Written by the Medstead Players
Directed by Marion Rogers

There are many ways of spending an enjoyable Sunday afternoon, but one of the best I have had in a long time was for 'Tickled Pink' in Medstead Village Hall.

This show was in memory of Val Prior, a long time member of the Players. She acted, sang, produced, and was a good friend, and is very much missed. Most of her family were present, including two of her grand-daughters performing like stars on stage.

With Ann Penn as Master of Ceremonies, the show was a series of short extracts from previous productions, many of them songs, sung by the excellent songsters of Medstead - very fine voices and excellent songs.

There were comedy sketches, i.e. 'Romeo & Juliet' (Stan Whitcher & Jean Laidlaw), 'Albert & the Lion' (David Rae), a scene from the play 'Outside Edge' (Carol Bedingfield, David Rae, Jude Runnalls, Stan Whitcher & Stuart Laidlaw), and an audience participation song with Stan, 'The Gas Man Cometh'.

Helena Hunt accompanied the songs on the piano in her usual competent and brilliant way, all be it recorded. I would like to go into detail as they were all so good, but that is not possible, so I'll pick out some of the highlights:-

'Flash Bang Wallop' opened the production, probably the whole cast singing and dressed appropriately.

'Strolling' - the audience joined in enthusiastically (as Medstead always does) with David & Lesley Rae. 'Charleston' danced by 'the Young Ones' was superb. Then 'Nobody Loves a Fairy when she's 40' by guess who? Yes, wonderful Sue Ovell, oh the 'aaaahs' were deafening! Never knew Mike Overy had such muscles in his weight-lifting act, very sticky outy! [Watch video].

'The Swingettes' performed 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy' beautifully, I see that Sue was in there too. The finale was 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' - I assumed this was perhaps one of Val's many attributes? The cast walked down through the audience, who all joined in the singing.

There was the usual excellent raffle during the interval, and a wonderful cream tea with scones, jam and cream. Lots of thanks were given to the cast and back and front stage, and special flower bouquets to director Marion Rogers and producer Anita Prior.
[Jean Gebbett]

Cast:
Carol Bedingfield, Jean Laidlaw, Stuart Laidlaw, Bethany Magennis-Prior, Emily Magennis-Prior, Sue Millett, Sue Ovell, Mike Overy, Ann Penn (Master of Ceremonies), Anita Prior, Kerry Prior, Eleanor Noble, David Rae, Lesley Ray, Marion Rogers, Jude Runnalls, Kate Tindale & Stan Whitcher.