The Show

Went to Berkhamsted last night for the wonderful Oddsocks doing Treasure Island - The Panto. Arrived with a quarter-hour to curtain up, so sadly didn't get to speak to producer Elli as the place was mobbed and she was nowhere in sight. In their inimitable style, the cast of five, playing all the parts between them, made a very amusing job of turning Treasure Island into pantomime. Gemma Aston was fantastic as the young hero Jim Hawkins, and the company's artistic director and scriptwriter Andy Barrow was hilarious in his two roles, Long John Silver and the flirty Dame, Jim's mother Mrs Hawkins. Plenty of visual gags as usual - in one scene an audience member's shoe was borrowed as a smelling salts substitute - a few sea shanties were sung and there were a few 'behind you's, though only one "oh no he isn't" and of course lots of pirate talk and a stuffed blue parrot that kept saying "Pieces of eight". Thought I spotted Elli in the bar at the interval, but it turned out to be her sister. Did get to have a chat with Andy after the show, after he'd had a long chat with a family and let their young lad hold Long John Silver's sword.

Launderette this morning, home for the mobile chippy's weekly visit, shopping in the afternoon, catch the football results in the Spoons in town and home for one last listen to the wonderful top 40 of this week in 1981, getting its repeat airing on Replay.