SANDBAGS and stout hearts were on parade when Porlock Pantomime and Drama Society presented four performances of ‘Dad’s Army’ at the village hall last week.

Suitably attired in their Home Guard uniforms, Captain Mainwaring and his platoon marched their way through an amalgam of three episodes of the ever popular TV sitcom, complete with a host of familiar catchphrases and farcical situations.

The surprise was how well the show converted to the small stage, choreographed marvellously by director Mark Dorrill and his team.

It was a night of belly-laughs, ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’, thoroughly enjoyed by packed-out houses.

Each character was faithfully reproduced with the U-Boat Captain enticing the famous line, ‘Don’t tell him, Pike!’, from a flustered Captain Mainwaring, played by Conan Woodley, bringing a spontaneous round of applause from Saturday night’s audience.

Private Frazer’s Scottish brogue was brilliantly exaggerated by John Hill while Tim Nixon as Sgt Wilson provided just the right amount of aristocratic aloofness to drive the hapless Mainwaring to distraction.

Timing is of the essence of the TV show’s endearing success and so it was with this production, each member of a sizeable cast chipping in with their own gem of humour.

The closing sequence of the ‘Godiva Affair’ featured the Floral Dance and the cast upped the ante in true pantomime style to end the night on a high.

Well done to the society for bravely attempting to emulate such a national favourite and triumphing in a way Captain Mainwaring would have been proud of.

BY BOB SUMMERHAYES

CAST LIST: Captain Mainwaring, Conan Woodley; Sgt Wilson, Tim Nixon; Lance Corporal Jones,John Thirne; Private Frazer, John Hill; Private Frank Pike, Steve Sanders; Private Godfrey, Howard Mountfield; Private Walker, Jim Adlignton; Private Spongs,Jim Phipps; Private Day, Gordon Kidd; Private Cheeseman, Chris Chiswell; Private Day, Gordon Kidd; Private Hancock, Eric Nicholls; Colonel Pritchard, Mark Palmer; Chief Warden Hodges, Brian Palmer; The Verger, Clive Downs; Rev Farthing, Bill Lemmey; Town Clerk, Mark Palmer; U-Boat Captain, Chris Chiswell; Mavis Pike, Tasha Smith; Marcia Fox, Sharon Smith; Fiona Gray, Moira Douglas; Edith Parish, ellie Dorrill; Ivy Samways, Sharon Cox; Miss Ironside, Sue Mason; Mrs Prosser, Sue Lamacraft; U-Boat Crew, Sue Mason, Nigel Lamacraft, Eric Nicholls; Godiva Girls, Ellie Dorrill, Eve Bampton Wilton, Sharon Cox; Waitresses, Annie Smith, Sue Mason, Ruth Mounfield; Serviceman, Nigel Lamacraft; Train passengers, Annie Smith, Chris Chiswell; Porter, Eric Nicholls; Mrs Mainwaring, Kaz Dorrill.