Ali Baba and co are on their way to Almondbury

Feb 1 2008 by Andrew Baldwin, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

WHEN Almondbury Methodists stage their annual panto next week it will be the culmination of much hard work.

They are performing Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves and anybody who has seen the group before can expect an enthusiastic performance from a dedicated team.

Margaret Spencer, who is dealing with wardrobe and publicity, says: “Most of the cast members have been performing in our pantomime for more than 30 years, as did their parents before them and currently their children who have taken up the baton.

“We also have a great team of backstage workers.’’

Iris Hamer, who has been in charge of make-up for 20 years is not allowed to resign as she has another vital role.

She is also the ‘call-girl’, who makes sure the young performers are at the side of the stage in good time.

The panto is being performed on February 7, 8, 9, 14, 15 and 16 and a fair bit of invention has gone into it, including a mummy in a sarcophagus.

Ali Baba is played by Mike Crowther and his son Rhum Baba, the principal boy, by Sarah Gathercole.

Performances are at 7.15pm evenings and 2.15pm Saturday matinee.

Margaret adds: “We shall be offering the first Saturday night to a charity whose fund-raisers we hope will be able to sell half the allocation of tickets and thus boost the numbers and also introduce new people to our pantomime.’’