Easdale Island Community Hall
2004 Easdale Pantomime: 'Beauty and the Beast'

2004 Easdale Pantomime: 'Beauty and the Beast'

Date of Event: Sat 03 Jan 2004
Event Type: Theatre
Time: 7.30pm
Ticket Pricing: £ (accompanied under 12s free )
 
From an article first published in Easdale People magazine, Issue No 18, Winter/Spring 2004.

Life on Easdale, as any resident will testify can be a bit of a pantomime any day of the year but only on one Saturday is it rehearsed and performed in front of a paying audience!

Enter left of stage Ozzie Osbourne aka Dave Rockley aka Ezmerelda. Recent press releases had successfully thrown Paparazzi off the scent by falsely claiming the ageing rock star had been in an accident on a quad bike when in fact he had been holed up on Easdale rehearsing for days (no one had told him it is traditionally only a few hours) for his role as Ezmerelda. After a couple of false starts where he clearly couldn't tell if Annabel was already in costume, we were off!

Prince Jess Hill gave a startled performance (no I don't mean startling), not used to seeing more than ten people at a time paying money to enjoy themselves and stay dry at the same time and will be 'ribbed' for some time to come.

What is it about amply endowed women feeling the need to further pad out their assets with balloons or cushions when they take to the stage? Does it exclude us B cups from auditioning for a part unless we can provide a big enough cushion to hide the fact we were at the back of the boob queue? Having said that, Dr Doerte was superb in her role as Belle's grumpy father (I'm tempted to put in a witty play on words about Sauerkraut but you know me - p.c. to the end!)

Sandra was a 'roaring' success as the Beast but had obviously forgotten she had recently stepped down as chair of Eilean Eisdeal and continued to intimidate the audience with her menacing growls. Still she made it onto the front page of the Oban Times whereas securing £3/4 million Lottery funding was much less important! Just as the panic began to rise in my B cup (see above) realising that Beauty and the Beast had no ugly sisters and Mellon may have to accept the more challenging role of playing a man, my fears were allayed as Penelope, Melanie and some other ugly bird took to the stage.

Now, we have a 'Funky Fireman' calendar in the staff room at work and, trust me, even Mr February doesn't shatter the female fantasy as brutally as Pete did in those fishnet tights. Still, 'Raining Men' is much more acceptable to us feminists than reigning men so you're excused.

What can I say about 'The Things'? No I'm serious, what can I say about the things? All the puns and double entendres were expertly used up on the day. Well done Alan Laycock, Jan and Simon Fraser.

Wee as Lumiere (or was it loonier?) and Colin as Cogworth are to be congratulated for accepting more arduous parts than last year when they were suitably cast as village idiots.
** Note to Wee - you obviously have a talent for accents so stop using that infuriating Welsh one.

And finally, Belle who brought a glimmer of grace to the proceedings and her "I'm a Violinist Get Me Out Of Here" look was only apparent to those who know her well. She executed her part with verve and inspiration making it, I suppose a "well Philled role" A bit of chemistry between the Beast (get it?) and Belle meant the cast of this , the 7th Easdale Island panto, all lived happily ever after.

Awards:-
Winner of the fight with the hedge: Dave Rockley's wig
Best Supported Actress: Doerte
Best Actor: Mellon's dad who was heard to say, "I'm that proud"

Elaine Merrilees School of Tact and Diplomacy

Photographs: Colin McPherson
 
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