Kingsclere Players holding auditions at the Fieldgate Centre for its 2024 Christmas pantomime performance Babes in the Wood

Following on from their sold out panto in 2023, Kingsclere Players are preparing for this year’s Christmas pantomime performance.

Babes in the Wood will be a heroic tale set in Kingsclere where we meet Robin Hood before his Nottingham days and the am-dram group is searching for a cast for the new production.

The play is being written by local actor Jo Batson who recalls watching her first panto as a young girl and being completely enthralled.

“I was in love with the whole idea of the imaginative fun, laughter, music and the pure joy of panto,” she said.

“I told my parents, ‘That’s what I want to do.’”

In her twenties Jo set up her own theatre company with a friend, touring the country, writing and performing shows for children.

She eventually got the opportunity to run a drama club at Kingsclere Primary School where she would write pantomime-style shows for the children to perform for their friends and parents.

Last year Jo performed in the Kingsclere Players’ successful production of Peter Pan.

Jo said: “Along the way I joked that I could write next year’s production and Babes in the Wood was born.

“A host of new characters will take us on a journey of fun, laughter, song, dance and frivolity.”

Auditions for Babes in the Wood are open to anyone from age nine upwards who wants to be involved.

These will be held on Sunday, August 4 at 1.30pm and Tuesday, August 6 at 7.30pm at the Fieldgate Centre.

Those who can’t attend the auditions but would like to take part should email the players at kingsclereplayersgroup@gmail.com or visit their website at http://rb.gy/ke8zux