Hilarious Denaby Pantomime – “Jack and Jill”

February 1956

South Yorkshire Times February 25, 1956

“Jack and Jill”
Hilarious Denaby Pantomime

5 ½ months hard work at Reus resulted in a highly successful production by members of the Denaby Tom Hill Youth Club of the pantomime “Jack and Jill,” which has been running at the youth centre all this week.

The production was packed with action. Stage managers, Messrs Roberts, guess, and the turn, Walsh and Jepson executed the change of scenery with the highest speed, and lighting effects by Irving Wells were particularly effective.

Comedy played a great part in the success of the show. The trio of comedians, Mother Hubbard (Eddie Jones), King Gorgeous the Gouty (Raymond Potts), and Prince Rupert the Reckless (John Wright) and a large and appreciative audience roaring with laughter throughout the show stop there hilarious rendering of “Davy Crockett” (with their own variation (were particularly well with the younger section of the public, and everyone rocked with laughter at their attempts at Scottish dancing.

The production glamour to, and the singing of Robin (Wenda Nicholson) and Curlylocks held the how spellbound.

The young stars of the show, Jack (11 years old Brenda Watkins), and Jill (her nine years old sister Gwadys) were delightful in their difficult roles, making not a single mistake throughout the whole show.

Another great favourite was mother Hubbard’s dog, Sausage (Royden Cook) and Blib and Blob (John Jenkins and Derek Hirst), Prince Rupert’s flunkies, were particularly good as “stooges” to mother Robert and King Gorgeous.

Also in the cast were John Farmer as the Demon, was dramatic appearances were made extremely affected by the lighting effects, Iris Brook as the fairy, and Nora Chatfield as Fanfaron.

The chorus under the supervision of Laura Johnson, gave an pleasing display of traditional dancing accompanied by Mrs E.M. Bryars (pianist) and Geoffrey Moss (drummer).

Scene was painted by CP Needham, and make was supervised by Miss M.Sharp.