Ebor Players celebrate silver anniversary of Bishopthorpe pantos with Mother Goose

Ebor Players cast members for Mother Goose gather at Bishopthorpe Village Hall

THE Ebor Players mark the 25th anniversary of their first pantomime by staging Mother Goose from December 2 to 7 at Bishopthorpe Village Hall, near York.

David Rose will play the title role after “taking a huge break with tradition” last year when, for the first time in more than 20 years, he switched to the dark side as the villainous Abanazar in Aladdin.

“Although I thoroughly enjoyed the change, this year I’m back in frocks for my traditional role as dame,” he says.

The Ebor Players were formed in 1994 in Bishopthorpe. “The aim was to present a pantomime in the village,” recalls David. “Now, 25 years later, the Players just go from strength to strength.

“Our pantomimes today bear little resemblance to those early years. The group has evolved to present a much slicker, more professional-looking show. This year’s show, Mother Goose, has a cast and crew of more than 40 people and is a riot of colour, music and laughter, with something for everyone.”

Performances will start at 7.30pm each evening. “Our Saturday night adults-only shows have always been so popular and oversubscribed, so this year we’ve introduced a Wednesday evening adults-only – 16 plus – cabaret-style event, but at the same price as our regular shows” says David. “So you can come along, have a drink and let your hair down for the evening.”

Tickets cost £8 for adults, £6 for children, at ticketsource.co.uk\ebor-players, on 07591 297221 or via the Ebor Players’ Facebook page.

Charles Hutchinson