One of the great facets of the biennial Penshurst Panto is the ability to involve as many people from the village as possible. Of course, the actors (as usual) get all the glory – and deserve praise of course (anyone bold enough to cross dress on stage gets my vote!). But behind the glittering curtain lies a multitude of disciplines, all of which need to come together on the night to ensure the result. I would like to pay tribute here to all those who have less of the limelight.

It is one of the strange facts of life for any musician that he is required to play perfectly, whatever goes on upon the stage or elsewhere. Lines may be fluffed or repeated, or forgotten, but play a bum note and everyone cringes! I always worry most about the songs, because once one is committed, there is no going back. A single accompanist can sometimes repair damage more or less invisibly, but a band, unless possessed of telepathic qualities, cannot do so without the whole thing falling apart. However, when a song is well performed, it can define a whole mood within a scene in a way that words never can, and certainly not as succinctly.  So my first award for unsung heroes goes to the band – they pick up the pieces I have written remarkably quickly and always add to them. Tim and Nick form the avant garde jazz threesome that performs at the panto (and later in the night at Ronnie Scott’s – incognito of course!). This year we may even be able to boast a drummer – if he gets out in time.

Second there are the two poor souls who have to visualise and then organise the disparate group of thespians – ranging in age this time between 8 and 60 plus. John and Sue have this down to a fine art – a perfect cocktail of nice cop/nasty cop (though I have never been able to work out which is which). The pure logistics involved with getting twenty plus on and off stage is a minor miracle – as one of our adult actors said of the pantomime cow – “never work with children or animals, especially when one is inside the other!” And with Sue on the night backstage, those who tirelessly pull on ropes for two hours, changing scenes, props, and occasionally carrying off confused actors.

Good pantos also rely on good effects – we are thrilled this year that we will have new lighting on stage for the first time in decades – some of the instructions on the previous switches were written in Chaucerian English. And the bulbs were so old that the V and A museum asked for them after we had finished. Lighting, sound effects, and flashbangs make a good scene special. Now we will be able to do that, with a computer controlled multi coloured system. And we have fabulous lighting and sound technicians itching to get going.

Another area where considerable hard work goes on behind the scenes is in the art work needed – backdrops, costumes and makeup. Again, Penshurst seems blessed with a supply of any type of artist one could desire to make this all work. Graham and Deidre (with a number of helpers) have for many years produced stunning costumes and scenery (and any who wishes to help on this please get in touch!) – we have a backdrop of a town scene more than slightly reminiscent of Leicester Square, located in downtown Bejing, Bavaria, and Windy Bottom, Kent in the last few years. This time it will be in London Towne, but not The Leicester Square I suspect. For make up, we are also lucky in having an aspiring make up student whose homework on her dad Trevor lead to a number of calls to the police on Halloween.

Then there is the administration – before with ticket sales, rehearsal organisation and on the night mainly catering for the unquenchable thirst of Penshurst folk. It’s always the bit which people would rather not do – but when it goes wrong, it really, really goes wrong. Again, if anybody fancies helping on the bar, or Front of House, please contact us.

All in all, for the last pantomime, around 50 people from Penshurst and surrounding villages were involved in and responsible for its success. That is something to be proud of – so keep it coming and if you wish to have something to do with the most epic production since Anthony and Cleopatra, do come along. We rehearse almost every Sunday from 2ish (mid-late December excepted) from now until February 2017. Drop in and exercise your artistic muscles!