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The Barkway Players were founded in 1992.  We put on our very first Barkway Pantomime on 15-16 January 1993. We write our own scripts, and although these are often based on traditional stories, we generally try to deliver an unusual slant. For example, Emberella  was the tale of Cinderella turned on its head, with a nasty Embers being unkind to her sisters.  Puss in Boots Goes West set the ancient folk tale in the Wild West,  Treasure Island  set the action in an exotic holiday resort with some swashbuckling pirates thrown in; Jock and the Beanstalk gave a Scottish twist to a familiar pantomime, and Goldilocks, Three Bears and a Dog borrowed from the traditional tale and set it as an early 20th century “whodunnit”.  In 2007, Hamalot featured a princess, disguised as a knight, saving the kingdom from evil tyranny.  The 2008 show, Sinbad, followed Sinbad on his traditional quest to find the fabled Roc bird, but produced some unusual hazards on the way, including an alarming colony of shipwrecked beavers. Sinbad was the most popular show yet, will every performance not only sold out but subject to waiting lists for tickets.  The pantomime raises funds for the upkeep and development of Barkway Village Hall and in 2007 contributed a record-breaking £2,500 and this year (2009) contributed more than £2,000.  
   

People of all generations are involved.  Many of the original members still take part but we welcome new faces every year, both on stage and behind the scenes.  We also have a lively and enthusiastic junior cast. 

SNOW QUEEN REIGNS OVER 50th SHOW

The Barkway Players reached a special anniversary in February 2009, as they performed their new pantomime, The Snow Queen. 

They have put on pantomime in Barkway for no less than 17 consecutive years, each with three performances.  This means that the second performance, at 2pm on Saturday 7 February, was their 50th show.  Better than some West End runs!

The Snow Queen featured, among other things, a somewhat delayed Father Christmas, the Royston Crow and a double-glazing salesman.  Tickets were in great demand and all three performances sold out faster than ever before.  Even the fact that it snowed heavily on the day of the first performance did not stop the audience enjoying a great show.

Founder member and director Edwin Kilby said: "We are all amazed and delighted to reach our 50th show.  Few of us would thought when we started in 1992 that we'd still be performing after all this time.  But the group seems to become stronger and more popular each year.  We have been amazed at the demand for tickets this year."

Producer Ann-Marie Kirkham said: “We had great fun performing The Snow Queen.  Our version is genuinely original, taking elements of the Hans Christian Andersen tale and putting them into unexpected new guises.  In the words of its big song, this show has been One Singular Sensation!”

PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS

1993:Witch Way to the Wizard

1994: Past, Present and Future

1995: Emberella

1996: Aladdin

1997: Robin Hood and his Band of Merry Persons

1998: The Amazing Adventures of Dick Whittington

1999: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

2000: Alice Surfs the Looking Glass

2001: Puss in Boots Goes West

2002: Treasure Island

2003: Jock and the Beanstalk, the Scottish Play

2004: Pinocchio, A Family Affair

2005: Goldilocks, Three Bears and a Dog

2006: Mother Goose

2007: Hamalot

2008: Sinbad

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