OHMYGOD. What was I thinking? Three girls in a traditional children's Christmas pantomime. For four shows. Plus a five-hour dress rehearsal. In the week between Christmas and New Year. Am I nuts?!
I have a feeling that Post Nativity Play Syndrome was easy peasy compared to dealing with the inevitable Post Pantomime Syndrome.
Now of course this isn't any old Pantomime, this is Muffin Hurst's Henley Children's Theatre Group Pantomime. Muffin's dad (as in the 70s music producer Mike Hurst) writes the Pantos and they are genuinely funny and appeal to all age levels.
Each year Muffin (yes, that's her real name) transforms a group of nearly 100 local children -- ages 3 and 1/2 to 17 -- into top stage performers. There are no auditions and Muffin subscribes to her grandmother's philosophy of "it is not talent that we require, but the enthusiasm to try".
That really says it all. If Muffin can take my little snotty nosed darlings on the down side of Christmas and turn them into adorable all singing and dancing stage stars, well, she is just about the most amazing woman I know.
I got a glimpse of this year's show, Cinderella, at the dress rehearsal and it promises to be an excellent time. Good thing, as I spent a small fortune and booked in for several evenings.
Only time will tell how my lot fare. HM was already yawning when I dropped her off at the dress rehearsal, but the older two got right into being luvvies, making faces in the dressing room mirror and watching Mamma Mia on a portable DVD player with their mates while waiting to be "called down" for their performances.
Just not sure how I'll get them to sleep each evening?!
CINDERELLA, at the Kenton Theatre, Henley-on-Thames, from 29th December 2008 to 3 January 2009.
Performances daily at 3pm, plus Friday and Saturday evenings at 7pm. These shows are incredibly popular, you can book online or ring (01491) 613991.
This post was written by Susanna, a Thames Valley Mums Blog founding contributor. You can read more at her blog, A Modern Mother.
Comments