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Wickhambrook Players present PINOCCHIO
Wickhambrook Village Sign
GET YOUR TICKETS FAST BEFORE THEY SELL OUT
January 2004 Performances
Saturday 17th 2.30pm & 7.30pm Sunday 18th 2.30pm Monday 19th 7.30pm Tuesday 20th 7.30pm
Wednesday 21st 7.30pm Thursday 22nd 7.30pm Friday 23rd 7.30pm Saturday 24th 2.30pm & 7.30pm
(All £5.50 and £4)PINOCCHIO PANTO BOX OFFICE:  01440 820900 Open Now
 
Tickets Go On Sale In November
Question Answer
When can I buy tickets for 'Pinocchio' which they say is 'Probably the best panto in Suffolk'? From Saturday 1st November. Performances will run from Saturday 17th January to Saturday 24th January
How do I buy tickets? By phone is easiest (01440 820900)
How do I pay? By cash, or preferably by cheque, payable to 'The Wickhambrook Players' and posted to

'The Panto Box Office'
Mole Hill
Wickhambrook
Newmarket CB8 8XZ

And now, with the help of our friends at A1 Cars, you can pay over the phone using your credit card. NB. The Bank makes a 60p surcharge for credit card sales.
How much are the tickets? £5.50 and £4 (concessions).
Less than half the price for panto's elsewhere.
How do I actually get hold of the tickets if I phone? They can be posted to you (or sometimes delivered 'by hand') or you can collect them.
Can I book tickets and pay on delivery? If you really find it difficult to get out we'll try to help. It won't hurt to ask.
Can tickets be held 'at the theatre door' for collection? Paid for tickets can be collected at the Foyer Ticket Desk. You'll need to arrive at least 30 minutes early.
If a ticket holder cannot get to the performance can they have a refund? Sorry - no. However the Box Office will do its best to help and may have the name of someone hoping for a cancellation who could take up your ticket. The Box Office cannot offer refunds.
Could I get into a later performance with my unused ticket? Yes - if there are some unsold tickets and therefore seats available at the later night.
Why can't I get tickets from the Top Shop? Have you fallen out with them? No we certainly haven't fallen out with our friends at the Top Shop". In fact they kindly help us with most other things we do. But it's a mammoth task running the panto Box office so, for the panto, we do it ourselves.
Can I reserve tickets by phone and pay for them later? Yes - for a short while. To help you to organise your party you can phone the Box Office and plan which day and which seats will suit you or your party. Tickets can then be set aside for you for up to 5 days while you confirm your arrangements with your family and friends and pay for the tickets. But do remember - the Box Office has to account each week for any discrepancy between tickets 'sold' and the Box Office takings, so to keep things manageable, after a few days tickets not paid for simply go back on sale.
Can I buy more tickets later for friends to sit with us in a party? Yes. But don't leave it too long or your party may be split up. Plan your panto party early. Why not do it now
Need a lift to the MSC? Phone the Box Office (01440 820900). They may be able to find you a free lift there and back if you live in Wickhambrook or close by. For further afield try A1 Cars (0800 766777) for reliable and comfortable taxis.
Could you offer a lift to an elderly or infirm Wickhambrook resident to get to the panto and home again? If so - 'many thanks' - please contact the Box Office with your telephone number.
 
Wanted
The following positions have become available due to personnel reorganisation

Someone to video two or three performances of the Wickhambrook Pantomime 'Pinocchio' on Friday 23rd January (evening) and Saturday 24th January 2004 (matinee and evening). Camera, tripod, tapes, audio feed and an excellent vantage point will all be provided and set up ready to go. Involves a little bit of 'planning, not too much 'zooming' and some knowledge of the plot (as would be gained by seeing the performance on Thursday 22nd). Previous experience of home/holiday videoing highly desirable. Training video (i.e. last year's panto) available to the successful candidate for home study. No pay - just thanks and a free copy of your video (in case you missed the plot).

Wanted For all 10 performances of the panto 'Pinocchio' from Saturday 17th January to Saturday 24th January 2004 Someone to 'operate a simple toggle switch' at times marked on the script. If you know what a toggle switch is you may be over qualified. The switch controls the stage microphones and cuts out the backstage swearing during scene changes. Duties also include stopping and starting a CD player 1) for 45 minutes before 'curtain up', 2) during the interval and 3) for 5 minutes after the shows. All equipment, including CD, is provided and will be set up 'ready to go' for this position. Apart from the ability to stay awake, no previous experience is required.

The usual benefits, including a free beer after the evening shows, apply to both the above positions.

Previous candidates may re-apply

No Agencies
For both of the above please call the panto Production Manager on 01440 820520

Published in The Scene : Issue No. 207 : November - December 2003

Back to The Scene
 
HOW IT ALL BEGAN !

Yes Pinocchio comes to Wickhambrook! in a new script, especially written for the Players by Colin Bird who will also direct the stage production, the time honoured story of one little boy - Pinocchio - is given the full panto treatment in the incomparable Wickhambrook manner!

Every year we are told by departing audiences that our 'village panto' knocks spots off the other local pantos, including the Theatre Royal who charge more than twice our ticket prices. So this year we are expecting sell-out houses again for a panto experience which will maintain the Players' tradition of 'even better than last year'. We've started the production planning and the script read-through is on Friday 19th September, 7.30pm in the URC Schoolroom at Meeting Green. anyone who might like to tread the boards in the acclaimed 'Best Pantomime in Suffolk' can come along (not only members of the Wickhambrook Players) to join in the fun and have a sneak preview of the plot (A panto with a PLOT?! - Ed)

Tickets will be on sale well before Christmas (probably in early November). Following the success of 'Pied Piper' last January, and as there will be information posted through every letterbox for miles around, we are expecting some sell-out performances. We try to make sure that Wickhambrook residents get advance notification, but every year we hear unhappy tales bout someone's family who missed their chance. Please don't be the ones saying in February 'If only we'd seen it'.

The performance dates are Saturday 17th January to Saturday 24th January. There'll be more news in the November scene. Meanwhile many people (the number actually runs into 3 figures!) will be processing reams of paperwork, designing sets, building the theatre facilities, sewing glorious costumes , painting scenery... oh yes, and rehearsing dialogue, songs and dance numbers - all for what is undoubtedly going to be once again, 'The Best Panto in Suffolk' - Pinocchio, January 2004.

To all eager and interested parties an open invitation
The production of the next pantomime is already in the planning stage and the Wickhambrook Players are eager to recruit any and all interested parties who think they would like to come along and take part. You don't have to go on the stage and make a fool of yourself if you don't want to there are lots of jobs that need doing both front of house and backstage which are equally important.

Remember You don't have to be a member to come to the read through and auditions.
Read through of the script
(so you know what it's all about)
7.30pm, 19th September 2003

Auditions
7.30pm, Wednesday 8th October 2003

First rehearsal
Monday 13th October 2003

All to take place in the Schoolroom of the U.R.C. Rehearsals usually take place on Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm for the adults and Friday evenings at 6.30pm for the junior members.

The performances are scheduled to take place from 17th to 24th January 2004 with matinees on both Saturdays and possibly Sunday.

It's fun and it's famous and you might even get to like it.

Published in The Scene : Issue No. 206 : September - October 2003

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