WELSHAMPTON's annual pantomime never fails to deliver great family entertainment, as this year's tickets were sold out long before curtain-up.
The fun-filled home-grown production, with an imaginative script by Oswestry playwright and actor Shaun Higgins, was a great success.
The play took place at Welshampton Parish Hall, on March 3, 4, and 5.
Shaun also played one of the leading roles in the 'Time Trekkers', Romulus, with Francesca Fox as his wife, Calliope the mother of their three children, Yorkshire, Tetley and Twinings (tea-hee), performed with great gusto by younger cast members Euan Butler, Eva Bridges and Tallulah Caw"kwell.
Reviewer, John Arthur said: "This bizarre family led the audience on a wild, hilarious and sometimes suspenseful adventure as they tried to escape the clutches of an evil sorceress called Ratzlinger, who previously featured in the village’s 2016 panto, Time Warped.
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"Taking on this nasty revenge-seeking character was Heather Rodenhurst who gave a show-stealing performance as she transformed from a polite, good-natured North Shropshire librarian in real-life, to become a nightmarish, venomous creature.So fearsome that her every snarling, taunting appearance was greeted with a crashing chorus of boos, hisses and catcalls.
"This was one very scary lady and she didn’t hold back until, inevitably, she met her match."
John continued: "With superb costumes, a well-designed, set, clever sound and special effects, the time travellers’ journey tookus from a tavern in medieval England to ancient Greece, the Great Wall of China and beyond.
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"Along the way, we were introduced to a crazy gang of outlandish characters including a talking statue, a belly dancer and the not-so-heroic Knights of the Octagonal Table.
"There were impressive, comedic performances all-round, ably directed by Ian Andrew, with support from a very accomplished eight-piece band, led by Peter Cartlidge, and a hard-working team back-stage and front-of- house."
More than 50 people were involved in producing the for the Welshampton Bonfire Committee which has been staging shows like this since 2012
John added: "I missed the traditional pantomime horse this year, but, maybe, it got lost in the mists of time."
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