This is Exeter --THE members of Uffculme Amateur Dramatics Society took to the boards again when they staged their 35th pantomime, Babes in the Wood.
A new script brought more risque laughs and pop-culture references to the show, directed and produced by Yvette Cottrell.
One of UADS' funniest pantomimes to date, Babes in the Wood let the group show off some of its best talent. Scott Stevens had the audience in stitches as the dame, Nurse Molly Coddle, his last role at UADS before he heads to university. He was joined by Will Bodger, playing it camp again as Dave the Knave, and Jack Maddicks' evil Sheriff of Nottingham, Sir Simon Scowl. All three were impressively enthusiastic; there was never a dull moment. It was refreshing to see a cast made up almost entirely of junior members, including Chris Garner and Olivia Emery as the very cute babes. Some of the more seasoned members took on smaller roles, but never failed to impress, such as Hannah Tucker (whose absent-minded fairy narrator made us jump every time!) and Ella Peers as Robin Hood. As ever, UADS' musical numbers were a highlight. Accompanied by Stephanie Howard on piano and Richard Stevens on drums, we enjoyed classics such as There's No Business Like Show Business and some new additions. The talented Lizzy Clarke (Maid Marion) wowed the audience with her rendition of On My Own, from Les Miserables. Other impressive performances included Lily Andrews and Molly Turner, excellent as gormless henchmen Grabbitt and Scarper, and Roshan Chopra, whose northern accent as Friar Tuck went down very well with certain members of the audience! Audience participation brought singalongs, shout-outs and even the occasional egg being thrown. The show was as dazzling as usual: the backstage crew, and Edd Phillips' set designs never fail to impress. UADS make us laugh year after year, and Yvette Cottrell has led her team of young stars-in-the-making to success once again. Reported by This is 24 minutes ago.