Camelot the Panto programme

It’s wonderful to be back with our annual pantomime, something which we haven’t been able to do properly since 2020.

What has been pleasing over our recent in-house productions, such as Hi-DeHi! and Legally Blonde, is how many new faces we’ve been able to welcome to the theatre. We hope that whether you’re just coming to the Conquest for the first time to see Camelot or if you’re a regular, you enjoy your time and we want to say a big thank you for your support.

As many of you will know, we’re a charity and it’s the goodwill and generosity of our volunteers, members, friends and patrons that allow us to bring the wonderful arts to Bromyard.

We are proud to be able to bring a variety of events to the community. If you take a look at our latest brochure,

copies of which can be picked up in the foyer, we have a jam-packed programme. Things to look forward to this year include some great tribute bands, event cinema screenings from top venues across the world, local music and our next ‘big’ productions in May and October.

Bromyard is probably one of the smallest towns in the country with a theatre like ours. Here you can watch the New York Metropolitan Opera or our versions of West End classics for less than the cost of a day’s parking in Hereford!

We’re so proud and grateful to everyone here who gives up their time and works so hard to make the theatre what it is. If you’re interested in finding out more and perhaps getting involved yourself, please visit our website: conquesttheatre.co.uk.

- Management team

What is Camelot the panto?

Camelot tells the story of the love between Guinevere and Prince Arthur.

The romance appears doomed from the start when Guinevere is kidnapped at the wedding by the evil Morgan Le Fay and her followers Valerin the Vicious, his mum and knights Marlon and Garlon.

But the evil kidnappers did not reckon with the determination of nurse Connie Clatterbottom and her friends Laughalot, dancing dragon Drizo and Merlin the Wizard.

I directed my first show for the Conquest Youth Theatre when I was 17. It was a Slice of Saturday Night, a saucy coming-of-age musical about growing up in the 1960s! In 2019, I then directed my first ‘big’ panto Beauty and The Beast, the complete antithesis of Slice!

To commemorate the Platinum Jubilee I created and directed Best of British, a take on the classic variety show. Camelot was due to take place in 2021 but was postponed due to Covid. I am delighted to bring this to you now.

Directing a show is incredibly hard and a huge responsibility. You have to find a way of bringing a script to life.

This entails having a vision for the characters, costumes, set design, props, lighting, sound and communicating this to the teams involved.

It also involves sourcing songs and soundtracks and adapting, sometimes rewriting, them. It’s the ultimate plate-spinning exercise. You become a

director Nikki Ivison

leader, teacher, therapist and problem-solver.

It’s a mammoth task and I’d be less than truthful if I didn’t say that some days it all seemed too much. But when you see how excited the company is to create something special, it makes it all worthwhile.

Everyone has worked so hard over the last four months and it should be noted that we are all volunteers with busy lives away from the theatre. However, the time put into rehearsing three times a week and the work in between is all to achieve a common goal.

And here it is... Welcome to Camelot, we hope you have a great time!

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assistant director and vocal coach

Amy Burke

Among other roles, you may recognise me as Mama Morton in Chicago here at the Conquest Theatre in October 2019. I was also assistant director and vocal coach for last year’s production of Legally Blonde

An architectural designer by day and vocal coach by night, I have recorded all of the vocal arrangements for Camelot the Panto. As well as being a busy mum, I also run an a capella choir in Bromyard which will be performing right here in March this year.

My favourite part about being a volunteer at the Conquest Theatre is meeting amazing people from all walks of life. It’s a very special place where all are welcome and

encouraged to fully realise their creative potential.

I enjoy teaching complex harmonies to the cast and hearing the end result when a song comes together.

This year’s panto features an incredibly talented cast who have been a joy to work with and who have made me laugh

at every rehearsal! This is a fabulously written panto with lots of silliness and fun and I am sure you will go home with a big smile on your face.

There is some exciting news which the Conquest will announce in the near future about a brilliant show next year as well.

GIFT VOUCHER

Do you know someone who loves films, music and live theatre productions? If so, what better gift than a gift voucher to use here at the Conquest Theatre? For more details, ask at the box office

Conquest Drama Group

Our adult drama group is increasingly popular, involving people of all ages and walks of life. Productions range from one-act plays in the foyer to full-scale musicals, as well as social events and workshops. For more information, visit conquest-theatre.co.uk

KING uther

Paul Lack

GUINevere

Emily Chambers

prince ARTHUR

Megan Davies

LAUGHalot

Jess Gilbert

Connie clatterbottom

Rob Finney

NELL

Lisa Legge

DRIZO

Mel McCluskey

YOUNG MERLIN

Jo Longuet-Higgins

MERLIN

Peter Goodson

MORGAN le fay

Dani Worlock

valerin's MUM

Jo Stanley

VALERIN the vicious Conor Stobart

talking CLOCK

David James

GARLON Caroline Thomas

MARLON Joe Rolt

BISHOP

Hilary Smith

NILREM Megan Poole

VERY YOUNG MERLIN

Megan Adshead

DAVE THE SNAKE

Poppy Stubbs

KNIGHT

Matilda Tabberer-Catt

MORGAUSE

Arabella Tabberer-Catt

Did you know that putting on a show like Camelot the Panto is the culmination of months of hard work by dozens of people? Well, if you didn’t, read on to learn a little bit more...

Every show has a core group of people to make up the production team. This group ensures that all aspects of the show become a reality.

There needs to be a set designer with a vision of how we’ll achieve all the various scenes needed, and be able to put those plans in motion with the team of set builders.

At the Conquest, we have the Koffee Klub which meets twice a week to not only construct the sets, but also an ever-

growing list of odd jobs and improvement projects around the building.

We also have a team of wardrobe volunteers which makes sure the entire cast is suitably dressed for the show, as well as looking after costume hires. Every show needs to be marketed to sell tickets and this includes making flyers, posters and programmes, as well as radio interviews, banners and more.

We also can’t forget the props department, finding anything from a spell book and potion bottles to a light switch and tankards. There are also the people that descend on the stage when rehearsals are done to design, rig and programme the lights, as well

as source and perfect dozens of sound cues.

An incredible amount of work goes into supporting the cast, especially with some invaluable resources for vocal coaching. Songs are researched online and then suitable tracks picked and the lyrics rewritten.

Choreography also needs to be planned and taught, as well as the director overseeing it all and creating the pantomime world you see before you! A lot of work goes into producing a show, something which we all love to do!

If you’re interested in getting involved in any area, just email backstage@conquesttheatre.co.uk.

Director

Assistant director

Choreographer

Vocal coach

Producers

Stage manager

Lighting

Sound

Song arranger

Costumes

Hair and wigs

Nikki Ivison

Amy Burke

Megan Davies

Amy Burke

Hugh Farey

Margaret Dallow

Sofie Smith

James Thomas

Adam Kerr

Nikki Ivison

Jenny Shortland

Anne Watson

Alison Stobart

Angela Mylotte

Margaret Dallow

Fay Carr

Debbie Anderton

Props

Prompt

Set construction

Set painters

Kaz Lloyd

Lily Gardner

Janet Ivison

Gill Tether

The Conquest’s

Koffee Klub

Rob Lett

Sally Handley

Kaz Lloyd

Linda Hart

Set designers

Marketing Programme

Illustrator

Refreshments

Hugh Farey

Rob Lett

Sofie Smith

James Thomas

Jo Longuet-Higgins

Caroline Thomas

All our star bakers

A special mention must go to all our front of house volunteers, and the team around the theatre which supports a production like Camelot the Panto.

No show at the Conquest would be possible without the help and support of the wonderful local community. Our thanks go to B&M Johnson, The Bromyard Centre/Halo Leisure, Stoke Lacy Village Hall, St Michael’s Hospice, Sewology and The Falcon Hotel.

Live on stage

Woodland Tales with Grandad

March 4th 3pm

Event cinema

The Life of Pi

Borderlines Film Festival

Moonage Daydream . March 14th 7.30pm

March 30th 7pm Live music

Live on stage Phoney Towers March 31st 7.30pm

Cilla and the Swinging 60s April 8th 7.30pm Live music

Sensation ABBA tribute October 7th 7.30pm

Conquest Youth Theatre

As well as our adult drama group, which is free and open to all, we also boast a youth theatre in partnership with the Courtyard, Hereford. For more information, visit conquest-theatre.co.uk