jack and the beanstalk

With apologies to the readers in the USA, who may not know about English pantomime. By the time you've read this, you may know even less.

Tonight I went to a village amateur pantomime

OH NO SHE DIDN'T!

Oh yes I did, and was reminded of some of the things I love about villages - like tradition, effort, and how many talented people are up for something inexpressibly silly. The Lassie what stays with us was brilliant in it, and after three days of stage fright, too. We had a giant and a demon

BOOOO!!!

and a fairy queen who played the violin (because she could.) LOTS of songs, mostly led by the brilliant pantomime dame (played by a woman, which is unusual)and all the audience participation you can muster from a Yorkshire audience. The principal boy (played by a boy, which is also unusual) and the leading lady threw sweets into the audience, and Daisy the cow survived the usual jokes about 'uddersfield and moovies to be the star of the show.

OH NO SHE...

OH YES SHE WAS, she was inhabited by two young lads and what a showstopper they made her. And. being a village thing, it was all seasoned with jerky curtains and jerkier cues.

Sadly, there wasn't a slapstick scene. Then again, this is a village do and the costumes will be needed next year. So, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, GO TO YOUR LOCAL VILLAGE PANTOMIME THIS WEEK, OR THE WICKED BARON WILL COME AND TURN YOU OUT OF YOUR HUMBLE COTTAGE.

Now, that's the blog finished for tonight. Or, as you might say,

IT'S BEHIND YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Oh yes it is.)