Baslow Players launch annual panto

Baslow Players rehearse 3 Little Pigs CSI in Fairy Godmother's kitchen. Pictured are: left to right: Sally Myatt, Jackie White, Mary Russell and Ash Sharman.

The players are presenting 3 Little Pigs CSI, written by Zoe Wareham and Robin Proudfoot in their sixth creative collaboration for the company.

Zoe said: “Our little pigs story starts at the end, the wolf has fallen down the chimney, into the boiling water, is in pain, the police come and the whole business goes to court. Act 1 is the pigs’ side (prosecution), Act 2 is Wolfie’s defence. I am the judge, the audience are the jury.

“This has been especially written for Baslow Players and Baslow Village Hall whose stage is wide and shallow and really has no wings but has excellent access into the audience so we make a big thing of that. Probably half of this year’s production is in front of the closed curtain, encroaching into the audience space.

“In our writing, we aim for colour, very strong songs, magic, story twists and contemporary scenarios.

The panto features a 17-strong cast, two performers of whom are under ten and the oldest in their sixties.

Baslow Players have been putting on pantomimes since 1996, minus a couple in recent years. Zoe added: “It is our intention to do a panto every year and we are already planning next year’s.”

In its heyday, the company used to do a panto in February and two plays in May and September.

You can catch 3 Little Pigs CSI at the village hall from Tuesday, February 4 to Saturday, February 8. Performances are at 7.30pm with a matinee on Saturday at 2.30pm. Tickets for the opening night cost £5 and £3; for the remaining performances, they are £6 and £4. To book, call 01246 583460.