The History Of Lilleshall Pantomine
Red Riding Hood - 2004
With two very different and innovative scripts tackled over the last two years, it was decided to return to another old favourite and look at revisiting Red Riding Hood. Celia Fox was asked to look at her original script of this story and see if it could be updated and made suitable for our group. The script, as done previously had the character of the wolf, as a rather sinister figure. Celia decided to turn this idea on its head and create a comedy character for the wolf. The new premise of this up dated version was that the wolf hated all the chasing about and really wanted 'out' of fairy tale land so he could retire in peace and comfort somewhere exotic. In order to stick somewhat loosely to the traditional tale with Red Riding Hood, Grandma etc, the wolf needed a reason to be pursuing them both.
In Lilleshall Pantomime's version, the wolf was holding the winning ticket to the lottery and fortune and escape beckoned... however, on being disturbed by the woodcutter, he hides the ticket in a box of chocolates that he was about to eat, leaves them in a safe place and plays his 'role' of big bad wolf, allowing the wood cutter to chase him. Unfortunately for the wolf, the box of chocolates is found by two sillies, before he can retrieve it! Thus starts a madcap farce of chases and mistakes as the box of chocolates is passed from character to character with our hapless wolf endeavouring to get them back before they are eaten and the ticket is found by someone else!
The chocolates end up at Grandma's cottage and it is no surprise to find out in the end that the wolf never gets his ticket back but everyone is surprised at Grandma's transformation, played by Margaret Hullin, as she leaves for exotic climes, dripping in diamonds and with a toy boy on each arm! The wolf was played by a new member, joining the cast, this year, Jon Vince who showed a great flair for comedy and a relaxed style and confidence. It was good to welcome another new and talented actor to the Group.
This year we said goodbye to Nicola Fox, who was setting out to develop her skills at Performing Arts College in London after winning a scholarship but we looked forward to enjoying the many talents of the new members as well as continuing to rely on the 'old stagers' who had been with the company since it began in 1988! This Pantomime was full of chases, mix-ups, characters lost in the woods, changed sign posts and lots of mad cap characters. It was during one crazy scene that a rather over enthusiatic cast member toppled through the scenery to much laughter and cheering from everyone....the audience, not sure whether it was part of the script or not! ... we're not telling!