Ancestor Gateway Forum - STAMFORD MEMORIES GATEWAY (Lincolnshire England) used as PRIDE and PREJUDICE FILM SET New Topic  |  Search Thread Topic: Pantomime Players diamond Jubliee Topic Originator: Mike Laughton Post Date March 26, 2012 @ 3:14 PM  Pantomime Players diamond Jubliee  Pantomime Players diamond Jubliee Mike Laughton March 26, 2012 @ 3:14 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top STAMFORD PANTOMIME PLAYERS RECENTLY CELEBRATED THEIR DIAMOND JUBILEE Sweets and sugar were still being rationed and King George VI was on the throne when Stamford Pantomime Players was founded in the early 1950s. And more than 80 people recently gathered at the Masonic Centre in Stamford for a 60th Anniversary reunion and party where presentations were made to the group’s oldest living member Daphne Jones, who is still active in the society. Later  she was joined by another founder member, Colin Francis, in cutting a celebration cake to mark the diamond jubilee. The theatre group began life as Stamford Players in 1951 and the early productions were staged at Stamford School Hall and the town’s Darby and Joan Hall. At first the society was a youth group with all the performers being under 21 years old. Later the productions moved to the Exchange Hall and during the 1960s the age restriction was lifted allowing performers over 21 to take part in the productions. Stamford Pantomime Players still present a Christmas show every year and during the summer a light musical or variety show featuring younger members of the society is staged. During the early 1960s the group also entered the youth section of the Lincolnshire one-act  play festival winning prestigious awards  several years running. I wonder if anyone else has memories of past Stamford pantomimes. PHOTOS 1.      Chairman Tony Seamer presents a bouquet to Daphne Jones, the longest-serving members of Stamford Pantomime Players. 2.     Founder members Colin Francis and Daphne Jones cut the cake to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Stamford Pantomime Players. 3.     Daphne  Jones, Sheila Lee and Mike Lee enjoy the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. 4. A scene from a 1950s production of Puss in Boots 5. A scene from 1960s Sleeping Beauty  Hi Mike. Thanks for the above detail and congratulations on the Diamond Jubilee.  The photos will be added in the next few days - having small problem with my computer! Mike Laughton April 2, 2012 @ 10:52 AM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top Looking again at the picture of the page boys with the fanfare trumpets, I am reminded of a couple of funny incidents which happened in past pantomimes when fanfares were played. The fanfare trumpets in the photo were just wooden props of course so whenever the script called for a fanfare to be played the page boy would raise the wooden trumpet to his lips and pretend to blow. The fanfare would then be played by the trumpeter in the orchestra pit - the brilliant Johnny Aylin. On one occasion the page boy took his trumpet away from his mouth before the fanfare was finished. That got a big unintentional laugh from the audience. And on another occasion, on a final performance, the boy raised the wooden trumpet to his lips but intead of playing the expected fanfare Johnny played a shrill piece of jazz music that Satchmo would have been proud of. The expression on the page boy's face was a picture!