’Tis the season to be jolly, goes the old song, and jolly we certainly well were in producing this year’s Christmas show – the Old Time Music Hall. I may have signed up merely to accompany someone at the piano, but I somehow found myself on opening night dragged, not unwillingly, into singing and even – perish the thought – dancing in several other items too.

Over three nights, audiences were put through / entertained by sixteen musical numbers and three other acts from a widely varying cast of talented singers, instrumentalists, and actors. Alongside typical music hall fare like a few well-known pub ditties and songs from the great musicals were, among others, a monologue from a schoolmaster (“Nibble! Leave Orifice alone!”), a recital at the harp, and a (to say the least) dramatic reading, by Jack Steadman, of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart.

The hundreds who filled the Hall to watch us – many of them sportingly in period costume, just like the cast – laughed at the sharp satire of Nicholas West, changing the words of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Little list” song; they sympathised with the poor Lauren Cooper and Jemima Paine singing about their romantic woes; they even joined in with the finale. In the interval each night we ran a raffle, in which almost all the audience participated, a lucky winners went home with such treasures as chocolates, ‘his and hers’ welly socks, and even a tin of ham.

It was great to see so many people involved, with a cast and crew of 82 students, supplemented by a different class of year 7s each night, and the year 12 Young Enterprise teams Panacea and Guai – sportingly dressed in period costume to flog their wares to the unsuspecting public. There are several of them of whom I must make brief special mention: Ross Brisk, who sat for hours in total darkness in the corner of the stage operating the curtain; Joe Cowie, for his orchestral arrangements; Hannah Bryant, who valiantly took on the task of keeping an eye on the year 7s in the gym backstage; and the sound and lighting crew, who made sure all our performers could been seen and heard.

I am sure I speak on behalf of the company when I reserve the final word to the praise of the ladies who supervised the show from start to finish: Mesdames Heaton, Chandler, Billowes and Chillingworth. Their drive, dedication and dependability in a very real sense – and do pardon the dreadful cliché – made it all happen. We all enjoyed it very much, and to them is due all credit for this year’s wonderful Christmas show.

Jake Humbles (12CK)