Welcome to the Church Broughton village pantomime!
There has been a pantomime every winter in the village since the mid-1970s, a fine tradition which has seen different iterations, casts, crews and popularities since that time.
The Broughton Players (in association with Beercrate* Productions) have been responsible for putting on the show each year, which now takes place during the February half-term, with the very kind permission of the local primary school, whose facilities we use during their vacation.
(*”beercrate” because the earlier versions of the stage were supported by an array of vintage Marstons beer crates! The current stage, borrowed from the Church Broughton Park Committee, still employs a few at strategic points…)
Please see below for the LATEST NEWS and PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS to see what we are currently up to and what mayhem has ensued historically.
LATEST NEWS
24/09/2026: Plans are underway for the next Pantomime, in February 2027!
Hi All,
PANTO 2027!
Long-term residents will know the grand history of amateur dramatics in the village since the 1970s and more recent arrivals have hopefully had a chance to see one of our productions, which take place in the village school during February half-term. Plans are in the works for a new production in 2027 but, as always, we need help from the community!
If you would like to know more about the production, either from simple curiosity or with a view to joining in on-stage or behind-the-scenes, we will be holding two “Interest Meetings” as drop-in sessions next week. We would normally use the Community Hall for this purpose but as that is currently being refurbished the sessions will be held at “Raeburn” on Boggy Lane, DE65 5AR
* Monday 28th September 7.30pm-8.30pm
* Tuesday 29th September 7.30pm-8.30pmIn any case, come the performance week in February we will be looking for help of all sorts (especially on the final Sunday when we must dismantle the theatre-in-a-hall and get out of School again) so please keep your ears peeled and your eyes pinned for those details in the new year. The performances themselves will be between 18th-20th February 2027, subject – as in previous years – to permission being granted by the School.
For those interested in joining the (very friendly, welcoming and lively) cast, please note that as well as committing absolutely to the dress rehearsals and performance dates, there are readthroughs and rehearsals from end October – early December and then again January onwards; these usually take place on Monday / Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons. We are very keen to involve a new generation of secondary school-age actors so that the village panto in Broughton can continue for another five decades.
All the best,
JamesP.S. My first panto was Red Riding Hood in 1989…
13/07/2026: The Broughton Players are inviting script submissions!
Here is the email sent out to the village.
Following on from the email by Andy Cree the other day about the future of our village pantomime, the Broughton Players would be very pleased to receive submissions from anyone willing to have a go a writing a pantomime script.
What do we mean by “script submission”? It is an outline of characters, scenes and the overall plot of your story, maybe even a first, rough draft if you really get into the groove. Fairytales are a good place to start but we have made adaptations of other types of story work in the past, too! (N.B. We’ve done ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and ‘Cinderella’ recently.)
As you would expect, there are some parameters and other points to bear in mind:
- * Our cast varies in size each year: plan for 10-12 core characters with flexibility to adjust the numbers of supporting characters according to the size of cast available
- * Overall length is important: aim for 12000-14000 words or 30-35 pages
- * Scene setting and stage dynamics: 8-12 scenes utilising 3 or 4 backdrops for scenery. The latest iteration of the stage has Left, Right and Audience entrances, but no curtain
At this point in proceedings it is not imperative to include any detailed stage directions or music suggestions, although you could indicate where you think a song might be included – they are useful at points of heightened emotion or simply to break up sections of dialogue. There are other classic panto elements like running gags, audience shout-outs, et cetera and so on that will naturally become folded in once your story is established.
Finally, you should acknowledge that any script submitted and adopted is likely to be modified as we go along, especially as staging considerations come into play (and once the playful cast get their hands on it!). Such changes always happen and in practice produce a better overall outcome.
If you are interested in giving it a try, let me know via my e-mail in the first instance and we can discuss your ideas in broad terms. It could make for an amusing Summer project, if nothing else!
05/07/2026: Here is the message to the village from Andy Cree.
People may be aware that Yvette Lydon and I are stepping back from Church Broughton panto. Yvette has been the director of panto for thirty or so years now and, for most of those years, has also combined that with being producer, music and everything-else-panto organiser and leader, to the great beneift of the village over so many years.
We are pleased to report however that, subject to having the School’s continued permission to use its facilities in due course, there is every expectation that panto will continue under new leadership and with widened back-stage and off-stage support.
Having said that, there is plenty of scope for additional new blood to become involved in what always turns out to be an enjoyable, collegiate experience and worthwhile activity for the village. We shall, for example, be hoping to recruit a few ‘apprentices’ to learn the ropes in aspects of the panto’s production so that it can continue into the longer term.
So watch this space. Come September-time, an ‘interest meeting’ will be called as usual to gauge both on-stage and backstage support/assistance. If you think you might like to become involved, either on-stage or backstage in some way, please respond to that, even if it just to explore the possibility of your lending a hand.
If in the meantime anyone would like to discuss how they might become involved in some way, do not hesitate to contact me either by email or phone – apcree10@gmail.com or 07713 789755.
Andy Cree
03/07/2026: The outgoing Producer, Andy Cree, has a message to the community that will be sent out via the Village Email system. We will add it here once he has sent it. More details as they appear!
PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS
February 2026: “Pirates Ahoy!”
Written by Martin Furness
February 2025: “Cinderella”
Written by James Lydon
February 2024: “Sleeping Beauty”
Written by James Lydon
February 2023: No Production
February 2022: “Not The Panto: All-star Cabaret Evening at the Four Seasons”
Written by Various
February 2021: No Pantomime due to COVID pandemic
February 2020: “Mother Goose”
Written by Doreen Towne, adapted by Yvette Lydon
February 2019: “Phantomime” (The Phantom Of The Opera)
Written by James Lydon
February 2018: “Excalibur!”
Written by Yvette Lydon
February 2017: “Not The Panto” (Music and Sketch Cabaret Evening fundraiser)
February 2016: “Ali Baba”
Written by Yvette Lydon
February 2015: “Dracula!”
Written by Stuart Lydon
February 2014: “Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs”
Written by Yvette Lydon & Chris Scott
February 2013: “Aladdin”
Written by Doreen Towne
February 2012: No Production
February 2011: “Beauty And The Beast”
Written by Doreen Towne
February 2010: “Dick Whittington”
Written by Stuart Lydon
February 2009: “Red Riding Hood”
Written by Stuart Lydon