THERE were full houses for "Treasure Island", a pantomime by Ben Crocker, performed by Cheriton Fitzpaine Drama Club in Cheriton Fitzpaine Parish Hall.

Directed by Geoff Burchmore and produced by David Pink, the story of a Pub owner, Mrs Hawkins, played by a very convincing Stephen Hocking, some of whose customers included a fearsome gang of pirates, was a very funny and traditional pantomime.

As is the way with pantos, the WI were involved, and played very realistically by fearsome ladies, complete with hats and handbags, which were later revealed to carry guns and knives (oh yes, they did!).

Some of the cast members were new to our village, and it was lovely to have some fresh blood, working alongside more experienced actors, such as Charlotte French and Vicky Lancelles, as principal boy and girl.

As usual, the two dimwits played by David Pink and Andy Norton (who in real life are anything but) created chaos, ad-libbing when their memory failed them.

The young Sprites, played by Phoebe Sandover, Alexi Fricker, Molly Carr and Sabine Roth were quite confident and looked well.  The animal kingdom was not forgotten, with Joan Jenner as an ageing parrot, who longed to perch on her owner's shoulder.

As always, this production could not have taken place without David Simms on lighting, Malcolm Yeates providing the music, (some of it in a fine tenor voice) and all the many "behind the scenes" helpers.

House managers were the "Smugglers” Cove WI and, during the interval, Roy Clayton and Brenda Fowler provided the refreshments.

Appropriately, the Drama Club sprang from Cheriton Fitzpaine WI in 1957, and has entertained the village ever since.

Mary Nunn