Potholes, Pirates and a Panto Surprise

I genuinely thought pantomime season had packed up its wigs, foam swords and improbable plotlines for another year. Apparently not.

Last night, Mark and I were at The Cooper School in Bicester for this year’s production from the Launton Village Players – and what a gloriously unexpected evening it was.

The title was Treasure Island. Those expecting a faithful nod to might have been momentarily disorientated. There was, in truth, no meaningful link whatsoever with the famous novel. Instead, we were whisked to a little seaside town that felt a bit like Madeira and a bit like Launton – warm, familiar and gently self-aware.

Into this cheerful coastal chaos strode Captain Hook, mysteriously transported from Storyland and determined to cause havoc. Plot coherence was cheerfully sacrificed in favour of spectacle, slapstick and a very healthy dose of local humour.

Not surprisingly, there were plenty of references to potholes. I suspect no Oxfordshire audience would feel entirely satisfied without at least one pointed joke about the state of the roads. And, because I was in full rigging, there were also more than a few references to High Sheriffs sitting in the audience. It is always slightly alarming to realise you have become part of the script.

That, of course, is the delight of pantomime. It breaks the fourth wall with impunity. It draws in the unsuspecting. It refuses to let anyone, least of all a chap in a bicorn, hide quietly at the back.

What struck me most, as ever, was the commitment. Community theatre of this kind does not happen by accident. It is powered by volunteers who give up evenings and weekends to build sets, sew costumes, rehearse lines and perfect comic timing. It is a generous act of service to the whole village.

There were young performers alongside seasoned stalwarts, confidence growing scene by scene. That intergenerational mix is one of the quiet strengths of local groups like this. It is non-formal education in action – teamwork, courage, creativity and resilience, all wrapped up in sea shanties and sequins.

As High Sheriff, I speak often about belonging and about creating spaces where people feel connected. A pantomime in a school hall might not sound like part of that wider conversation, but in truth it is exactly that. A hall full of laughter is not a small thing.

My thanks to the Launton Village Players for a thoroughly uplifting evening – and for proving that pantomime season in Oxfordshire is very much alive and well.