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A TRAGIC PANTO
This one of the saddest reviews that I have had to write for a very long time because Hatton Operatic Society, which has been a mainstay of the amateur scene in the area since 1945 will no longer perform here, but is moving to Bracknell in 1993, with a stopover at Slough in June for a production of the Broadway update of "The Pirates of Penzance" in June this year.
The reason for the move is the company's failure to persuade Hounslow Council not to raise its rental charges for public halls, and specifically Feltham Assembly Hall, to levels that make it impossible for amateur organisations to continue to use them - time for reconsideration perhaps? Certainly we can ill-afford to lose any of our local arts groups, but especially not those long-established and which have given, and continue to give, pleasure to so many.
The melancholy duty out of the way, I am happy to report that Hatton Operatic Society left Feltham in triumph with a production of "Cinderella" in Feltham Assembly Hall that had all the requisite elements of pantomime (plus one or two additions that, to my taste, are slightly unwelcome) and delighted the packed house on the night that I was there.
First of all, praise must go to the three overseeing personalities - Derek Stringer, director, Rachel Keegan, musical director and Clare Norman, choreographer - each of whom brought experience and talent to the task. The result was a fine blend of knockabout fun, romance, pathos, song and dance that gladdened the heart, enchanted the eye and tickled the ear.
There were some fine performances, too, most particularly from Robin Aldworth and David Westbrook as the Ugly Sisters Madonna and Kylie (yes, it was that kind of book!) and Peter Wood as a warm-hearted Buttons.
Melanie Hare was a lovely Cinderella, and Connie Dickie a splendid partner for her as Prince Charming, while John and Elizabeth Connor made a deal of the tiny roles of King and Queen Charming. David Wood as Baron Hardup made him much less of a cipher than usual, there being a touch of rebellion about him that led him to try to make Cinderella's lot less harsh than his wife and stepdaughters would relish.
In the smaller roles there was a spakling Dandini from Catherine Brooker, a dotty Fairy Godmother from Jenny Poore, a pair of distinctly dim bailiff's men called Grabbit and Runne from John Love and Richard Lonsdale, a splendid Bear from Liz Mason and a pair of cynical footmen, Benson and Hedges, from Keith Hilbert and Andrew Johnson.
The chorus numbers were all neatly done, as were the dances, and the whole bounded along with plenty of audience participation.
My only quibbles concern a couple of lavatorial jokes, which have no place in pantomime as far as I am concerned, and some lighting and sound cues that went a little awry - but they served only to point up the quality of the rest of the show.
George Allan
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