The 2021 pantomime performance by the Quinton & Admington Drama Society (QUADS) was The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Lorraine Mason.
Rattenfanger - The Pied Piper
After having to cancel the 2020 performance due to COVID the QUADS team was very happy to offer a new performance even that meant a risk assessment and windows/doors being open with a smaller audience for health & safety.
To see a full selection of images taken for this Panto production please view Image Gallery
The panto opened in Hamelin town square with the cast and Matty Muddle who had been putting up the posters for the 18th birthday party for the mayor’s daughter upsidedown.
So when her father Mayor Meiserhoffer went looking for her she hid underneath the skirt of Frau Pumpernickel!. Then Scaredy-Cat (Matty Muddle’s cat) got teased by the Queen Rat’s henchmen Sludge, Gunk, Muck, and Crud.
While the rats scared Frau Pumpernickle onto a chair with the mayor's daughter for company.
Then Rattenfanger – the Pied Piper came into the scene and after playing his flute froze the rats then enticed them into the river. But after not getting his just reward from the mayor for saving the town he led the children of the town away with the mayor’s daughter.
After a battle between Fritz and Rattenfanger, he agreed to stop working with Queen Rat and helped return the children to the townsfolk.
Fritz with Anneleise
As with all QUADS pantos, there were a lot of jokes and japes and a pantomime horse as well as several songs from the children and the cast.
At the end of the show, the audience was very appreciative of the efforts of the cast, particularly for Emma Roberts who stepped in at the last minute to play Anneleise the mayor’s daughter.
Frau Pumpernickle (played by John Ryder) played to the audience and Mayor Messerhoffer (played by Richard Belcher) was his at his hilarious best along with Rattenfanger (Luke French) and Fritz (Robyn Hemmings)
The children trapped in a cave
The Panto was directed by Meryl Ashley with the Young QUADS directed by Robyn Hemmings (who played Fritz) with great performances from Young and teen QUADS. The musical director was Val James with costumes by Linda Hood, sound by Suzie Cook, lighting by Robert Spooner, and stage-managed by Heather Belcher. Photography was by Chris Roberts of WiderView Photography. Thanks to Robyn Hemmings who organised the online tickets and JR Stores who sold physical tickets.
QUADS is hoping to return next year with a Murder Mystery evening in March and a new Panto next November, and maybe a musical evening in May 2022.
To see a full selection of images taken for this Panto production please view Image Gallery
