I'm not really sure why I've been asked to write some blurb - after all, I'm not even a member of the society! But I used to be (for what seemed like several hundred years!) and I did have one of the more 'interesting' views of Pinafore '98. Now based in Cambridge, I vowed to have no involvement with the show other than sitting in the audience watching it, along with all the other ex-members. However, by some cruel twist of fate, I ended up playing in the pit unexpectedly! Sitting there on Thursday night wearing someone else's clothes, with someone else's oboe about to sight-read the part was pretty nerve racking!! But one show wasn't enough for me and I ended up commuting back each day and playing in them all. Five times at Peterborough station in three days isn't bad! (is there a world record?)

I had a fantastic (and competely exhausting) time and everyone in the society were their usual mad friendly selves! I was really impressed with the show and could see that lots of people had put in a huge amount of effort to make it a success. Highlights have to be Rob and the barrel, Dave's "Kill 'im", the 'Supermatch Game' and of course dancing at the Willow. I look forward to next year but this time I will only be WATCHING the show!

I remember sitting in the AGM after 'The Mikado' having just been elected chair, choosing which show to do the following year. There was the usual "but do we have to do G&S..." debate (and I seem to remember Johnny Ball was elected as our vice president, but that's another story). The odd few thought 'Grand Duke' would be rather cool (we hadn't at that stage sung it at 4 in the morning during a 24 hour sponsored sing), but in the end, 'Pinafore' was voted in. From that moment plans began to be put together for the extravaganza that was to take place in Central Hall on the 12th - 14th February, 1998.

I'm writing this a year and a half after the show, but I've still got loads of memories (good and bad!) of the production. 'HMS Pinafore' was one of those shows that you think 'never again' at the time, but once it's all over you rather miss it: watching the video afterwards made me think that it was actually rather good!

The show's catch phrase was 'Oh, horror!', which most of us went around saying for most of show week. Some memories include Val's impossible dances (and yet another Hornpipe - Ruddigore'96 veterans will remember the original); Carole's song in the second act, which although was beautifully sung, went on for hours; Richard turning up on Saturday with no voice (hard to believe I know); Ashley playing yet another young, handsome lead (ahem...); Mhairi's panic-stricken face on the back stage monitor; Tim and those white trousers; and who could forget those lovely dresses!

Yes, 'Pinafore' had it's moments (which show hasn't?), but I've got loads of great memories of that year. I had a brilliant committee (to any of them who may be reading this - you were fab!) and the cast were all totally wonderful. Not to forget the techies - a show would be impossible without them! As someone told me after the show, "Once you've done G&S, you can do anything", and I'm sure they were right.

Images

Production Team

Director:

Val Sim

Musical Director:

Mhairi Sheail

Crew

Technical Director:

Stage Manager:

Lighting Manager:

Sound Manager:

Sound Assistant:

Follow Spot Operators:

Backstage Assistant:

Cast

Ralph Rackstraw

Tim Towers

Josephine

Carole Carpenter

Sir Joseph Porter

Anthony Gardner

Dick Deadeye

Robert Nightingale

The Boatswain

Richard Lee

The Carpenter

David Bignell

Buttercup

Melanie Levy

Cousin Hebe

Frieda Midgley

Chorus

• Men
• Women

Orchestra

Acknowledgements