60 years of "It's behind you"

… and still going strong

(...from the Woldingham Village Magazine - Dec 2007)

In case you weren't aware, this coming January will see the Village Hall curtain raise to present 'Red Riding Hood' commemorating 60 memorable years of panto tradition in Woldingham. Pantomime has been a regular (except for 1964) feature of Woldingham since the Christmas of 1948 when the Woldingham Women's Institute staged 'Red Riding Hood'. So to celebrate our 60th birthday this year, the Panto are proudly re-presenting 'Red Riding Hood' with as many laughs, songs, pratfalls and past performers that it can muster. This will be one show to remember for another 60 years so make sure that you get your tickets early to avoid disappointment!

The inaugural panto of 1948 (did the WI know what they were starting?) proved so popular and the WI continued to put on a panto each December until taking a break in 1955. To make sure that the village continued the tradition, that year the mantle was taken up by the Woldingham Young Conservatives who performed 'Puss in Boots' the following January. This set the still popular trend for the panto to grace the stage in January each year, as a nice end to the Christmas season and welcoming in the New Year. The WI returned the following year with 'Babes in the Wood' (1957) and continued entertaining the village each year until 1968. This was the year that the WI, together with the Woldingham Players and the Woldingham Youth Group, joined forces to create 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'. This was also the year that the Village Hall was built, and in January 1969 this embryonic panto group performed 'Aladdin'. There has been a pantomime there ever since. This group continued for two more years before evolving into the fully fledged Woldingham Panto we all know and love in 1972. This was for 'The Queen of Hearts' and marked The Woldingham Pantomime's first official production. The Woldingham Panto has continued to present a pantomime each and every year since then, to this date, and has become a large part of the village's traditions and is much loved by all (as can be witnessed in the audience participation).

The panto has had many ups and downs over the last 60 years, and has seen faces come and go… some have gone on to have successful in careers in stage, TV or film (who knew that cute young Nigel Harman would leave the panto stage to become Bad Boy Dennis in 'Eastenders'?), yet it always triumphs and entertains the villagers each New Year (and long may the tradition continue!). It has seen members grow with the panto and seen it handed down the generations as children (and grandchildren) re-invent the shows year after year. Some members have grown to direct or write shows, and the panto has remained fresh and relevant today as it was back in 1948. The panto recognises the need for continued 'new blood' and has always had a strong youth element. This is what makes the panto distinguishable (this, and of course the incredibly professional shows and great costumes) and is always a guiding principal. Sadly, as with any village participation of this longevity, members pass on. The fact that the panto continues on today is a testament to their vision, strength and enthusiasm and they will always be remembered by us and successive generations. Each and everyone has contributed greatly and helped shaped the future of the panto and they will be greatly missed. This year is no different and we say goodbye to our wonderful chairperson, Julia Igglesden, who sadly passed away earlier this year. It is thanks to her that we are celebrating our special 60th birthday show.

It would take many pages here to cite and thank all the great villagers past and present who have entertained us all over the past 60 years (check out the panto website at www.woldinghampanto.co.uk to see just who these are and for photos of past productions), but you can still show your appreciation by continuing to support the panto by joining the audience this year... and the cast or production team next year. For such a small village, it's always a great and pleasurable surprise that we have so much great talent in our midst. The music, costumes, staging, lighting, design, acting, singing, dancing, comedy is always of excellent quality rivalling many professional productions. And of even more joy is that the production crew and cast enjoy the experience just as much as the audience. The Woldingham Panto is such a unique and exciting tradition in the village that it's easy to see why it has gone from strength to strength over the last 60 years. Let's hope that the tradition entertains for another 60 years!

Jan Szafranski