Babes in the Wood
Wivenhoe Pantomime 2004
Mike Downes and Peter Hill
Babes in the Wood (2004)
Robin Hood, Robin Hood riding through the glen
Robin Hood, Robin Hood with his band of men
Feared by the bad, loved by the good,
Robin Hood, Robin Hood
Piers de Burgh, the wicked sheriff, rules Wivenhoe with an iron fist. He recruits two henchmen, the boastful Sir Cowerd De Custerd and long winded Sir Vile Cringer to help him. He is opposed by brave, dim Robin Hood and his merry band; Little Joanna, Friar Trish and Auntie Vera a dotty old lady who does the knitting.
The Sheriff has a daughter Ermintrude, who writes poetry. Maid Marion is Ermintrude’s friend, she was taken in as an orphan baby as a companion for her.
The Sheriff receives a letter from a sick friend entrusting him with the care of his two children Gawain and Eleanor, should they die before they reach adulthood the Sheriff will receive all their money. The Sheriff decides to get rid of them. They arrive accompanied by Mistress Wandarell Daintyfoot.
Maid Marion realises what the Sheriff is up to and sends Jolly Joe, a wandering street entertainer who has a pet bear called Boris into Wivenhoe Woods to find Robin Hood and enlist his help.
Custerd and Vile make various bungled attempts to get rid of the children. We learn that their father had a daughter who disappeared in Wivenhoe Woods twenty years ago, various heavy hints are dropped that Maid Marion is that child. Wanda and the Babes go off into Wivenhoe Woods to have a picnic and look for clues concerning the lost child.
Marion and Robin meet and fall in love. Robin and his friends spread out through the woods to guard Wanda and the Babes. They meet Boris, Wanda faints, the Babes make friends with him and he hides them from Custerd and Vile. The Sheriff thinks Boris has killed Wanda and the Babes and takes him away to be executed. The Babes get lost in the Woods.
Kindly woodland birds cover the Babes. Robin and his friends find them and then rescue Boris.
They set off for Wivenhoe where they defeat the Sheriff. All secrets are revealed and everyone lives happily ever after!
CONGRATULATIONS to the Wivenhoe Pantomime Group for Congratulations to everyone involved in this year’s production. What a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable show. Clearly a great team effort, and what a huge team too. Substantial thought, planning and hard work obviously went into this year’s production (like every past year too!). Great result. Thank you everybody. Well done indeed. Cllr Peter Hill, January 2004 Comments: From Debbie Taylor: I would just like to say, being involved in painting the panto scenes and making some of the props with Sarah for Babes in the Wood that I really enjoyed it and also being part of such a great team. I am looking forward to painting and making the next panto. I would like say thank-you to all backstage crew for the amount of work and energy they put in it behind the scenes, as well as to the cast. A very good performance from all involved. Debbie Taylor From Glyn Evans: What a joy it was to watch the panto, which showcased not only the depth of talent that exists in Wivenhoe, but the great community spirit. A production of this kind is beyond criticism, but worthy of high praise. I hope to enjoy meeting a number of the players “out of character”, as I have done in a couple of cases already. I hope everyone is available for the next event, which I am sure will be every bit as entertaining as this was. I know how important it is to know that your friends enjoy the performance [as you have to live with them!] but for what its worth I can tell you it was a privilege to be invited. With thanks and best wishes, Glyn Evans. From Holli Dillon (Robin): It was a fantastic honour to be in such a highly praised pantomime. We all had a lot of fun rehearsing this year, and through the quality if the effort put in we all pulled off a spectacular show. I will never forget the experience, I made a lot of new friends, ones which I intend on keeping! Special thanks to all the back stage + lighting crew – we couldn’t of done it with out you; our charismatic musical director Nick and the rest of the fab musicians; AND- TRISH and Gary, our wonderful director and assistant director, who put up with all of the mad high flying kids that made the show (yes all right I may of been the worst!) and of course the whole cast, it was brilliant working with such talented and admirable people! Thank-you, so much, for an unforgettable, out of this world, exciting experience. Lots of love Holli Dillon (Robin). |
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