Welcome to the Pantoloons web site all the latest information
on our shows and events.
Our next production is Dick Whittington
Goes West, January 28th to 31st 2009
watch this space for more details
Coming soon on the 1st December another Murder
Mystery Evening at Sanderstead URC.
Also Great news our next production is going to be
"Sinbad the Sailor" on January the
30th to February the 2nd 2008
Followed by another Grand Ball at "The Warren" Coney
Hall, Kent. On the 1st on March 2008 Including live music and a dance display by
Irene Jolley & Lawrence Pearson.
Saturday 13th October Murder Mystery Evening in aid of RUSHUK
We sadly mourn the death of one of our members, Graham Burbidge was
one of our founder members. He lost his battle against cancer and passed away on
Monday 6th August aged 55.
1952-2007
For further details call us on 07092 376958
PURLEY PANTOMIME TAKES A COMFORT BREAK
One of
Croydon’s most popular pantomime shows has been caught short…by a lack of toilet
facilities.
The colourful
pantomime performed annually at Purley United Reformed Church by the Pantoloons
company will be missing from the social calendar this year because of a £90,000
toilet renovation programme at the church.
The
Pantoloons developed out of an initiative by parents of children attending
Whyteleafe school 19 years ago. Their annual shows eventually outgrew the
school and transferred to Purley URC where they have been playing to full houses
every January for the past 12 years. The shows, which attract large numbers of
families with children and are supported by local schools and youth
organisations, have raised £20,000 for a variety of local and international
charities during that time.
The company
now plan to stage a Murder Mystery evening in the Spring when the refurbishment
programme has been completed.
‘The church
is hosting a major Partnership Conference next summer so the toilet facilities
are having to be upgraded’, said Pantoloons President, Keith Hughes. ‘The work
begins in January and will continue until Easter so we cannot stage the show
this year. But we will be back bigger and better than ever next season and in
the meantime we hope that our loyal audiences will turn out for what promises to
be an intriguing and highly entertaining murder mystery’.
Supporters of
the Pantoloons group are also invited to attend their formal Dinner Dance, Grand
Ball with the Bill Geldard Big Band Sound on Saturday 10th February
at The Warren, Croydon Road, Bromley.
Tickets
priced at £35 are obtainable from 07092 376958 or via the website
pantoloons@blueyonder.co.uk. All proceeds will go to charity.
For further
information contact Keith Hughes on 0208 668 1186.
Watch this space for further details.
Murder Mystery Evening "Dead Riding Hood"
Saturday 21st April 2007
at Purley URC
Well the comments keep rolling in "What a fun evening - we just wanted to congratulate
you and the Pantaloons for such an entertaining evening, I don't think we
stopped laughing the whole time we were in the hall. Well Done - I have been
to several professional panto's in the last couple of years and yours was much
much better keep up the good work" Judy Reader
‘I liked it
when the Queen was fighting with the light sabre, especially when she was
supposed to be dead and she woke up again – I thought she was never going to
die.’ – Frankie (8)
‘Chuckles
was really funny – he made me laugh every time he came on – especially when he
walked into the wall.’ – Joshua (8)
‘I liked it
when the fairies came on dancing – they all looked silly.’ Adam (8)
‘I liked
joining in “The Way to Amarillo.” – Joe (9)
‘I thought
the dwarves were funny, with their new names. I liked it when Psycho made them
march off singing.’ – Guy (13
‘It was
funny when the Queen had to answer the phone when she was supposed to be
fighting.’ – Patrick (8)
‘I just
loved the whole show.’ – Andrew (10)
‘The dwarves
were best, especially the pink one who did the voices from Little Britain when
she said “Yeah but, no but” and “I want that one” when she grabbed a sandwich.’
- Freddie (10)
‘The band
was really good – the singing wouldn’t have been as good without them – I also
thought the fairies were funny because they couldn’t dance very well.’ – Harry
(9)
Comments from some of the Cubs of the 7th Purley Group.
Snow White
Another
great success, just look at the reviews!
The
Advertiser
Friday, February 3, 2006
Snow White
The Pantoloons
****
RHYMING couplets, a great dame, a charmingly tuneful Snow White and some
ingenious twists and turns made this year’s show jump up several notches in
comparison with last year.
The tale veers only slightly off the traditional path but for good reasons, the
sets were apt and colourful and the musical director David Starbuck and his
tuneful musicians brought a professional touch to the many songs which were
sprinkled in short bursts throughout the show. The rather jazzy overture to Act
II was superb!
Director Nick Frost evolved a pacy production using a combination of new talent
and old pantaloon stagers. Among the new kids on the block was Caroline Rodgers
who breathed realistic life into her Snow White, did more than justice to her
musical numbers and really graced the stage. Vicky Morris, erstwhile principal
girl, matched her enthusiasm as Prince Michael — great legs in spite of the
script saying otherwise!
Beautifully dressed with a wicked laugh, Jane Swale’s Queen Maligna was
elegantly evil and earnest in her desire to be the most beautiful in the
kingdom.
Elegance is not the word for Dame Goodheart whom Simon Vines made homely while
still delivering jokes just the right side of impolite.
Inoffensive and fun was his repartee with a selected male in the audience —
Thursday night’s Dave took all this in good part.
Just as Maligna made her entrances from the “baddies” side stage left, so three
traffic light fairies monopolised stage right. Poppy, Dandylion and Greensleeves
were the comic trio who moved the tale along. Neil Tunbridge and Phil Wright
making the most of their lines but Chris Henley’s body language added even more
to his role.
The role of young Chamberlain, Alonzo, called for a variety of acting talents,
well supplied by Gareth Heale, and Graham Burbidge brought slightly more
controlled comedy than in previous pantos, making Chuckles the court jester, a
real favourite.
The magic mirror, personified by Duncan Thnbridge, brought forth more couplets,
strongly delivered with a dry wit.
The seven friends whom Snow White meets in the forest were a women’s lib team of
Silver Miners, dressed to kill in satin with wonderfully whacky matching wigs
and, of course, toning handbags. Janet Hughes led the team as Psycho, but Itchy,
Bitchy, Sweaty, Sleepy, Bloated and Forgetful all added to the humour and pathos
of the cottage scenes.
Clever transformation work transformed Maligna in an instant into a grotesque
old apple-seller with Chester Stern making much of his brief appearance.
Ballet dancer Megane Frost opened the whole show and smiling and agile dancers
from the Doris Holford Stage School then danced on. Their evil spirits danced to
In the Hall of the Mountain King, which was eminently spooky.
Of the musical numbers, One from Chorus Line was well delivered by the ensemble
and Snow White’s Whistle While You Work with integrated tap dancing made a great
solo.
Everyone on stage looked as if they were enjoying themselves the audience
certainly did and hopefully gave generously to The Pantoloons charity collection
for the NSPCC
The Pantoloons
Committee
Chairman Nick Frost
Treasurer Phil Wright
Kate Nash
Alistair Kennard
Theresa Hallhan
President Keith Hughes
The Pantoloons were first formed in 1989 with packed houses at Kenley
Primary School. We have come a long way since then, we have been producing
pantomimes ever since raising many thousand's of pounds for charity.
