No strings attached (From Wandsworth Guardian)

No strings attached

5:22pm Friday 11th January 2013 in Freetime

It’s quite an achievement when you have 25 years of pantomime… behind you!

The latest show at Surbiton’s cornerHOUSE is No Strings Attached – a new version of the Pinocchio story.

To celebrate a quarter of a century of pantos, the arts centre in Douglas Road is inviting back everyone who has ever been in the shows, helped backstage, played instruments or operated lights and sound.

A gala evening is being held on Tuesday, January 15 from 7pm, with an exhibition of old programmes, photos and memorabilia collected together to bring back the memories.

Tim Harrison, who has written the latest show and who has been the dame for all 25 years, said he looked forward to seeing some old faces.

“In the very first shows, the tiniest children were woodland animals and trees,” he said. “What’s amazing is that several of them are now professional actors and entertainers, so playing in the annual Surbiton panto obviously didn’t put them off!”

As well as entertaining audiences, the shows have raised around £50,000 for charities.

Anyone who has been involved in the pantos down the years is welcome to attend the gala evening.

Meanwhile rehearsals are well under way for this year’s show, which runs from Tuesday, January 29 to Saturday, February 2.

The two Saturday performances are already sold out, but tickets are still left for the rest of the run. Tickets are £8 (£6 concs).

You can book online with a credit or debit card at www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/28655 or by cash or cheque at the cornerHOUSE at weekends during January. More details on the website, www.thecornerhouse.org