involved, working hard to put on a Show.....fourteen years of voluntary service with no time off for good behaviour.
The Group now owned very extensive costume cupboards, capable of costuming multiple Shows at the same time! A more permanent storage unit had been purchased for storing staging and larger props also, so greater responsibility fell on the committee for the care and maintenance of all the equipment, props, costumes, fabrics etc, held by the Group.
This year, it was decided to try something very different for our annual pantomime. Celia Fox, who had been one of the Groups regular scriptwriters, wrote a script this year based very closely on the story of the Wizard of Oz. This story moved away from tradition because their was no Dame, no comedy duo and no clearly defined principal girl or boy. The story revolved around Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin-man and the Lion and their adventures in the land of Oz. It was this ensemble playing, affectionately dubbed 'the gang of four!' that drew Celia to the story in the first place. It was a script that didn't allow for a few 'stars' but needed everyone involved to take an equal role. The 'Gang of Four' proved to be a cracking good team and an inspired bit of casting. Dorothy was played by sixteen year old Nicola Fox who sang and danced her way through Oz, with a real sense of performance. With her was, Chris Wales as Scarecrow. he was cheeky and funny in turn, quickly endearing himself to the audience and showing he really did have a 'brain' after all! These two were joined by Robert Watson Jones as the Tin-man, playing it so poignantly as the hard exterior with real 'heart'. Completing the set was Andrew Shaw as everyone's cuddly lion who turned out not to be scared of anyone.
Interacting with our heroes was sparkly Adderperle, the good witch played perfectly by Claire Tomlinson, sharing the stage with her father, Ken, who played the gatekeeper at the Emerald city and her younger sister Katie who was playing various roles in the chorus. As a foil for all this goodness, was the Wicked Witch of the West played with delicious nastiness(..Well she scared me..) by Kacey Preen. It was good to see Graham Gibson back on stage, as he had talked of retiring the previous year! A little bit of persuading and he was happy to play the Wizard of Oz.
With Evelyn Wales producing, Celia Fox directing, Simon Phillips as musical director (as well as being on stage as Uncle Henry) Eleanor Jones playing the piano again, another exciting Show opened in March 2002 and was very well received by audiences every night. It seemed like Lilleshall Pantomime was developing and expanding and on the up again!!