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2006
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'Put That Light Out' was a brilliant production directed by Alison Bagnall to commemoration of the end of World War II and included a whimsical look at the war years. It was an evening of comedy, song and drama recalling memories of those perilous years when Britain refused to lie down to the onslaught of incessant air raids. The bull dog sprit overcame all adversity with a smile and a song which has become our heritage. We enjoyed again the jokes of Max Miller, the songs of Vera Lynn, the humour of the British people and the patriotic tunes of the day. Performed from 5-8 October to proceeds of approximately £900 was donated to the Royal British Legion. The performance was again played to packed audiences over four nights and was a tribute to the hard work of the Group.
Octopus performed the 'The Opposite Sex' by David Tristram and saw Mark, Vicky, Judith and Eric who only had one thing in common and when they found out what was, all hell broke loose! 'The Opposite Sex' is essentially a contemporary farce of marriage and modern relationships, with a bitter-sweet twist, which was presented by Octopus together with 'Husbands are a Girl's Best Friend' written by Harry Austin. This later one act play tells the story of Lord Rampart's strict Victorian moral code which is shattered when his wife's twin sister arrives on the scene. Will he succumb to her charms or will Branston, the faithful butler prevent catastrophe? Both these plays again played to packed audiences and congratulations go to Phil Domaille who directed The Opposite Sex and Gil Gilroy who directed Husbands are a Girl's Best Friend.
"Harry Spotter and the Essence of Happiness", was performed from 12 - 15 January when someone stole the Happiness Essence from Mrs Santa and it had to be found or Christmas would never be the same again. Harry, Buffy and friends came to the rescue of both the Essence and Mrs Santa from the Baddies at Hogworths and the Incredible Sulk and the audience thrilled to the Thornbury Forest Olympic Games. As with all good pantomimes everything ended happily every after.
Another very successful show was performed by Octopus and over £1,100 was made for the Starlight Childrens Charity and Cancer Research. The evening was a riot of humerous songs and sketchs which sent the audiences home with aching sides every night.
Octopus tried a different format for their Summer Event this year and performed a Trio of Plays which was very well received by Thornbury audiences.
The first play was called One Was Nude, And One Wore Tails by Dario Fo who is Italy's leading contemporary playwright and performer, renowned throughout the world for his dazzling radical satires.
This was ably performed by Octopus Youth and explored the concept of 'Clothes do not maketh the man'.
The second one act play was Last Tango in Little Grimley by David Tristram. The audience joined the Little Grimley Amateur Dramatic Society whose numbers have dwindled to just four, as they attempt to revive their flagging audiences by staging a sex comedy. Will it work, or will they have to disband? The result was a hilalrious farce which had the audience laughting their socks off.
The scene was a tea tent. In charge was the irrepres ible Gosforth whose unpredict able ad libs must strike terror into fellow FADS but joyous anticipation into his audience. He fiddled with the elec trics while Milly wittered on, confesing he'd made her preg nant - at which precise moment he got the loud speaker working. In blundered the Scout Master , the vicar and .the local councillor Mrs Pearce . Before long the audience was
practically under its seats.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 7 -10 January 2004 The 2004 Pantomime was written and directed by Tony Domaille with the production work being done by Phil Domaille. All the expected characters made appearances with Jenny Dennis attracting a great deal of booing and hissing as the Wicked Queen. Sian Bagnall looked more like Snow White than……….well, any Snow White there has ever been and the show played to the quickest and earliest sell out anyone can ever remember. There was even a paying audience for the dress rehearsal. Seven dwarfs (who grew taller throughout three months of rehearsals - that's kids for you!) some clever effects, such as the magic mirror and the x-ray machine (courtesy of the ever inventive Geoff Gill) and an enthusiastic cast made this pantomime a lot of fun. In the end, Prince William saved his Snow White from the perils of the Wicked Queen. Of course, he had to be assisted by a Dame riding an Ostrich and a couple of hefty fairies, but then anything can happen (and often does) in an Octopus pantomime.
Octopus produced a miscellany of music, monologues and melodrama, a divertissement of drama, dance and drollery and a galaxy of gagsters, glamour and gallantry in the guise of 'Music Hall Memories' in aid of St Peter's Hospice and Age Concern, which played to packed houses every night. The audience weeped and wailed with the poignant sentiments of the monologues, thrilled to the gallant heroics and treacherous villains of the melodrama, and sang along to the captivating choruses all for the price of £5 which included a ploughman's supper. All this merriment raised approximately £890 which was distributed between St Peter's Hospice and Age Concern.
This hilarious comedy was set in the masters' common room of Hilary Hall School for Boys in the summer term just after the Second World War had ended. The masters find out that St Swithin's, a girls' school, is to be billeted upon them after a clerical error at the Ministry of Devacuation. The staff try desperately to conceal the fact that the boys and girls are housed together, but in vain, for some of the parents find out. They are about to remove their offspring when a message arrives: a third school is to share Hilary Hall. Against this common enemy, both staff and parents unite to barricade the gates. Some people might have remembered this as a hilarious 1950's film starring Joyce Grenfield as the love struck gym teacher, Alistair Sym and Margaret Rutherford as the Heads of the respective establishments. The play itself has a verydifferent plot from the film, but our audience seemed to enjoy it greatly and some older spectators told us how much it reminded them of thir own schooldays. There was a very large cast and the two younger new recruits Katie Finch and James Linehan gave the play their all.
A special mention must be made to Jenny Dennis who played Evelyn Whitchurch. Her stirling performance gave her a well deserved Best Actress nomination in the Rose Bowl Awards. The ajudicator made the following comments regarding Jenny's performance. 'This performance will stay with me for a long time, achingly funny, this detailed characterisation was a joy to watch. The figure of authority on her first entrance with the WRAC marching walk and body language of disapproval gradually deteriorated into a distraught figure in the final scenes. The scene carrying the rose whilst trying to impress the Picks and control her emotions and panic was brilliant. 'Vocally excellent'.
Our pantomime for 2003 was "Ali Baba and the Four Thieves" written by Vincent Costello and directed by Shelagh Fagan. The budget was vast, but did not quite run to forty thieves.
It was the traditional story of the Cave, Open Semame, the Treasure and the Thieves hiding in the jars. Ali went from rags to riches and found love on the way, helped by his eccentric camel Humphrey. There was a large and lively cast with exuberant performances from the youth members. Added to all this were guest apperarances from Bob the Builder, Trinny and Susanna, and a respectable Ali Genie. The technical support was, as always, excellent, and the property list was as long as your arm - including the inevitable cakey bakey ingredients and a mysterious Pritt Stick.
