A classic rags-to-riches tale and plenty of panto

Bridgnorth Musical Theatre Company will present Half A Sixpence at the Leisure Centre in the town from February 19-23, with performances at 7.30pm nightly and 2.30pm matinees on Wednesday and Saturday.

Based on the novel Kipps by H.G. Wells, it’s the rags-to-riches tale of an over-worked draper’s assistant, Arthur Kipps, who unexpectedly inherits a fortune which propels him into high society.

Artie’s childhood sweetheart, Ann Pornick watches with dismay as he is made over by the beautiful Helen Walsingham, a lady clearly in a different class. Should Artie choose Helen or marry the love of his life Ann, staying true to the promise they made long ago to always keep half a sixpence and think of each other every day? A new member to the group, Jonathan Head will play the role of Kipps, with Ellie Madden as Ann and Rebecca Adams as Helen. I have very fond memories of this show when I performed it with my home company, South Staffs MTC, as it is the perfect vehicle for amateurs, with lots of ensemble numbers, plenty of small roles and something for everyone to do. The score of this show is an absolute delight and includes If the Rain’s Got to Fall, Long Ago, A Proper Gentleman, Money to Burn, Flash, Bang, Wallop and of course the title song. It’s witty, nostalgic and fun.

Directed by Emma Parker and Gemma Bridges, with choreography by Karen Ridley and music under the keen eye of MD Catherine Douglas, it promises to be a charming, warm-hearted treat for audiences of all ages.

For tickets priced at £15 each, visit www.bridgnorthmusical theatrecompany.co.uk or call 01746 761541.

Pantomime is still popular at this time of year and Market Drayton Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society is presenting the every-popular Dick Whittington from February 20-23 at the Festival Drayton Centre.

Dick arrives in London to seek his fortune with Tom the Cat by his side, unaware that King Rat has vowed to ruin his plans. Will Dick defeat the villain and win the hand of the lovely Alice? Let’s follow him on his adventures to see! Full of dancing, singing and laughter for all the family, this panto is guaranteed to be highly entertaining.

For tickets visit www.festivaldraytoncentre.com or call 01630 654444. There are performances at 7.30pm nightly.

From February 6-9, you can catch Cinderella, at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall presented by CLOC Musical Theatre Company. Awash with pumpkins and mice, ugly sisters and fairy godmothers, this time-honoured tale never fails to thrill. You can look forward to all the fun and laughter of a traditional family panto.

For tickets visit www.cloc.org.uk or call 0121 244 7475 or 07960 869250.

Comedy fans will be pleased hear that the Wordsley Amateur Dramatic Society is presenting Holiday Snap, by Michael Pertwee and John Chapman, at The Crestwood School in Kingswinford from February 6-9.

This comedic tale of mistaken identity unfolds around a Portuguese time share villa which has been double booked without the company representative knowing. When Mary and Henry arrive shortly after Eve and Leslie, he manages to remain unaware that there is more than one couple on the scene. The confusion gets worse and worse as each couple mistakes the other for the servants! Mayhem and madness!

For tickets, call 01384 353662 or 07775753088 or visit www.wordsleyamdram.com

The Fellowship Players who perform at The Grange Playhouse in Walsall, will be presenting their very own and completely unique version of The Bard’s Macbeth from February 7-16, under the guise of The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Amateur Dramatic Society; phew, what a mouthful!

This fictional group of lady performers is all set to mount an assault on the classics, with a startlingly original production of the Scottish play, staged with the intention of getting them to the Welwyn Garden City finals. But of course, things never go according to plan, do they? It would seem that every eventuality conspires to defeat them with hilarious results, all under the watchful eye of adjudicator George Peach.

This is Macbeth as you have never seen it before!

For tickets, priced at £10 each, call 01922 630495 or visit www.fellowship-players.co.uk

This is short notice, but certainly worth a look. The Llanymynech Amateur Dramatic Society is holding a charity concert on February 2 to raise funds for Cancer Research and The Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery at their local village hall, with curtain up at 7.45pm. Featuring performances from Nostalgia, Half Six, Shaun Higgins and of course the LADS members, it promises to be an inspiring, uplifting evening.

For tickets priced at £10, call 01691 830558 or 07989667278, or simply buy on the door.

Finally this week and on a very light-hearted note, they say never work with animals or children, but if you are an amateur group performing Oliver! you really have no choice, do you? Spokesperson for Starstruck Theatre Company, Richard Probert told me that as a result of a simple shout out for an English Bull Terrier to play the role of Bullseye, Bill Sykes’ trusty hound, in their forthcoming production of Lionel Bart’s classic musical, he received no less than 101 offers!

“My inbox is overflowing,” Richard said. “I even have one dog owner who lives in South Africa and is happy to fly over at her own expense!The response has been phenomenal and really unexpected.” It seems there are plenty of doggie darlings out there, just desperate to join the wonderful hobby of am dram.

Well that’s all for this week. Please keep sending me all your news and good quality colour photos to a.norton@expressandstar.co.uk, call me on 01902 31962 or follow me on Twitter @AlisonNorton

Break a leg!