A group of talented local people are swapping backpacks for glad rags this June, as they take to the stage at Winterslow Village Hall in their first ever charity pantomime, ‘Dick Whittington Goes Trekking’.
The friends met on fundraising treks for the Stars Appeal, Salisbury Hospital’s charity.
Now, an idea borne on the long and muddy walk back from Colombia’s Lost City in April 2024 comes to life. And of course, it’s all in aid of the Stars Appeal.
Pantomime originator and senior scriptwriter, Dave Key, from Salisbury, explains, “Trekking together is a great opportunity to really get to know fellow trekkers.
"There are always a lot of freewheeling chats where imaginations run wild. So last year, when we dreamed up a Trekkers Pantomime, I don’t think anyone thought it would really happen. Back in England, there was still a lot of enthusiasm, and enough people with the right skills and experience to make it work.”
The cast and crew include trekkers from every Stars Appeal trek – from Narrator Derek Gibbens, who’s done all five treks, to 2024 first-time trekker Dr Rashi Arora, an eye consultant at Salisbury Hospital who plays Queen Rat. She says, “Nearly 35 years ago, I left the stage to pursue medicine, dedicating myself to my career, patients, and family—trading the spotlight for scrubs, like many in healthcare.
"Now, life comes full circle as I return to the stage, not just as a hobby, but as a tribute to the very profession that shaped me. This time, I step into character for a cause close to my heart: a hospital I deeply cherish.”
The story starts when a trainee fairy’s magic goes awry. While transporting trekkers to their beloved Salisbury hospital to save it from evil Queen Rat and her brodents, she turns them into pantomime characters.
Fairy magic can save the day, but only if the panto-trekkers can return three stars hidden by Queen Rat.
Can they trek to find them all and return them to Salisbury before sunrise? With favourite elements from traditional pantos, including a Dame, two Principal Boys, magic, kitchen mayhem, bad jokes and plenty of audience participation (Oh yes there is!) the whole family can enjoy the show.
There are just two performances of the panto, on the evening of Saturday 21st June and the afternoon of Sunday 22nd June. Find more information and buy tickets at https://buytickets.at/trekkerspanto/1604541
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