When the three bears stumble into the village hall at Milborne St Andrew on Saturday, thinking they were meant to be in a pantomime in Dewlish, I knew just how they felt. Weeks turn into months as village pantos take to the stage in Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire, and it can lead to a certain confusion about who it is that flies the magic carpet or climbs the magic beanstalk or turns again at Highgate Hill.
But the annual show in the village is a real community undertaking, allowing residents of all ages to do their bit, whether it is joining in the chorus, making the costumes, stage managing or even taking a starring role. Traditional stories are laced with local jokes and references, and this cross-generational enterprise brings out the whole family to hiss, boo, catch sweets and sing along.
It is the first time most of us ever see "live theatre" and so it should be magical, colourful, musical and fun. Director Melva Coe at Milborne St Andrew always adds a few unexpected ingredients to Joe McSavage's original versions of familiar stories, and this years was no exception.
This Snow White (also known as Snow White and the Ten Dwarfs or Snow White and the Three Bears) still had a vain and wicked queen, a talking bit of scientific wizardry, small people in a forest cottage and a couple of dolts who couldn't quite bring themselves to bump off a girl who was more beautiful than the queen. And of course, a handsome prince. But in the Milborne Players version the Queen consults a virtual mirror for her affirmation, Snow White was her niece, the dwarfs were the palace children in disguise banished in case they TOO grew more beautiful than the queen. Then there was the extraordinary woman into whose tender and able hands our wicked queen gave her cosmetic care. And then the bears, surprised at finding a rather similar cottage in a rather similar wood, but soon realising they were in the wrong pantomime.
And another delight was Claire, the work experience student assigned to beautician Madame Botox. Very Catherine Tate, but oh so recognisable, and brilliantly done by Joanne South. The dwarfs - well they weren't dwarfs really, but children with beards - had to be renamed for the sake of political correctness.
The Players had a difficult ride to the opening night. After almost three months of rehearsal their dame, Mick Reed, was taken ill and a gallant stand-in Brian Evans-Johnson, had just a fortnight to learn the lines and the moves, and have the costume adapted. And the rest of the cast, many of them children, had to get used to a new person on stage.
A couple of nice new songs were written by Peter Casemore, "That's The Way to Do It" providing a vehicle for the exceptionally talented young Harrison Morton, tending to steal the show for the third year running. Caroline Nobbs was a wonderfully overbearing queen, and Alice Brock and Lauren Bush, as Snow White and her Prince Will, the touching young lovers.
Another memorable and inventive panto at Milborne St Andrew.
Review; Blackmore Valley Magazine. February 2006.

Cast:
Snow White - Alice Brock
Prince Will - Lauren Bush
Count TooTen - Rupert Morton
queen Gertrude - Caroline Nobbs
Queen Gertrude's Lady in Waiting - Brenda Connolly
Palace Guard, Stan Deasy - Bill Preston
Palace Guard, Heidi Seek - Ann Guy
Madame Botox - Brian Evans-Johnson
Madame's Assistant Claire - Joanne South
Makesamillion Magnifico - Brian Parkinson
Virtual Mirror - Maggie Redman
Palace Courtiers/three Bears - Ellie Rogers, Maureen Lock, John Wright
Palace Children and Dwarfs:
Charles/Happy - Harrison Morton
Ann/Sleepy - Marianne Sugrue
Grumpy - William Grace
Bashful - Sally Potter
Doc - Joseph Sugrue
Dopey - Greta Sugrue
Sneezy - Thomas Owen
Cheeky - Victoria Senior
Smiley - Alice Archer
Softly - Zoe Rogers

Stage crew:
Director - Melva Coe
Pianist - Margot Snell
Lights & Sound - Ian & Ron Karley
Stage Managers - Kathryn Pochin & Kay Parnaby
Musical Director - Peter Casemore
Directors Assistant - Margaret Evans
Curtains - Andy Coetzee
Props & Scenary - Sid Coe & Peter Casemore
Costumes - Caroline Nobbs, Margaret Evans and many others.