Panto season returns to the ’Bridge

THE 60-plus strong cast has been selected, the roles have been defined and the costumes designed because in a castle, somewhere near the village of Sixmilebridge, something special is about to happen all over again.
For the past few weeks, the characters have been busy brushing up on their lines readying themselves for the curtain call for Sixmilebridge Youth Theatre’s pantomime adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, which runs over successive weekends at the end of January and early February.
The pantomime show follows the familiar storyline of this timeless and adventurous classic as Grace O’Connor slips into the role of Beauty, as she becomes captivated by the Beast Prince Michael, played by Alan Murphy.
The theme of this year’s show will focus around the Irish recession, so watch out for Beauty’s dad, Bob the Builder, played by Gerard O’Dea and her posh and spoilt sisters, Tuitti and Frutti, played by Tara Maxwell and Catriona Gallagher respectively.
Of course, the Beast must have servants in his castle and he’ll be well looked after by the hilarious duo of Jose Fernando and Fifi, played by Stephen O’Dea and Rachel Egan respectively. This year, Liam Togher steps into the flamboyant role of The Dame, while her son, Sammy Sausages, will be played by show favourite, Mikie Corbett.
Other characters in the show include Cruella, the wicked witch played by Lorraine Owens, Goody Two Shoes, played by Áine Freeman and Count Decash and Count Delaffin, played by Mark Collins and Kyle McAuley respectively. Ciara Golden steps into the role of Pocahontas, James Connor plays John Smith and Crystal Shannon plays the Doctor. Both Aoibhinn Gallagher and Shauna Kerin will be the narrators throughout the performance.
Produced once again by Frances Downes, audiences will be enthralled as the cast recalls this exciting tale in their own inimitable and witty way. There will be plenty of colourful costumes, singing and dancing of the highest degree, along with a great deal of audience participation.
The show runs over two weekends and the first show kicks off on Friday, January 29 at 8pm in the local GAA hall. There will be a show the following evening, with a matinee show on Sunday, January 31 at 3pm.
The following weekend’s performances begin on Friday, February 5 at 8pm and the final show is on Saturday, February 6 at 8pm.
Going on the experiences of previous years, co-producer Ray Maxwell is encouraging people to buy their tickets well in advance.
“While tickets will be available on the night, these will be limited and the production team would like to avoid having to turn away disappointed patrons,” he said. Tickets are available from local shops and youth club members.
“It’s a very easy decision to stay with the pantomime theme, given the success of past productions. I think it’s safe to say that the months of January and February are pantomime season in Sixmilebridge,” he acknowledged.
“The Youth Theatre is no stranger to stage performance and production, having enjoyed success at both local and national level over the last 27 years. The club and indeed the communities of Sixmilebridge and Kilmurry have an abundance of talented performers, the fruits of which will be borne out when audiences attend this show,” Ray added.
Ray explained that the cast has been busy over the last few weeks with rehearsals and there is a giddy anticipation ahead of curtain call.
“The standards have been set and maintained over the last few years but this year the cast are determined to raise the bar even higher. It promises to be a very enjoyable and entertaining show and we hope the club gets the support it deserves from the community” he said.