Sorcerer’s Apprentice enjoyable

Packed houses enjoyed Compton Players’ pantomime ‘The Further Adventures of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ last week.

The play was written by Dave Hawkins and diected by Nicky Burton. The plot revolved around the attempts of the Queen (Enid Farr), and the Princess (Tracey Brett), to rescue the absent-minded King (Robertson Bell), from the clutches of the Lady Avarice (Brenda Prior) and Duke Weevil, her insect-loving husband, played by a newcomer to the players, Paul Plested.

They were assisted by the somewhat inept and inebriated sorcerer Magus (Ian Hickling), the good witch Griselda (Caroline Cook), an unlikely tooth fairy (Mary Warrington), and an unsuccessful jockey (Paul Shave). The part of the sorcerer’s apprentice, who, predictably fell in love with the Princess gave Mark Bailey an opportunity to make a splendid debut with the players.

There were some very funny moments when Mike Long as Sir Portly, the Queen’s Champion, resplendent in shining armour, found that his joints had seized, leaving him in an awkward predicament. It was impossible to remain straight-faced at the appearance of H Connolly as the apprentice’s clever magic broom and lady Avarice’s endearing but dim-witted green troll played by Dave Hawkins.