SO the time has come and CODS has now moved into the QE Lower School Hall and transformed it into a theatre. A place to tell a big story, a place to dance, to sing and to bring to life one of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most endearing musicals.

Last weekend was the “get in”, when all the planning over the months came together. At the start the hall was bare, just like any school hall at the end of a term, empty and rather silent. But not for long!

By about 6pm Friday night it already looked different. The auditorium was hung with black drapes, the floor laid, and the big build on Saturday and Sunday set the scene. Lighting and sound appeared and the costumes were tried out during the evening rehearsals.

Even the foyer had a makeover with a well stocked (and reasonably priced) bar, plus decor to set the scene before the audiences even take their seats in the performance area.

To get to this point CODS is indebted to many people who have helped us along the way. It’s an expensive business putting on a production, and the costs seem to rise every year. We have always tried to keep our ticket prices as reasonable as we can, bearing in mind we don’t have the luxury of theatre seating, and we also want to keep the cost of seeing our shows as affordable as we can.

There is always quite a discrepancy between ticket sales and the final cost of the production. So at this point we would like to thank our advertisers, Crediton Town Council, and in particular our Sponsors. Their contribution makes a big difference and we greatly appreciate their support.

Our sponsors this year as as follows: Monday: Gilbert Stephens Solicitors, Tuesday: Ashgrove Kitchens, Wednesday: Veitch Penny Solicitors, Thursday: Tucker’s Country Stores, Friday: Graphic Plc, Saturday: Crediton Dairy. We look forward to entertaining you on your Sponsors Evening.

Watching the final rehearsal in the Old Town Hall, we felt that in all fairness we should issue a serious mascara warning, and that was without all the ingredients of being in the theatre. Without the lighting, the scenery, the costumes etc.

Though this story is set at the turn of the last century, it is truly a story of today, the present time. The human emotions are just as real and much of what you will see on stage would not look out of place in tomorrow’s newspaper headlines.

Billy Bigalow is a likeable character really. Quite good looking, and popular with the girls. He hasn’t done much with his life, he has little ambition and is easily led. In fact, for all his outward bravado, he’s rather a weak character.

But he meets Julie Jordan and though they are poles apart, they marry. Shortly after their marriage Billy makes the biggest mistake of his life. This leads to that big mascara warning mentioned previously.

But the story continues and Billy gets a second chance. A chance to make a difference, to do something good. Will he take it?

Following the “get in”, the rehearsals on stage have had the sound, lighting, scenery and costume added to the mix and the story is even more powerful.

There is some lovely music, and well-known songs, beautifully sung with great solo and chorus items. There is also some very expressive, entertaining and clever dancing, including great performances by the “Barkers and the Whalers”, our two junior teams of performers.

There’s some lovely humour, for example, watching the “bad guy” trying to tempt Carrie to be with him, is practically worth the ticket money on its own!

And of course there is the emotion. Most of us will probably have experienced that feeling when someone we know is about to do something silly, and we know there will be consequences.

We are unable to do anything to change the outcome, and in spite of everything the inevitable occurs. This is exactly what happens in “Carousel”, but it isn’t the end of the story, far from it in fact.

There are more twist and turns, more beautiful dances, more uplifting singing and possibly another mascara moment or two.

It’s all there in this heartrending story, and CODS would love to share it with you.

If you haven’t got your tickets yet they are on sale from Olivia James in the High Street (Telephone 01363 777968) or you can click on the CODS website BOX OFFICE: www.codsonline.com .

Come and join us and see this lovely show … oh, and please remember to invite your friends.

Mike Palmer