Hooray for Lyme's panto crew

The society's talented cast, with help from some special guests, produced a thoroughly entertaining evening's entertainment with their summer musical variety show, Hooray for Hollywood.

One of the benefits of this fundraising show is that while panto gives only a few names the chance to shine, a variety show puts all the cast centre stage along the way.

Here audiences were treated to an array of talent spanning the age ranges with the society's younger members especially keen to get in on the act this year.

First soloists in the spotlight were teenagers Luke Street and Cameron Vere, in his first show with the society. Their version of the song That Guy was nicely worked and lacked only a little confidence.

Luke, of Lyme's renowned Street stage dynasty', just gets better as each year passes, so much so that he even managed to upstage grandfather Bill to get the biggest laugh of the night with an ad lib in their duet, of Well Did You Evah.

There were three generations of the Street's on stage including Luke's mother Dawn, whose highlights included a performance of the duet A Whole New World, and younger sister Amy, another natural star given her animated performance in the Lion King's Can't Wait to be King.

The haunting song The Rose, featuring Nicky Harwood and Tina Pavely, was just one of many chances to hear their fantastic voices at work including an excellent characterisation of the song Man Wanted by the former.

John Wallis, Val Hawkins, and Brian Rattenbury also joined in with accomplished solos and duets, while guest Cathy Binmore sang two songs including Don't Cry for Me Argentina. Another special guest, Roy Wootten, sang Hello and Everybody's Talkin', the second featuring some nifty whistling.

Of course there were also plenty of showstopping song and dance numbers from the chorus, including a nicely staged rendition of Movies were Movies as well as medleys celebrating musicals of days gone by, Disney shows and Westerns.

The younger cast members showed off their dance skills with their version of Grease, and the girls from Karizma brought to life the musical Mary Poppins.

But my absolute favourite has got to be the trio of songs from the hit musical Chicago featuring six of the female cast. Anyone watching their raunchy version of Cell Block Tango could easily be mistaken for thinking they were watching a professional show.

This was followed by strong performances of All I Care About Is Love, with Brian Rattenbury as lawyer Billy Flynn, and Razzle Dazzle.

The joy of variety is the mix of talent and styles on offer. Here there was plenty for everyone with all you would expect from a pantomime society and oh so much more.

CAST LIST: Cathy Binmore, Debbie Brown, Kate Evans, Emily Rice for Megan Flux, Nicky Harwood, Val Hawkins, Tina Paveley, Amanda Rattenbury, Bev Rattenbury, Abigail Rice, Amy Street, Dawn Street, Robyn Taylor, Kate Wootten, Brian Rattenbury, Bill Street, Luke Street, Cameron Vere, John Wallis, Roy Wootten and the Karizma Girls.

Producer: Shirley Colley
Choreographers: Nicky Harwood, Tina Paveley and Abigail Rice
Pianist: Penny Bartholomew
Percussionist: John Hallett
Costumes: Shirley Colley
Sound effects: Mike and Winnie Donno
Lighting: Lymelight
Stage manager: Ted Colley
Front of house: Jill Pack and friends

* The society's next pantomime takes place from February 12-16.