Puss in Boots at Sion Baptist is the purrfect way to beat the winter blues

Sion Pantomime Society has a wild performance with plenty of panto fun planned for next week.
The cast of Puss in Boots, which will be performed next week at Sion Baptist Church. (s)The cast of Puss in Boots, which will be performed next week at Sion Baptist Church. (s)
The cast of Puss in Boots, which will be performed next week at Sion Baptist Church. (s)

No doubt, an evening watching Puss in Boots at the theatre is the purrfect way to beat the winter blues.

Amy Tattersall, the director, said: “We decided to perform Puss in Boots for this year’s pantomime because we found a great script and as a society we haven’t done this panto since 2006.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This wacky production is the story of a fight between good and evil.

Amy added: “The story is about a miller’s son, Jack, whose clever cat Puss is always by his side to help him out.

“All Jack wants is to marry the princess but he’s afraid that he’s not good enough.

“Meanwhile, the nasty Lord Roger will stop at nothing to gain the princess’s hand in marriage and take over the kingdom from her parents, the king and queen.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“He’s assisted by his two dimwit henchmen, Nosmo and Nopar, whose cunning plans never quite go to plan...

“Dame Hettie Quette is on hand to try and whip her nephew, Jack, into shape with her crazy ideas of refinement.”

Amy is taking a step back from acting to make her debut as a director.

She has teamed up with Craig Needham, the producer for the 10th year running.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“This year sees 14-year-old Eloise Clegg take on her first principal boy role as Jack and she has taken to it like a duck to water. She really is a natural,” Amy said.

“16-year-old Layla Hare also plays her first principal girl role as Princess Alice. Her ballet experience and natural grace make her perfect for the role.

“Puss in Boots is played by the experienced Marcia Turner whose air of arrogance and sarcastic humour are exactly what Puss should be.

“Dame Hettie Quette is played by 19-year-old PJ, who is probably the youngest and funniest dame in town. It is so easy to forget how young he is as he plays his fourth dame role like an old pro.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The nasty Lord Roger is played by Robert Bennett who has been doing pantomimes for years and years. He has made a welcome return to the stage after several years helping to put scenery together and being part of the backstage crew.

“13-year-old Abby Lawless plays the dimwit henchman for the second year running, this time called Nopar, whilst Isobel Duckworth who has played the principal girl for several years at Sion takes on a very different role in the form of Nosmo.

“They make a great team on stage and bounce off each other with ease.

“The narrator of the show, Arabella, is Aimee Duckworth who brings the whole show together and adds sparkle with her singing and dancing to all the chorus numbers.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Finally, the ditsy King and Queen are played with great comedy by Mark Lawless and Emma Waters.”

And, Amy added: “Audiences this half-term can expect an entertaining evening of song, dance, slapstick laughs and of course, no panto would be complete without the ‘it’s behind you’ moment.”

The show will run from Tuesday to Saturday next week at 7-15pm nightly at Sion Baptist Church, Church Street, Burnley. There will be a Saturday matinee at 2-30pm.

Tickets: £8 adult; £5 children. Concession £5 on Tuesday only; 01282 453295.