Ecchinswell-in-Wonderland community pantomime raises £2,500

The tongue-in-cheek production of Jack and the Beanstalk in Wonderland, by Ecchinswell Amateur Dramatics, took six months to write and was produced by Clive Bayliss and directed by Eileen Unnuk.
Performances took place last Friday, followed by a matinée and evening performance on Saturday.
Tickets sold out within days and Arena seating produced an extra 25 seats to meet demand for the pantomime, which blended the tales of Alice in Wonderland with Jack and the Beanstalk, as Jack attended the Mad Hatter’s tea party and then met the Queen of Hearts.
Villagers were involved on stage and behind the scenes and the ages of the 31-strong cast ranged from nine upwards.
Paula Bryan, who played the Queen of Hearts, said it had proved a fantastic experience.
“I’ve not done it before, I was a ‘mere mortal’ last year, but this year I made a commitment,” said Mrs Bryan.
Other star roles were played by Lisa Johnson as Jack and James Hardy-Giles as Camp Hopson.
Holly Unnuk, who played the White Rabbit, also choreographed the show, which featured four dancing cygnets, one of which was played by villager Alan Spalding.
Village pub the Royal Oak pulled out the stops for an after-show party and a donation from the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation helped towards the cost of stage lighting and scene sets, for use in future productions.
Sales of a filmed recording of a live performance will add to proceeds, to be divided between hall funds and the Huntington’s Disease Association.