SCAMPS Pantomime-Chichester Observer-Friday 4th January 1963

But the show went on at Selsey. The stage tradition that "the show must go on" was faithfully followed by Selsey Comedy and Musical Performance Society when it gave the first performance of a very successful pantomime "Dick Whittington", at the Pavilion Cinema, Selsey, on Saturday. The cast battled their way through the snow and the curtain went up on time. But the weather kept a large part of the audience away. "You cannot expect people to come out in this weather. They would rather stay at home and watch television" said one member of the cast, Mr Cecil May. "We lost one block booking of 60 people on Tuesday night because the coach could not get here, but the people who did turn up have been an appreciative audience," The play was Muriel Browning's first production of this kind in Selsey, although had had previous experience elsewhere, and the show ranks as one of the most successful yet presented by S.C.A.M.P.S. The beautiful costumes, designed and executed by Phyllis May, undoubtedly contributed to its success, aided by the very effective stage sets by John Coe. The ultra violet lighting provided some unusual effects, particularly in one of the ballet sequences when only the rats' claws and eyes could be seen on the darkened stage, and the green and mauve of the slaves dresses glowed as they danced. Dick Whittington was played wxtremely well by Elizabeth de Courcy Hughes, who is one of the Society's most gifted principal boys with Susan Morey as her very attractive Alice. Breaking with tradition, the dames's part of Sarah was played by a womsn, Olive Bedells, whose gift of comedy character roles was seen at its best. Sydney Browning was a perfect choice for the Cat, and his reaction to the overture of the two Siamese cats, Jacqueline Alloway and Geralding Coe, was very well done. One of the youngest in the cast was Michael Browning, the producer's young son, who attended the Emperor of Morocco with dignity. The play was on all week and will also be performed tonight and tomorrow.