PEOPLE have sometimes expressed the wish that there was a drama group in Micklefield... and their fairy godmother Louise Willis made that wish come true last week when the first ever Micklefield Community Panto took to the boards in the local community centre.

This less affluent corner of High Wycombe has many claims to fame but drama hasn’t been one of them – until now. But this was something of a triumph.

Take a local librarian and a warehouse supervisor and what do you get? A pair of Ugly Sisters who gave a superbly entertaining performance. I’ve seen some whacky panto sisters in my time but these two were delightfully funny. Jon Andrews and Stuart Paradise came on in school uniforms (plus purple hair) instead of the usual flouncy gowns, as they’d just been expelled from Wycombe Abbey School. They proceeded to grope every man in sight and were a memorable pair.

The big theatre companies always boast a celebrity performer, and Micklefield panto had its very own in Alex Kew, who played Josh Barker in the TV sitcom My Parents Are Aliens as well as other acting credits. Actor and musician, he brought a real class act to the role of Buttons, charming the audience.

The prince, of course, was Charming too: Kate Brzezniak, who comes from Poland and is studying acting, was winsome in the role, and surely has a bright theatre future ahead.

Local pantos are often a family affair. Louise Willis, the show’s director and producer, did a brilliant job of pulling such an entertaining production from a cast of such different abilities and experience. Her mother Gill was co-producer and oversaw the set design which coped well with the challenge of a tiny stage. Her father Paul, vicar of the local St Anne’s & St Peter’s Church, played the luckless Baron Hardup. If I were one of his parishioners, I’d find it hard to listen to any future sermon without an image in mind of his song and dance routine with a string of sausages.

Ellie Reilley as Cinderella was pretty as could be, Emma Paradise the Fairy Godmother (wife of Stuart the Ugly Sister and mum to a little dancer) was fun, Alex Valentine brought freshness to the role of the Prince’s aide. And the panto horse fore and aft added good panto humour.

The script was a good blend of traditional storyline with fresh slants. Many of the cast and crew are keen musicians so there was plenty of song: vicar Paul was an RAF bandsman for years, director Louise has a degree in Music and is involved in many musical shows, both Alexes perform in local bands. They were ably assisted by a troupe of singing and dancing children and adults.

Next time you go to Micklefield, remember you’re moving through a talented local community who know how to get together and make something very special happen.