A dream magically came true for a panto writer and director.
Twyford Drama performed Emma Cianchi’s panto, Buttons’ Dream, at Loddon Hall, Twyford, to delighted audiences recently.
Emma wrote the play during COVID and the theatre group were so impressed they asked her to direct it for their 2025 panto production.
The panto, crammed with the unexpected, enthralled enthusiastic audiences. The cast played out the world premiere with verve.
The story is set in Pantoland, where Buttons, played by Jac Rampton, has a bad dream in which the usual inevitable events of conventional panto plot start crumbling into disaster and disarray.
The dream becomes a reality, so much so that the normal happy panto ending we all expect becomes very much in doubt.
Menacing master, Meanie McMeanface, played by Peter King, and his two henchmen buffoons, Sally Gillard and Gavin Robinson, seem to have the upper hand as Pantoland plunges into non-stop ‘baddy badness’.
Because the play is new, intrigued watchers were guided along a complex series of twists and turns, unsuspecting of what was lurking around the next corner.
Buttons’ Dream boasts familiar characters including a dashing Prince Charming, Elysia Robinson; a principal girl, Lucy Wright; a flirtatious dame, Marc Reid; a fairy Tic Tock, Jocelyn Robinson; a sorcerer, Richard Rudman, and genie Crissie Field.
The singing princesses were Isobel Buck, Anna Darling, Macy Field, Caroline Rose-Newport and Bryony Stewart. Hazel Evans was the haughty Queen, Ian McDonald Royal Announcer and Mike Higgins the highly amusing maid. Dale Resnick was a hilarious Living Statue. There were well executed dance routines by Crissie Field and her team.
Atmospheric lighting was by David Goddard and Ollie Heath, and sound effects by James Field. The set and its astonishing explosive devices were by stage manager Bill Evans and team. Props were by Mary Steel and Sue Varley.
Buttons’ Dream was a pantomime that deliciously broke every single rule in terms of plot but one whose delivery fully embraced the best conventions of panto.
Twyford Drama’s next play is Blithe Spirit, directed by Beth Reynold at Loddon Hall on May 8 and 9. For tickets visit www.twyford drama.co.uk or call 0118 328 2825. The group welcomes new members.
Review by Joanne Davis
