by John Bartlett

John originally trained to be an actor at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama. After successfully working for a number of years both as a performer in the West End, Repertory Companies, Tours and Children’s Theatre, John joined the teaching profession.

It was always an ambition of his to work with young adults and pass on skills gained at college and the ‘Business’. John has been interested in writing from a very early age, writing his first play in the wings of The Apollo Theatre, London during a very long run of ‘Separate Tables’ by Terence Rattigan.

John is very interested in the local folk music scene and sings, to some acclaim, with a four part harmony group called ‘Ramskyte’. See John's unusual set of modern mummers plays too called "In Comes I ..."

by Tom Bright

Tom Bright has been a writer of pantomimes, music, and TV and radio shows for over thirty years. He has worked alongside UK Productions Ltd and other top name producers as writer of their many pantomimes across Britain and has, in the past, also been UKP's Executive Stage Director.

Tom is an all-round entertainer, having enjoyed the crazy world of show business for many many years. His first national success came not on stage, but as a song writer … Tom wrote and performed the ‘Tiswas’ song and from there went on to write many television and film themes, but although he works in both radio and television, his real love is the stage.

He has performed all his life in Panto's playing roles such as Tommy Tucker, Smee from Peter Pan, Baron Hardup, Dame Trot, (three times), Fanny the Ugly sister, and Fanny the cook. "Panto time is just a perk of the job" says Tom.

by David Maun

David has been involved with the theatre for more years than he would like to remember! His first appearance on stage was at age 13 in a school production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. It was not a great success and given the 'unlucky' nature of Macbeth, it is amazing that he ever went on stage again! The scars healed and he returned to the stage with various local operatic societies, working his way up through the chorus to leading man and then onto a being a Director!

David has been a member of the Erith Theatre Guild for over 30 years, where he has played many leading roles in pantomimes, musicals, comedies and dramas. He has written and directed three pantomimes and co-devised/co-directed the musical revue Expialidocious winning an Arts Council award for musical excellence. However, Pantomime remains a firm favourite, having played a host of principal roles from Buttons and Wishy Washy, through Cinderella’s Ugly Sisters to Villains such as King Rat and Abanazar.

David has directed many shows at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, including Follies, Camelot, Singing in the Rain, Chess, Mack and Mabel, an acclaimed production of Jesus Christ Superstar, Jekyll and Hyde and the South-East England premiere productions of The Witches of Eastwick and The Producers.

Away from the theatre, David recently completed a degree course with the Open University, graduating with a BA.

Alternative 'Panto-like' Titles

We also have two other titles that have a panto feel to them, but are not really pantos.

'Snow White And The Evil Queen' is a musical telling the fairy story in a very tongue-in-cheek way ...

Can anyone stop the Evil Queen from killing Snow White and gaining total control of everything? Yes, hurrah - Prince Rupert saves the day. In this version of the Snow White story, the Evil Queen, named  Malexandria, takes centre stage along with her human mirror and stylist, Cedric The Hairdresser.  After killing her sister (the former queen and Snow White's mother), Malexandria marries the widowed king and sets out to make herself the sole ruler of the kingdom. The songs are gloriously set to the music of Beethoven.

'Maria Marten' is a full length play with music ...

(6m, 7f plus small chorus) A re-telling of the infamous real-life murder in 1827 of Maria by the dastardly William Corder. In this version of the well-known Victorian melodrama, Jeremy Browne (Radio 2 : 'The News Huddlines') and Milton Reame-James (Keyboards : Cockney Rebel) have used rhyming couplets throughout, and a cornucopia of well-known melodies with suitable lyrics. The audience have plenty of opportunity to boo and hiss the villain, and to cheer our hero and heroine.