Chairman’s Address

Welcome boys and girls, both small and big.

Yes we are back! Your multiple award-winning pantomime group is back breaking the mould yet again.

Our last show in 2020, Cinderella, literally squeezed in before we were all closed down, won two awards: One for the best pantomime and the other for the best production in our area at the National Operatic and Drama Association (NODA) awards. What an achievement for our small theatrical company. Then COVID hit and our 2021 show was cancelled along with virtually all other professional and amateur performances.

We considered long and hard about the scheduled 2022 pantomime planned for March this year and after much soul searching we cancelled that as well due to increasing COVID cases. I am very pleased to say that Melodramatics is now back breaking the mould to bring you a Summer pantomime. Yes completely bonkers we know, but why not? We are proud to present our third pantomime in Buckden, RUMPELSTILTSKIN the Panto, which, as far as we are aware, has never been performed as a pantomime. Written by our very talented writers, Rowan Alfred and Huw Nadin, who have taken the traditional fairy story of Rumpelstiltskin and added a few modern twists and turns therefore, as with all Melodramatics’ pantomimes, expect the unexpected .

Be transported into a strange land of a greedy king and queen, a humble miller eager to please the royalty, a hapless miller’s daughter made to do the king’s bidding, a crazy dame, a wizard and many other weird and wonderful characters. How will it end, will the miller and his daughter live happily ever after or be banished to the depths of the dungeons for all eternity? Find out in our fast-paced show full of twists and turns, music and dancing and all the usual pantomime gags (oh no there aren’t).

Much hard work by many talented people both on and off stage go into producing award-winning shows and this one is no exception. Our actors and backstage crew are the very best at having great fun putting on a hilarious show full of laughs and visual effects for the younger members of the audience and double entendres for adults; listen out for all these.

If you enjoy the show please tell your friends and family and come again..you may catch  even more of the plays-on-words scattered throughout the script. Believe me I am still finding them.

Again this year we are using electronic programmes using a QR code so please scan the code to get all the information on the show and the actors.

Melodramatics is a not-for-profit organization that has always supported local charities through our raffles and collections at the shows. Over the years we have raised in excess of £39000 for local groups. This year we are very pleased to be raising money through our raffles for,  Dreamdrops, a charity based in Hinchingbrooke hospital supporting sick children and their families through difficult times. We are also supporting other worthy local charities including Riverside Theatre Company – a children’s drama society based in St Neots – and HCCN. Thank you very much on their behalf for your generosity.

So sit back, boo, hiss and cheer at the fun and frolics of the very talented cast in Melodramatics 2022 production of Rumpelstiltskin the Panto.

David Alexander

(Chair, Melodramatics)